Category Archives: Central America

Lazy Days Volunteering – Ostional, Costa Rica

Ostional, Costa Rica | Volunteer work | Conservation | Animals | Turtles | Costa Rica | Guanacaste | Ostional | International Student Volunteers | ISV | Why should I pay | Volunteer Abroad | What to do | Backpacking | Budget Travel | Solo Female Travel | Backpackers Wanderlust |

Falling asleep on the beach and waking up at 6am to the sun rising is definitely a beautiful sight. Last night I decided I was too tired to walk home so just crashed at the volunteering hatchery. After being woken by the bright sunrise I snuck back into the house. I needed a couple extra […]

Baby Turtles & My Birthday – Ostional, Costa Rica

Ostional, Costa Rica | Volunteer work | Conservation | Animals | Turtles | Costa Rica | Guanacaste | Ostional | International Student Volunteers | ISV | Why should I pay | Volunteer Abroad | What to do | Backpacking | Budget Travel | Solo Female Travel | Backpackers Wanderlust |

In a sleepy daze I had made it back to my bed in the early hours. Covered in the black Ostional sand I get up for breakfast made by Digna, by host mother. Spread out on the small table is some sort of puffy pastry, like a pastry kind of pancake. I cover mine with […]

Arriving on Volunteer Project at Ostional, Costa Rica

Ostional, Costa Rica | Volunteer work | Conservation | Animals | Turtles | Costa Rica | Guanacaste | Ostional | International Student Volunteers | ISV | Why should I pay | Volunteer Abroad | What to do | Backpacking | Budget Travel | Solo Female Travel | Backpackers Wanderlust |

Today is the day we head off to our volunteer project in Ostional. The reason we are all in Costa Rica. Waking up way too early after a night out we pack up our bags and head downstairs. What awaits us is one mini bus which we must squeeze in two volunteer groups, both heading […]

What To Expect When Studying At Intercultura

Studing in Heredia, Costa Rica | Travel Central America | Learn Spanish | Hike | Hiking | Intercultura | Rainforest | Backpacking Costa Rica | San Jose | What to do | Where to sleep | Heredia | studying abroad | Backpackers Wanderlust |

During my time in Costa Rica I was lucky enough to spend a week studying at Intercultura Spanish School in Heredia. This is a foreign language school where people from all around the world come to learn a new language while being immersed in the culture. This was my first time ever in a country […]

Final Days at Intercultura – Heredia, Costa Rica

Studing in Heredia, Costa Rica | Travel Central America | Learn Spanish | Hike | Hiking | Intercultura | Rainforest | Backpacking Costa Rica | San Jose | What to do | Where to sleep | Heredia | studying abroad | Backpackers Wanderlust |

A Monday meant school and if that’s not bad enough the schedule had changed so now we had morning classes, 8.30am-12.30pm. Getting up so early was a difficult task, but I was only a little late. Surprisingly school goes quick and after five hours of Spanish, with me pronouncing everything incredibly wrong, the second to […]

Ram Luna Restaurant & My First Discotek

Studing in Heredia, Costa Rica | Travel Central America | Learn Spanish | Hike | Hiking | Intercultura | Rainforest | Backpacking Costa Rica | San Jose | What to do | Where to sleep | Heredia | studying abroad | Backpackers Wanderlust |

With Spanish lessons for the week starting in the afternoon the day is off to a good start, allowing for a much needed sleep in still recovering from the jet lag. A twenty minute walk really gets the blood pumping ensuring we are wide awake and ready to learn- great fun. Heredia is extremely different […]

First Day of Spanish School – Heredia, Costa Rica

Studing in Heredia, Costa Rica | Travel Central America | Learn Spanish | Hike | Hiking | Intercultura | Rainforest | Backpacking Costa Rica | San Jose | What to do | Where to sleep | Heredia | studying abroad | Backpackers Wanderlust |

Waking up early for the first day of Spanish School at Intercultra I make myself semi presentable and meet Daniel in the kitchen for breakfast. We then begin our ascend uphill for a twenty minute walk alongside our host mother and her granddaughter. We take note of the streets, walking back by ourselves tonight means needing to remember […]

Zip Lining in Monteverde, Costa Rica

Monteverde In Costa Rica | Travel Central America | Monteverde | Hike | Ziplining | Bungy | Beach | Backpacking Costa Rica | Kayaking | What to do | Where to sleep | Swimming | Tubing | Backpackers Wanderlust |

Waking up in an unusual place I surprisingly had no hangover sick feeling, just a major craving for water. I wandered back to my room got changed and had the typical hostel breakfast of poorly cooked pancakes. It was then time for todays adventure of zip lining at Aventura Canopy Tours. The chosen activity was zip […]

La Paz Waterfall Garden & Monteverde – Costa Rica

La Paz Waterfall Garden in Costa Rica | Travel Central America | San Jose | Hike | Zoo | Surf | Beach | Backpacking Costa Rica | Animals | What to do | Where to sleep | Swimming | Tubing | Backpackers Wanderlust |

Walking to school on a Saturday with two Australian girls make the early wake up slightly less horrible. Though, being the weekend, we weren’t at school to learn. Today it was a meeting point for our first trip outside the capital with Intercultura.  Soon enough we were travelling to La Paz Waterfall Garden and then onwards […]

Why Should I Pay to Volunteer?

Ostional, Costa Rica | Volunteer work | Conservation | Animals | Turtles | Costa Rica | Guanacaste | Ostional | International Student Volunteers | ISV | Why should I pay | Volunteer Abroad | What to do | Backpacking | Budget Travel | Solo Female Travel | Backpackers Wanderlust |

Why is being a volunteer so costly? So if you’ve come to this article, you’re obviously thinking about volunteering. Good for you, it’s such a rewarding thing to do when travelling, but can be expensive.  Though, like many people, when I first decided to volunteer I was sort of surprised by all the costs involved. My […]

Relaxing Day At Intercultura – Heredia, Costa Rica

Studing in Heredia, Costa Rica | Travel Central America | Learn Spanish | Hike | Hiking | Intercultura | Rainforest | Backpacking Costa Rica | San Jose | What to do | Where to sleep | Heredia | studying abroad | Backpackers Wanderlust |

Thank the lord for afternoon classes ! After waking up surprisingly not hung over I skipped breakfast in exchange for some cooking lessons at Intercultura in Heredia. Thanks to my lack of general skills when it comes to food I stood back and ‘helped’ by occasionally touching the dough. They turned out yum though, made even better by some sweet fruit […]

Arriving in San Jose, Costa Rica

Studing in Heredia, Costa Rica | Travel Central America | Learn Spanish | Hike | Hiking | Intercultura | Rainforest | Backpacking Costa Rica | San Jose | What to do | Where to sleep | Heredia | studying abroad | Backpackers Wanderlust |

The reason for being in Costa Rica is to participate in a volunteer program with International Student Volunteers (ISV). My friend/ex Daniel and I both signed up for ISV when they came to our university back in New Zealand, so we traveled to Costa Rica together. Flying via Panama we discovered the most confusing airport […]