On the first day of my trip to Costa Rica in January, I went on a Catamaran cruise to Tortuga Island.  Stacy, Cindy, Amina and Charlene (to be known now as the Quebec girls) were with us, as well as my two nieces, my sister-in-law and one of our R2B volunteers.  Well we never quite made it to Tortuga Island.  You can read more about that here.  But the trip brought the group of us together and the Quebec Girls will always have a special place in my heart.

Meet Stacy and Cindy and hear what it’s like working in a hostel

Where are you from:
Québec, Canada.

What were you doing before you came to Room2Board?
We just finished our classes and we were in Haïti doing our final internship for our degree in tourism, but things didn’t go as planned. So we wrote to Brian and skyped with Susan to see if they could have us for the next few weeks. Two days later, we were at Room2Board.

What made you decide to volunteer at Room2Board?
We had already stayed at Room2Board twice before and we fell in love with the place and all the R2B family. The first time was in January 2015 where we spent two weeks at the hostel. Unfortunately, we were involved in a boat accident during that trip, so Brian, Susan and the whole staff were there to make us feel better. We felt like part of the family right away and it made us love the place even more. At the beginning of April 2015, we had 6 free days between the end of school and our internship in Haïti, so we decided to relax at Room2Board. We were really sad to leave again and we wanted to stay. We spent 4 days back home, then left for Haïti and next thing we know, we were already back in paradise. Nothing was planned but we were welcomed in the best way possible.  (Good news is they are coming back in the fall to do an official internship through their school.)

Tell me about a typical day of work at Room2Board.
Everyday at Room2Board is different but each day we get to meet people from all over the world and chat with them to share stories. We show guests to their rooms and answer any questions they have. We make sure they have a good time at the bar and make sure they are enjoying their stay!

What is the best part of volunteering at R2B?
The best part of volunteering at R2B is that we get to live in the most beautiful place with awesome people. We also have the best view for sunsets on the rooftop. The other best part of volunteering is the R2B family. We spend alot of time together so we become really close and have the best time.

Now be truthful – what is the worst part of volunteering at R2B?
Sharing a bathroom with the guys! We really love them but let’s be honest, it can get terribly smelly.

Most essential items you brought with you to Costa Rica?
Swimsuits and shorts, most definetly!

What do you wish you left at home?
Our second suitcase we had prepared for our 2 months in Haïti. Since coming to Costa Rica wasn’t planned this time, we each had a another suitcase full of nice work clothes that we obviously couldn’t use here.

Anything you wish you brought with you?
More swimsuits and lighter clothes!

What is the one thing you wish you knew before you came here?
That you never want to leave! We think that there is something mysterious that always draws you back to Costa Rica.

What is your favorite bar in Jaco?
We always like to have a drink at Swell first and then go dancing at Orange Pub. Swell is a chill place where surfers hang out and Orange Pub is a club where you can let loose with great music.

What is your favorite restaurant in Jaco?
Tsunami Sushi! Best sushi in town and 50% off on Wednesdays (before going to Jaco Blue). We also really love Isaga, a local restaurant where you can get the best typical food for an awesome price.

What is your favorite activity to do during your free time?
Tanning by the pool! The R2B family refers to us as the pool furniture since we are always there. We also love to go on hikes and fun tours like riding ATVs and zip-lining.

Funniest experience?

Searching for Cindy and Sean every morning between all of Cindy’s clothes! Let’s explain, Cindy has the bunk on top of Sean and she hangs everything on the edge of her bed: bras, bikinis, shorts, tank tops and even towels. The thing is, her clothes always fall on Sean in the middle of the night so he wakes up with a bunch of pink clothes on him. And as for Cindy, we can never tell if she is in her bed or not because of this shield of clothes she makes.

Any tours you highly recommend?
The ATV tour in the mountains of Jaco and the ziplining for sure!

Favorite R2B meal?
For Cindy it’s the chicken quesadillas and for Stacy, the chicken wings with pineapple hot sauce.

What advice would you give future R2B volunteers?
Don’t make any plans for after working at the hostel because you won’t want to leave!