1. No category

IMPORTANTE! Este 'National Profile' contiene información muy importante sobre el programa de
ICYE en Costa Rica. Por favor, si hay algo que no entiendes, pide que alguien te lo traduzca.
IMPORTANT! Ce Profil National contient des informations très importantes sur le programme ICYE
Costa Rica. S'il te plaît, s'il y a quelque chose que tu ne comprends pas, demande à quelqu'un de te
le traduire.
WICHTIG! Dieses "National Profile" enthält wichtige Informationen über das ICYE-Programm in
Costa Rica. Wenn du etwas nicht verstehst, dann lass es dir bitte von jemandem übersetzen!!!
VIGTIGT! Denne nationale profil indeholder meget vigtig information om det costarikanske ICYE
program. Hvis der er noget du ikke forstaar, saa spoerg endelig nogen til at oversaette for dig.
OBS!! Denna broshyr 'National Profile' innehåller mycket viktig information om ICYE:s program i
Costa Rica. Om där är något du inte förstår fråga någon för hjälp att översätta.
Mikilvægt! Þessi "Nacional Profile" inniheldur mjög mikilvægar upplýsingar um ICYE í Kosta Ríka.
Ef það er eitthvað sem þú skilur ekki vinsamlegast biddu einhvern um að þýða það fyrir þig.
Tarkeaa! Tama kansallis profiili sisaltaa tarkeaa tietoa ICYE ohjelmasta Costa Ricassa. Jos et
ymmarra jotain, ole ystavallinen ja pyyda jotakuta kaantamaan teksti.
Table of Contents
1.
About Costa Rica .............................................................................................................. 4
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.13
1.14
1.15
1.16
2.
ACI-Costa Rica (ACI-CR) ....................................................................................................15
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
3.
Facts at a glance ........................................................................................................... 4
Geography .................................................................................................................... 5
Climate.......................................................................................................................... 5
Landscapes ................................................................................................................... 5
History .......................................................................................................................... 6
Economy ....................................................................................................................... 7
Population .................................................................................................................... 8
Government.................................................................................................................. 8
Values and Attitudes .................................................................................................... 8
Holidays ........................................................................................................................ 9
Making Friends ........................................................................................................... 10
Costa Rican Life ........................................................................................................... 10
Travelling in Costa Rica ............................................................................................... 11
Safety and Health ....................................................................................................... 11
Language..................................................................................................................... 12
Links ............................................................................................................................ 14
Principles .................................................................................................................... 15
Objectives ................................................................................................................... 15
Goals ........................................................................................................................... 16
Staff of ACI-CR ............................................................................................................ 16
Volunteering with ACI-CR ................................................................................................17
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.10
What do we expect from you? ................................................................................... 17
What can you expect from ACI-CR? ........................................................................... 17
What do we not offer? ............................................................................................... 18
What do you have to do before coming to Costa Rica? ............................................. 18
What to pack?............................................................................................................. 18
Visa Process in Costa Rica ........................................................................................... 19
General Observations ................................................................................................. 22
Important Information ............................................................................................... 22
WORK PROFILE – Volunteer Placements in Costa Rica .............................................. 23
Rules and Regulations ……………………………………………………………………………………………..
1.
About Costa Rica
1.1 Facts at a glance
Official language: Spanish
Official religion: Catholic
Capital: San José
President: Laura Chinchilla (2010-2014)
Area: 51,100 km2
Population: 4.579.000
Independence: September 15, 1821
Currency: colón (CRC)
1 US$: 495 colones (April 2010)
1 €: 644 colones (April 2010)
Time Zone: GMT - 6 (7 hours behind Europe in winter and 8 hours behind in summer)
Country phone code: ++506
Electricity: 110 V
Plugs:
National motto: ¡Pura Vida! (Popular saying translating roughly to “Cool, Perfect!”)
1.2 Geography
Costa Rica is located in Central America between Nicaragua to the
North, Panamá to the South, the Caribbean Sea in the East and the
Pacific Ocean in the West. It only measures about 51.000 km2 which
makes it a little bigger than Denmark, Switzerland or Belgium.
Nevertheless it is an incredibly diverse country. Climates and
ecosystems change within kilometers, which ensure a huge
biodiversity.
The country has four mountain ranges from north to south. Between
two of these mountain ranges is the Central Valley where the capital
San José and most of the country’s population and major cities are
located.
The country is divided into seven provinces: San José, Heredia,
Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limón. The highest
point is Mount Chirripó, which rises to over 3.800 meters above
sea level.
Costa Rica is located on the Pacific “ring of fire”. Earthquakes and
tremors are relatively frequent, though usually of minor strength
and the some of Costa Rica's volcanoes are active.
Far off the Costa Rican mainland also lies Isla del Coco or Cocos Island (declared World Heritage Site
in 1997 by UNESCO), one of the many national parks of the country. It is located in the Pacific Ocean,
approximately 550 km offshore. With an area of approximately 23.85 km², it holds a huge
biodiversity both on the island itself and undersea. Furthermore, it inspired Robert Louis Stevenson’s
famous novel “Treasure Island”.
1.3 Climate
Costa Rica only has two seasons per year, dry season or “verano” (summer) from December to April
and rainy season or “invierno” (winter) from May to November. The rainy season is characterized by
sunny mornings followed by torrential downpours later in the day with a little short “summer” called
“veranillo de San Juan” sometime during July. The dry season brings clear skies, sunny days and
breezes. Nevertheless, rainfall can be expected all-year round at the Caribbean coast, where the
seasons are slightly different.
Factors like altitude or mountain ranges also make up for a variation of local microclimates, which
can change within a few kilometers. The lowlands along the coastline can reach up to 100% humidity
and up to 35 degrees Celsius whereas the mid-highlands including the Central Valley are often
referred as having an eternal spring. At the highest volcanoes and peaks, temperatures can
occasionally drop below freezing.
1.4 Landscapes
A backbone of volcanoes and mountains through the center divides the Pacific and Caribbean slopes.
Two coastlines of tropical beaches, lowland rain forests, high-altitude cloud forests, humid
northeastern plains and the “dry” savannahs of Guanacaste create a broad diversity.
Costa Rica counts about 30 protected areas and National Parks which cover more than 25 % of the
country. In these reserves you can find tropical humid, rain, cloud, dry and tiny forests, islands,
volcanoes and marine territories protecting coral reefs. Both coasts provide turtle-nesting areas.
