Tim, UK, June 2009
Tim.bond@gmail.com
My month stay at Rainsong has been a very rewarding and diverse time.  Over my time here I have built chicken pens, planted tropical fruit trees, moved wild cats between enclosures and treated electrocuted squirrels.  No two days are alike here.
The main areas of work revolve around animal care and gardening.
 The animal care involves feeding, cleaning and caring for the wide variety animals that Rainsong care for.  Here you will find Howler Monkeys, Anteaters and Toucans as well as much more.
The gardening work involves preparing and planting a wide variety of local flora in an attempt to reforest and provide the local wildlife with habitat.
We sleep in an open walled hut where you can watch the stars or the spectacular lightning of nearby storms as you fall asleep.
The lodging is basic but comfortable and the kitchen facilities allow you to be as creative or as lazy as you wish.  I have witnessed the full spectrum of culinary delight from sushi and falafel through to the standard rice and beans.
My experience at Rainsong has been incredible!  If you are willing to work hard and enjoy getting close to nature this is a place you will love.

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Andrew and Leeza, USA, June 2009
leezahayes@hotmail.com
The people you meet, the food you eat and the lessons you learn are all part of the Rainsong volunteers’ experience.  After a few days you begin to pick up on how great the simplicity and life long lessons truly are.  As a Rainsonger, you have the opportunity to work with magnificent animals, partake in building a dream with plants and help organize and expand on this inspiring experience.
There are a few animals that we have grown especially fond of, but most importantly are the animals that come to Rainsong needing our assistance and watching them heal and grow.  We greatly enjoyed teaching three baby bluejays how to eat and then how to fly.  They were released a couple of weeks before we left and we enjoy their company whenever they choose to come hang out or want our food.
Learning to plant near the full moon has been a new concept for us.  We’ve planted 3 butterfly gardens and can’t wait to visit Rainsong again to see how everything has grown.
We are thankful to leave a part of us behind at the farm and see Simon and Mary’s vision coming together partly because of each of us volunteers.
Our best piece of advice would be to come to Rainsong with an open mind and desire to be close to nature.

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Carlene, Canada, June 2009
carlenegroen@yahoo.com
The ping of rain on a tin roof, the chorus of howler monkeys.  Rainsong is about getting close to nature’s flora and fauna.
Rainsong is a community brought together through a mutual vision striving to reverse the previously caused human degradation on the earth.
By working with the public and networking through various national and international agencies we are also protecting animal rights and their ecosystem homes.  The skills and hard work of everyone are needed to continue this worthwhile endeavour!

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Elizabeth, New Zealand, June 2009
lizgib@hotmail.com
I have been working and living at Rainsong for nearly 3 months.  I’m finding it very difficult to write this testimonial, I guess I attribute it to how hard it is to sum up the adventure and variety of the work load of 3 months in one short paragraph.
I’ve seen dozens of volunteers cycle through this place, so many of which I now consider to be good friends.  Each of whom has had the chance to care for and bond with some incredible animals.  Here we welcome any injured, sick, abused or abandoned animal and provide for them the love and rehabilitation required for reintroduction  back into their natural environments.
Besides the daily animal care we have many gardening, reforestation, construction and community education projects.
 I think that people come here with the idea of doing either animal care or gardening but everyone has had the chance to contribute where their skills are most suited.
The work is challenging, sometimes physically, sometimes mentally, but every day is rewarding and fulfilling.
Long term volunteers tend to all live together on the farm.  Here the living is rustic, but entertaining, and inexpensive.
Our lives here are devoted to our natural surroundings so it’s not unusual to find iguanas in the sleeping quarters, chickens in the kitchen, goats on the staircase, and a diverse range of insects in all corners.
I find myself most interested by the overwhelming variety of bird life in this jungle.
 I recommend bringing some decent field guides and a pair of binoculars, if you love birds.

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Claire, UK, June 2009
Redstar90@hotmail.com
The month I’ve spent at Rainsong has been one of the highlights of my travels around Latin America.  During my time here I’ve had so many incredible and unexpected experiences that I will remember forever. 
Some of the highlights have been;
Waking up each morning to the sounds of birds and insects and a beautiful view;
planting  pineapples, papaya and other tropical plants;
taking an ant eater out to hunt for ants;
playing with a baby howler monkey; picking (and feasting on) wild avocados and mangos,
and discovering the amazing variety of plant and animal life that live in this beautiful place.

