2019 Gladstone Costa Rica Program

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Surf’s up!!

Written by Alex Lue

This morning we awoke not to the sounds of roosters, cows, dogs, or cats, but to the hum of our Air Conditioners! Waking up in a cold room has been something we all desperately miss after experiencing this exotic Costa Rican Heat. We all met up for a delicious breakfast as the sun slowly rose in the bright, blue sky. Get this: we had pancakes! That’s right, no beans and rice. We had to do a double-take when they unveiled pancakes and sugary maple syrup. After we filled up with some good old American grub, we hit the beach for the second day in the row! It’s so cool how this beautiful beach is only a few blocks away from our awesome hotel. After entering into Ballena Playa and claiming a spot under the shade of the swaying coconut trees, we met our surf instructors. After doing a few practice rounds of getting up on our boards in the sand and applying gallons of sunscreen on our skin, we hit the water. Or should I say, the water hit us! The warm, tropical ocean was really raging today. The waves were ready to carry our surf boards over the glistening water. Our group was split into 5 separate groups, each consisting of 4-5 surfers and an instructor. Having these pro surfers out in the water with us to give tips, hold our boards still or simply remind us where our feet should go when standing up on the board made the difference between actually surfing and pretending that we can surf. It took a few falls and mouthfuls of salt water to catch some good waves. For others, like Zach and Avery, they got to shredding the waves right away (probably because they know how to surf, lol!). For about 30 minutes we caught some waves and got a grip on surfing before taking a snack break. Our amazing surf instructors set up a little table with cold water and fresh fruit for us to enjoy and recharge. This Costa Rican sun and heat really drain our energy, but our group has been so amazing by pushing through exhaustion, sunburns, mosquito bites and upset stomachs to make everyday count! While taking a break, everyone talked about the challenges they faced while surfing, like being too tall for the board (sorry, Jeremy!) or falling down. Others shared their newfound surfing skills and were excited to hit the water again! After our break, we went back out in the warm Pacific Ocean and channeled our inner soul surfers. We became one with our board and caught a few more good waves! I’m pretty sure that everyone got up at least once (that’s a huge accomplishment considering the difficulty of surfing for the first time).

After wrapping up our surfing lesson, we said, “Hasta Luego” and “¡Pura Vida!” to our surf instructors and went back to the hotel to change into some dry clothes. We had a quick lunch of breaded fish and Jo-Jo’s and hit the road for our zip lining tour! Once again, the Party Bus had a great time listening to tunes like “Bicycle Race”, “Africa”, and “Wanna Be Starting Somethin’” to pass the time. In just 20 minutes we arrived at Osa Zip Line Tours. We loaded up in 3 trucks and climbed a steep mountain on a very bumpy road to make it to the first of 9 zip lines! Upon arrival, we met our rad instructors and got suited up for this memorable adventure. While some knees were shaking with anxiety of zooming over tree tops on a wire, others were ready to go! Aly took the lead and volunteered to be the first to go down the zip line. After hooking up, she just went for it! No hesitation whatsoever! Even though some of the travelers were nervous about this particular adventure, everyone embraced the moment and took a leap of faith off that first platform to ignite an hour and a half of pure fun! Top speeds clocked out at 60 kilometers (it sounds faster than it actually is, lol) and we flew over heights of 100 feet above the ground! We shot through the trees (maybe hit a few branches) and zoomed over a little village on the hillside. While going down the zip lines, it sounded and felt like we were on speeder bikes from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi that were racing through Endor! It was awesome! Everyone loved watching their friends and our awesome chaperones and guides go on the zip lines and come into the platforms. Some travelers, like Kyle, may have come in too hot (and backwards!) to one of the platforms and almost hit one of the instructors! Jeremy, myself and even Kyle couldn’t contain our laughter! We went back and forth between the bright green, lush trees and felt the cool wind race through our hair. Many screams of joy and excitement were heard throughout our zip lining excursion. Soon enough we made it to the first little bridge to cross. However, this wasn’t an ordinary bridge! Oh no, this structure was wobbly, unstable and all over the place. Don’t worry, we were securely locked in our harnesses while crossing. However, it didn’t help that some of the instructors and travelers (like me) purposely shook the bridge to cause a little bit more excitement! The hot sun began to inch it’s way down from the sky as we flew through the forest. After the 5th line, we got to repel down a tall tree to the ground. The girls went head first, literally! They were safely lowered to the ground while hanging upside down like Spider-Man! Some of us thought that the girls were joking about going down upside down until one of the instructors almost tricked some of us to repel head first, haha!