Caribbean Beach – Manzanillo
Cloud Forest - Monteverde
Arenal Volcano
Tropical Humid Forest - Corcovado
Poas Volcano
Tropical Dry Forest (Santa Rosa)
Tropical Rain Forest
1.5 History
Costa Rica has been inhabited for at least 10.000 years. Unfortunately, today
there is only little evidence of the pre-columbian cultures that lived here –
Guayabo on the slopes of the Turrialba volcano is the country's largest
archaeological site.
In 1502, Christopher Columbus arrived in Costa Rica but brave Aborigines
(indigenous), floods, swamps and tropical diseases made settling difficult.
Anyhow, since he saw the indigenous people wearing gold accessories, Columbus assumed the
country must be rich in minerals – one of his many misconceptions – and baptized the country “Costa
Rica” (Rich Coast). In fact, most of the gold the indigenous people of the area possessed had been
acquired through trading, Central America due to its unique geographical position as land bridge
between North and South America being corridor of transit and trade. 50 years later, the Spaniards
tried again to colonize and the indigenous population had to suffer from brutal exploitation, war,
reprisal, relocation and diseases introduced by the Europeans.
Due to its small size, remoteness and lack of mineral wealth, the country was mostly left to its own
fate during the colonial period.
On September 15th in 1821, Guatemala declared independence from Spain for all of Central America.
Even though – Costa Rica being the most remote province of Central American colonies and
horseback and difficult jungle paths the only means of travel - the news didn’t get there until three
months after the actual event, Costa Rica then rushed into a short civil war as there were discussions
whether to join the United Provinces of Central America, the Mexican Empire or even the United
States of America.
In 1856, the North American adventurer William Walker tried to invade Costa Rica as he wanted to
turn Central America into a slave state annexed to the USA and had already managed to conquer
Nicaragua. But the Ticos and allied Central American forces fought back and the young Alajuelan
drummer boy Juan Santamaría became a national hero as he managed to set fire to Walkers fortress
in Rivas, Nicaragua, albeit receiving mortal wounds.
Economically, coffee became more and more important but
Nonetheless, when North American entrepreneur Minor C. Keith at the end of the 19th century
received concessions for vast terrains in the Caribbean in exchange for building
the railroad which connected the central valley with the ports for exportation,
he founded the United Fruit Company (UFC) and bananas became another
staple export. Thus, Costa Rica in fact became the first of the so-called “banana
republic”, with “Mamita Yunai”, as the UFC was soon widely known, becoming a
major political force most of all in the Atlantic Region. Many of the AfroAmerican railway workers brought in by Keith from Jamaica and the West Indies
ended up working on the banana plantations or as small independent banana
and cocoa farmers. They laid the foundations of the rich independent cultural development of Costa
Rica’s Caribbean Coast. Nonetheless, for decades the Caribbean has been kept politically
marginalized and Afro-Costa Ricans were suffered severe discrimination, a situation which only
recently has begun to change substantially. For example, the last laws restricting the access for
people of African descent into the Central Valley were abolished in the 1960s and still today the
Atlantic Region remains among the poorest off all Costa Rica.
In 1948, a 40 day civil war broke out. The results among others were a new constitution and the
abolition of Costa Rica’s army.
The next great period of change began in 1980, when the country dropped into an economic crisis
with huge inflation and trade problems fueled by the upheavals of the civil wars in Nicaragua, El
Salvador and Guatemala. During the first presidency of Oscar Arias Sánchez, Costa Rica proposed a
plan to bring peace to the region, which succeeded in ending the armed conflicts and won Arias the
Nobel Peace Prize. However, many of the social and political problems at the bottom of the
confrontations remain unresolved throughout the region.
1.6 Economy
The national economy over the years has slowly been changing from being completely based on
agriculture to today’s mixture of tourism, component production for the high-tech industry (Costa
Rica is home to one of the biggest factories producing INTEL computer chips), customer service call-
centers, new export crops such as pineapple, flowers or ornamental plants and the traditional export
goods bananas and coffee.
Currently, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), known locally as TLC (Trato de Libre
Comercio) has generated great opposition as big Costa Rican and international companies claim it to
be vital for macro-economical development while trade unions, environmentalists and human rights
activists see workers, small enterprises and farmers at a critical disadvantage.
1.7 Population
Costa Rica’s population is about 4 million of whom 60% live in and around the capital city, San José.
The Afro-Central American, Creole-speaking minority, which formerly was concentrated mainly on
the Caribbean Coast but is now spreading out to all off the country, makes up for about 3% of the
population. Furthermore, the country in the past has received political or civil-war-refugees from
Chile, Colombia and the rest of Central America as well as immigrants mainly from China and
Nicaragua. Nonetheless recently migration patterns have begun to change and now also include – in
relatively small but growing numbers – newcomers hailing from the from the USA, Canada,
Argentina, Western European countries. Also refugees from Colombia have been gaining relative
importance and there are other new groups arriving, for example from the Dominican Republic.
Moreover, indigenous people from both sides of the border with Panama often come for seasonal
work in agriculture.
Altogether, these different groups of immigrants make up for a little more than 10% of the
population, which makes Costa Rica the country with the biggest share of immigrant population in all
of Latin America. Throughout both Americas, only the USA and Canada present higher percentages.
Sadly, the newcomers aren’t always received with the hospitality and warmth Costa Ricans claim as
typical, but especially in the case of Nicaraguans and Colombians quite often have to face subtle or
open xenophobia.
There also are eight indigenous groups in Costa Rica: e.g. Huetares, Bribris, Borucas, Chorotegas,
Cabécares, Guaymíes, Guatusos and Téribes. They make up for a total of about 29,000 persons.
1.8 Government
Costa Rica is a democracy with one of the most stable political climates in Latin America (and
throughout the world). As mentioned before, the armed forces were abolished in 1948 and Costa
Rica managed to avoid the wars, dictatorships and internal conflicts that have torn apart other
countries in the region. Besides, the country has one of the highest literacy rates and one of the
highest health care standards in Latin America.
The president and the unicameral legislative assembly are elected every four years; voting is
universal and compulsory for all citizens, aged 18 and older. The two main political parties are PLN or
“Partido de Liberación Nacional” (Pragmatic Social Democrats) and PAC or “Partido Acción
Cuidadana”. Two other important minority parties are the PUSC or “Partido Unidad Social Cristiana”
(Social Christians) – second most important political force until that place was taken by the PAC in
the elections of 2006 – and the newly formed ML or “Movimiento Liberario” (Liberal Party).