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Ben Kagan, New York, USA
bkagan@gmail.com

If you want an opportunity to get on the "ground floor" so to speak of a wonderful project with enormous potential I strongly suggest you book yourself a flight and head over to Rainsong. Mary and Simon posess incredibly kind hearts and a wealth of knowledge concerning the Costa Rican flora, fauna, social and political situations. I loved the food which we were able to vary daily by hitting up the super chicho's down the road. Daily volunteer work is educational, enjoyable and appropriately lengthened to the climatic constraints.. Proximity to Montezuma and Mal Pais made rainsong an excellent jump off point for further travelling. Thanks for the memories! I will certainly be back."

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Astrid Anderson, USA
astridanderson@yahoo.com

I arrived at rainsong at dusk in april with no idea what to expect. The driver pointed me down the path and i ducked under the lush tropical growth of the Rainsong oasis, never to return the same. Volunteers were making up salads in the rancho after an active day of sifting through sand to prepare a tent platform for me. What a welcome! My first few days at Rainsong were tranquilo -- Mary and Simon had gone on a business trip so I held down the fort, watered, took care of the half coyote dogs and eased into the Costa rhythm. Rainsong provided the ultimate, unspeakably beautiful haven to adjust to this strange land of which I knew nothing. As I began to find my way, Rainsong became a vehicle through which I could give back a little something to this land which was giving me so much. Also, I could tell that people viewed me differently because I was making the effort to contribute, to get dirty in the soil, to encourage the growth of their land and plants. It was an honor.

Many volunteers went on their way and for several weeks the Rainsong farm family consisted of Mary, Simon, Amanda, Tyler and myself. We all got along so well, were so enthusiastic about work and life. Maybe its just me, but that felt like a very special time on the farm. It felt like we were all put there at that time for some cosmic purpose, to encourage the growth of each other and the farm. All the insignificant stresses melted away and we spent many days laughing, working, moving seamlessly in a truly communal vibration. I am so blessed and all the better for having known Mary and Simon: their insight, humor and enthusiasm, let alone their wisdom, profoundly effects me, as it does the cosmos. May blessing befall them and their noble cause.

Mary encouraged us to take a trip to Puerto Viejo and when we came back they were there with open arms and a gourd Simon had carved for me. We also got to meet and initiate a slew of new volunteers from all around the world.

In my last days in Costa Rica, Mary arranged an over-the-top, over-the-mountain trip to Mal Pais where we set up all day on the glorious beach and roomed in what felt like lavish accomodations. I danced in the rain with Mary to Wacha's righteous reggae and relished in the light of all these beautiful people who'd congregated in this gorgeous country to contribute to this cause; the project, though small, is greater than us all, combined.

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Jan Bangs, Ontario, Canada

My wife and I stayed at the Rainsong Sanctuary in May of 2006 and had a great time. We learned a lot from Mary and Simon. You can tell they are very genuine about taking care of the environment. Our tasks were to take seedling plants and prepare them for local people to buy. This helps reforest the land. We also helped transplant plants at a local hotel. Mary discussed many topics with us and helped us with our Spanish. The small village is a wonderful area to explore. The local people were friendly. Beside learning about organic concepts, we horsebacked around the beautiful landscape and rainforested area as well as explored a nearby island. If you like to learn about the rainforest conservation while living in a small village area, this would be a very nice place to go.

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April Folkes, USA
aprilfolkes@gmail.com

My month-long stay here at Rainsong has been a fun, peaceful, and enlightening experience. I especially love bonding with the animals thru feeding them and playing with them, and creating good homes for them. The peccarys are muy guapitos. !! After being here I realize how important it is to have a group that supports the preservation of the natural wildlife and diverse vegetation. It is a beautiful place with fun and interesting people who you can learn so much from. Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary is good for the soul !!!!

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Mikael Jedhamre, Sweden
mikael.jedhamre@gmail.com

What i like most about Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary is the relaxed atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, there's always something to do around here: clearing, planting, working in the nursery, tending to the animals, .....But all of this is done in a very sweet, familiar, and beautiful atmosphere. I really enjoyed my stay here !!!


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Valerie Paquette, Quebec, Canada
valp18@hotmail.com

If you want to learn more about the fauna and flora of Costa Rica, Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary is the ideal place. You'll be lucky enough to discover Mother Nature's hidden treasures with people who have cultures that are as different as they are interesting. I really enjoyed my stay there.!!

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Joannie C. Tremblay, Quebec, Canada
joanniect@hotmail.com

My experience at Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary was very lovely. I enjoyed living in a pretty and comfortable environment with people passionate about nature. I learned a lot during these 4 weeks, and met people that I'll never forget !!

Long Life to Mary, Simon, and Rainsong