Costa Rica's all-around appeal makes it a good place to learn Spanish, and language-study tours and volunteer work projects are extremely popular. Many of which are tax-deductible for travelers from the US.

There's considerable choice of volunteer work and research projects in Costa Rica - some include food and lodging, and many can be organized from the US. As an example, University Research Expeditions sends teams each year on two-week expeditions to replant lost trees and measure soil and plant characteristics.

Costa Rica Corner