1.9 Values and Attitudes
Costa Ricans (or Ticos/Ticas, as they are called throughout Central America) are generally known for
their friendliness, helpfulness, hospitality and healthy curiosity. They tend to look for compromise
and peaceful resolutions and usually try to avoid conflicts. Also, they have a more relaxed
interpretation of time (commonly referred to as the “hora tica”) and might often lack punctuality.
If you are invited for dinner, you should always take a small gift such as flowers or some pastries.
Never arrive early or exactly on time! Ticos and Ticas tend to put things off and in general, things
take a lot longer than anticipated. Words such as “mañana” (tomorrow) or “ahorita” (now) are used
more as approximations than in a literal way, and not always mean that things really will happen
soon. The way directions are given might also be confusing for visitors: addresses are indicated by
their distance north, south, east and west from certain reference points (ranging from supermarkets
or public institutions to trees, which even might have been felled decades ago) and normally streets
and avenues don’t have signs.
The Costa Rican society is strongly family-oriented. Special occasions usually bring together the
entire family, often including various generations of relatives other cultures might perceive as barely
distant – people here like celebrating. The elderly are respected and cared for.
Furthermore, Ticos and Ticas in general are very polite and expect politeness in return. Using “por
favor” (please) and “gracias” (thank you) is always appreciated and to show respect the more formal
“usted” is used instead of the informal “vos” or “tu”. The titles “Don” and “Doña” or “Señor” and
“Señora” are used to address adult persons who are no close friends or to show special respect (for
example to a friend’s parents or grandparents). “Señor” and “Señora” are used with the last name
whereas “Don” and “Doña” are used with the first name. In busses, it is customary to offer your seat
to an elderly or disabled person, pregnant women or parents with small children.
Roman Catholicism is the main religion and most people are quite religious. The use of saint’s names
is widespread and people make frequent references to god in their everyday talk. Just like in most
Spanish-speaking countries, Ticos use two last names – the father’s last name followed by the
mother’s last name. The children will receive the paternal last names of the father and mother.
As to gender roles, like most of Latin America, Costa Rican society is still strongly influenced on
traditional “macho” images. Men frequently express their appreciation of a female passerby. This
should not always be seen as an insult and it is best to simply ignore the remarks.
Ticos and Ticas also are very proud of their beautiful country and its stable democracy but
unfortunately there is a general disregard for the cleanliness of public areas.
1.10 Holidays
Many traditions and customs have religious origins but there are also several civic holidays and all
celebrated as well for their official as for their social significance. Most people take their vacations
between Christmas and New Year and in “Semana Santa” (Easter Week). There are also two weeks of
school vacations in July.
National Holidays:
January 1st: New Year’s Day, celebrated with family and friends, often with trips to the beach or the
mountains.
Easter (Thursday and Friday): Easter Week or Semana Santa, dates vary annually. Only Holy
Thursday and Friday are official holydays, nonetheless many offices and businesses (including ACI
Costa Rica) close for the entire week preceding Easter weekend.
April 11th (holiday only for the province of Alajuela): Juan Santamaria Day. To commemorate the
national hero who fought at the battle of Rivas against the American invader William Walker in 1856.
May 1st: Labor Day or Día de los Trabajadores.
July 25th: Annexation Day. Commemorating the annexation of formerly Nicaraguan Guanacaste to
Costa Rica in 1824.
August 2nd: Holyday only for the province of Cartago. Virgen de los Angeles Day. Patron saint of
Costa Rica.
August 15th: Mother’s Day.
September 15th: Independence Day, with big patriotic parades of elementary and high school
students to celebrate Costa Rica’s independence from Spain in 1821.
October 12th (holiday only for the province of Limón): Encounter of Cultures Day (in other countries
known as Columbus Day). Celebrated with carnivals during the whole week around October 12th.
December 25th: Christmas Day. Family oriented celebrations. Ticos eat lots of tamales (traditional
dish made of corn meal dough, meat and vegetables wrapped and cooked in plantain leaves).
1.11
Making Friends
Costa Ricans are known for their warm hospitality, friendliness and sociability. Nonetheless, they
might sometimes be too shy to initiate a conversation with someone new – go ahead and start
talking to someone and the ice will soon be broken. Trying out your Spanish - however imperfect it
may be – will almost certainly earn you additional praise. Any mistakes will be easily forgiven as
people will appreciate your attempt to talk with them and will enjoy the chance to communicate. If
you spend all your time in tourist areas you will miss out on the opportunity of a rich cultural
exchange with Costa Ricans!
The local “pulpería” (small grocery store) is an information center –as a foreigner you are interesting
and people will be curious. Make the effort to be friendly and you will be rewarded with a satisfying
group of friends. Offering English tutoring is another good way to meet local people.
Furthermore, joining others in an activity you like gives you the possibility to practice your Spanish,
enjoy yourself and get to know more people. Football games draw huge crowds to the stadiums or
you can watch a game live on a widescreen TV at a sports bar. Most towns, whatever their size, have
their own local football team that plays on Sundays.
Fútbol 5 (Football five) is an indoor soccer variation played with
a smaller ball and on a smaller playing field. Basketball is getting
more popular and fitness classes ranging from yoga to aerobic
are also available. Gyms are widespread throughout the country
and the “great outdoors” offer wonderful hiking trails,
swimming in the sea, rivers or public pools, bike riding,
horseback riding and camping.
Another great option for meeting friends is to dance! You can
learn Latin, Caribbean, Flamenco or classical dance at one of the growing number of dance schools.
1.12 Costa Rican Life
Most Ticos live in single-family-houses and their home is a source of pride. In most families, the
woman runs the house and is the manager of the families’ life and budget. Living up to their macho
image, husbands and sons often don’t help with the housework but recently, things are beginning to
change.
Costa Rica’s most important staple foods are rice and beans. The classical breakfast is “gallo pinto”
(mixed rice and beans, with herbs, onions and sweet peppers), fresh bread, coffee and tortillas with
“natilla” (sour cream). For lunch and dinner, people eat rice, beans, vegetables, meat, chicken, or fish
and salad. Fresh tropical fruits are often enjoyed in fruit drinks called “frescos naturales”. The mid- to
late-afternoon coffee break can almost be regarded as another meal.
