Why Teaching in Costa Rica?

An abundance of wildlife; beautiful sandy beaches; lush rainforests; magnificent waterfalls; these are only some of the natural wonders that Costa Rica has to offer. In the heart of Central America, it is a country which can boast a strong mix of landscapes and cultures, and a population renown for its friendliness and hospitality.

As well as being a haven of peace after 50 years without an army, Costa Rica can also lay claim to being a leader in the field of ecotourism. The growth of tourism in the country has lead to an increased demand for English speakers. And it was on this context that Projects Abroad decided to start sending volunteers to Costa Rica to transfer their knowledge of the English language to those who would benefit greatly from it.

Volunteering in Costa Rica

Our Teaching projects are based in the city of Liberia, in Northwestern Costa Rica. Liberia is four hours from the cosmopolitan capital of San José, less than two hours from the Nicaraguan border and one to two hours from an enviable choice of Pacific Beaches. With numerous national parks and volcanoes also within easy reach, Liberia is an excellent base for visiting many of Costa Rica's natural attractions. Teaching volunteers are mainly placed in primary schools where they teach spoken English to children between the ages of 4 and 14.

Why do voluntary Teaching?

Voluntary teaching is beneficial to everyone involved. Firstly, it provides our volunteers with the opportunity to work in an environment culturally different from their own. This provides volunteers with an experience that is unique to Costa Rica and they will return home with a far greater understanding of the way in which millions of the world's population think and act. They will more importantly have an understanding and appreciation for Costa Rican youth culture and during their teaching classes will gain an insight into the way in which their students think, live and interact. Teaching will ultimately equip them with fuller and better cross-cultural understanding.

Secondly our volunteers are providing an important skill for the students they teach, that of conversational English. Having a native English speaker is a massive advantage and very helpful to the schools in which they teach. Both students and staff members alike wholly appreciate the language skills and enthusiasm our teaching volunteers bring to their classes. The students also use the opportunity of having a foreign teacher to learn about the customs and practices of the West.

We hope our teaching programme will provide an opportunity for two different cultures to learn from each other. In the 21st Century the importance of greater cultural and linguistic exchange cannot be underestimated. We hope to provide new language skills for the students in the schools in which we place volunteers and also for the volunteers themselves to learn and gain knowledge from the classes in which they teach.