Costa Rica internships

Museo del Jade

Location: Downtown San José, a 20 minute train ride from the Praxis office.

The Jade Museum specializes in artifacts from the Costa Rican indigenous peoples. Past interns have been invited to assist with English translations of exhibitions and also in giving museum tours in English.

Finca Lorroco

Location: Volio, Talamanca, Limón Province

This is a working organic farm run by women who are members of the BriBri indigenous tribe. By special arrangement they can take students to visit their relatives further up the mountains inside the BriBri reservation.

Fundación Humanitaria Amubri

Location: Amubri, Talamanca, Limón Province.

Fundación Humanitaria has varios projects in Amubri, including economic empowerment for women, Cabecar language classes, and much more.

SIFAIS La Carpio

Location: La Carpio, about 60 minutes by bus from the Praxis office.

This is a music and arts enrichment program in a very income immigrant community.  Possible involvements are:  teaching music theory, assisting with instrumental or voice classes, dance classes or various kinds of visual arts.

Boga Dance Studio

Location: Heredia

This is a dance studio that has a special mission to serve the LGBTQI+ community.  There are opportunities to assist with classes and also to be involved in the organization's business operations.

PROCOMER

Location: Escazú, 11 kilometers from the Praxis office.

This is a government related organization dedicated to promoting Costa Rican exports as well as foreign investment in Costa Rica.  The organization assists companies in figuring out all the laws and requirements for doing business in Costa Rica.  

Fundación Mujer 

Location: Guadalupe, about a 40 minute bus or train ride from the Praxis office.

Fundación Mujer was founded in 1998 and is an organization which specializes in training in entrepreneurship for women who want to develop their productive activities and empower themselves in a holistic and self-sustaining way in financial services and other areas.  It has microcredit programs and training in business skills for women as well as men. In recent years it has been working with a lot of refugees from Venezuela, El Salvador, Honduras, Colombia and Nicaragua. Past interns have accompanied the staff to support groups of small business owners, been involved in training and the details of microcredit, and done general office work for updating the database of clients.  There may also be opportunity to attend job fairs.  

Eureka Comunicaciones

Location: La Sabana, about a 75 minute bus ride from Santa Rosa

This is a communications company that offers website design and digital media management to its clients.  Past students have done graphic design, translation or correction of documents in English, and videotaping of spots to include in clients' websites.  It's a relaxed office atmosphere, good place to practice Spanish.  The majority of the staff are young adults.

Fundación Parque Libertad

Location: Desamparados

Fundación Parque Libertad is an extensive vocational school located in a very poor sector of San José.  It seeks to give low income adolescents and adults the opportunity to learn technical skills like graphic design, website creation, digital animation, coding, and entrepreneurial skills.  It also offers artistic courses in dance, theater and circus.  Past interns have assisted in teaching classes in technical skills.

World Vision – Costa Rica section 

International Christian organization whose mission is to work with the economically disadvantaged communities, for human transformation. Possible activities: visiting beneficiary communities, communications with donors, involvement in small business trainings.

Women's Office, Municipality of Heredia    

The Oficina de la Mujer (OFIM) in Heredia, Costa Rica is a municipal authority that serves as a mechanism at the local level to establish actions and programs for the promotion, defense and fulfillment of the rights of women in a holistic and permanent way. It is an institutional mechanism that, as a part of the city government, contributes to the enforcement and of local public laws favorable to the rights of women and citizens.   The OFIM has various areas of work including primary attention to interfamily violence and local community development. Since it is often difficult for women to leave a violent relationship if they are economically dependent on their partner, the area of community development has a program for developing and supporting women entrepreneurs and businesses, including classes, support groups, and a microbusiness fair. 

Habitat For Humanity

Habitat for the Humanity promotes the suitable house and the safe possession in Latin America   Under the conviction that a suitable house is key to break the circle of the poverty, Habitat for the Humanity develops to programs of incidence in public policy in Latin America and the Caribbean.   Through efforts to assure the access to an suitable house, the possession of the ground and the rights of property, particularly for the vulnerable women and groups, Habitat for the Humanity it looks for to fulfill its vision of a world where all the people have a suitable place where to live. Students may be involved in communications with partners and donors, finance, team building, and attention to visiting groups.

