Showerthought: My Costa Rica volunteer gig pointed me to a better job

I spent two weeks helping with sea turtle conservation on a beach in Costa Rica! The experience showed me I really enjoy hands-on environmental work, something I never tried in my old office job. Now I'm applying for roles with parks and wildlife groups. Has travel ever shifted your career goals like this?

4 comments

4 Comments

rowan_ross1mo ago

A friend sent me an article last year about people who found their calling through volunteer travel. One story was about a guy who built school benches in Guatemala and now runs a small carpentry shop. It really stuck with me. It seems like getting your hands dirty somewhere new can show you what you actually like doing. What kind of wildlife jobs are you looking at now?

hannah_craig1mo ago

Huh, that's pretty solid. So when you were up to your knees in sand at 3 AM, was there one specific, kinda awful moment where it clicked? Like, did you get smacked in the face by a wave while holding a turtle and just think, 'yeah, this beats my old desk'?

karenc201mo ago

Oh, that's cool! Just a small thing though, the article Rowan mentioned was actually about building desks, not benches. I remember because it made me think about my own wobbly desk at home, haha. But yeah, getting out there totally shows you what you don't want to do anymore.

the_tessa1mo ago

Actually, a podcast I heard talked about how volunteer trips can totally change your career path.

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