Most businesses, including banks, open from 9 am to 5 or 6 pm, big shops or supermarkets and
pulperías (local stores) have extended opening hours. ATM machines offer service from 5 am to 10
pm (for security reasons they are out of service from 10 pm to 4 pm) and you can find them all over
the country.
Ticos and Ticas start their day early and after work there is time to relax, meet friends, watch TV or,
of course a football match. Many university classes are held at night to enable young professionals to
continue their education.
The public school system is free and covers the whole country but private schools have become
increasingly popular in the last decades. There are two types of high school and both finish with the
bachillerato, an exam that must be passed in order to be able to go to university. There are four
universities and a large number of private colleges.
Costa Rica enjoys a relatively high rating regarding freedom of expression, but suffers from a high
degree of concentration in the media sector. “La Nación” and yellow press “Diario Extra” are the
largest daily newspapers.
In restaurants, a 10 % service charge and a 13% tax are automatically added to the bill; therefore it is
not customary to leave an additional tip. Taxi drivers usually aren’t tipped neither.
1.13 Travelling in Costa Rica
Travelling in Costa Rica is generally easy, even though road and weather conditions have to be taken
into consideration. There are areas, where a four-wheel-drive vehicle is necessary. Please be aware
that many Costa Ricans are aggressive drivers and don’t pay much attention to traffic rules,
pedestrians or bikers. In San José, there is very little free public parking and car thefts are relatively
frequent. Use a private parking lot where an attendant provides security and don’t leave any
valuables in the car.
There is a vast bus network offering good and inexpensive travel. On weekends and during holiday
periods it's best to buy your ticket a day or two ahead to reserve a seat.
In city buses, you should pay with coins or a bill of 2,000 colones or less. Usually, you have to pull the
cord by the window or press a button in order to let the driver know you want to get off at the next
stop. The buses run unscheduled but regularly every day except Holy Thursday and Good Friday.
Taxis are plentiful in the city and outlying areas and fares are
reasonable. Official taxis are red, have a yellow triangle on the door
and should have a working meter called “la maría”. Always assure
yourself the “maría“ is switched on, and try to avoid the illegal or
“pirate” taxis (“piratas”).
1.14 Safety and Health
Emergency care is always available at any hospital. Many doctors at the private hospitals and clinics
speak English – most international insurances are accepted by the private facilities.
Dengue and to a lesser extent Malaria are slight risks for travelers; you should avoid stagnant water,
wear long-sleeved clothing and use mosquito nets as well as repellent when possible.
Water is potable in most of the country, but in remote areas it is recommended that you drink
bottled water. To avoid the risk of sunburn, you should wear a hat and use sunscreen. Costa Rica’s
tropical sun is much stronger than what you are used to from Europe or North America.
Pickpockets are common in crowds, so don’t carry large amounts of cash or valuables with you and
when possible, carry them on your body, instead of in backpacks or handbags. There are some areas
of San José that are best not traversed on foot at night, use a taxi to avoid any problems.
1.15 Language
Spanish is the official language in Costa Rica but the Afro-Caribbean people along the Atlantic coast
also use a Creole-English dialect and the different indigenous groups haver their own languages as
well. In tourist areas, English is widely used.
Spanish can be a “little difficult” to learn for foreigners, because parts of it’s grammar are rather
complicated, and there are some “illogical” rules.
We have only 5 vocals, and you pronounce them always with the same sound:
A (pronounced like “a” in calm); E (like “e” in Elephant); I (like “i” in India); O (like “o” in On); U (like
“oo” in too)
Also we have an additional character: Ñ ñ - which is pronounced like “gn” in French or “nh” in
Portuguese (a little as if joining “n” and “y”).
In Spanish you pronounce the words “as they are written”; letters always have the same sound. For
example, “How do you do?” for us sounds as if it were spelled “Jau du iu du” (Pretty different!)
Spanish words are pronounced with a stress on the penultimate syllable: Es-pa-ña, ex-ce-len-cia,
except for words ending with d, l, r and z, which end with the stress on the final syllable — Va-lla-dolid. Variations to this rule are indicated with an accent which looks like a French acute accent and
tells you exactly where to put the stress: pa-ís, e-lec-ción, ca-fé.
Here are some useful words and phrases to get started:
Yes
Si
No
No
OK
Ok
Please
Por Favor
Thank you very much
Muchas Gracias
Thank you
Gracias
You are welcome
Con mucho gusto
I do not understand
No entiendo
I do not speak (much) No hablo (mucho) español Do you speak English?
Spanish
¿Habla ingles?
I do not know
No lo se.
Who?
¿Quien?
What?
¿Qué?
Where?
¿Dónde?
When?
¿Cuando?
Why?
¿Por qué?
How?
¿Cómo?
This
Esto/Este/Esta
That
Eso/Ese/Esa
Now
Ahora
Later
Más Tarde
Open
Abierto
Closed
Cerrado
With
Con
Without
Sin
Good
Bueno
Bad
Malo
Big
Grande
Small
Pequeño
More
Más
Less
Menos
Today
Hoy
Tomorrow
Mañana
Yesterday
Ayer
I
Yo
You
Vos/Tú
He
Él
She
Ella
It
Ello
We
Nosotros
You (Plural)
Ustedes
They
Ustedes/Vosotros
Hello!
¡Hola!
Good morning
Buenos días
Good afternoon
Buenas tardes
Good evening/night
Buenas noches
How are you (formal)
¿Cómo está?
How
are
(informal)
Very well, thank you.
Pura Vida, gracias.
And you?
¿Y vos/usted?
Goodbye
Adiós
See you later
Hasta luego
Sorry
Perdón
It does not matter
No importa
you ¿Cómo vas?
1.16 Links
Website of ACI Costa Rica
www.aci.cr
Instituto Costarricense de Turimso (ICT), official tourism sites (English, Español, Deutsch, Francais)
www.visitcostarica.com, www.tourism-costarica.com
Wikitravel guide to Costa Rica
http://wikitravel.org/en/Costa_Rica
Asociación Costarricense de Turismo Rural Comunitario (ACTUAR - Costa Rican Association for Rural
Community Tourism)
http://www.actuarcostarica.com/
Costa Rica City Guide – Message Board and Photo Gallery
www.costarica-online.com/en/english.htm
Banco Central de Costa Rica (Central Bank of Costa Rica)
www.bccr.fi.cr
Constitution of the Republic of Costa Rica (in Spanish)
www.asamblea.go.cr/proyecto/constitu/const2.htm
Costa Rican government web site
www.go.cr
Google maps' zoomable satellite view of Costa Rica
http://maps.google.com/maps?II=9.595334,-84.078369&spn=5.647293,5.505524&t=h&hl=en
2.
