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Travel Insurance
·Get it if you can afford it! It can make your life traveling much less stressful. This should cover you for medical expenses, luggage theft, and costs incurred due to unavoidable changes in your travel itinerary. It should also cover you in the case that you have an accident and have to be flown home. Ticket loss is also covered by travel insurance. Check with your insurance agent to get additional information about the coverage that they offer; it can differ depending on the agent.
Communcation:
·Telephone:
o US phone cards do NOT work in Costa Rica so do not bother bringing any. You can buy a local phone card for as many colones as you want at the Red Cross in Puriscal once you are here. The rate is around 23-30 cents per minute to call the United States.
o Do not plan on getting cell phone reception at the farm although there are a few places where you can sometimes get a weak signal.
·Internet:
o Although internet will be coming to La Legua soon, there is currently no internet on the farm. Numerous internet cafes are located in Puriscal and provide very affordable internet access (about 50 cents/hour).
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Money
·The Costa Rican currency is the colón. The exchange rate changes frequently and can be found online. Carry your passport when changing money. Only change money in banks or at good hotels. DO NOT CHANGE MONEY ON THE STREET. Make sure that your US bills are in good shape, as it sometimes difficult to change worn or torn money. Make sure you change all of your colones back to dollars before exiting the country (or as many as possible), as it is difficult to change larger amounts back in the States.
·Major brands of traveler’s checks in US dollars can be exchanged into colones at banks in many cities but the rate is usually 1% to 2% lower than cash. Don't expect to be able to use traveler's checks when "off the beaten past". We recommend that you always carry some US cash for those times when you are far from all banks or when banks are closed. You generally cannot use traveler’s checks as cash as you can in many places in the U.S. Cash advances are possible at many banks with your credit card. VISA is the card most readily accepted. There are also an abundance of ATM machines in most larger towns and cities. Check with your bank to see whether your card will be accepted and where in Costa Rica.
·Pickpockets do exist in Costa Rica, especially in some of the busier and poorer areas of San José. Carry money in inside pockets, money belts, or pouches beneath your clothes. Don’t carry a wallet in your trousers, backpack or jacket pockets, as this is the first thing pickpockets look for. Divide your money among several places so that if someone pickpockets you, you won’t lose all your cash.
Diet at the Farm:
·The food at the farm is extremely healthy and almost void of food additives and preservatives. We consume very few refined products and try to consume as much as we can of the fruits and vegetables that are produced on the farm.
·We do occasionally have meat, but volunteers can expect a primarily vegetarian diet. Please make sure any dietary restrictions are made clear in the beginning of your stay as we are more than happy to respect them. |
