The accommodations were much better than the literature led us to believe. Wonderful time. Federico is the best. Lovely people and community.
Always a gift to step outside our "rat race" and see a group who are verrrrry content with their lives and appreciative. A gem of a country. - Patricia Fitzharris, November 2014

Amazing to see another culture and how they live. My children were amazed at how small houses were but everyone seemed happy. More is not always better. We were able to communicate even though there was a language barrier. It was a wonderful experience.
Our guide, Federico, was amazing. He knows so much about the local culture and community. He was a travel guide, interpreter, chef, driver and friend all wrapped up into one. He is an incredible person. - Jennifer Hilger, July 2014

This trip once again reinforced how incredibly fortunate we are to have the things we have in the US. Everywhere else people make do and live with so much less. It's humbling. Federico made the program for me. He was gracious, patient and always looking out to provide the best experience for all of us. He went over and above what I expected and was a really wonderful host for my family, my friends and all the people in the group. When we had a health issue with one of the boys he made sure everything was taken care of and Nick got to the clinic. He was always thinking ahead around what he needed to do to help maximize our experience as part of the program and as a guest in Costa Rica. He integrated with the group and became a friend - not just a guide or manager. The combination of his wit, humor, personality and listening skills are wonderful. Katie was only with us a couple of days but all the kids loved her and appreciated how well she connected with them. My 2 daughters (& husband next time) look forward to future vacations with Globe Aware.  - Karen Gilboux June 2014

I felt the work project was meaningful because it meant so much to the people of Orosi Valley. They were so appreciative of the work that we accomplished. Food was over and above what I expected on a volunteer trip! The free time was great I feel like we got to see and learn a lot about Costa Rica.  I do feel like it was an eye opener for my 16 year old daughter. For her to observe how little these people have and how happy they are was worth the whole trip! It was really great eating lunch and dinner with the families! Deep down we are all the same:)  -  Jane Lamon June 2014

We learned a new skill (stripping paint & sanding). It was a great project. Federico made sure we saw a lot of the countryside & the culture - whether we were touring a coffee farm, local church, town square to watch the end of a World Cup game, zip lining, hot springs. The food was very good and it was nice to eat local food. I call the trip a volunteer vacation & cultural immersion. It was wonderful to spend time with the families and our boys (age 16 & 12) enjoyed playing soccer, games, and eating lunch & dinner with the local children. We all came back understanding the Costa Rican culture a lot more than if we had stayed in a resort for a vacation. We returned home with an appreciation of the Costa Rican culture and the wonderful people we met. It was a real growth experience for all of us. Federico was such a wonderful coordinator and host. He was wonderful to have and interpret for us, share knowledge of the culture, and make sure we were on track for our volunteer and cultural activities. - Jacqueline Carney June 2014

My volunteer project was to help out at the . And the woman who maintains the center was extremely thankful for our help. The food was delicious. The woman who cooked most of my meals was named "Mama Lu" and she made more then enough and was always trying to give me second helping. Also she was accommodating to another volunteer who was a vegetarian, which I thought was excellent. Most of the meals were cooked with fresh vegetables her family farmed that day. Talk about farm to table cuisine! People were so welcoming. I never felt like a visitor I felt like I knew these people for years it was a surprising experience. Also I'm native New Yorker and it was nice to see how people relax and aren't so fast paced in everyday life. - Stephen Ward   April 2014

Saphire was the perfect person to serve as an ambassador of Globe Aware and a delegate of the communities we were in. She is energetic, humble, and it was clear that the families in the communities viewed her as one of their own. This experience was amazing because of Saphire's facilitation and guidance. I was impressed by her professionalism, her ability to be personal, and the true appreciation and understanding she had of Costa Rican culture.
The food was again, more than I expected. It was plentiful and delicious. I enjoyed every meal because it was made by someone and the food came directly from the farms or nearby sources. One of the lasting effects of doing this trip is the desire to change my eating and cooking so that I can enjoy what I'm eating! The time spent doing activities in the community was also something I wasn't expecting and probably the most perspective changing for me. It was an emotional and mental challenge to feel uncomfortable, out of place, yet desiring to connect with people. Saphire is the perfect person for mediating and guiding. She was non-judging of us, how we all tried to navigate our discomfort, and energetic, always able to find humor and encouragement. I put "no" for the free time question b/c I would've liked more time, perhaps at the end of the day, to reflect on my experiences that day, to talk with our other group members and process our experiences. I appreciated and enjoyed the extra activities that Saphire planned for us, eg. rappelling and horse parade. - Eunice Kim, December 2013

There are many observations, thoughts and feelings I have on this subject. I'll try to be concise. First, I'm still in awe about the whole experience. About the people and community, I can say I was overwhelmed by how they so warmly welcoming us into their homes and served us a delicious meal made from what they harvested on their own land. Their generosity was inspiring and makes me want to be more like them. As a bit of an introvert, it was outside my comfort zone meeting so many new people. But as a group (and in large part because of Saphire's great skills facilitating the experience) we made something special about of each encounter. While I was afraid of insulting our hosts by having so little Spanish language, and being a shy about stumbling through questions and greetings, they accepted this and treated us to a chance to learn about them and they about us. I am grateful to each of them for this. Something else stuck out to me; they expressed a healthy pride in themselves and their country. I think this is missing in my own country. In the US we are constantly alternating between idealizing our country and whining endlessly about all of it's shortcomings. Maybe it's just me, but it seems there is also less of a call for and participation in direct, collective action by average citizens to address community needs. It leaves me wanting the kind of connection with my own community such as I witnessed in the communities in the Orosi Valley. Also seemingly absent from the culture is the neurotic, self-absorption so common to the status-conscious American citizen, who lives in the shadow of enormous wealth and power and carries with them the promise of the American Dream. Perhaps the people in the community I met are protected from some of our modern social ills through the true social connectedness that they live every day and the way they live to share in their individual prosperity.
Thank you for a great experience! I was skeptical about how tourism and volunteering went together, but it makes perfect sense to me after experiencing it. - Joel Carnazzo, December 2013