Student Reflections - Friday

John H:

       As I listen to our tour guide Carlos and look out the window at the wild animals I realize how lucky I am to be in Costa Rica. I have experienced many great opportunities that are hard to come by. Zip lining and white water were both great experiences that I was able to do. They were both so exhilarating and fun that I would do it again in a heart beat. We also went on a night hike which was unforgettable because we saw all different kinds of animals, such as a fox, scorpions, and even poisonous snakes. All of the activities were very enjoyable and fun and I would come back here any day. We have been eating chicken, rice and beans for most of our meals which is good, but......I'm ready for pizza. We also went to a school to do volunteer work and watched as the kids performed a dance. As you look at the school you realize how much you have and to be grateful.  Some kids didn't even have shoes and were walking on dirt, rocks and cement. Even though these kids have little they are happy with what they have and are grateful. On this trip I learned how different places can be and to be happy of what you have.

 Natalie M. and Elisabeth P.

“¡Pura Vida!” A poem by Natalie and Elisabeth

From vast fields dotted with cows,

To dogs on the street going bow wow wow.

From walking in a cloud, 

To San José, a city so loud. 

From rice and beans,

To even more rice and beans. 

From splashing cold water,

To dusty land where it's even hotter. 

From ice cream shops,

To ziplining over tree tops. 

We got to see the children dance, 

We are glad we took this chance. 

Malia H. 

While in Costa Rica I've learned a lot and have had so much fun doing it too. One thing I learned was to love what I have. In the USA, you can just turn a knob and drinkable cold water rushes out, even hot water if you want, but when you are in places like Costa Rica where the tap water can make you sick, you realize how lucky you are to not have to go out and buy or purify the water before using it. I also learned that being ready to try new things can open so many doors you didn't even know existed. For example, when we went ziplining there was this thing where you climbed up onto a platform and they strapped you into the end of the while the other end was tied to a tree, and then you jumped and swung through the forest like Tarzan, (it isn't as dangerous as it sounds) hence the name the Tarzan Swing.  So, at first I was super nervous and reluctant when they were strapping me in because they pull the rope tight so it is taught, and that causes the rope to pull you towards the end of the platform, and then they have you lean back and bend your knees and without telling you they let go, and then without warning you are flying through the air. After doing this I was feeling much more confident and was more prepared and less scared of ziplining.  One last thing I learned was how friendly Costa Ricans can be.  When we were visiting the school the children held our hands as they showed us around their school and after they showed us around we got to play games with the children and two girls invited me and my friends to jump rope with them which was really fun and then after a little boy came over and asked us to play Candyland with him, all the kids asking with a smile. This trip was probably a once in a lifetime chance, and even if I come back here it will never be like the unique experience I had this February vacation. I hope that years from now I will still remember this trip and the lessons I learned, as Carlos our guide said, "Costa Rica not only tanned your skin, but also your soul," and tans don't fade quickly. Carlos was right, this trip tanned my soul in so many ways and opened my eyes to how lucky I am. 

Ava R.

It blows my mind that today is the last day of this unique and inspiring trip. This week has definitely been a life changing experience, from the dancing and the singing night at a mountain top restaurant to the thrilling ride down a crazy river, I can say for a fact that everyone here has had an amazing memorable time. What was also so new to me was seeing and hearing Spanish wherever you go. Which gave us a bit of a game of trying to translate and talk to others in Spanish. On Sunday one of the first days we were out in public at a store, alike to target I remember us spotting candy and going up to the cashier to buy it. But by the time we were up there the lady only spoke Spanish and on the screen the amount was in colones. So we had at least ten kids surrounding her trying to figure out what she was saying and how much it was in American dollars. That after about five minutes of attempting we just had to put away the candy and meet up with the adults. But today I definitely believe we have all improved greatly in Spanish because we had to adapt or it would have been more than difficult to get around. This experience was rough at some points but I know that I will always remember this amazing trip. 

Madeline L:

Well, it's Friday! I can't believe that only a week ago we were all sitting in the airport, wandering impatiently. Those kids wandering around the gate were a lot less tan then we are now...but that's not the only thing I've taken away from this trip. Maybe from the safety and comfort of a large house with purified tap water, the excitement and vitality of the trip seemed a little foreign, maybe slightly unnatural. But now that I've seen the people of Costa Rica, I don't feel that they are strange and unlike us normal Americans. At the school we visited on Wednesday, the kids were surprisingly relatable to myself. As we played games with the children, Americans and Costa Ricans all together, I felt that even though we were separated by the barriers of language, we still had so much in common. When one thirteen-year-old boy announced his name in English, I could tell how proud he was to be using the language of us visitors. When the girls and boys performed dances in honor of our visit, I could see that they were a bit embarrassed to be dancing in ways that were so unnatural to us, but still very proud to be showing us their country's culture. Not only the children, but everyone we met in Costa Rica was unbelievably nice and so hospitable. These people don't care if foreign visitors look down on their way of life; they will always be proud of their heritage and try to form a connection with us, just like we tried to form with them on this trip.