Location:

Alajuela, Costa Rica

Program Type:

Volunteer Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Work Types:

Arts, Economic Development, Environment, Translation

Duration:

1-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks, 1-3 months, 4-6 months, 1 year

Program Overview

Program Description:

The Volunteer Work Exchange (VWE) Program at Rancho Margot is available to responsible individuals who are committed to becoming a part of our sustainable eco-friendly project while also agreeing to ensure professional customer service and a positive environment for the hotel guests of Rancho Margot. Volunteers offer their services in exchange for room & board and the lifestyle of the Ranch. We do our utmost to provide a wonderful experience for all volunteers and we hope to receive the utmost in respectful participation in turn for the entire duration of your stay.

Volunteer Work Exchange Areas We take volunteers who are certified and have experience in the areas below: Yoga teachers Cattle farming & organic agriculture (must be capable of strenuous work) Social media and marketing assistance (must have own laptop & skill-set) Reception (must be fluent in English & Spanish) Restaurant & dishwashers Cooks Bakers Butchers Cheesemakers Beekeepers Construction & carpentry It’s important that our volunteers are willing to share their farming experience through our educational programs offered to groups of students who visit the Ranch.

Setting Description:

Rancho Margot is a family enterprise focused on sustainable business operation and living. With a staff of 45 people, an average of 8 to 10 rotating volunteers and upwards of 10,000 annual visitors, Rancho Margot is a remote and dynamic place. We are located in a lush lakeside valley between rain and cloud forests in a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve. In addition to providing a peaceful place that facilitates connection with nature, Rancho Margot strives to inspire each visitor to relax, enjoy and explore ways in which they can incorporate the concept of sustainability into their own lives. In 2004, the Sostheim family bought 400 acres (162 hectares) and chose the name Rancho Margot, in honor of Juan Sostheim’s mother. At that time, the valley was an over-grazed cattle ranch, barren of trees and wildlife. Today, thanks to reforestation and efforts to propagate indigenous species of plants, the Ranch is alive and teeming with