We are very happy to announce that VIDA now officially accepts checks! Please read our check policy below:

PAYMENT BY CHECKS:

All checks should be written out to “VIDA”, with the trip code and volunteer name in the memo or on a separate sheet of paper. Please send checks via regular mail to the address below:

VIDA Voluntarios para Aventuras
PO Box 025331
SJO-36712
Miami, FL 33102-5331

*All checks must be mailed at least 45 days before the trip begins.

**All checks must be drawn from a US bank account.  For people from other countries, you can go to the bank and ask for a US check to mail to us.

***Please send all checks via regular mail, as these will be delivered to us by a courier service.

If you have any questions about paying by check or any payment questions in general, call us at 1-888-365-VIDA or write to curtis@vidavolunteertravel.org.

Just a couple hours ago, Costa Rican health officials were able to confirm the first case of swine flu in Central America. The patient is a 21 year old woman who had been traveling in Mexico and flew back to Costa Rica recently. Her identity and location are not being published, but the Minister of Health, Maria Luisa Avila, assured the press that the girl was responding well to her treatment—in fact no antiviral medications were even considered necessary. The Ministry of Health is contacting all other passengers on the flight on which the patient was traveling to have them all examined.

Just as in most other countries in the world, Costa Rica is taking precautions to prevent widespread infection of the swine flu. Airlines are offering passengers on all flights to and from Mexico facemasks to protect them from possible infection. The Ministry of Health is placing alcohol gel dispensers in all its medical centers for public use. Also, the Minister of Health is encouraging people in Costa Rica to avoid hand-shaking and kissing, as well as large conglomerations. Following the example set by the World Health Organization (WHO), local officials are dismissing the idea of closing borders or restricting travel.

The WHO is coordinating internationally to be prepared for a possible pandemic. Although the pandemic risk has been raised to 4, this does not mean that a pandemic is inevitable. The WHO is not recommending a general restriction on travel, but officials do have some simple advice for travelers: If you feel sick, do not travel. If after a recent trip you detect symptoms of the swine flu, contact your doctor immediately for treatment. The WHO also recommends the continued use of seasonal flu vaccinations.

Meanwhile, the CDC is making some basic recommendations to help avoid infection. First, wash your hands frequently; also, use a disposable tissue to cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing and throw it away immediately after. The CDC also recommends avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. It is also recommended that you not go to work or school if you feel sick. The final recommendation by the CDC is that people maintain their general health by exercise, a well-balanced diet, getting sufficient rest, and managing stress. These recommendations are valid in the US, Canada, and the UK as well as any where you may travel.

The administration of VIDA is not canceling its volunteer trips planned in Central America this summer and would like to remind any worried participants or parents that there are more confirmed cases in the US, Canada, and the UK than in Central America. Nonetheless, we will be monitoring the situation closely and would take all necessary precautions. We will be keeping our volunteers updated through our Blog and Facebook group.

We are a health organization, and we would not put our volunteers at risk of infection. We will stay informed up to our upcoming May trips and throughout the summer. For our veterinary trips, we will avoid working with pigs, just as a special precaution, and of course we will always maintain our usually precautions while working with all animals. For our medical and dental trips, we will be stocking extra alcohol gel and masks for volunteer use. We also work with some of the finest doctors in Central America, and if any volunteer were to become sick, know that we will take excellent care of that person. As for future participants, if you become sick, please take the necessary precautions and let us know if anything comes up. Remember that you can move your trip to another date, with some fees associated as explained in our Payment & Cancellation policy. Also, to avoid the expense of having to cancel or modify travel, as always, we recommend purchasing travel insurance at World Nomads.

If you or your family has any questions about this situation or any other, please don’t hesitate in contacting us at info@vidavolunteertravel.org. We will be happy to answer your questions or clear up any doubts.

Huge Ear Hematoma

WARNING: This video can be a bit hard to watch. This was taken by a veterinary volunteer from the University of Washington, Jamie Bernhard. It was taken in Rivas, Nicaragua around the 1st or 2nd of September last year.

The poor dog frequently suffered from the hematomas. It was very tough to watch personally too, and I hope the dog hasn’t had this problem anymore.

Great job, Jamie!

We finally managed to get a channel together with some of our videos for people interested in seeing what we do on our VIDA Adventures.  I think you will really find the videos entertaining–if not very interesting at least.  These videos show everything from a horse castration to a triple tooth extraction to a canopy tour.

These videos were all done by our writer and filmmaker, Michael Ahrens, who has traveled with us on numerous occasions to try to explain to others what it is we do.

Some of these videos will amaze you; some may make you feel a little sick; others will touch you, but all of them will be interesting and will give you an idea of what you might do on a VIDA Adventure, or if you already participated, they will remind you of the good times and great experience.

Enjoy!

I read an article on one of our partner organization’s blog (Tropical Adventures).  It talked about being a more responsible tourist in every sense from being more environmentally conscious to really supporting the local communities where you travel.  I thought it was really appropriate and sound advice, and good travellers should consider these ideas when they travel.

A different sight for most locals was a group of locals who came to a beach on Lake Nicaragua and played soccer with local kids and hung out like everyone else does on a Sunday afternoon.

Traditionally tourism has been a really excessive waste-creating activity in every way from the costly energy consumption to cool your hotel room while you are at the pool soaking in the sun’s heat to the excess use of water and soap to wash bath towels every day–something I doubt most people do at home.  Environmentally we can start doing a lot better.

As far as participating in a more local tourism, really, organizations like VIDA and Tropical Adventures, offer a unique and much more enriching experience in a new country.  When you join volunteer organizations like ours, you are going to become more familiar with the local people and their customs; furthermore, you will leave a much more accurate idea of who you are and of the culture and country you represent. Also the idea of being nonprofit creates a responsible and fulfilling way to travel because there are program-specific goals, such as helping people with our different services (eg: dentistry, medicine, and veterinary care) and others, like making a difference by the exchange of culture, language, ideas and a deeper understanding between people of different nations.

Student volunteer who helped give dental cleanings to many people in Nicaragua

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