Medium-sized hotel

The student could be involved in various aspects of the hotel business, from attention to guests, to marketing, team building, quality control and finance.

Private dental clinics in Santo Domingo

Location: Santo Domingo, about a 15 minute walk from the Praxis Center.

These are small private dental clinics.  Students may shadow procedures, help to sterilize instruments, and generally assist with all the work of the clinic.  In addition to general dentistry, at some clinics students may also be able to observe orthodontic procedures one day a week.

Escuela Centeno Guell

Location: 150 mts este del cementerio de Guadalupe.  About a 40 minute bus ride from the Praxis Center.

This is a public school for children with disabilities of many kinds.  The internship works well if a student is placed with a particular teacher with a group of students (e.g., hearing impaired, visually impaired, Downs’ Syndrome) that is of interest to the student intern.  If the student intern has particular talents/knowledge (e.g., one used music and movement therapy; one used photography with hearing impaired children; one used artistic talents and imagination with visually impaired children, another knew sign language and worked in a hearing impaired classroom), there is generally opportunity—with planning ahead—for students to introduce a small initiative/project. Students have had quite good experiences but must have initiative to be really successful in this setting.

CAIPAD Heredia

This is a day program and school for children and adolescents with Downs Syndrome and other developmental disabilities.   

Centro Educativo "La Pitahaya"

Location: Sabana Norte, San Jose

This is a school for children and youth with physical and developmental disabilities.  Most are in wheelchairs.  Past interns have worked with the physical therapists and also to maintain and make adjustments to wheelchairs.  Some students have also accompanied teachers to visit students in their homes to assess the kinds of physical and social barriers they face in their own communities.

Instituto Hellen Keller

Location: Desamparados, south of San José.

This is a school for visually impaired youth and adults.  It assists students to complete their high school degrees with a variety of mechanisms, including special computer programs.  Also includes some art / arts and crafts work.

Colegio Técnico Profesional Santa Rosa

This is a technical-vocational high school right in the neighborhood of the Praxis Center, where Costa Rican students may do an extra year of high school and end up with a first level degree in careers such as graphic design, English for Call Centers, computer programming, etc.  Past interns have assisted the English teachers.

Liceo de Santo Domingo

A public academic junior high / high school in Santo Domingo, about a 20 minute walk from the Praxis Center.  It has International Baccalaureate courses, similar to Advanced Placement.

Blue Valley School

Location: San Rafael de Escazu.  

This is a private school that teaches most subjects in English.  They also have International Baccalaureate.  An education major in STEM did his student teaching here for an entire semester in 2018.

Centro Educativo "La Pitahaya"

Location: Sabana Norte, San Jose

This is a school for children and youth with physical and developmental disabilities.  Most are in wheelchairs.  Past interns have worked with the physical therapists and also to maintain and make adjustments to wheelchairs.  Some students have also accompanied teachers to visit students in their homes to assess the kinds of physical and social barriers they face in their own communities.

International Christian School

Location: San Isidro de Heredia

Elementary and high school offering a full range of opportunities for student interns, according to their interests.  Students may work in a particular area, like the computer lab, English, Math or Science classes, or with the school psychologist.

Escuela Kamuk

Location: Tibas, about a 20 minute bus ride from the Praxis office.

Elementary and high school offering a full range of opportunities for student interns, according to their interests.  Students may work in a particular area, like the computer lab, English, Math or Science classes, or with the school psychologist.

Environmental Office, San Pablo City Government

Location: San Pablo Heredia, about a 30 minute bus ride from the Praxis Center

Past interns have participated in environmental education efforts, recycling projects and community vegetable gardens.

CENCENAI Santa Rosa

Location: Santa Rosa de Santo Domingo, about a 10 minute walk from the Praxis Center

This is a government run Montessori childcare center which has vegetable gardens.  Interns would be asked to build a help maintain raised beds, teach children and staff about organic gardening, and network with Casa Adobe and other neighborhood gardening projects.

Equipo Verde/Huertas Urbanas, Universidad Biblica Latinoamericana

Location: Cedros de San Pedro, on the east side of San José

This is a neighborhood effort sponsored by a progressive Christian seminary, to plant and maintain community gardens.  

