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Raleigh International in Costa RicaWelcome to Costa Rica! It's amazing how quickly things can change. One minute Raleigh International’s Field Base is a sleepy little building nestled in the cane fields and coffee plantations of Turrialba, about 150km East of San Jose, Costa Rica, and the next it is a thriving hub of activity and excitement where 85 Raleigh participants have come together to prepare for the experience of a lifetime.Although most had been travelling for almost 20 hours and had spent their first night in Costa Rica on the floor of a high school gymnasium, it didn’t seem to have dampened spirits in the slightest. Instead, with not a sign of jetlag in sight, they rolled off their buses, blinking in the bright morning sunshine and enjoying the cheers and applause of the programme staff. This project could well be the UN of the future, with the English, Irish, Scots, Germans, Americans, Australians, New Zealanders, Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans mixing happily in no time at all. The 35 staff supporting the participants bring together a diverse range of skills, ranging from languages to logistics and medicine to mountaineering. The staff team includes 21 enthusiastic project managers who have been busy visiting project sites, carrying out risk assessments and establishing their plan of attack for the weeks ahead.  Although the traditional arrival breakfast of gallos pintos (rice and beans) and fried plantains raised a few eyebrows, it was well received and provided a welcome energy boost to kick-start the training programme.But before getting down to work the participants were allocated to their Alpha Groups, finding out almost immediately which of eight exciting projects they would be placed at for their first three week phase and who they would be working with. This was to be the first of six days of intensive training covering everything from teamwork and leadership skills to radio communications and safe use of machetes. One of the community projects they will be working on is the Miraflor Water project. The Miraflor Reserve covers beautiful mountainous terrain with a wide range of ecosystems including tropical savannah, dry tropical forest and mountain cloud forest. Communities within the reserve supplement their traditional subsistence farming with income from coffee growing, cattle farming and some small tourism initiatives. However some communities have severe water problems, particularly during the dry season when they are often forced to use polluted water sources. We will be constructing a new water collection tank and laying nearly a kilometre of water-pipes to bring fresh water to the community. This project provides a fascinating mix of stunning natural environments and the cultural experiences that come from living with local families.  One of the environmental projects is set in La Cangreja, one of Costa Rica’s newest National Parks which owes its name to the striking 1,305 metre peak Cerro Cangreja. The park has a mixture of tropical humid forest and pre-montane forest, an amazing array of waterfalls and a number of plant species found nowhere else in the world. This makes the area extremely important for both research and conservation purposes. We have been working with SINAC on this site for a few years, but for this programme the participants will be asked to build trails in a completely new area of the park, providing both scientists and park rangers with easy access to the heart of the jungle. This project also provides a unique opportunity to live in the middle of the jungle, swimming and bathing each day under one of the spectacular waterfalls near the campsite. Raleigh International has opportunities available for both young participants (17-25 yrs old) or as volunteer staff members (over 25) in various worldwide destinations. Our unique three phase programme of sustainable community and environmental projects combined with adventure lasts 10 weeks; however shorter options of four and seven weeks are available for people with limited time.   Name: Raleigh InternationalAddress: 27 Parsons Green Lane, London, SW6 4HZ, UK Click here >> for more info about this placement Click here >> for other placements with Raleigh International  Tel: 0845 344 7600 |
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