Trip Dashboard:

Costa Rica Trip - FAQ, Costa Rica, 2025

DO PARTICIPANTS HAVE TO HAVE INSURANCE?

• Personal health insurance is required to attend.
• In Addition to personal health insurance, all participants will have international travel insurance through Amoveo Group.
• All healthcare costs are the responsibility of the participants or their parents/guardians.
• If you have participants without adequate medical insurance or want to purchase trip protection insurance, you can buy from any insurance provider you choose.

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

During the day, we will serve in many ways, from work projects at local schools and community partners to different opportunities in the San Juan, San Ramón area. We serve wherever our local partners need us. More details will be available as we approach your arrival date.  

During the evenings, we will have debriefing gatherings and have the opportunity for a soccer game, a trip into town, or to a local waterfall, butterfly garden, or farm.

WILL OUR GROUP BE WORKING TOGETHER?

Groups work together or split up depending on the number of work projects during your stay.

WHAT ABOUT SAFETY?

Safety is our top priority!

• We require groups to bring 1 adult (21 or older) for every 5 participants under 21.
• We review safety procedures at the mission center. For any service project, appropriate closed-toe shoes/boots, gloves, and goggles are recommended.
• Participants are not required to do any work that they consider unsafe. Participants may be using a drill for screws, but no one under the age of 16 can use a power tool or drill for drilling holes, and no one under the age of 18 can use a power saw.
• Although we serve in needy areas, we require work crews to always stay together. No one should ever be left alone, and all participants are back at the mission facility by their designated check-in time.
• If an injury occurs on the worksite and is not severe, Amoveo Group and its Partners will contact the team leader and coordinate any needed transportation. If the injury is severe, the adult on site will call Costa Rica “911,” Amoveo Group and its Partners will offer support and ensure that the required medical forms are delivered to the hospital.
• Each group will have a first-aid kit.
• Amoveo Group and its Partners have trained staff in an emergency/crisis response protocol.

WHERE WILL WE STAY?

• Amoveo Group trips can sometimes hold up to 40+ participants, and we house them at a team center facility called Pura Vida Mission —think comfortable hostel-level accommodations.  
• Groups are assigned to sleeping rooms together; gender-separate and sleeping rooms may be shared with other groups, depending on their size and the size of the rooms.
• The Mission Center is in San Juan, San Ramón, Alajuela, a satellite town of San Jose, the capital.

WHAT IS THE MENU? WHAT IF THERE ARE SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS?

• Meals include hot breakfasts, lunches, and hot dinners. The kitchen staff will prepare all meals for participants.
• If you have a participant who must eat gluten-free, please let us know. Participants with special diets or allergies are welcome to bring their food items to fill in as needed during the week. Please know that we do have peanut butter on the menu. Amoveo Group cannot guarantee there will not be any cross-contamination during meal preparation by kitchen staff. A staff member will be available to answer any questions about food.

Schedule

6:15 AM Wake Up

7:30 AM Breakfast

8:15 AM Personal Time

8:45 AM Pack Up

9:00 AM Leave for Site

12:00 PM Lunch at the Mission

1:30 PM Leave for Site

4:30 PM Return to Mission

6:30 PM Dinner

7:15 Debrief

10:30 PM Lights Out

Missionaries (that’s you) start the day with an early breakfast. You can expect to eat around 7:30 a.m. Around 8:45 AM, we will gather our children's program materials or construction tools and break into our teams for last-minute instructions and preparations. We will leave the Mission around 9:00 AM for our Campamento de Ninos (children’s program) or construction sites. We break for lunch around 12:00 PM. We typically eat lunch at the Mission. Around 1:30 PM, we return to Campamento de Ninos or construction sites for the afternoon session. The workday ends around 4:30 PM. We clean up the site and head back to the Mission. You will arrive back around 4:45 PM. You will have time for cleaning up, showers, etc. The evening meal will be around 6:00 PM. The evening program differs daily but always includes a debrief at 7:15 PM. Evening activities may include soccer, a trip into town, a local waterfall, a butterfly garden, or a farm. Lights out will be at 10:30 PM.

ARE BACKGROUND CHECKS REQUIRED?

• Yes, Amoveo Group requires that all participants 18 or older be screened and background checked by your church before attending.
• Background checks must be national and no older than two (2) years from the trip's start.
• You choose your background check organization vendor, or we have one we can recommend.
• 18-—to 20-year-olds are not considered “adults” during the trip; however, because of our commitment to safety, we still ask them to go through your church’s screening process and have background checks run.
• Amoveo Group requires a letter from the church’s pastor, with his signature on official letterhead, confirming that the church has official background checks on file for every 18+ participant so that they can attend the trip. This can be scanned and sent to info@amoveo group.org. 
• If you require background checks, you must register your church/organization and then begin obtaining background checks for your people. Please go to www.ciaresearch.com and click 'Not Registered' in the upper right-hand corner of the screen to register your church/organization. When you reach the “How did you hear about us” entry, please type “Amoveo Group.” This will communicate that you are looking for a basic background check that will cost $15.00 a person.
• Please note that your church or organization must set up an account to use this service for legal and billing purposes.

PACKING LIST:

Documentation

• Passport
• 2 Copies of the birth certificate for every minor
• A notarized consent letter from the parent/guardian for each minor (under 18 years of age) is required.
• Personal health insurance card or copy

Toiletries

• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Soap and shampoo
• Any prescription medications
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent

Personal Items

• Water Bottle
• Laundry/Plastic Bag (for dirty clothes)
• Blanket and Pillow
• Bible
• Sunglasses
• Water Bottle

Clothing Items

• Trip-appropriate swimsuit
• Light Jacket and sweatshirt
• Long pants or jeans
• Longer shorts (5-inch inseam is a guideline to follow)
• Work t-shirts (for painting, building, etc.)
• Pajamas, socks, & underwear
• Work boots or sturdy shoes
• Shower shoes
• Bandanas, a hat, or visor

Optional Items

• Camera*
• Rain gear*
• Snacks*
• Musical instruments*
• Flashlight*
• Spending money*

* Optional

WHAT NOT BRING:

• Alcohol, tobacco products, or illegal drugs
• Expensive clothes or jewelry
• Anything valuable
• Fireworks, weapons, or toy guns
• Skimpy or revealing clothes

CELL PHONES / ELECTRONICS:

For security reasons, it is best that your students leave these items at home. However, we understand they are great for capturing moments, sharing life, and communicating back home. If you bring any of these items, don’t let them distract you from your experience.