Finca Lorroco

Location: Volio, Talamanca, Limón Province

This is a working organic farm run by a matriarchal family of BriBri indigenous women.  The farm produces a wide variety of products that they sell at the local farmer's market.  In addition, they produce chocolate and have an extensive seed saving project which benefits farmers in the surrounding communities.  The leaders also give workshops in organic farming and permaculture techniques.

Casa Adobe (Gardens and watershed restoration project)

Location: Santa Rosa de Santo Domingo, three blocks from Praxis Center offices.

As part of its vocation for caring for creation, Casa Adobe Intentional Christian Community has a large vegetable garden, composting and seed saving.  In addition, it has a tree nursery and organizes regular hikes to the Virilla River, which runs alongside the Santa Rosa neighborhood, for the purpose of picking up trash and tree planting.  Students would be invited to share in all of these areas and learn about organic gardening.

Rincón Organica Farm

Location: Tierra Blanca, Cartago

This is a family-run organic vegetable farm which sells its products in two local organic farmer's markets. Students will learn about organic techniques, seed saving, crop rotation, water management, pest control, composting and production of organic fertilizers, among other things.

Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica

Location: Downtown San José, about a 30 minute train or bus ride from the Praxis office.

This is the congress of Costa Rica.  The intern would be an assistant to congressional aids, would learn about the inner workings of the Costa Rican legislative process, and would assist in researching topics of current interest to legislators. 

GLC ABOGADOS

Location: Los Yoses, on the east side of San Jose.  About a 45 minute train and bus ride; telephone:  2524-3176

This is a full service law office which handles commercial, family, immigration, penal and other areas of legal representation and has a specialty in serving English speaking clients.  It has 12 staff members, 5 of whom are lawyers and the rest are paralegals and secretaries.  The staff are mostly women.  Past students have assisted with translation of legal documents from Spanish to English, and have also accompanied the lawyers to the FBI of Costa Rica and to collect signatures and take depositions.  Good place to learn a lot of legal vocabulary.

ILANUD  -  United Nations Latin American Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders

Location: Downtown San José, about a 15 minute train ride from the Praxis office.  

ILANUD's foundational charter states that, “The main objective of the institute is to collaborate with the governments in the balanced economic and social development of the Latin America countries, through the formulation and incorporation into national development plans, of adequate policies and action instruments in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice.” Areas of work where students have been involved include human trafficking and improvement of conditions in the prison system.

Private Medical Clinics – Santo Domingo

Location: Santo Domingo, about a 20 minute walk from most homestays

These are several small clinics with private physicians. Students observe primary care physicians, and are able to ask questions about different diagnoses as well as take vital signs. Physicians take time to explain the diagnosis to students and invite them to learn how to do a physical exam, some basic tests and the uses of a wide range of medicines. Students with a high level of Spanish may also be able to do some parts of an initial patient interview.

Hogar de Esperanza

Location: Paso Ancho, about an hour train and bus ride from the Praxis Center.

This is a group living home for people who have been diagnosed with HIV infection and may not have anywhere else to go because they have been rejected by their families and communities. The ultimate goal is to reintegrate them back into their communities. The residents may or may not have full-blown AIDS. Many of the residents are also dealing with addictions. The full range of sexual orientations and gender identities are represented here. 

There is an opportunity at Hogar for students to learn about the “Reduction of Damage” approach to addiction treatment. Past interns have assisted with odd jobs, with accompanying residents to their medical appointments and generally listening to their stories. There is also an opportunity to work directly with the center's nurse, assisting in distributing medications and monitoring residents' overall health.

Residencia Geriatrica "Camino Dorado"

Location: About a 15 minute walk from most homestays

This is a privately run assisted living center for the elderly, the “ciudadanos de oro” (“golden residents”) Some of the residents have Alzheimer's or Parkinson's or some type of dementia. Two are bedridden. A few are completely lucid and simply don't have family with whom they can live. It's a good place to learn about older adult issues. Students are allowed to assist the staff in feeding patients and distributing meds, and they can practice a lot of Spanish talking to the residents and staff. 

Blood bank, UNIBE Hospital

Location: Tibas, about a 20 minute bus ride from the Praxis office.

This is a phlebotomy center within a private teaching hospitals. Students who have previous certification as phlebotomists in the U.S. can assist in drawing blood samples.

