“It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”
When Jill and her sister-in-law decided to volunteer at GoEco’s Sloth and Wildlife Center in Costa Rica, they weren’t sure what to expect. Both in their 50s, they were curious about what it would be like to join a program often filled with younger travelers.
Two weeks later, they returned home full of memories, laughter and a deep appreciation for wildlife conservation.
“It was incredibly satisfying and did good for my heart… Worth a million dollars to me to have that feeling.”
Feeling Welcome from Day One
“As soon as we got there, we were greeted, we were shown to our room, we felt very included immediately.”
Jill and her sister-in-law chose the sloth team and quickly found their rhythm.
“We ended up being put on the sloth team the first day and then we were just addicted and we wanted to stay on the sloth team. We really connected with the coordinator and we just decided to stay.”
Connecting Across Generations
“I would say 50% of the reason it was great was because of the animals and what we were physically doing. The other 50% was because we were hanging out with people in their twenties from all over the world.”
Despite being among the older volunteers, Jill says the age gap disappeared almost immediately.
“Every time we had a meal, three times a day, we were sitting with all these kids from all over the world and it just made a great impression on us.”
“I didn’t realize I would enjoy it as much as I did. It was absolutely awesome.”
Simple Living, Big Reward
“It was very primitive, but it’s what I expected and I’m a camper and a hiker, so you can’t really scare me. I had a mattress on a bed, so I call that a win.”
The accommodations were simple but comfortable.
“We had a bathroom in our room, so I felt like I was kind of at the Ritz because when it was raining, I didn’t have to go outside and put my shoes on. That was really, really nice.”
Days started early, feeding and caring for sloths, preparing meals, and helping the staff with daily routines.
“It was meaningful work, and we knew what we were doing and what needed to be accomplished for the animals.”
Weekend Adventures
On weekends, Jill and her sister-in-law explored Costa Rica’s natural beauty, snorkeling at Isla Tortuga, hiking in Manuel Antonio National Park, and laughing through every moment.
“It was actually quite memorable because on our way back there were a lot of gray clouds coming in, and the person operating the boat wanted to get back quickly. I don’t know if we were even in the water, I think we were flying! We were soaked and it was a ton of fun.”
Why It’s Worth It
“It did good for my heart to find myself in a situation where the time that I had abroad was doing good for animals and the environment.”
For Jill, volunteering abroad was far more meaningful than a typical vacation.
“I’ve done a lot of volunteering with animals, and it’s always just worth a million dollars to me to have that feeling, and to have been able to do it abroad where I could actually be in a different environment and see animals that I wouldn’t ordinarily have an opportunity to see was like the icing on the cake.”
She also appreciated GoEco’s support.
“There was always communication, whether it was being initiated by GoEco or whether I asked a question and got a response at a very quick rate. I always felt very comfortable that I had someone to connect with if I needed to.”
“Because I didn’t know anything about this location, I felt very comfortable with having the GoEco umbrella over all of this.”
Jill’s Advice for 50+ Volunteers
“Definitely go. Don’t be put off by the fact that there are a lot of young people there.”
“One of the things I was wondering was, am I putting myself in a situation where I’m going to be doing hard labor all day? And that wasn’t going to work for me at my age, and it absolutely wasn’t. When there were heavier or harder things to do, there were plenty of other people who could step in.”
“Just go with an open mind and know that you are going to make amazing memories and meet people you never would have thought you’d meet in your entire life.”
A Note on the Center
“They run it very well, and everybody who is there is clearly dedicated to what’s going on. It’s very, very obvious from the vets to the animal coordinators, and Vanessa who runs the place. It’s just very obvious that this is their heart.”
“Thank goodness, Costa Rica owes them a debt of gratitude.”
