VN Center

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Upala
VN Center

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VN Center Study abroad and volunteer in Costa Rica. Intern, volunteer, and academic group study.

Support communities and gain experience while immersing yourself in Costa Rican culture.

30/09/2026

❤️Did you know that the Zona Norte Is one of the regions of Costa Rica with longer life expectancy? And did you know that loneliness in older adults contributes to cognitive decline?

So what can we do to support this population that is living longer so people can have more active, connected, and more meaningful lives?

VN connects with older adults through creative activities, community gatherings and opportunities for connection and participation. Not only in the Senior Centers, but also through activities in the communities.

Older adults are community members with stories, knowledge, creativity and so much to contribute. Art is one way we connect, explore creativity, and build community.

❤️ And community is something we all need at every age.

Interested in healthy aging and health and well-being? Connect with us!

-being

09/09/2026

Most of you know Gabriel. He has worked with us for years - supporting migrants in our community by serving food, coordinating kids clubs, and spending time with people in many different situations.

He is currently helping collect plastics for recycling as part of the Hospitales Humanisticos project with the Upala Hospital, and, in December, will assist with our new Nicaraguan youth Photovoice project.

Gabriel graduates in November (can you believe it!). He will spend a few months working with the VN community and the Photovoice project before going out to study and do great things globally. We look forward to seeing the positive impacts he has in his future!

Gabriel is currently in the selection process for the Global Institute for Impactful Change (GIIC) Youth Changemakers Summit 2026 in Budapest, and we are proud to see him taking opportunities to learn, connect with others, and continue developing his commitment to community.

We hope Gabriel's experience with VN continues to inspire him to keep learning, connecting with others, and finding ways to contribute wherever he is.

Young people aren't just the future. They are already part of the work. 🌎

09/09/2026

♻️🌎 La Comisión Local de Gestión Ambiental, en colaboración con el Hospital México y VN Center, invita a todos los compañeros de trabajo y al público en general a participar en esta campaña de recolección de tapitas plásticas.

💚 Lema de la campaña:

🌎 "El planeta no necesita más plástico, necesita tu ayuda." ♻️

Con una acción sencilla podemos contribuir al cuidado del ambiente, fomentar el reciclaje y generar un impacto positivo para las futuras generaciones.

📍 Puntos de recolección Los recipientes para depositar las tapitas estarán ubicados en cada servicio o área de trabajo del Hospital, y en Consulta Externa estará el principal centro de recolección, facilitando la participación de funcionarios, pacientes y visitantes.

Cada tapita cuenta. Te invitamos a guardar tus tapitas plásticas y depositarlas en los puntos habilitados.

03/09/2026

What is decolonizing study abroad - Part 2

Be part of a community and build relationships first. Don't come to fiz a problem, come to listen, learn. And share. VN builds ethical programs and long standing relationships based upon exchange, not extraction. This is what we believe in. education

01/09/2026

DECOLONIZING STUDY ABROAD — PART 1

So what does decolonizing study abroad mean?

It means asking:

Who has the power?

Who decides what students learn?

Who tells the community’s story?

Who benefits?

Many large study abroad companies treat students as consumers and communities as an “experience.”

Decolonizing means changing that relationship.

Listen before designing.
Value local knowledge.
Share power.
Build real partnerships.

Learning should go both ways.

Study abroad should always be an exchange AND not extraction.

Investigate your program and support community based and mutual beneficial programs! Not all programs are the same! Decolonize study abroad and give power back to communities!

27/08/2026

Study abroad has been shaped by large companies and institutions that bring students into communities without necessarily being rooted in those communities. They sell people as tourist packages and profit from community experiences.

We do things differently and we need your support to decolonize study abroad.

Decolonizing means putting local communities and local organizations back at the center of international education.

The people who live and work in a community should be the voice that determines what students learn, how programs are designed, and where resources go.

Decolonizing means recognizing that local communities are not “destinations” for international students. They are places of knowledge, expertise, history, creativity, and leadership.

It means moving away from “What can students do for this community?” and toward:

“What can we learn and create together?”

And, decolonizing means making sure that the economic benefits of international education reach the communities where that learning takes place—not primarily the large companies organizing the experience from somewhere else.

At VN, we are rooted in the communities where we work. We know the people, the realities, the challenges, and the possibilities.

We don't want to bring students to Costa Rica simply to consume and rank an experience.

We want to create meaningful relationships between universities and communities—based on reciprocity, social justice, local knowledge, and shared learning.

Study abroad belongs to the communities that make it meaningful.

Will you join our efforts to support communities and decolonize study abroad?

25/08/2026

We’ll Miss You, Amy! 💛

During her internship, 𝘈𝘮𝘺 made so many connections. She came as an independent intern, but was immediately welcomed by a PT student group. The students jokingly made Amy an"honorary PT" and they shared many cultural and recreational activities together.

Amy became another daughter for her Tico family.and now always has a home in Upala.She enthusiastically volunteered to paint murals at the hospital and got along incredibly well with Brigivic, a Venezuelan artist, who works with VN.

Even with the language barrier, Amy was able to fully engage with the community. She jumped in, smiled, and took on daily challenges with an open mind and positive outlook. She was open to trying new things and never said no to a new experience. People noticed her kindness, openness, and humility and welcomed her into the community!

Being an intern with VN isn’t about having all the answers or speaking perfect Spanish. It’s about being outgoing, motivated, kind, open-minded, willing to try new things, and ready to step outside your comfort zone. 🌎❤️

Thank you, Amy for bringing your energy, curiosity, and heart to our community. We are so happy you were part of VN. and we can't wait to welcome you back!

If you are an outgoing individual and ready to move outside of your comfort zone, then you are a perfect candidate for a VN internship. DM us to learn about what your VN internship could look like!

23/08/2026

Art and community activity with women and children from around the world 🌎

VN works in Costa Rica’s Zona Norte to create opportunities for connection, creativity, learning, and inclusion.

Our work focuses on migration, social justice, sustainability, and human rights. In everything we do, communities write their story and determine their future.

From art and education to sustainable livelihoods and communities, our goal is simple:
Create spaces where people feel seen, valued, connected, and empowered.

VN Center ❤️

20/08/2026

Workshop for pharmacy staff at the Upala Hospital. CU Physical Therapy Program talked about the importance of movement to health and talked about exercises for strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance. We also discussed ways to reduce injury while lifting and doing other daily tasks. We ended the day with a movement challenge - the guys from the bodega wanted to see if we could do one of their most difficult tasks using different techniques. We did it, and demonstrated a way to push heavy loads efficiently and reduce injury.

19/08/2026

Today, CU Physical Therapy Program visited Renacer, a center for cancer patients and survivors. We learned about the center, did some movement, and talked about the importance of activity for people with cancer. We later shared coffee, bubbles, and laughter with the staff and volunteers.

Dirección

Upala

Teléfono

+50683367586

Página web

http://www.gostudycostarica.org/

Notificaciones

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