ACI-Costa Rica (ACI-CR)
ACI-CR is a non-profit-organization, whose main activity is the
promotion of exchange between young people from different
countries, as a means to create links, encounters and
solidarity among the different people and cultures of the
world. ACI-CR also organizes Eco-Camps, Work-Camps, short exchanges, international activities and
has developed an environmental education project named Yàblö Yàmipa. ACI-CR is member/partner
of International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE) Federation, which has its Head Office in Berlin,
Germany and committees in all the five continents. This is international alliance of exchange
organizations, has been created to encourage cultural exchange among youth from all around the
world. Around 600 exchangees take part in this program every year, experiencing a different culture,
language and society. ACI-CR was founded in 1967 and is affiliated with the National Registration of
Associations of Costa Rica (identification number 3-002-078957-26).
2.1 Principles
1. To promote fraternity among human beings.
2. To work for sustainable human development.
3. To encourage substantial changes in the relationships between human beings and the
environment, assuring harmony among them.
4. As an organization, the previously cited principles should be reflected in all our relations,
policies and structures.
2.2 Objectives
1. To offer programs of cultural exchange and international activities. These programs are to be
flexible, allowing a maximum amount of young people of different social, economic and
personal backgrounds to enjoy the wide variety of experiences encompassed.
2. To generate an intercultural learning process that encourages personal and social
development of the participants.
3. To promote voluntary work in Costa Rica.
4. To create spaces for initiative and creativity of young people and cooperation among them.
5. To develop continuous processes of capacity building and information about environmental
education for children and adolescents, promoting awareness of their important and
interactive role within the community.
6. To improve visibility and renown of ACI-CR’s work within the community.
7. To create a network with national and international organizations to facilitate the
diversification of projects and programs, and thereby further the aims of voluntary work,
intercultural learning, cultural exchange, international relations, and environmental
education.
2.3 Goals
We want to overcome cultural barriers and strengthen friendship and solidarity between the people
of the world. We want to share Costa Rica with you, emphasizing those characteristics with which
Costa Ricans identify themselves, such as peace and democracy. We also want to offer you the
opportunity to increase your awareness of the differences between industrialized nations and those
commonly referred to as “developing countries” as well as the economic and social divides within
societies. By these means together with active participation in community work and development
projects, we work towards a more equal distribution of economic, social and cultural resources.
2.4 Staff of ACI-CR
Mauricio Gabert: General Director
Jonas Rüger: Assistant to the General Director
Guillermo Meneses: Incoming Area Coordinator, Long Term Programs (WW & AIDA)
Carlota Morales: Incoming Area Coordinator, Long Term Programs (ICYE, CSV & EVS)
Arthur Schroeder Quirós: Outgoing Area Coordinator (CSV)
Danelia Chavarría: Outgoing Area Coordinator (ICYE)
Katherine Mena: Short Term Coordinator (Individuals and groups)
Flora Marchini: Administrative Director
Marta Naranjo: in charge of general services
Our office hours are Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Physical address: From the Taco Bell in San Pedro 350 m. west
P.O. BOX 1820-2100 San José, Costa Rica
Tel.: (+506) 2280-0898, 2224-8052, 2283-9622 Fax: (+506) 2283-9930
E-mail: [email protected], Web: www.aci.cr
3.
Volunteering with ACI-CR
3.1 What do we expect from you?
We need you to be as open-minded as possible. Leave your cultural baggage at home and come
prepared to learn about Costa Rica. Be ready to become a "tico" or "tica" for the next 183 or 365
days.
We expect you to take initiative. Our committee will provide guidance and help but we cannot (and
should not, we believe) “walk” you through every step for an entire year or six months.
We expect you to try your best to learn Spanish. Language is a key to the deeper understanding of
any culture. Once you speak the language, doors will open to you and opportunities will present
themselves.
We also expect you to contribute to Costa Rican society with your professional and social skills
abilities so that the benefits and the learning process are mutual. Opening up to other people with
respect, care and understanding will teach you (and them) a lot.
It is important that you understand that you are not only representing your country and culture in
front of the people you interact with in Costa Rica, but also ACI and your volunteer program. As a
volunteer, we expect you to respect the Costa Rican way of life. Costa Rica, its values and beliefs will
not change just because you have arrived. We offer you hospitality and are very happy to be able to
share our culture with you, but we do not need you to attempt to change us.
Keep in mind that you are coming to LIVE in another culture with different customs, values, ways of
communicating, food, weather, etc. You have made the decision to come to Costa Rica and will need
to accept and adapt to this new situation.
3.2 What can you expect from ACI-CR?
A. Orientation Seminar
The three-day seminar will take place after your arrival in Costa Rica, in a nice and calm setting. ACI
will give you an introduction to the Costa Rican culture, customs, life in a host family and volunteer
placements as well as useful information about our country and the programs we offer. After this
seminar, you will receive a course on "survival Spanish" for two weeks. Some afternoons will be used
for more in-depth information on Costa Rican history, administrative issues, families, customs, and
your specific work placements.
B. Mid-Term Seminar
After six months in Costa Rica, we will have another encampment for a mid-term evaluation of your
experiences. Topics will include culture shock, family life, volunteer work, and your personal
observations and expectations, as well as proposals for further improvement.
C. Evaluation Seminar
The last Seminar take place at the end of your exchange period, a few weeks before you return
home. We will evaluate your exchange year as a whole, prepare you for the "re-adaptation shock",
and have a last good time all together. This seminar will be held together with the outgoing Costa
Rican exchangees.
D. Other Activities
You will have the opportunity to participate in activities organized by ACI where you can meet and
work with Costa Rican volunteers. For example cultural and artistic activities, forums on national
issues of relevance, voluntary work days, trips to national parks or beaches and other social activities.
Also, every year we celebrate "El Día Internacional" (The International Day), where we invite you to
present your country and offer your national food in a public place in San José. For the exposition, we
recommend bringing with you: flags of your countries, typical music, books with pictures, leaflets,
general information about your countries, cooking recipes for the dishes you will sell this day and
other things you consider important for presenting your home country to others.
The orientation seminar, mid-year camp and the evaluation seminar are compulsory activities. In
addition to the Seminars, other compulsory activities will be held, for which a separate schedule will
be handed out to you at the beginning of your stay in Costa Rica.
