Costa Rica Trip 2012 PRE-REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Eco Club Trip 2011 Video Yearbook

Thank You from the Tanque School!

Costa Rican Adventures program coordinator, Brian Benson just sent us this photograph of the 1st grade classroom we painted at the Tanque School in La Fortuna! The pink and plum cubbie rooms were once a odd mix of mustard yellow and olive. Thanks to our Eco Club service volunteers the room has been brightened up and is a much warmer place for the Tanque students to learn in. The students were also thankful for our generous donation of school supplies donated by friends and families of the Eco Club travelers.

To see our post sharing what else we learned during our trip to Costa Rica click here.

Maddy's amazing pictures!

Love these <3333

Miss Halsey's favorite pictures

My favorites are of Miss Nichols and Raffi pulling out the taro root and the kids in front of the volcanoes right before we did the zipline.

Ryan's Favorite Costa Rican Hiking Pictures

Sarah's EPIC Pictures

I took a LOT of pictures in Costa Rica, but there are a few of my favorites.  One of them is a picture of an albino pigeon.  There were a lot of pigeons in San Jose,  but there was one that everyone liked especially.  There's also a picture of an iguana and of the volcano.  There are a lot more that I like, but these are just a few of the cool ones I took.

Sarah's Epic Album

Kerry's Favorite Pic's From Costa Rica

These are some of my favorite pictures from the trip. Some are from before and others from after. Hope you enjoy them. Pura Vida!
Kerry

Emily's Pictures

These are some of the best pictures I took! One of my favorites is the close up of the cow :)

Sam's FREAKING EPIC pics

This trip was one of the most amazing things I have ever done in my life , these pics are some of the pics I took, my faveorites are the ones of the volcanos, the pictures of the guides, the iguana and the monkey I named herburt. I loved all of these picctures because of how I can look back and rember the trip fully and not have a blury pic that I will hate taking.

Jacks Favorite Costa Rica Pics

These are my favorite pics from my favorite trip. These are the greatest sights from Costa Rica. My favorite picture has to be the waterfall it was just so breathtaking and you can't capture its beauty in a picture. This trip will forever be in our memories.

Mr. Musselman's Extra Pictures

These are some of my favorite photos I didn't have time to post in Costa Rica. Hope you enjoy them. My personal favorites are the students with the REALLY BIG LEAVES!!!

Our Children, Our Community, Our Culture

The following book was written by the students of the Parker Eco-Club and given as a gift to the children and educators of the Tanque School in Tanque, Costa Rica (a small neighborhood outside of La Fortuna.)

Our Children, Our Community, Our Culture

Robert & Roberto Say Goodbye

Our guide, and my good friend, Roberto. Hasta luego!

Our guides Robert and Roberto were great leaders and friends to our students and chaperones throughout the trip. While we were flying home, they wished us one last goodbye on our google voice message system.

We Are Aware...

On our return home from the Quepos supermercado our guides, Roberto and Robert told us about how towards the end of every Costa Rican Adventures tour the guides ask their students to perform a small writing assignment. Roberto asked us to title our paper, "We Are Aware..." and to list in five minutes as many things they were aware or had become aware of over the course of the week. During circle time later that evening students, teachers, and guides shared their most poignant.

We are aware...

• that the sun is at a very high angle in the sky in Costa Rica and is very strong.
• Costa Rica has two seasons, wet and dry.
• rice and beans are very popular in Costa Rica
• how fortunate we are to have nice, spacious homes that are comfortable while others live in smaller, tighter, less clean conditions.
• Costa Rica has twelve hour days.
• the currency of Costa Rica is colones.
• that the banana plantations use chemicals that are very harmful to the environment.
• Costa Rica is 50% covered by rainforest.
• feeding wild animals messes up the food chain and is a risk to yourself.
• Costa Rica has no army. The money it saves goes to education for every Costa Rican.
• prostitution is legal in Costa Rica.
• schools here teach their children well but use very few resources.
• we could use more of a "pura vida" attitude at home.
• every action has a reaction and there are consequences for everything.
• literacy is at 98% in Costa Rica.
• Sloths are also known as "perezosos" which means lazy in Spanish.
• different is not bad.
• food is better fresh.
• the environment needs to be protected.
• that my perspective has changed how I see my whole life & school.
• there are two types of rainforests.
• the ocean is really warm and salty in Costa Rica.
• toilets are not tough enough to swallow toilet paper in Costa Rica.
• people get offended when you say "I am from America."
• of the damage that the cattle industry inflicts.
• that sunscreen needs to be applied multiple times a day.
• that as Americans we should look up to the respectful, kind, resourceful, and environmentally conscious Costa Ricans.
• of how different cultures can still bond so easily.
• that our guides passionate about sharing their country.

Quepos Supermercado

The EcoClub gang had a chance at experiencing some authentic Tican life by shopping at the supermercado in the Pacific ocean town of Quepos. Many purchased snacked called "Chickys" and "Yipees" that have become a favorite nibble during the long bus rides in between our adventures.

Lance making his purchase

Today Was Just Beachy!

Manuel Antonio National Park

Plenty to see and experience at Manuel Antonio National Park! Just look at the fabulous photographs and entertaining animals we found throughout the reservation.

Our first sloth sighting...

This photo was taken through a telescopic lens designed for camera use. It was like we were right next to the sloth!

The "Jesus Christ Basilisk" - it can run on water!

The trail in Manuel Antonio

When monkeys attack! 12:30 actually... lunch time!

Up close and personal

The trails were very steep...

Happy Birthday Mr. Williams!

Today marked yet another birthday in the EcoClub. With Mr. Williams far from his family, the students, guides and chaperones wanted to do something to make it a little extra special.

Bram, Mr. Williams, and his brand new birding book!

Eco Club Cribz Redo

After some earlier technical difficulties the full video of Eco Club Cribz is now available! Just this video alone took over a half-hour to upload... but since this was a very popular video with the kids and completely done by them we thought it was worth the time!

Croc Hunting on the Rio Tarcoles

On our way to Manuel Antonio National Park we stopped in a small river village to take a boat tour. There were over two dozen different types of birds seen during the trip but the real draw were the crocodillos! Listen to the boys thoughts on the adventure along with the girls perspective on the positive and negative impacts this type of business have on the local river ecosystem.

A treat for tourists and the croc. Or is it?

One of "three musketeer" baby crocs

Mr. Williams in his element!

Lots to see all around us. Keep hands inside at all times!

Don Juan's Farm

Don Juan's farm was a great opportunity for students to learn about sustainable farming and gave them a chance to harvest their own lunch!

Don Juan grows his own talapia.

Raff and Victoria pull yams out of the ground for lunch!

Maddi and Jes help pull up the lettuce

Don Juan's son and our guide for the day

BIG leaves capture lots of sun!

Kerry, Emily, and Jes help make sugar cane juice