I had no clue the guides were going to be so great. They made us
laugh constantly, and were so enthusiastic just to talk about the country. They really brought me
into the beauty of Costa Rica and made me love it just about as
much as they do."

"The people were the highlight for me. Our guides, as well as the families, the volunteers at the conservation projects, and
everyone   that we encountered
along the road, were my favorite
part. To experience Costa Rica as the real people actually live in it,
not as a tourist, was absolutely fantastic!!"

"This trip was the best 2 weeks
of my life! I absolutely love Costa Rica. The activities were awesome (visiting indigenous tribes, swimming in waterfalls, ziplining, rafting). we stayed in places that mostly
weren't too touristy, so we could
get a feel for what Costa Rica was really like."

My favorite experience was going to the high school. I saw how happy
the students were without designer purses and air conditioning. They
live such a different lifestyle but we are still the same people; we giggle with our girlfriends and could play soccer all day. It was great to see and play with them even though we didn't speak Spanish."

 

"The most unanticipated experience of our trip was the effect that it had on the students.  After seeing a country away from the usual tourist traps, the students felt as though previous travels to other countries had been missing something.  For the first time, my students seemed to grow out of being a typical high school student expecting to be coddled and became mature adults looking to experience a country as the native-born people do."

 

 

 

updated 4/28/2008

Rye YMCA
Costa Rica Expedition
Dates: July 15-25, 2008
Trip Cost: $2500 including air from New York City

 

This trip is for teens ages 14 to 18. For more information contact Lou Caratelli of the Rye YMCA at 914-967-6363 x301 or via email at loucaratelli@ryeymca.org

 

SIGN UP DEADLINE: MAY 1, 2008

Trip Information

Spotlight on Projects & Places

Registration, Payments and Your Online Account

REGISTER FOR THE TRIP: Just download the registration form, fill it out, and return it to Lou Caratelli at the Rye YMCA along with a $95 deposit.

ACCESS YOUR ACCOUNT:  Once you have submitted your deposit, we will create an account for you and notify you via email. You can then make online payments and update your personal information. You can access your account by clicking on the “Log In” link at the top of the page.

NOTE: The first time you login, type in your email as your username, and hit "I don't know my password". You will receive an email that allows you to create you a password.

Forms

  • Participant Registration Form: use this to sign up for your trip. Give it to your trip leader.
  • Participant Application: download it and fill it out, or login to your account and go to "Account Info>Application Info" to fill it out online.
  • Affidavit for Permission to Travel: travelers under the age of 18 on the day of departure need to have one of these signed by parents/guardian and returned to the trip leader.
  • Cancellation Form: if you need to cancel, please fill this out and return it to EcoTeach. Any refund due will not be issued until this form is received.

Useful Websites

Payment Due Dates

The trip deposit should be given to your trip leader. All other payments can be paid online or mailed directly to EcoTeach. Checks should be payable to "EcoTeach".

Anytime (to reserve your space)

$95 nonrefundable deposit

February 15, 2008

$685 due

March 15, 2008

$685 due

May 15, 2008

remaining balance due

Cancellation and Refund Policy

$95 deposit is nonrefundable

 

220 days + prior to departure

no cancellation fee

219 to 160 days prior to departure

$50 cancellation fee plus any nonrefundable payments made on behalf of the participant.

159 to 65 days prior to departure

$300 cancellation fee plus any nonrefundable payments made on behalf of the participant.

Less than 65 days prior to departure

no refunds

Passports/Documentation
A passport is required to enter Costa Rica. For US citizens, no visa is need but the passport must be valid for 90 days after the day you arrive. Citizens of other countries should check with the Costa Rican Embassy to determine entry requirements. US Citizens can go to http://travel.state.gov for passport and travel information.

Immunizations
No immunizations are required to enter Costa Rica, however the Center for Disease Control does have several recommendations. We strongly encourage you consult your doctor or a travel clinic with question on immunizations as EcoTeach does not provide medical advice.

Flights
EcoTeach has reserved a group of seats on the following flights. If you prefer to opt out of the group flight, please notify Deb Smucker at deb@ecoteach.com or 800-626-8992 x12 at least 4 months prior to your group's departure date.

DL 349 15 JUL JFK SJO 10:30AM 1:49PM

DL 348 25 JUL SJO JFK 2:49PM 9:54PM

DL=Delta, JFK=Kennedy airport, SJO=Costa Rica

Taxes and fees (fuels surcharges, security costs, etc)  imposed by the airlines are subject to change until the tickets are purchased (approximately 2-3 months prior to your departure date).  Such changes are outside of EcoTeach control. If there is a significant change in the overall price quoted when tickets are purchased, you will receive an invoice for additional charges, if any, or a credit if the fees and taxes have decreased. Thanks in advance for your understanding.