Internships

An intern is someone who stays for a minimum of 1 month. The internship program costs 300.000 colones or $610 per month due upon arrival. We prefer all payment in colones. Intern fees include room and board, three meals a day, as well as varying levels of educational programming and classes such as yoga, permaculture and more. Because of the high demand for summer internships, we are offering a 200.000 colones/$400 dollar a month deal in which interns bring their own tent and stay in a designated area. Please be aware that the spring/summer months in Costa Rica are considered the rainy season and a proper tent to handle rainy conditions should be taken into account.

Satellite internet is available for 25 dollars a month for those with personal computers who have obligations to their school only (please bring documentation from your school). Furthermore, we live on solar energy and even this use will be EXTREMELY limited. Please make sure to let us know your needs prior to your visit.

We also provide access to a small library that includes multiple resources on permaculture, tropical plants, natural building, etc.

We encourage interns to self organize and teach each other about projects they research or learn on the farm. There is always a rich diversity of community members who are happy to answer any questions you may have.

A Typical Day for an Intern:
(Monday through Saturday)

• 6 AM - Yoga (optional when we have a yoga instructor)
• 7 AM - Breakfast
• 8 AM - Intern meeting to discuss and begin work on one of the many projects happening here. Interns work on the project until lunch time.
• 12 AM - Lunch
• Afternoon - Interns work for two hours on one of the many ongoing projects. The rest of the day is a time for interns to do as they wish - study, swim, rest, read, kayak, socialize, snorkel, play music, create their own Punta Mona project, etc. Interns also help on a few kitchen shifts each week, learning to cook organic vegetarian meals with our amazing kitchen staff!
  
• Sundays are a day off, to rest and retreat.

Intern projects vary from gardening, natural building, greenhouse projects, forestry, tropical agriculture, permaculture design, art, cooking, landscaping, aquascapes, childcare and education, natural medicine and much more!

Payments and Money-

The internship is 200.000 colones or $410 dollars due upon arrival. We prefer payment in Colones, We do not accept personal checks, travelers checks, or currency other than listed above. We accept CASH ONLY. Also note that there is no ATM, bank, or money changer within about 2 hours walking from Punta Mona, so you should plan to exchange money before your arrival. The last ATM before Punta Mona is in Puerto Viejo.

You will be financially responsible for all boat trips in and out of Punta Mona. Boats cost $15 with three people, and less with more people (depending on how many people go, it can be as cheap as $5 a head), and $45 dollars alone, each way. Other than that you should not need money for anything else within Punta Mona, but we encourage you to bring spending money and emergency money for trips out.

The exchange rate for USD to Colones is about 516 colones / dollar (as of October 1, 2007). You can check the rate online at www.xe.com/ucc.

Housing for Interns-

Interns live together in a communal house (the backhouse) about 150 feet from the main lodge. Rooms are dorm-style with bunk beds and shelving. The backhouse is rustic and basic, yet comfortable. We provide mosquito nets, but ask that you bring your own sheets and bedding. Interns can also bring a tent to camp in a designated area if they prefer.

Like the sleeping quarters, much of what we do and have at Punta Mona is communal in nature. We eat meals together, cook in teams, work on most projects in teams, and we share bedrooms / living spaces. This makes for a great sense of community and Punta Mona is always full of great people who make up that community.

Diet and Food-

Punta Mona is mostly a vegetarian center. We do cook locally caught fresh fish, usually just when we have student groups staying with us. We also serve eggs and cheese several times a week. Staples of our diet include plantains, fresh fruit, garden salads, coconut meat and milk, vegetables, yucca and other root crops, and fresh herbs. We do not cook or serve meat (besides fish). Very rarely we get milk or yogurt, and when we do it is from locally raised organic cows or goats. We serve 3 wholesome homemade meals a day, many cooked by or under the direction of our amazing and experienced kitchen manager and chef.