3.3 What do we not offer?
University studies and other further education resulting in a diploma or certificate. This is
expensive for foreigners.
Paid work. The exchanges will receive a temporary volunteer’s visa which will not allow them to
work for wages.
3.4 What do you have to do before coming to Costa Rica?
You need to get a police record and birth certificate for the visa process (see “Visa Process in Costa
Rica”).
Please think well about the kind of project you want and let us know so we can take your preferences
into consideration.
It would be great if you started learning some Spanish in your country, especially if you’re interested
in Cultural or Human Rights projects. But of course you’ll get some classes here as well!
3.5 What to pack?
Once again: Don’t forget the required documents for the visa, those are very important! (Guess
what: see “Visa Process”)
If you’re bringing a credit card with you, it’s best to bring a VISA Card, since they are the most
commonly accepted. VISA cards can also be used at most Cash Machines. Sometimes, it might be
difficult to find a Cash Machine accepting MasterCard or others. We’ll also open a local Bank account
with an International Card for you.
It’s important that you bring some money to cover your expenses here, until you get your first pocket
money.
Since there are a lot of places to visit, we recommend to bring a backpack instead of a suitcase.
Remember to bring a small Spanish dictionary or phrasebook with you. It will be very useful during
your first days here!
You can also purchase an “International Student Identity Card”. Some places give you discounts!!
Remember that, even though Costa Rica is a tropical country, there are also a lot of mountains (San
José, for example is located at 1000 meters above sea level), and nights in higher regions can become
chilly. Bring at least a sweatshirt. Raingear is also advisable if you want to go hiking in the rain forest,
and in rainy season a small umbrella might come in handy. Furthermore, the dress code of some
projects does not allow for sleeveless shirts and pants or skirts shorter than knee level.
3.6 Visa Process in Costa Rica
VISA PROCESS IN COSTA RICA
This is the process that now must be followed by ALL Long Term Program Volunteers (6 months and
1 year).
As of August 2011:
•
All 12 month volunteers will apply for a one year visa.
•
All 12 month volunteers are not allowed to leave the country during the first 3 months of
their stay; this is in order to have their passports handy for any process related to the visa
application.
•
We are no longer applying for visas for 6 month volunteers. Since the process to acquire
the visa take about 5 to 6 months it is senseless to apply. Instead we are making a trip to
Panamá for 72 hours, so when the volunteers re-enter the country they will get their tourist
status renewed for another 90 days. The volunteers must pay the $247 in order to pay for
the organization of the trip. They will be accompanied by a staff member to ensure the
safety.
•
No volunteer is allowed to arrive in Costa Rica outside of the window dates established by
ACI. Such a situation messes up all the planning for all different activities related to the visa
process.
All Volunteers must bring the following to Costa Rica:
•
325 US Dollars for 1 year / 247 US Dollars for 6 months
•
3 photographs, passport size, in COLOR.
•
Police Record and Birth Certificate sealed by the Costa Rican Embassy or Consulate
(documents must be consulated). If there’s no Consulate in your country then the documents
must be sealed by the nearest Embassy or Consulate.
•
When presenting the documents (Police Record and Birth Certificate) to the Consulate:
•
o
Volunteers will also need to present an invitation letter from ACI and an application
letter for a “provisional visa, special category for volunteers” (“visa provisional de
categoría especial para voluntarios”), which has to be signed in front of the consul and
has to include the following information: name and surname of the applicant,
nationality, profession or occupation, date of birth, place and estimated date of arrival in
Costa Rica as well as type, dates of validity and number of the passport.
o
The invitation letter and the sealed Police Record and Birth Certificate have to be handed
back to you and must be brought to Costa Rica. The passport has to be stamped and
signed by the consulate for a “provisional visa, special category for volunteers” (“visa
provisional de categoría especial para voluntarios”). Please check that both documents
are signed and stamped by the Costa Rican consul.
o
We recommend to also take the “circular - DG-1779-2010” which states these new
requirements with you to the consulate. All sending committees are provided with a
scanned copy.
The Police Record and Birth Certificates must be translated into Spanish and the translations
must also be sealed by the CR embassy. If the documents are written in English, French,
German, Swedish, Norwegian or Danish, we can do the translations once you’re in Costa
Rica. Any document written in a language different to those mentioned before must be
translated into Spanish in your country.
•
Please bring the complete names of both of your parents. We need the “maiden” or
“children’s name” of your mother.
•
Clearly legible photocopy of the “main passport page” that has your photo, passport number
and personal information.
•
Volunteers with visa will now be insured with the Costa Rican Social Security.
This insurance will allow volunteers to receive free medical care in Public Hospitals and
Clinics all over the country (other benefits like liability and life insurance offered by the ICYE
insurance are not included).
Costa Rica ´s health system is reputed to be among the world’s best and second in America
after Canada.
It is important to take into account, that Costa Rican consulates take vacations at odd times, so
please contact them with plenty of time to plan your visit. You should start collecting all needed
documents at the latest 3 months before you scheduled arrival date, but once you get your
provisional volunteer status visa you have only one month to get to Costa Rica, so please take that
into account when planning the trip.
GENERAL VISA RULES FOR NON RESIDENTS IN COSTA RICA
The conditions for entering Costa Rica depend on the assignation of the volunteer’s home country into
different groups by the Costa Rican Migration Agency. All ICYE countries fall into the 1st, 2nd or 3rd
group. ICYE Partners with a Quota Agreement with Costa Rica are marked in bold.
Participants from ICYE countries in the 1st and 2nd group may enter Costa Rica without applying for a
visa in advance. They only need to have a return ticket to enter the country with tourist status and
bring the required documentation in order to proceed with the application for volunteer status for the
remaining time once in Costa Rica.
1st Group (tourist visa valid for up to 90 natural days):
−
Europe
−
New Zealand
−
Brasil
−
South Africa
−
Japan
−
South Korea
−
Mexico
−
United States
2nd Group (tourist visa valid for up to 30 natural days):
−
Bolivia
−
Honduras
−
Philippines
The citizens of ICYE countries in the 3rd group need to obtain a CONSULAR VISA to enter Costa
Rica. This visa is valid for up to 30 natural days. As soon as they enter our country, we will
proceed with the volunteer status procedure just like with the volunteer entering with a tourist
visa.
