Costa Rica Service

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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; the following information is designed to help you do just that. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Preparing For The Demands Of Your Trip

Service 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.

Special Health Requirements

All Overland students must be current on their tetanus vaccinations. Overland advises students traveling to Costa Rica to consult with their physician about protection against Hepatitis A and malaria. According to the CDC, our groups will be spending time in regions that carry a malaria risk; Overland recommends that Costa Rica Service students get anti-malarial medication.

Luggage

On Costa Rica trips we travel light—we cannot emphasize this enough. Please bring just one carry-on size rolling suitcase and one small book bag. Experience has shown that this is the only way to go (there will be lots of walking, public transportation and stairs—you should be able to carry your bag up a few flights of staris). Dimensions of the carry-on rolling suitcase should not exceed 22"H x 14"W x 9"D. Use your book bag to carry essentials on the plane (do not use as additional luggage space). Be sure to tag all items with your name, address and phone number.

Packing For Your Program

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 type of 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.

Clothing

• Tennis Shoes or Sneakers. Comfortable shoes to wear all day while volunteering and on day hikes.
• Sandals. Tevas, Crocs, Chacos or similar with a heel strap for rafting trip.
• Waterproof Raincoat. Must be waterproof- summer is the rainy season!
• Fleece Pullover or Sweatshirt. One only.
• Comfortable Shorts or Skirts. Two; one pair of shorts must be suitable for day hikes.
• Long Pants. Two pairs; one sturdy pair for volunteer work, one for evenings.
• Shirts. Five short-sleeve shirts or tank tops; one long-sleeve shirt.
• Underwear. Seven pairs.
• Socks. Five pairs.
• Pajamas. One pair.
• Bathing Suit. One only.

Gear & Miscellaneous

• Valid Passport. Leave a photocopy of your passport at home just in case.
• Student ID. Current school identification (if you have one).
• Spanish-English Dictionary. Small travel size.
• Toiletries. All travel size.
• Beach Towel (medium size) & Quick-Dry Towel (optional- for rafting trip).
• Water Bottle. Any kind, to stay hydrated out in the sun.
• Leather Work Gloves. One pair.
• Sunglasses & Hat. With visor (e.g., baseball hat).
• Sunscreen (SPF 30+), Chapstick (with SPF protection) & Insect Repellant.
• Flashlight. Small.
  
• Camera & Film. Optional.
• Spiral Notebook & Pen. For class.
• Journal. Optional.
• Community Donation Items. A few items of second hand clothing (for children or adults), arts & crafts material (e.g., markers, paint brushes, construction paper), or your favorite children's book (in Spanish).

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 (e.g., 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.