This is one of our favorite programs - we love it because it offers a variety of service opportunities in a beautiful country that is fun to explore. The key to preparing for this program is to keep it simple; this information is designed to help you do just that. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Service, language learning and cultural understanding require dedication, selflessness and hard work. Begin your preparations for a great summer now by organizing your luggage, clothing and gear. As the summer nears, stay active and fit through sports and exercise. The more you prepare, the more you will enjoy your program. Then once your program starts, commit yourself wholeheartedly to your group and all of its activities.
All Overland students must be current on their tetanus vaccinations. Overland advises students traveling to Costa Rica to consult with their family physician for information about protection against Hepatitis A and Malaria. Our Costa Rica programs spend some time in regions indicated by the Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) as areas that are affected by Malaria. Please check with your physician for recommendations for Malaria prevention for your child.
On Costa Rica programs we travel light—we cannot emphasize this enough. Please bring just one travel backpack and one small day pack (*see specifications below*) for weekend excursions and day hikes. Experience has shown that this is the only way to go (there will be lots of walking). Dimensions of the travel backpack should not exceed 22"H x 14"W x 9"D if used as a carry-on, however it may be larger if you plan to check this luggage at the airport. We recommend travel backpacks from REI, EMS and LL Bean. Use your day pack to carry essentials on the plane (but do not use this bag as additional luggage space). Be sure to tag all items with your name, address and phone number. If you are checking your travel pack as luggage, ask the airline to bag it for you. This will help protect the pack.
Please stick to the following guidelines when packing for your program; your group will have access to laundry on a weekly basis. In many of the places we visit, it is culturally inappropriate for girls to wear short skirts, short shorts or spaghetti-strap tank tops; this clothing can bring unwanted and possibly unpleasant attention. Please pack accordingly. Be sure to bring comfortable clothes that can get dirty, paint-splattered and worn while volunteering.
Note: Please do not bring any type of knife or multi-tool (e.g., Swiss Army Knife, Leatherman).
We do not permit personal electronics on our programs (for example, cellphones and iPods). We do, however, allow students who fly to their program to carry a cell phone while traveling; on arrival, Overland's leaders will collect all cell phones for the duration of the program and return them for flights home. Perhaps, a better option would be to bring a pre-paid phone card so that the leaders do not have to carry cell phones for the duration of the program.