*Please let us know of any and all food allergies, sensitivities, vegan or raw food tendencies, or other dietary needs before your arrival at Punta Mona. Raw foodists especially should inform us of food preferences in advance so we can make sure that your needs can and will be met without inconvenience on anyone's part.

Phone Access-

We DO NOT have a phone at Punta Mona. However, if your computer is set up with a Skype account you can call the United States for 2 cents a minute during internet hours, if it is sunny and there is enough power to turn on the internet.

We do have a radio direct to Manzanillo in case of emergency and to call in for a boat or other needs, but no phone.

Laundry-

We do not have a washing machine. Most of us here hand wash and sun dry our laundry.

*Please bring biodegradable laundry soap or powder for washing your clothes (Dr. Bronner's is a great brand). There are a few people in Gandoca and Manzanillo who will wash your clothes in a machine for approximately $6 a load.

Basic Rules-

• No illegal drugs
• No filtered cigarettes
• No animals
• No weapons
• Only biodegradable soaps, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.
• We do not tolerate violence, frequent anger or outbursts, theft, negativity, or non-participation.
• We are seeking only dedicated, mature, responsible individuals to participate in the internship program and be a part of our community.
  

Anyone who does not abide by and respect these basic rules will be asked to leave and no refund will be issued. We reserve the right to ask any person to leave that causes disturbances or uncomfortable feelings within the community. We also expect interns to maintain good personal hygiene, as well as keep their personal and work spaces clean and orderly. You will be held accountable for any broken or lost tools or other items belonging to Punta Mona.

General Health-

Malaria and Dengue fever, while common in parts of the tropics, really are not issues at Punta Mona. Dengue is an issue in Limon and Puerto Viejo, but as it is contracted through contact with a mosquito that has bitten someone else with Dengue, Dengue makes infrequent appearances at Punta Mona. We do not recommend any immunizations or medications, other than medications you are currently taking for specific health issues, prior to coming.

We do ask that you bring a basic first aid kit, as well as basic immunity support from natural health aids, including vitamin c, iburprofen, tea tree oil, lavender oil, grapefruit seed extract, charcoal tablets, acidophilus or other probiotic supplements, EFA's, and homeopathic remedies for bites, stings, sunburns, and digestive issues.

Bugs are quite a problem here, with mosquito and sand flea bites being the most frequent health and personal comfort concern. Bring bug repellent (lavender oil works extremely well as both a natural bug repellent and an itch reliever, as well as Burt's Bees All-Natural Bug Repelent), long sleeved shirts, and tall socks to help guard against them. Check out our What to Bring page for further recommendations on supplies to bring.

Health Emergencies-

A boat is always available to take anyone injured or sick to the closest clinic with an emergency room, 40 minutes north of Manzanillo near Puerto Viejo in a town named Hone Creek. The closest full-scale hospital is in Limón, 2 hours north of Manzanillo. We recommend getting travelers health insurance if you do not have an insurance plan that covers international health care and/or emergency needs. Punta Mona is not responsible for any health care costs.

Applying to be an intern-

We accept many of the people who apply to be interns here at Punta Mona. Please write to us before coming, we have a limited number of intern spots available. In addition to providing for space concerns, if you let us know beforehand a boat can be arranged to bring you from Manzanillo to Punta Mona.

You can contact us using the contact page or by email at contact@puntamona.org . Please include the following information in your email:

Your Name:

Age:

City, State, Province, and Country:

Email Address:

Proposed Start Date:

Proposed End Date:

Brief description of why you want to intern at Punta Mona:

Interests and other relevant information:


Please feel free to ask any questions you might have. We look forward to hearing from you!!

* If you wish to apply for Work-Trade, please take a look at our Work-Trades page.

Refund Policy –

Intern fees are non-refundable.

Reservation Policy –

Once you have made your final reservations for your internship at Punta Mona we have a five day grace period before we give your spot away. If you do not show up within five days of your originally planned arrival we will be forced to give your spot to someone else. We are unable to accommodate continually changing dates or plans. We understand that emergencies do occur. Please contact us concerning these situations and we will help in any way possible.