Orphanage Internships in Costa Rica

  Costa Rica

• San Jose: 
San Jose

Term: Throughout the year 
Dates: June - August 2010. Exact dates TBD

Description: Make a difference in the lives of orphaned children. Intern with a comprehensive care center that serves children of both sexes in the following ways: kindergartens, nursery schools and daycare centers. They provide these services in their main site in San Jose.

Intern projects include:

- Assisting in the childrens daily program activities
- Teaching English classes.
- Programming technical education, art classes, reading.
- Coordination and participation in sport activities.
- Organizing logistics for recreational and cultural activities
- Assisting in local community support, maintenance, painting, cleaning

Costa Rica, a worldwide leader in ecotourism, is known for its astounding beauty and rich biodiversity. But despite its breathtaking scenery and reputation for environmental-friendliness, Costa Rica has many complex layers. In the 1990s, Costa Rica's sudden popularity as a tourist destination added new life to a primarily export-driven economy, once largely based on agricultural goods from coffee to produce. This reliance on tourism, and therefore the international economy deeply affects Costa Rica, as there is a sharp decrease in both of its main sources of revenue -- a drastically lower demand for exports and a lagging tourism industry. As a result, the government is now aiming to diversify the economy by improving education in technology. In addition, Costa Rica's reputation for social stability and peace, along with its free education and universal healthcare, has drawn the attention of immigrants from other Central American countries seeking better lives. Along with issues such as alcoholism and machismo, the combined impact of immigration and a struggling economy has led to more pervasive challenges such as widespread unemployment, elderly abandonment, child labor, and an increasing economic divide.

Highlights: Located in the capital of Costa Rica, join other interns as you learn why San Jose keeps Costa Rica ticking. After a week of intensive orientation, you will work full-time at your internship for the next six weeks.

Interns will live together in in an apartment building or University housing in San Jose. Given the tropical climate you will have plenty of options for outdoor activities on you off-time and espcecially on weekends. Go white water rafting, check out an active volcano, zipwire through the rain forest or flip a coin to see whether it's wild life on the Caribbean or laying out on the beach over the Pacific Ocean.

Cost in US$: USD 5,395

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Costa Rica Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Other
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Job and Internship Network

Terra Intern Abroad's Mission Statement: To empower students to become globally minded professionals by enabling hands-on work experience with organizations around the world that are making a difference.

Year Founded: 2004