Community Development – Costa Rica

My name is Elizabeth Burrus, I am 18 years old and a student at St. George’s School. I am currently preparing to sit my final A levels in June and for this summer, my plans are to work as a volunteer in Costa Rica, helping build street shelters for children, for five weeks during July, before attending university in England in September 2003. I will be travelling with the international organisation i-to-i, which involves people learning from their travels, making the most of their experiences.

I would like to fulfil a long-standing ambition to do volunteer work. I have always felt very fortunate with my background and education and I feel that it is time to share with others perhaps less fortunate. I have always dreamed of discovering for myself the beauty of South America. I look forward to learning about the culture and the people. I hope to return home from this experience with new skills, more confidence and memories which will encourage me to complete my university studies in view of returning to South America as a teacher. I hope that the experience will be both fulfilling and rewarding.

Before leaving for this adventure I shall be completing the forty-hour TEFL certificate, a prerequisite of the i-to-i organisation, to be better prepared. Upon arriving in Costa Rica I will be following a week of intensive Spanish lessons. Then I will be working as a volunteer with street children in the colonial suburbs of San José and the surrounding mountains. My volunteer placement will be to assist a Costa Rican government agency that helps street children. Forced out of their homes by poverty and abuse, their alternative is a life on the streets that leads to prostitution and drug abuse.

i-to-i volunteers help with the big task of turning around these children. Working with a small staff at one of the agency’s shelters in San Jose, I would give support and a positive direction to a dozen boys and girls, from toddlers to teens. I would play with them, helping with homework and perhaps taking them to the doctor or to school. My work might also include helping maintain the facilities, working on projects with the regional office, or developing a specific project to help the children.

The organisation i-to-i is currently training around 3000 English teachers and sends 1500 volunteers abroad every year on meaningful teaching, conservation and work experience projects. As a not-for-profit organisation and not a charity, the placement fee I will pay defrays the expenses of project development and travel insurance.

To enable my participation in this project I have needed to ask for donations. I have been successful in this as I have already raised the necessary £1,200 which i-to-i then places in a common pool of charities, not only in Costa Rica, but around the world as seen fit by their administrators who respond to varying needs.

I am currently trying to raise additional monies to help defray the cost of my travel expenses. Out of school I am working as a part-time B&B cleaner and also as house sitter to earn my living expenses, which still leaves me time to prepare my A-levels. When working in Costa Rica, I shall be living with a local family and paying them $11 for daily board.

My travel expenses to and from Costa Rica are CHF 1’500. To raise money to help defray the cost of travel I shall be organising several events in school. My Spanish teacher, Mrs. Bodenmann has given me the opportunity to speak in front of Years 7, 10 and 12 during their Spanish class, after which they will be free to contribute as they see fit. 

With the much-appreciated help of Year 13 and kind support of Miss McHugh I will be appealing to your support in the following events scheduled in the coming fortnight preceeding my study leave.

We are preparing to raffle a CD voucher offered by Miss McHugh. Year 13 will sell tickets at break. As an additional and exceptional occasion, school has given permission for “Nail Polish Week”. Anyone, girl or boy, (or teacher!) may have their nails painted by one of Year 13. It will cost CHF 2, and this money will go toward my airplane ticket.

Whilst in Costa Rica I will be commentating on the experience by writing a diary. Upon my return, I shall write another letter, to those who helped me fundraise this project but also to other young people to encourage them into such a worthwhile experience.

Please pass this on to anybody you think might be interested. I would be extremely grateful should you decide to lend your support.

With heartfelt thanks,

Elizabeth Burrus