When my roommate, Meghan, and I chose to participate in three weeks of volunteering in Costa Rica, we really had no idea what we were signing up for. We knew we wanted to travel, but we also wanted to travel with a purpose. Lucky for us, we found an international volunteer group called IVHQ that could make both of these goals possible! Though their company, we paid for our trip, received our safety information, and were given our general rundown of what staying in Costa Rica would entail.
Once we arrived in Costa Rica, we reported to Maximo Nivel, a local nonprofit organization. Maximo then assigned us to a small Pacific-coast town named Ostional, and we traveled to the Ostional Wildlife Refuge. After arriving at our volunteer dorms, we were briefed on the Olive Ridley turtle population we would be helping this endangered species. We learned that although the Olive Ridley turtles nest here year-round when they nest here in mass once a month they need volunteers to help. Called an arribada, thousands of turtles storm this beach day and night for up to a week, leaving behind tens of thousands of turtle eggs beneath the sand.
As inspiring as this all sounds, I’m going to be real with you and share that living and working in Ostional was one of the hardest adjustments of my life. Six people slept in each room at the center, with two connected bathrooms and communal showers. Oriental cockroaches were common fixtures in the bathrooms and ants were common in the bedroom. There was no hot water or washing machine. You took cold showers and washed your clothes in an outdoor sink, hanging them to dry. Since it was roughly 95 degrees with 100 percent humidity while we were there, it felt like our clothes were never dry.
Our volunteer assignments varied throughout our trip. During the first week, we did hatchery work. Only Green Sea turtle and Leatherback turtle eggs are placed in the hatchery, due to them being critically endangered. Throughout the turtles’ nesting period, we remove about two feet of sand and add fresh sand to keep the nests clean. By doing this, the sand is aerated, giving the eggs a higher chance of hatching, by removing obstructions so the turtles can easily crawl to the surface once they hatch. We also patched any holes in the netting that surrounded the hatchery to keep animals out.
We also helped with excavation projects. We dug around 50, meter-by-meter holes in the beach at varying locations to determine the nest density on the beach. While doing this we came across old nests with just bits of shells, rotting nests, and developing nests. If we came across a developing nest we had to be careful not to crush an egg, but when you’re digging blindly into the sand, accidents happen. One day while doing excavations, we came across a nest where not all of the eggs had not yet hatched. It was incredible to have the opportunity to release some live baby turtles after seeing so many nests that didn’t make it.
As the specialists determined that a mass hatching was coming, our volunteer work changed again. We took part in beach clean-ups and obstacle removal. That meant removing sticks and logs from the beach to give the nesting turtles a clear shot up the beach. During night patrols, we would walk on the beach with no flashlights (as not to stress the turtles), looking for nests. When we found one we would use red lights, (as turtles don’t see as much on that side of the light spectrum), and collect data on the length and width of the turtle, the size of her flippers, the depth of her nest hole, the number of eggs she dropped and how long it took her. After she was finished nesting we would then tag the turtle. All this information is extremely important as it is given to the state to maintain turtle conservation efforts.
This day and night schedule during the mass hatching was physically taxing. During the day, work included shoveling and lifting heavy objects and during the night shifts we were walking on average 4 miles. The work did not get physically easier, but I began to get used to the pace of things. I grew closer to the other volunteers and the atmosphere shifted to feel more like a summer camp. By the beginning of the third week, we felt so much more confident in our work with turtles. I even volunteered for the job of egg counting and was sure of my ability to tell if a turtle dropped 1, 2 or 3 eggs at once.
If you’re considering going on an alternative spring break, I can confirm that the positive moments outshine the hard work and sometimes uncomfortable living situations. Having the opportunity to be so hands-on with something so important, like helping an endangered species, and learning so much about another county and culture is priceless. You will meet friends from around the world and will cherish the memories you make together and have horizon-expanding conversations with them. You will arrive home with a greater appreciation of the amenities you once took for granted, such as consistent WiFi and a clothes dryer.
Based on my experience, the best advice I can give is to research ahead of your trip. Look into the available volunteer organizations and projects to make sure they’re legitimate. Arrive with an open mind and immerse yourself in the experience. My only regret is I wish I had focused less on what I didn’t have in Ostional and focused instead of what new things I did.