Hogar de Esperanza  

Location: Paso Ancho, about an hour train and bus ride from Santa Rosa

This is a group living home for people who have been diagnosed with HIV infection and may not have anywhere else to go because they have been rejected by their families and neighborhoods.  The ultimate goal is to reintegrate them back into their communities.  The residents may or may not have full-blown AIDS.  Some of the residents are also dealing with addictions.  Most are men.  Some are transvestites, a few are heterosexual.  Past interns have assisted with odd jobs, with accompanying residents to their medical appointments and generally listening to their stories.   Students with a background in theology have been asked to lead bible studies.  There is also an opportunity to work directly with the center's nurse, assisting in distributing medications and monitoring residents' overall health.  

Boga Dance Studio

Location: Heredia

This is a dance studio that has a special mission to serve the LGBTQI+ community.  There are opportunities to assist with classes and also to be involved in the organization's business operations.

Private Occupational Therapy Practice

Location: La Sabana, San Jose, about a 45 minute bus ride from the Praxis Center

This is an occupational therapist's office who is in private practice. His patients include people with mental and physical disabilities and people on the autism spectrum.

Private Optometrist in Santo Domingo

Location: Santo Domingo, about a 15-20 minute walk from the Praxis Center

This is a small optometry office which offers the full range of services. The student would learn about all aspects of optometry and different options for correcting poor vision.

Clinica Cristiana La Carpio

Location: La Carpio, La Uruca About an 50 minute bus ride from the Praxis Center

This is a clinic run by a faith based organization that serves low income undocumented people, primarily immigrants from Nicaragua. Students with an advanced level of Spanish have assisted in taking vital signs and organization of the pharmacy, under the supervision of Costa Rican healthcare professionals.

Private Physical Therapy clinics in Santo Domingo

Location: Santo Domingo, about a 15 minute walk from the Praxis Center

These are small private physical therapy offices. Students will be able to observe and learn about the full range of physical therapy treatments and exercises.

Global Fitness

Location: Tibas, about a 20 minute bus ride from the Praxis Center

Global Fitness is private physical therapy clinic and fitness center. About 95% of the patients are retired women who are physically active. Although most of the therapy sessions occur during the afternoons, there is work that can be done during the morning such as helping the patients in a number of group classes that include cardio-dancing, Taichi, belly dance, yoga and Pilates. During some mornings, the therapists also carry out evaluations on nutrition, posture, equilibrium, stability, and mobility of the patients, which students can participate in.

Centro Educativo "La Pitahaya"

Location: Sabana Norte, San Jose. About a 45 minute bus ride from the Praxis Center

This is a school for children and youth with physical and developmental disabilities. Most are in wheelchairs. Past interns have worked with the physical therapists and also to maintain and make adjustments to wheelchairs. Some students have also accompanied teachers to visit students in their homes to assess the kinds of physical and social barriers they face in their own communities.

Cristo para la Ciudad, La Carpio

Location: La Carpio, about 45 minutes from Santa Rosa by bus

This is an evangelical church that has several children's programs in La Carpio. The work could include tutoring in math or English, teaching bible stories, assisting with a youth sports program, and leading crafts and games. 

Hogar de Esperanza 

Location: Paso Ancho, about an hour train and bus ride from Santa Rosa

This is a group living home for people who have been diagnosed with HIV infection and may not have anywhere else to go because they have been rejected by their families and neighborhoods. The ultimate goal is to reintegrate them back into their communities. The residents may or may not have full-blown AIDS. Some of the residents are also dealing with addictions. Most are men. Some are transvestites, a few are heterosexual. Past interns have assisted with odd jobs, with accompanying residents to their medical appointments and generally listening to their stories.  Students with a background in theology have been asked to lead bible studies. There is also an opportunity to work directly with the center's nurse, assisting in distributing medications and monitoring residents' overall health. 

Proyecto Abrahán

Location: Tres Rios, on the east side of San José

This is a Christian organization located in a low income community that has several different projects, including vocational classes, a childcare center and attention to children at risk. It provides economic development as well as spiritual formation for women, especially single mothers.