3rd Group (consular visa for up to 30 natural days):
−
Colombia
−
Nigeria
−
Ecuador
−
Russia
−
Ghana
−
Indonesia
−
India
−
Perú
−
Kenya
−
Taiwan
−
Moldova
−
Uganda
−
Morocco
−
Tanzania
−
Mozambique
−
Vietnam
−
Nepal
Nationals from this third group will be able to enter Costa Rica without consular visa if they already have a
visa to enter the USA, Canada and/or the countries of the European Union, stamped in their passport and
valid for a minimum of 3 months. In this case, they can enter Costa Rica under the same conditions as the
citizens of countries in the first group.
3.7 General Observations
The age limit for the ICYE Costa Rica program is between the age of 18 to 30. Even though exceptions can be
made, they’re subject to prior evaluation.
Also, in the case of some projects, volunteers must observe certain rules as to behaviour and personal
presentation. Regarding clothing, you will be allowed to dress as you please only during non-working hours,
while at the project you’ll have to follow the dress code, if there is one. The admission of piercings, dread locks
or other unconventional hairstyles (especially projects with children tend to be a little stricter in that area),
tattoos on visible areas, etc. is defined by the regulations of each individual project, which have to be complied
with.
Please keep in mind that volunteering in Costa Rica might be very different than in your home country. Many
projects are just starting to work with volunteers and will often not be sure about which tasks can be assigned to
you. Perhaps at first you might get frustrated because you may not have a specific task assigned, or because
work seems boring. Earn your superior’s and co-worker’s trust and soon you will get more responsibilities. Also,
the staff of ACI does regular project visits to ensure that your working schedule allows for your stay to be as
beneficial as possible both for you and the project.
In Costa Rica, there are several different Volunteer Service Organizations. However, there are many volunteers
who want to work in our country, so the organizations generally are able to choose who they will accept. If you
do not have special training or qualifications, the tasks assigned to you will depend largely on the current needs
of your project. Initiative is also very important!
However, we of course try to satisfy special interests and desires of every individual volunteer - with or without
special training – as far as possible.
3.8 Important Information
To help ensure a positive volunteering experience with ACI-Costa Rica, please read carefully and take into
account the following:
1. To be a volunteer in Costa Rica our participants need to get the migratory status as “VOLUNTEER”.
Please review the chapter “Visa Process in Costa Rica” in this guide and bring the necessary documents
with you to Costa Rica.
2. The migratory process can take some months to be completed and therefore volunteers will not be able
to leave the country during the first months. Please note that travelling outside of Costa Rica will not be
possible until your “Volunteer” status is granted. Remember that you don’t come to Costa Rica as a
tourist.
3. ACI-CR does its best to find the project that suits you the most. Nonetheless, sometimes assigning you to
your first choice type of project will not be possible, so we take into account your secondary or tertiary
preferences.
4. None of the volunteer placements offers a salary.
5. Depending on your specific project you are expected to work 30 to 40 hours per week. When you arrive
in Costa Rica, you will have to sign an “Agreement on Participation”. If you do not comply with the
conditions stipulated by the agreement (this includes your work schedule) you will be sanctioned.
6. When there are "tours" or activities your project wants you to participate in, the project itself is
responsible for your expenses.
7. Your vacations have to be coordinated with the project and sometimes are already defined by the
project (for example in the case of schools). Volunteers have to adapt to the conditions of their project.
8. Accommodation is mainly with Costa Rican families. However, especially when you chose ecological
projects, you may also have to live in the project.
9. You could be living in very different parts of Costa Rica: the capital, big cities, small towns and rural
areas, depending on the families'/project's location.
10. Your Host Family and Project Information will be confirmed as soon as possible. The project’s detailed
information will be provided once in Costa Rica.
3.9 WORK PROFILE – Volunteer Placements in Costa Rica
Types of Voluntary Service Jobs
ACI-Costa Rica offers many different work placements for volunteers. In the following you find a list of general
project types.
PROJECTS WITH CHILDREN
There are many projects working with children (for example day care centres for children from low income
families, rural schools, shelter for children in social risk etc.). Volunteer work usually includes assisting during
classes, taking care of the children, playing with them and organizing activities them. Manual work and help in
the kitchen are also frequently part of the tasks. Especially in rural schools, help with office work will also often
be appreciated, since access to computer equipment sometimes is still limited.
ELDERLY PEOPLE
Homes for the elderly provide accommodation and special attention. Volunteer tasks are mainly related to
keeping company and sharing with the residents, organizing activities, and sometimes assisting in physical
therapy. As in the case of projects with children, tasks may also include help in the kitchen or other manual
work.
HANDICAPPED PERSONS
ACI-Costa Rica cooperates with several institutions (mainly schools) for persons with physical, mental and visual
or auditory handicaps. Volunteers assist during therapies and also fulfil the same tasks as in projects with
children or elderly people.
ECOLOGICAL PROJECTS
Ecological projects include and often combine conservation, rural development and sustainable tourism
initiatives. Volunteers help in field work (reforestation, species documentation, marking of trails, animal
23
protection), but often also in the office (for example with the translation of information material or the
maintenance of web sites) or with environmental education projects for tourists and locals. English or other
language classes for people working in the project are also frequently asked for.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND CITIZEN DEFENSE ORGANIZATIONS
Different organizations work on different areas ranging from human rights in general to group rights or interests
(children & youth, migrants, handicapped persons, indigenous people, rural communities etc.) and specific
topics (labour rights, health, education etc.). In these kinds of organizations, volunteers mostly help in the office
(for example doing translations, assisting in the organization of activities or campaigns, attending the phone),
but usually there are also field trips from time to time. Because of the kind of work involved, the organizations in
general ask that applicants already possess an advanced Spanish level. Previous experience in the specific work
area of the organization is a plus.
CULTURAL PROJECTS
There are different groups, institutions and non-governmental organizations dedicated to promoting and
enriching Costa Rica’s cultural life. In these projects, you’ll need an open mind and the ability to easily connect
and communicate with people, which makes previous knowledge of Spanish at least at an intermediate level
especially important. Since there are only few placements available at the moment, applicant will be chosen
carefully.
ACI COSTA RICA
ACI-Costa Rica also accepts volunteers to work assisting the Long Term Programs Area with different tasks
ranging from office work and translations to project visits, preparation of camps and socio-cultural animation,
giving you the opportunity of meeting lots of people, visiting different parts of Costa Rica and getting an insight
into how the volunteer work is organized. If you are interested, let us know!
