Indy in Costa Rica

How satisfied are you with the guidence before departure?

The guidance I received from Ruben was really good. I was very happy with the contact both before I went to Costa Rica and while I was there. Before traveling, I had several calls to discuss everything thoroughly. We both shared our expectations for the internship. Ruben also helped me a lot when communication with my school wasn’t going smoothly, which gave me peace of mind. While I was in Costa Rica, we stayed in touch several times by phone to share my experiences. I gave feedback and received compliments on my work. I’m very grateful for the contact I had during my time there and really appreciated that Ruben was always available whenever I needed him.

My story

My journey actually started in the Netherlands, where I had to choose what kind of internship I wanted to do. I eventually chose Costa Rica, and I’m really happy with that choice. I decided to go with my classmate Eefje to Esparza.

Looking back, I experienced so many wonderful things. It was truly a trip I will never forget—a rollercoaster of experiences and emotions. At first, it was quite an adjustment getting used to the culture. It’s much warmer, people take things slowly, and everything happens in the relaxed “Pura Vida” style. I made a lot of beautiful new friendships, met new people, and learned a lot about the culture. It was great arriving with Eefje so we could support each other when things were tough or when we needed to talk. Unfortunately, Eefje left a bit earlier, but that didn’t lessen my experience. There were always people in the house I could talk to and share my story with.

During my internship, I gave sports lessons at two different schools during the week. I also gave senior sports classes one day a week, part of a project started by Baowei in Costa Rica. I also taught English classes at the schools, which I really enjoyed. I worked on the social media as well, which I found very rewarding. I created a planning schedule to bring more structure, and it’s exciting to see that improvements are already visible.

I learned a lot and was given many opportunities to come up with new ideas and take initiative. For example, a new sport was introduced at one of the schools, and I arranged the new equipment. Each school now has new possibilities to explore further. I also felt it was important to build a bit of my own life there. I did this through sports—sometimes going for morning runs, attending boxing classes twice a week (which I really loved), and every Thursday I took dance classes just five minutes from the house. We danced bachata, salsa, and cha cha cha, which helped me add some structure to my daily life. The food was well arranged and varied.

On weekends, I was free to explore more of the country and travel around. Distances were a bit far to reach, and there wasn’t much to do directly in Esparza or nearby villages, but that made it all the more fun to get out and explore. I managed to see everything in Costa Rica I wanted to see. There were also nice day tours available, so I didn’t have to be away for a whole weekend. If I didn’t want to travel, I would go to the nearest swimming pool and relax there all day. I enjoyed the beautiful beaches and all the other stunning landscapes Costa Rica offers. I can truly say I fell a little bit in love with this country. The land is beautiful, the nature is beautiful, and the people are beautiful.