All aboard our final flight

We just boarded our final flight of the trip - the flight from Houston to Boston is on time and everything has gone smoothly so far. We are looking forward to returning home and seeing family and friends again!

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.

Waiting for our flight out of Costa Rica...

A few more beach photos from Thursday afternoon at Jaco

Here is the group back at our hotel, the Hotel Amapola:

More photos from Thursday's Zip-lining at Monteverde's "Original" Canopy Tour

The internet here seems fast enough this morning to allow for some posting of photos... Here are some more from the canopy tour, which began with a big Tarzan Swing:

Here we are beginning the first of 3 zip line sections. Each section included multiple cables, and the second to last cable was 800 meters long!

Wednesday highlights - Wildlife, Monteverde, Night Walk

Wednesday began with beautiful sunny weather and a fantastic view of the Arenal volcano.

From Arenal we drove up into the mountains towards Monteverde. Along the way we were treated to more incredible scenery and some exciting wildlife sightings.

Monkeys!

Along the way we stopped at the farm of a friend of our guide. Among other things, we got to try some sugar cane:

Finally we arrived in Monteverde for a lovely walk through the cloud forest reserve:

We capped off the day with our Night Walk, which was amazing! We saw frogs, stick insects, a fox, a snake, scorpions, tarantulas, and even a brief look at a kinkajou!

Thursday - Zip-lining and Beach

Well the internet at our current hotel seems to be very slow - I just tried to publish a larger post but it didn't work. Here is a brief sampling of today's adventures:

Zip lines in Monteverde:

Sunset on the Pacific Ocean at Jaco:

Slow internet...

Unfortunately the internet at tonight's hotel seems too slow to allow me to upload any pictures... For now I'll say that all is well and that we had a fantastic day today. In the morning we experienced the thrill of zip lining in Monteverde, and in the afternoon we enjoyed time at the beach at Jaco. We were treated to a lovely sunset over the Pacific Ocean as we left the beach. The snow piles of Reading seemed worlds away...

Sorry to not have any pictures but the internet is not cooperating! More to come later...

Student Reflections from Wednesday

During our drive from Arenal to Monteverde today, a number of students had a chance to write down their thoughts about the trip so far:

Costa Rica blog Student Reflections Wednesday 

Lydia M:

We went to an amazing German bakery called Thomas Bakery on our way to Monte Verde for a hike. The menu their was in German, English, and Spanish. The food was German pastries such as pretzels and croissants. I tried both and they were awesomely delicious. But the best part was the bakery's animals. All around Costa Rica we have seen dogs walking around alone but they are not always stray dogs. The bakery's dog (a big friendly German Shepard) was able to hang out with us while we ate. We all enjoyed playing with him. They also had three beautiful cats. They may have been skinny but they were some of the prettiest cats ever. I loved being able to pet them. What was funny is how the cats would whack the huge dog on the nose if he was being annoying. This was definitely a highlight of my morning. The food was great and so was the company of the adorable animals. 🐄

Brynn S:

I can't believe the week is already over half way done! This has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It was very shocking when we came into the airport in Costa Rica to see and hear everything in Spanish. So far, one of my highlights has been white water rafting. It was not a very warm day, and it was raining, but this made it even more exciting. Because of all the rain, the rapids were very intense, so intense that one of the boys on my boat fell off into the river. (Editor's Note: He was promptly pulled back into the boat!) Another one of my highlights would have to be going to the Costa Rican school. Right when we got out of the bus, all of the kids ran up to us and grabbed our hands and led us to seats before they performed four dances for us and sang. It was fun to listen to their limited English and practice our limited Spanish. One more of my highlights would be the hot springs. Right now we are on a five hour bus ride to Monte Verde to go on our hike and night hike. Tomorrow and Friday we are going zip lining, and to the beach. The bus rides aren't that bad though because we have been able to see sloths, toucans, and a monkey. This has been an amazing experience! 

Declan M:

There isn't snow here, enough said? Well, Costa Rica is much more than just a country near the equator. Although the trip isn't over yet, we have been able to explore so much of this great country. The fact that the first language is Spanish is very interesting to see and hear, yet there is much American/English aspects along with it. On Sunday, we went white water rafting and it was an amazing experience. Standing in the cold rain before it made us hate the rain, but actually doing it in the rain made it a million times better. On Tuesday, we went to a Costa Rican school and we really got to see how fortunate we are educationally, yet the kids love being there, and seem to have just as much or even more fun than we do. Being able to have some of us practice Spanish with them and having them practice English was a really cool experience. In general, the nature and wildlife is unbeatable. You look to one side and you see a rainforest and on the other is a volcano. They really do have it all. To finish off, we have seen so many awesome animals, like monkeys and frogs. No wonder why so many people move here. 

