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About Costa Rica
Since 1963, Peace Corps Volunteers have served at the invitation of the Costa Rican government to help fulfill the country’s development goals.
Peace Corps Volunteers in Costa Rica see a side of the country that is not often portrayed in tourism ads. Along with the beautiful beaches and breathtaking scenery, growing economic inequality and gaps in education and social services tug at the fabric of this peaceful country.
Volunteers devote two or more years of their lives to serve in one of three program areas: Community Economic Development, English Education, and Youth Development. Whether in rural communities or urban centers, Volunteers are expected to live at the level of their local counterparts, helping to design creative approaches to development challenges.
Our shared belief in the mission of Peace Corps — to promote world peace and friendship through community-based development and intercultural understanding — inspires Volunteers, staff and local colleagues alike to dedicate their lives to collaboration, meaningful contributions, and hard work. After Peace Corps service, Volunteers return to the United States with new skills, deep knowledge and respect for different cultures, as well as long-lasting friendships.
For those of you ready to focus on service to others, we invite you to explore the pages of this website. Come learn about the Costa Rica where we serve, the Costa Rica beyond the picturesque emerald-green jungles and turquoise oceans. Let us share with you what it means to serve a community in Costa Rica and make a difference in the lives of others, in this land of breathtaking beauty we well as great need, as we fulfill the three goals of Peace Corps:
- To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
- To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
- To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.