National Weather Service

Location: Downtown San Jose, a 15 minute train ride from the Praxis office

This is the principal government operated weather service for all of Costa Rica. The staff monitors the weather conditions and produces daily reports that are used by the main new channels. 

Plasma Laboratory for Fusion Energy and Applications

Location: Universidad Tecnológico, Cartago

This is a very high level scientific research center which does a variety of investigations into using plasma for a variety of practical applications. Student should have an intermediate to advanced level of Spanish and some experience in research in the fields of physics or chemistry. 

OIJ Crime Lab

Location: San Joaquin de Flores, Heredia

OIJ is the FBI of Costa Rica. Students with a strong background in chemistry may assist the professionals at this forensics lab. 

Fundación Humanitaria

Location: La Carpio, La Uruca, about a 60 minute bus ride from the Praxis office

This foundation has a variety of programs in a low income immigrant community; including: attention to Nicaraguan refugees trying to rebuild their lives in Costa Rica, a women's group, an early childcare center and afterschool program for children and youth. Past students have assisted refugees to tell their stories through written and video resources, and have also tutored kids in English, math and reading skills, as well as helping out with other general tasks like updating social media, grant writing and contact with donors.

SIFAIS La Carpio

Location: La Carpio, about 60 minutes by bus from the Praxis office

This is a music and arts enrichment program in a very income immigrant community, which was started by a Costa Rican women who has her own communications/public relations company, EUREKA COMUNICATIONS (see above, BUSINESS SECTION)  Possible involvements are: teaching music theory or an instrument, involvement with the literacy or tutoring programs, with women small business owners, or teaching English.

Cristo para la Ciudad, La Carpio

Location: La Carpio, about 60 minutes from Santa Rosa by bus

This is an evangelical church that has several programs for all ages with primarily Nicaraguan immigrants. The work could include teaching bible stories with kids, tutoring in math and English, a youth sports program, and doing crafts and games.

Oficina de la Mujer, Heredia

Location: Center of Heredia, about a 15 minute train or bus ride from the Praxis Center

The Oficina de la Mujer (OFIM) in Heredia, Costa Rica is a municipal authority that serves as a mechanism at the local level to establish actions and programs for the promotion, defense and fulfillment of the rights of women in a holistic and permanent way. The OFIM has various areas of work including primary attention to interfamily violence and local community development. The area of community development has a program for developing and supporting women entrepreneurs and businesses, including classes, support groups, and a microbusiness fair. The area of attention to interfamily violence includes providing individual appointments with a psychologist and caseworker for women who are living in situations of domestic violence, a women’s support group, community trainings about interfamily violence, and a program entitled “Constructing New Masculinities” for men. Past interns have observed and assisted with office duties, observed the individual attention that women receive when they come to the office, and have participated in workshops on topics such as sex trafficking, response to interfamily violence, self-esteem, child support laws, and cultural myths surrounding motherhood. Students interested in justice, psychology, women's studies, men's studies, adult education, health education, business and community development would all find something here related to their major.

Voz de Libertad

Location: Guadalupe, and several different prisons

A Christian ministry working with incarcerated people and their families. In addition, there is a program in restorative justice which works in the area of reconciliation between victims and perpetrators of crimes.P ast student interns have worked at the minimum security prison in Alajuela, teaching English, tutoring math for people trying to earn a high school degree, working in the gardens and carpentry workshop and designing and painting a mural.

Private Veterinary clinics in Santo Domingo

Location: About a 15-20 minute walk from the Praxis Center

These are a small private veterinary clinics that mainly work with cats and dogs. The environment is very friendly and warm. Possible volunteer responsibilities: The senior veterinarian and assisting staff require volunteers who care about animals; helping with daily activities and routines such as medical procedures, and standard check-ups and vaccinations. There is also an opportunity to observe castrations and other surgeries. 

Wild Animal Rescue Center, Santa Ana

Location: Alajuela Students normally live right at the center, in dormitories with other volunteers.  There is an extra cost for this internship, as the center charges volunteers in order to fund their operations.

This is a center that receives exotic animals that have been injured or have been rescued from the illegal pet trade. They care for the animals and try to prepare them to return to the wild. Previous internship have been invited to share in all of the daily tasks involved in caring for the animals. After doing this internship, one previous student got a job at the zoo of a major US city.