Connor G and Gary S:

The plane waddled its way to the ground of Costa Rica after a 4 hour flight from Houston. A total of about 8 hours stuck in one place for 24 people from Reading Mass. We arrived at about 1 am in San Jose, Costa Rica feeling great that we were "free" from the plane's restraint.  At first we looked around and we expected a giant city but instead it looked like slums. It didn't take too long to realize this little city could produce an equivalent amount of fun as Los Angeles. The first night everyone felt drowsy and were all in negative attitudes. After a long sleepless night we were able to see the city and the hotel as it really was and realized it wasn't that bad, it was great! The first day, the art museum went by like the speed of sound. The second day was even faster because we were flying down the Sarapiqui river on class 2 and 3 rapids. The rest is history and history to be made as we are currently in the midst of our 5 hour drive up to Monteverde and a cloud forest. As we are here in sunny and hot Costa Rica we are enjoying every second but we do not forget what we left at home.

P.s. I love you Mom, Dad, and Allie. How's the skiing? Any fresh powd? -Connor

P.s. I love you Mama, Padre, Nate, Kels, and mi pooches -Gary

Thomas W:

We left school in the middle of the day on Friday it was exhilarating and fun, but once I realized that I would be in an airplane or airport for the next 13 hours, I was not excited. After a long restless flight to Houston, we got off the plane and ran to catch our final flight to Costa Rica. We got on and within 30 minutes I was asleep. I woke up as we commenced our final descent. We got out of the airport and was greeted by our excited and to our surprise awake guide Carlos. He guided us to our luxury coach bus, and we got on. We drove to our hotel and were given keys. We went to our rooms but were told NO WATER. Thankfully five minutes later our heroes the adults brought us water. You must be thinking we went straight to bed but we didn't, we stayed up until 4 and got a nice 2 hours of sleep. We woke up at 6 and we were not happy. The day went pretty slow with the museum and driving, but it was okay. The next day was white water rafting I was excited and so was everyone else. It was sunny in San Jose but as we got driving it got less and less sunny, it started to rain but that wasn't going to mess up my day. When we finally arrived we got out of the bus and into boats. We went fast and in no time it was over. We got back in the bus for another long ride. We got back to the hotel for dinner at Denny's and then to bed. I have told a lot and I want to say more but I must wait and so will you. I make history everyday and am always looking forward. I miss everyone, but also drinkable running water and my phone. I am very happy all day, but am remembering every thing I left back in Boston, see you soon. 🐒🐵

P.S. Mom and Dad, I love you and we should have steak when I get home🐄🍴🍹

Laura M and Brynn L:

Once we landed in San Jose our journey had begun. We were all excited to see the palm trees and grass instead of the snow. Not only were we anxious to experience the life of a Costa Rican but to get the opportunity to visit the wildlife. After we were all settled in our hotel we got to explore the foods and community of the city. Not only was it different than America but it gave us new perspective on how grateful we should be. 6 am the next morning we got ready for our whitewater rafting day. We had so much fun bonding with each other on the river while observing our surroundings. So far for dinner we have been eating rice and beans along with fruit juice that changes everyday. The day after we went to a farm and got the chance to actually milk the cows (we dominated this activity). Soon after we traveled to a volcano and were ready for our hike. At the end of the day our legs were worked to the max so we were treated with a 4 hour bus ride to a new hotel 😉. We ended the day at a hotel that over looks the volcano. Our journey is far from over but we look forward to what happens in the future, and to bring home the memories and story's to share with our family's. 

P.S. I love and miss you so much and hope to have Panera when I get home and be ready for a lot of laundry  ❤️❤️

P.S. I love you mom and dad and can't wait to see you back in the snow infested Reading💓 

Tuesday highlights - School visit and hot springs

Wow, what a day! We began with our much anticipated trip to the Costa Rican school, which was an experience that our students will surely never forget. The school was floored by the generosity of our donation of school supplies. For their part, the students of the school were wonderful hosts for us.

Here we are being welcomed to the school:

Next we were treated to a few traditional dances performed by the students:

 

Here we are engaging in a question and answer session where our students had a chance to practice their Spanish:

Next we presented our gift to the school. One of the teachers there was so overcome by our generosity that she had to step out of the room because she was tearing up. 

The director of the school then shared some heartfelt words of thanks, translated by our guide Carlos:

Then came time for play, with students from both cultures sharing fun in various ways:

We then completed a few volunteer activities to help the school, including cleaning up the school garden:

Finally it was time to say goodbye to the school after an unforgettable experience:

Our fantastic day then continued with an authentic home-cooked Costa Rican meal at the house of one of the local families. The students even got to help make their own tortillas. The food was truly exceptional as we all left satisfied with full bellies and a new appreciation for the hospitality of the Costa Rican people.

The day continued with a stop in the town of La Fortuna (beneath the breathtaking Arenal volcano) for some snacks and ice cream:

Finally, to top off this incredible day we relaxed in the healing waters of the Paradise Hot Springs:

It's hard to believe we did all of that in one day! And we still have 3 more days to go...

P.S. - We also saw a sloth today!