What to Do During a Gap Year in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes

A gap year is a great opportunity for students to mature, explore the world, and learn new skills. Whether you decide to take it after high school, between graduate and postgraduate education, or after graduation – there are plenty of opportunities out there.

A gap year can be especially helpful for those who are in the middle of grad and post-grad schools. Even students deserve a rest after all the effort they’ve put in. After all these endless sleepless nights of researching and writing papers, it is great to take a break and travel.

And if you cannot wait till you’re free from essays, research papers, and case studies, there is always WritePaper.com out there to provide help. It is a credible academic writing platform that offers expert assistance in writing any type of paper. Whether you are not confident in your skills or simply have no time to do it, you can always rely on experienced writers. And, using their services will give you the chance to look at some amazing things you can experience when visiting Costa Rica.

Why Costa Rica?

Costa Rica is a beautiful country in Central America. It is one of the top peaceful destinations for a gap year. The country is known for its incredible biodiversity and wildlife, is a democratic and progressive country, with a highly-educated population. Costa Rica also has an amazing climate and rich culture to dive into.

What Can You Do in Costa Rica During a Gap Year?

Besides the obvious tourist attractions, there are many ways to help local communities and achieve positive changes. There are endless programs available for students all over the world, from surfing to teaching and volunteering. Here are some amazing things to do here during your gap year.

Volunteer

Volunteering is great for several reasons:

• travel without breaking the bank,
• give back to the community and achieve a positive change,
• explore the culture from inside,
• learn Spanish while communicating.

There are many volunteering programs to choose from – wildlife preservation, sustainable development, teaching children, or support of gender equality projects.

It is also important to know that volunteering programs offer free time, so you’ll get plenty of opportunities to explore the country on your own.

Learn Spanish

Of course, one can learn it by doing whatever in Costa Rica. All it takes is communication with native speakers. But if you are interested in advanced studying, there are plenty of language-learning programs designed specifically for gap year students.

The benefits are clear – the more languages you know, the better it is for almost any type of job. And Spanish is one of the most popular languages worldwide, so you’ll definitely make good use of it in the future.

Enjoy the biodiversity

Costa Rica is among the top countries worldwide when it comes to biodiversity. One-quarter of the whole country’s territory is protected by law to safeguard flora and fauna.

You can visit:

• Rainforest,
• National parks,
• Marine sanctuaries,
• Conservation areas,
• Refuges for wildlife.

There are even such programs as gap year rainforest exploration. It allows conducting research that can be useful for a further academic career. And you’ll get to work in the conservation and protection of rainforests.

Teach English

Those who are interested in volunteering to teach English should not miss this opportunity. It is a perfect place to visit and teach English. There are different programs in terms of duration – a couple of months, six months, or the whole year.

There are also plenty of internships available for native English-speaking students. For example, with GVI’s six-month internship, you’ll earn not only experience but also the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification.

This will look amazing on a resume because it shows great communication skills, leadership, organization, and management. And it is a good cause to bring accessible education to others.

Observe Sea Turtles

Huge sea turtles are what Costa Rica is known for. Whether you are into marine biology or not, it is a truly unique experience to witness them hatching.

One can either travel to see it as a tourist or join a volunteer program for sea turtle conservation. This way, you can contribute to a good cause and enjoy the Caribbean coast and beaches.

Help Jaguars

Consider spotting jaguars as fabulously entertaining. Of course, they are a bit secretive, as hunting is illegal only since the 1980s. But there is a great option to make sure you see them. One can volunteer in a program that protects them.

There is a conservation initiative here that welcomes students willing to help. It is based in the Tortuguero National Park, which is a marvelous place to visit.

Get Marine Science Training

Students that are majoring in marine science and related fields will find this incredibly helpful. In Costa Rica, you can complete a training that includes

• PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water,
• diving qualifications, including rescue,
• certification in marine conservation,
• participation in coral reef studies.

In Summary

Whether you want to travel and rest or learn something new, Costa Rica has a lot to offer. There are programs and internships of all kinds, from volunteering in wildlife conservation to teaching English to children. We’ve tried to hand you over the initial information, so choose what works best for you.

Photo by Berti Benbanaste on Unsplash, Photo by Zdeněk Macháček on Unsplash and Photo by Daniel Lloyd Blunk-Fernández on Unsplash

---

Feel free to leave your comments on this blog. Also, if you like this article, please feel free to share it on your social media.

If you like this blog, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking the banner below.

While we’re at it, I DO want to remind our readers that we appreciate any referrals you can send us. Finally, please remember the American-European real estate Group’s agents when you refer a friend to a real estate agent. Because we D.O. appreciate your business.