OTHERS
There also exist other possibilities of volunteer work, including work in universities or secondary schools, a
hospital, with drug/alcohol abusers, teaching English, sports, etc. Please note that we will give the detailed
information about projects once in Costa Rica.
PLEASE NOTE THAT IN SOME CASES (ESPECIALLY ECOLOGICAL PROJECTS) ACCOMODATION COULD BE WITHIN
THE PROJECT.
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3 .1 0 R u l e s a n d R e g u la t io n
Dear Volunteers,
The success of your exchange program will depend very much on you and your attitude, like any program there are
regulation, rules and limitations which have been established to guarantee a positive experience within our Program.
ACI Costa Rica requests that you read carefully and understand the following conditions as part of our volunteering
program, and send a signed copy.
1- I have in mind that I am part of an International Volunteering Program.
2- I have read and understood the guidelines for incoming exchanges in the National Profile of ACI Costa Rica and the ICYE
Federation´s Guide for Exchangees 2011-2012, and I agree to follow them.
3- I will learn the language of my host country, in this case Spanish.
4- I agree to adapt to and respect the Costa Rican way of life and culture during my Exchange Program.
5- I understand that the orientation, mid-year, final evaluation camps and other ACI´s activities (International day and
presentation of the countries i.e.) are compulsory.
6- I will inform my ACI contact person of any problems between myself and the Project or Host Family in order to
guarantee their support.
7- I will follow the “Steps” resolution process with ACI when I have a problem with my host project or family.
8- I will not drive any ANY motorized Vehicle during my volunteering program in Costa Rica, I know that my insurance will
not cover any damage I cause or any injuries inflicted on myself or others while I´m driving.
9- I will not use ANY drugs for recreational purposes during my volunteering program with ACI (drugs: marijuana, cocaine,
heroin, crack cocaine, acids, methamphetamines, mushrooms, ecstasy, etc). If I need to use any controlled substance
for medical reasons I will inform ACI about that and show a proper prescription from a doctor.
10- I will be the person responsible for my sexual health during my exchange program in Costa Rica, and I will follow all the
security recommendation given by ACI related to this subject during my Orientation Process, which includes but is not
limited to mandatory use of condom during any type of sexual intercourse, as well as informing ACI in case of
contracting ANY type of STDs or in case of pregnancy.
11- If I´m the victim of any type of sexual, physical or psychological abuse, which includes but is not limited to sexual
harassment or rape, I will inform ACI immediately in order to get psychological and or legal support, off course ACI will
respect my privacy as any conversation related to this kind of topic is confidential.
12- I am aware that I have to respect and obey my host country’s laws and will avoid trouble with authorities.
13- I´am aware that being underage, (less than 18 years) gives more responsibility to ACI, my project and host family, I will
act in a responsible way, following all the laws that a person under 18 years old normally follow in Costa Rica:
a. I won´t consume ANY king of alcoholic beverages or drugs during my program.
b. I won´t smoke cigarettes.
c. I will follow every rule that my host family, my host project and ACI will let me know, in order to keep my
safety, which includes curfews and any other regulations.
14- I will remember that I am a volunteer and an ambassador of my country.
Host Situation
15- I accept the Host Situation that my Host Committee will provide me with. I am aware that I may be placed in a Host
Family or Project, urban areas or small rural towns.
16- I accept that changing host situation is possible only under necessary conditions and after ACI’s mediation and
authorization, this cannot happen on the first three months of your exchange program, except in cases where the
participants well-being is threatened.
17- I agree to respect the rules and conditions at my Host Family.
Host Project
18- I assume the compromise with my Host Project, I will respect the schedule and vacations settled by my work.
25
19- I accept that changing host project is possible only under necessary conditions and after ACI’s mediation and
authorization, this cannot happen on the first three months of your exchange program, except in cases where the
participants well-being is threatened.
20- I´m prepared to work a minimum of 30 hours and a maximum of 40 hours per week. I am aware that in some cases I
may be required to work on weekends.
21- I understand that ACI will provide with a volunteering work placement, and the migration office will provide you with a
volunteer visa, which means it is absolutely forbidden for me to work in order to earn money, because it is illegal.
22- I agree to respect the rules and conditions at my Host Project.
23- When occasional volunteering opportunities are offered by ACI, I will send a motivation letter to my contact person in
order to participate in the selection.
Vacations
24- I understand that ACI Costa Rica is not a travel agency.
25- I accept that I will have 2 days of vacation for every month that I work at my project (a total of 12 days for 6 month
volunteers and 24 days for 12 month volunteers)
26- I agree to coordinate my vacations with ACI, my host project and my host family, I will have to inform them a week
before taking vacations.
27- I will send an email to ACI when I´m taking vacations, with the completion of the “ACI´s Vacations Form” filling in the
details: the exact dates, the reason and where exactly I´m travelling.
28- I am aware that my vacations cannot interfere with my responsibilities within my project and ACI-CR’s official activities.
29- I am aware that I cannot leave the country for vacations (or any other reason) without informing my contact person at
ACI.
Pocket Money and Transportation reimbursement
30- I´m aware that the pocket money I will receive every month is to cover my daily additional expenses, the amount of
pocket money I will receive is $44.5 US Dollars.
31- I´m aware that the Transportation reimbursement that I will receive is to cover my transportation to my host project
and to any meeting or activity in the ACI office.
32- I´m aware that I will be reimbursed only for using the public transportation (buses), taxi fares will be reimbursed only in
cases where there is a previous authorization from ACI
th
33- I will fill a monthly transportation report justifying all my transportation expenses and email it before the 4 of every
th
month, on time, to my Coordinators. I am aware that I need to send this form to ACI Office, every month by the 4 at
the latest. Forms received after this date will be received by the Coordinators, but they will be accumulated to be paid
next month with the next month form, you will be able to accumulate only 2 Transportation forms, if you accumulate
three forms, the third one cannot be taken into consideration for payment.
th
34- Pocket money and transportation fees will be transferred to volunteers every month by the 18 at the latest.
I hereby confirm that I have read and understood the above rules and also confirm that I have been informed of the fact
that my medical and liability insurance will expire when my exchange year comes to an end and that from then on ACI CR
will have no further obligations towards me.
I´m aware that not following the above mentioned rules will lead to the expulsion for the program and the return to my
home country,
Name: _____________________________
Signature:__________________________
Home country:
_____________________
Signature of the
parents:_____________________________
Date: ____________________________
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¡¡¡ PURA VIDA!!!