I absolutely loved the volunteering project at wildlife sanctuary in Costa Rica. It was such an amazing experience working up close with animals which I would not normally see such as jaguars, macaws and tapirs, and learning about each species as well as the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for all of them while they cannot be released due to cruelty, being illegally kept, or injured.
Doing the project has aided me in choosing a career path for myself in working with animals due to feeling I have made a difference working closely with the team and animals on a day to day basis and I am excited for future opportunities to arise.
At the start of the project, I did feel slightly overwhelmed and the work is very physically demanding which most people are not prepared for however I did find that I quickly adjusted to the work and there was a great team around me to keep me going and maintain the morale within the group.
Personally I would say that the project did not meet my expectations due to the physical aspect of it however my experience was better than I could have imagined; I made friends which I am almost certain I will keep in contact with, I have learnt many new skills which will help me in the future such as with new job opportunities, and I have been able to specialise in a sector of work which very much interests me.
I would love to suggest the project as well as other projects with global nomadic to anyone thinking about taking a gap year or wanting to travel and do work for local communities.
I would love to suggest the project as well as other projects with global nomadic to anyone thinking about taking a gap year or wanting to travel and do work for local communities.
