Start and plan the trip

Let's start at the very beginning.

I have just turned 19, have finally graduated from high school and the door to the world is more open than ever.

Everyone around me is starting to plan where their career will take them and what studies they will need to do to achieve that.

It was clear to me early on that after graduating from high school I would take the step of traveling alone, combined with volunteer work abroad, to experience the people, the culture and the life there first hand. So I started looking.

So I came across the beautiful, paradisiacal travel destination of Costa Rica - a multifaceted culture, great food and nature to die for. It was also clear that I would learn the Spanish language, which I am really looking forward to!

Finding an organization turned out to be rather difficult, I often didn't like the volunteer projects (I had little interest in reforestation and collecting plastic) and the leisure program also promised little variety.

I ended up with volunteerworld, an English organization for volunteering around the world. The coordinator Josh was very friendly and patient and helped me plan my trip the way I wanted. In the end, this plan came about!

I will fly from Frankfurt to San Jose on October 6th via Madrid and Panama City and will stay in Costa Rica for 6 of my 9 weeks. There I will take a week-long language course and then work in a daycare center. I am really looking forward to seeing the little kids! I will be living in a house with many other volunteers from all over the world. Weekend trips to the fascinating national parks and hikes to the countless volcanoes are planned.

Then on November 17th I will be going to Quito, Ecuador, where I will be doing volunteer work at a bird station for another 3 weeks.

Once I arrive, I will live with an Ecuadorian host family who will integrate me into their everyday life. I dream of traveling to the Galapagos Islands.

On December 7th I will start my journey home, with hundreds of new impressions and stories in my luggage. And I'll take you with me on all of this!