Alya Retreat Center WORK EXCHANGE PROGRAM
We currently have openings for our work exchange program in:
HOW IT WORKS
Volunteers must have positive personalities, open to working in any of the departments above, and commit to a minimum of one month. Use of the community kitchen is available to all volunteers. Volunteers are responsible for their own food and toiletries. Fruit and vegetable orders are placed weekly. Yoga classes are provided during the week.
To apply, download the work exchange application and email to alyaretreatcenter@gmail.com.
**Please note, we are located in a rural Costa Rican village and our internet connection is very slow and unreliable. Many volunteers love how this allows them to disconnect with technology and reconnect with nature. However, keep this in mind when deciding if this will be a good fit for you.**
- Building and construction
- Tourism management (AirBnB, yoga retreats)
- Permaculture
- Organic Food Business
- Kitchen
- Housekeeping
- Marketing
- Art & Handcrafts skills (painting, mossaic, sewing, etc.)
HOW IT WORKS
- In exchange for 25 hours a week of work, volunteers are entitled to stay free on our beautiful farm. This includes tent and hammock camping, and participants must bring their own camping supplies. We recommend bringing whatever supplies you need to be comfortable, including sleep mat, sleeping bag, pillow, tent lights, etc.
- The schedule is typically Monday - Friday and your tasks may change thru the week, as there is always a variety of projects to work on.
- When guests are not present, it may be possible to stay in one of our casitas, but this is based on availability.
Volunteers must have positive personalities, open to working in any of the departments above, and commit to a minimum of one month. Use of the community kitchen is available to all volunteers. Volunteers are responsible for their own food and toiletries. Fruit and vegetable orders are placed weekly. Yoga classes are provided during the week.
To apply, download the work exchange application and email to alyaretreatcenter@gmail.com.
**Please note, we are located in a rural Costa Rican village and our internet connection is very slow and unreliable. Many volunteers love how this allows them to disconnect with technology and reconnect with nature. However, keep this in mind when deciding if this will be a good fit for you.**
Read what some of the work exchange staff are saying about their experience at Alya Retreat Center:
Kevin Deininger, Colorado, USA.
I had an incredible experience working at Alya. Spending almost two weeks doing daily yoga and living a very simple, pure life has left an impression on me. I've taken some lessons from the time I spent there and applied them in my life.
I did a lot of work cutting bamboo, helping build roofs, and planning for an upcoming retreat. We had time to visit the beach, hike along the river, and watch movies on my laptop.
It was very enjoyable to share amazing communal meals three times a day, and to live in the jungle. To call Alya an escape is perhaps an understatement. It's a chance to look at the crazy way we live our lives.
Augustine, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I always find the best way to travel is, to really live and spend time in one place,
with the local people. Have time to explore and connect with the land.
Here at Alya Retreat Center I had the chance to do all that and more.. we meditate every morning in a pure natural enviroment.. imagine pranayama and meditation as we get up in the morning.. wow!! The land is close to the ocean so you have the chance to play in both water and jungle.
with the local people. Have time to explore and connect with the land.
Here at Alya Retreat Center I had the chance to do all that and more.. we meditate every morning in a pure natural enviroment.. imagine pranayama and meditation as we get up in the morning.. wow!! The land is close to the ocean so you have the chance to play in both water and jungle.
Virginia, Sedona, Arizona
I came to Alya Retreat Center to connect to nature and to be of service. Shlomo is a great host and made me feel welcomed from the first time I met him. I helped him with his website and programming, along with any other things that needed to be done. The land is so beautiful and Shlomo has great ideas to make it better. It was an amazing experience - which I learned a lot about myself.
Diego, Pilar, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Hi my name is Diego, I’m traveling around Costa Rica, and I came to Alya Retreat Center to work, help and have a good time. This place is amazing, is one of many paradises in the world!!! I learned lots of useful things for life and have fun at the same time!!
We cut bamboo in a bamboo forest to build little houses for people to stay in the complex, we worked some hours with the houses or other stuff every day, and in the afternoon/evening we relaxed and had a very good time.
Sebastian, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I am Sebastian. I was a volunteer at Alya Retreat Center. It is a beautiful place to relax, release some serotonin, and the main point, to connect with Mother Earth.
Before we started working, we did yoga and meditation every morning, and after breakfast we helped with different kind of work that at the same time helped us. To serve and be served is something really nice to experience. Alya Retreat Center is a perfect place to learn and have an amazing time. I’ve learned how to make raw tahini from plain sesame seeds, and I am going to make lots of it now. It is very healthy and so tasty. Here is how you make it, you take raw`sesame seeds and you just blend
them in a fast speed food processor for about 15 minutes till it is smooth and that’s it! You don’t add anything to it. Then you can spread it on bread with some honey.. very yummy.. you can also google to see how you make tahini dip from the tahini you just made. good luck! Enjoy it as also it is very high in calcium.
Before we started working, we did yoga and meditation every morning, and after breakfast we helped with different kind of work that at the same time helped us. To serve and be served is something really nice to experience. Alya Retreat Center is a perfect place to learn and have an amazing time. I’ve learned how to make raw tahini from plain sesame seeds, and I am going to make lots of it now. It is very healthy and so tasty. Here is how you make it, you take raw`sesame seeds and you just blend
them in a fast speed food processor for about 15 minutes till it is smooth and that’s it! You don’t add anything to it. Then you can spread it on bread with some honey.. very yummy.. you can also google to see how you make tahini dip from the tahini you just made. good luck! Enjoy it as also it is very high in calcium.
