COMMUNITY SERVICE
COMMUNITY SERVICE
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
COSTA RICA
Costa Rica is known for its biodiversity and its pioneering conservation efforts. Steaming volcanoes poke out of thick, green jungle; and protected tropical rain forests, teeming with wildlife, reach all the way to the pristine coast. Immerse yourself in a mountain village and work alongside community members on a variety of service projects, documenting life in the village through photos, journals, and video. Then set off to explore Costa Rica’s most active volcano and the breathtaking western coast.
I T I N E R A RY–14 DAYS DAYS 1–3 NORTHWEST COAST Start your journey on the pristine Pacific coast, where we’ll spend our first days in a small beachside village. After a day of orientation, snorkel amid spectacular marine life, kayak across the bay, learn to surf, and enjoy an afternoon at one of Costa Rica’s white-sand beaches.
Experience everyday life in a traditional tico village. Restore a community building, plant trees, or teach English to schoolchildren. Go kayaking or horseback riding in the shadow of Arenal Volcano.
the elementary school, or paint a health center. Help build local housing, or pitch in on the restoration of a community building. Organize a village cleanup, plant trees, or develop a conservation project that local youth can continue. In the afternoon, take a break from your projects to explore this lush, mountainous area. Hike to a nearby swimming hole with your new Costa Rican friends, or arrange a game of pickup fútbol. Go for a walk in the tropical forests to look for monkeys and unusual flora. Join some of the local women in the kitchen to learn how to make tortillas and gallo pinto, or try your hand at milking a cow at the town dairy farm. Throughout your time in the village, record your service project work through photographs, journal entries, and video. With the guidance of your leaders, craft a story about your experience, the challenges facing the community, or the impact of your work. DAYS 11–14 ARENAL VOLCANO After wrapping up our community service projects, we’ll move on to Arenal, the most
DAYS 4–10 COMMUNITY SERVICE VILLAGE Travel to our village in the mountainous northwestern province of Guanacaste, and settle into everyday life. Our days start with a typical breakfast of rice, beans, eggs, and fresh fruit. Then split into teams and head out with members of the community to work on a variety of service projects. Clear forest trails, teach English to students at 54 c o m m u n i t y s e r v i c e
active volcano in Costa Rica, flanked by thick rain forest. Our home here is a small, sustainable, family-run ranch that has its own organic garden, a reforestation corridor, and hot springs. Learn about their sustainability initiatives, spend an afternoon exploring the rain forest on horseback, or go kayaking on Lake Arenal. Swim in the crystal clear pools below Catarata de la Fortuna, a spectacular waterfall located at the base of the dormant Chato Volcano. Descend from the mountains and return to the Pacific coast for a final day of reflection with your group.
Dates & t u iti o n 2016 DATES: JUNE 24—JULY 7, JULY 1—14, JULY 8—21, JULY 15—28 TUITION: $4,390 Airfare is not included. We have arranged a roundtrip group flight between Miami and Liberia. Refer to page 70 for transportation details. ACCOMMODATIONS: Accommodations in the village are simple. The group sleeps in sleeping bags on the floor of the community center. Boys and girls share a sleeping area and bathroom with other students of the same gender. We prepare our meals alongside volunteers from the community. At the beach, we stay in a family-run villa. At Arenal, we sleep in private bungalows and eat buffet-style meals in an open-air restaurant. SERVICE PROJECT DETAILS: On this program, students will spend an estimated 35–40 hours on community service projects. At the end of the program, students will receive a certificate stating the number of service hours completed. Projects described in this itinerary are examples and vary depending on the needs of the community.
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TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
The Dominican Republic’s stunning
beaches and vibrant culture draw visitors from around the world, making it one of the most visited destinations in the Caribbean. Despite widespread development in the east, life in the country’s southwest region remains simple. Settle into a traditional rural village and work alongside community members on a variety of service projects while documenting your experiences through journals, photos, and video. Then snorkel off the coast and hike the shores of the Samaná Peninsula.
I T I N E R A RY–14 DAYS DAY 1 Santo Domingo Our program begins in the vibrant capital of Santo Domingo—a Spanish colonial city that marks the spot of the first permanent European settlement in the New World. Step back hundreds of years into history as we stroll the cobblestoned streets of the Zona Colonial, getting to know your fellow travelers along the way. DAYS 2–11 Community Service Village Travel to our village in the secluded southwestern region, where the absence of mass tourism has kept the beaches relatively untouched and especially stunning. Settle into rural life, immersing yourself in the local culture and working
alongside members of the community on a variety of improvement projects. Plant an organic garden, paint a mural, help repair a community building, or tutor school children in English. In the afternoons, learn more about Dominican culture from our host friends. Move to local rhythms while trying out the soulful bachata dance, or play a game of pickup baseball in the village. Help a local cook prepare mangú, a traditional side dish made from plantains. Work with a jeweler to make pieces out of larimar—a semiprecious blue stone found only in the southwestern part of the country. Together with our local friends, take a daylong break from your service projects to swim, snorkel, play volleyball, and gather around a campfire at a nearby beach. During your time in the village, record your experiences through an independent project of your choice: report on the local baseball culture, create a Dominican cookbook, or capture portraits of local children and display them in the school.
Immerse yourself in local culture while playing baseball or dancing bachata with our village hosts. Tutor children in English, plant a community garden, or rehabilitate buildings in a rural village. Encounter amazing wildlife as you kayak and snorkel off the Samaná Peninsula. DAYS 12–14 Samaná Peninsula Our program wraps up on the stunning shores of the Samaná Peninsula. Visit Los Haitises National Park and kayak through mangrove forests inhabited by pelicans and manatees. Venture into the park’s mystical caves—former pirate hideaways adorned with the pictographs and petroglyphs made by ancient indigenous Taíno people. Go swimming and snorkeling off long stretches of palm-fringed beach. Return to Santo Domingo for a final night and share stories of our time in the Dominican Republic before returning home.
Dates & t u iti o n 2016 DATES: JULY 2—15, JULY 16—29 TUITION: $4,390 Airfare is not included. We have arranged a roundtrip group flight between New York and Santo Domingo. Refer to page 70 for transportation details. ACCOMMODATIONS: Accommodations in the village are simple. The group sleeps in sleeping bags on the floor of the village school. Boys and girls share a sleeping area and bathroom with other students of the same gender. In Santo Domingo and Samaná, we stay in small, family-run inns and ecolodges. SERVICE PROJECT DETAILS: On this program, students will spend an estimated 35–40 hours on community service projects. At the end of the program, students will receive a certificate stating the number of service hours completed. The projects described in this itinerary are examples and may vary depending on the needs of the community.
apply online at ngstudentexpeditions.com
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