Volunteer opportunity in Costa Rica

Correos
Labriegos Intercultural Exchange and Volunteer Center

Our Community

The Labriegos Intercultural Exchange and Volunteer Center is located in the community of Tabarcia, in the county of Mora, about an hour from the capital city of San José in Costa Rica. The community has all basic services, including a clinic, potable water, telephones, internet, public transportation, and schools.

As a rural community, the residents have long dedicated themselves to farming, even before Spanish settlement when local indigenous peoples gave the valley the name of Tabarcia, which means “land between waters.” The name alludes to the beautiful rivers, rapids, and waterfalls that cross the valley and give much pleasure to locals and visitors.

In Tabarcia, you can appreciate the authentic value of a small community, focused around the town center. There are “pulperias”, small markets that serve as a place for young people to spend their afternoons and community members to chat with each other; the beautiful and historic Catholic church, and the central park, which is a place for families to bring their children to enjoy the afternoon sun and for sporting events and soccer on the weekends. Residents still value many of their traditions, especially in food, which is kept alive and vibrant through an exchange of food and recipes with visitors.

In all parts of the community, nature can be seen everywhere: the cool, green climate allows farmers to grow all kinds of delicious fruits and vegetables, and nature herself to grow hundreds of colors and varieties of flowers, unique and colorful birds, butterflies of all sizes, and many indigenous animal species.

Our Project

The goal of Labriegos is to keep alive these traditions and values: love, respect, solidarity, and cooperation. These are the values we would like to share with you, and the reason we invite you to be a part of this volunteer program, sharing with Costa Rican families and collaborating in building gardens and traditional kitchens, in bettering the roads and bridges, and cleaning up the watershed to improve the life of the community.

As well, you will have the opportunity to learn Spanish through classes and through practice in the community as another way to grow and to serve.

Labriegos is a project born of living experience with visitors, and a desire to share our values with you. We want to share the customs of Tabarcia and of Costa Rica and to prevent language from being a barrier to those who want to share and to help the global community. We want to create an unforgettable experience, in which every moment will be one of learning and living fully in community with the families you stay with, with children and youth, with the places you visit, and with those who receive your help.

We have developed programs in environmental education and human and personal development, worked with schools to teach environmental responsibility to students with disciplinary concerns, collaborated with the Family Businesses Association on rural community tourism, and partnered with the United Nations University for Peace to give students hands-on experience in sustainable development. We have also hosted students from many international universities.

Mission: To provide an opportunity to interact with Costa Rican culture through volunteer experience with the added value of the Spanish language.

Vision: To be the leaders in the exchange of cultural experiences, in volunteerism, and in the learning of Spanish through interactive techniques.

Objective: To teach about Costa Rican traditions through the exchange of languages and experiences while engaging in volunteer activities.

Sample Schedule

Arrival: A bilingual guide will meet you at the airport to orient you to San Jose and to put you on the right bus to Tabarcia.

Welcome Activity: Students will see the school facility, meet the families with whom they will be staying, and enjoy games with the families.

First Day of Work: Students will be introduced to local and family customs, some safety rules, and some training and background in the work they will do so that the volunteer project develops as best it can.

Monday and Tuesday: Spanish class from 8a.m. to noon, afternoon free to spend with families.

Wednesday: Class in Costa Rican culture and history from 8a.m. to noon, afternoon free to spend with families.

Thursday and Friday: Volunteer activities from 8a.m. to noon, with free afternoons.

Other Activities:
-Visit the city of Puriscal to practice Spanish, to shop in the local stores and farmers market, and eat in local restaurants.
-City Tour of San José, including important and historical buildings.
-Rural Community Tourism experience with the Family Businesses Association to learn about the local environment and economy.

Graduation: A ceremony with the families celebrating the completion of the volunteer project and the course.