Tell me about living in Costa Rica Please. I need quick information.
 

A friend just called me and her daughter has an opportunity to go to COsta Rica on a co op program in Sept Oct to study turtles.
BUT she has only a few hours to decide if she should go.
We are going to goolge everything we can...but can any one give me any info about staying in COsta Rica for 2 months.
ANy information at all.!!!
Food, illness, drinking water.. language... English I mean..she doesn't speak Spanish.
weather in Sept, Oct.
I'd appreciate any info.

Thanks.

I would so do this! She might be roughing it--when we went to Costa Rica last year there were students surveying turtles at the Mawamba and they were packed four to a room and those rooms weren't exactly luxury. But I'm assuming we're talking about a college student so she should be fine with that. Two months is not that long, how bad can it be? The food is fine, they have a lot of the same meals we get in the US and the best pizza I've had outside of Italy. Illness not a problem unless she goes somewhere really remote. Many people speak English, although she should certainly do her best to learn as much spanish as she can before she goes. Donde esta el bano is such a helpful phrase! The weather is temperate year round, and they are just getting out of their rainy season in September.

Depending on where she goes, the weather could be pretty awful. It won't be that way all day every day but it can be pretty rainy. The work can be tough in terms of the hours worked. A lot of it if not most of the work, from what I have learned when looking into it for myself, is done at night. That is for volunteer work helping with the turtle hatch- it could be different for her. If it is around the Atlantic side the weather could actually not be too bad. That is their drier time of year. She will get rained on no matter where she is at some point.

Every place is different as to what they offer for housing and food. I suspect the food will be pretty basic Costa Rican style. Not all that bad but 2 months of beans and rice would drive me a little batty. She should bring some money to treat herself to something else once in awhile.

Speaking spanish would make things easier but most likely there will be people who can speak both. I wouldn't worry about this. She will probably learn a lot while there.

Drinking water, eating fruits and veggies is generally pretty safe.

I would recommend that she has at least started the Hep A series and is current on tetnus. Malaria meds might not be a bad thing to take at that time of year although chances are she won't run into it. I would consider it myself and I have never taken it in the many years I have been traveling down there. Plenty of bug spray. That is when Dengue fever does become more common in many areas. Bug spray and long sleeves/long pants are the best preventative for that.

Has the daughter done much traveling to foreign countries? 2 months is a long time when you are that far from home. Many people have trouble with culture shock. I assume she is college age or close to it. She will probably make friends readily which will certainly help. At that age people are more adaptable to different experiences.

So much to consider and something only she can decide. I think it would be a wonderful opportunity to really get to know another way of life while getting an education. If she is mentally prepared for the downsides as well as the upsides she will enjoy her stay more.

Right after my son graduated from college he went to Costa Rica for 6 months. There were times when he was lonely but he did fine. I visited him after doing some homestays down there and then my husband joined us. He had friends go down to visit as well. It all helped.

YOu guys are the best!!! Thank you SO much for your quick responses and all the great info.
Yes she is college age. I think she's fine with it, ....it's her mom who wants to know!!
I'll let you know.

Am I the ONLY one who thinks that giving someone (esp. a young woman) only a few hours to decide something like this is a little crazy AND a little frightening??????

acctg, could be she already had her mind set to go and was just waiting for an opening. It might be a class that she has been trying to get into and someone just dropped out. Sounds like the daughter is good to go...it is mom who is having the problem.

Kodi, do let us know how it turned out! My husbands father mentored some people who have become quite famous in the scientific world. This could be her big break you just never know!

Suzie I think you've hit the nail on the head. I don't thnk daughter thought she would be picked and..being young, had not done too much home work on it... Mom doesn't really have a problem, but just a lot of questions now that it's suddenly become reality. concern for her daughter is more like it.. I will let you know..

thank you...

I am wriitng to give you an update and to thank you again for the quick responses.
My friend's daughter has decided not to go this year. It was not anything negative about COsta Rica , but more about finances.
When she worked it all out, it was going to cost more than she had anticipated, plus it would take her away from earning money up here for the two months.
Right now she really needs to be bringing money in and not spending it, to help cover her living expenses while she's away at university.
She's disappointed, but hopes to do something like this in the future.
This was the right decision for this year.

Thanks again.