My first volunteering in Costa Rica was at an orphanage as part of the Teaching and Social Work in San José project. It was a really interesting experience to see what an orphanage in Costa Rica was like. I came to love the children there faster than what I thought was possible. Volunteering at the orphanage also helped me become friends with Clara, another volunteer there. Looking back, this project really helped me start to feel at home in a foreign country.
Although I loved playing with the children at the first school, I decided to try another project in hopes of finding a project that would delegate more responsibility to me. At the second school, I volunteered as aid in a kindergarten classroom. I felt incredibly welcome and at home as I volunteered at the school. The teachers there were very sweet and willing to speak slowly to me in Spanish to help me understand things. I learned a lot about the culture and language in Costa Rica from the teachers at the school as I helped out in the classroom.