After completing the last zip line we found ourselves at a stunning overlook of the coast line. While taking in the sights we enjoyed fresh pineapple, watermelon and mango provided by our guides. What a treat! Plus, there was a Tarzan swing that some brave souls took a swing at (no pun intended). After returning our gear, we climbed into the back of the trucks once more to make our way down the mountain and back to the vans. No surprise here, but the Party Bus had a blast driving back!! We were racing to get to the beach to watch the gorgeous sunset. We made it to the beach’s Whale’s Tale just before the bursting red sun dipped into the calm Costa Rican Ocean. Again, the sky was filled with streaks of pink, orange and purple. That was our last sunset in Costa Rica (yes, we’ll still see one tomorrow, but not from the beach). The sunsets here on the beach are unbeatable. These sunsets are quintessential and almost unreal. The colors produced in the sky are specific to this county. They cause deep-rooted emotions to be unlocked from the heart. We all became one family on that beach. We joked, we laughed, we took pictures for Instagram… Life was perfect. A favorite for many was seeing Brad and Jeremy put their arms around each other in a heartfelt manner to watch the sun set.

It really captivated their spectacular friendship. Not many buddies get to travel the world together! The night got better after we had cheeseburgers for dinner. I’m not talking about some cheap, microwave cheeseburgers that you get at a gas station. I’m talking about half-pound, pure meat cheeseburgers! These things were huge and hit the spot in our hungry American stomachs. We all got a little taste of home. It was beautiful. To end the night, we had a meeting in the Three Amigos’ room to reflect on our Host Families and share what the community of San Salvador means to us. A common theme of what the community means to us was Family, Respect and Love. That town and its people all touched our hearts in different ways and has made us better people as a result of doing so. We’ll always cherish the time with had with our Hot Families. We have a sense of integrity and humbleness after realizing how blessed we are to live in America.

Tomorrow marks the final day of the trip- the final day in paradise. We embark on an early morning adventure of white-water rafting and then get to spend time in San José. We’ll soak in the last day and make it count! Here’s to the Pura Vida life!

At the Beach

Written by Alex Lue

Today marks a new chapter in many of our lives. We woke up this morning to find our Host Families sending us off with farewell hugs, kisses, gifts, and of course, rice and beans. We held back tears as we packed into two vans and waved goodbye (actually, we waved “¡Hasta Luego!”) to our loving Host Families. They all affected our lives in so many ways. We all have special memories to forever cherish. While driving to Tortuga Playa for a beach cleanup, the second van driven by Donka sang along to songs like “It’s Tricky”, “Greased Lightnin’”, “Rapper’s Delight” and “Don’t Stop Me Now!”. Those in that van declared themselves the “Party Bus” and even made a song for our amazing driver! The drive to the beach was an incredible change of scenery. For the past few days, we’ve been traveling throughout the same valley to different locations. Today we ventured out of the valley and made our way to Playa Tortuga- a beautiful stretch of beach famous for Sea Turtles taking refuge to lay their legs. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any turtles or turtle eggs, but we did see trash! For a little over an hour we walked the gorgeous beach in search of any trash left by previous visitors. A few lucky travelers were graced with the experience of seeing beautifully red macaws in the trees grazing the shoreline of the beach. We again worked as a team to eliminate any and all trash on the beach; even an old fishing net that washed up on shore.

After cleaning up this beach that looks like something out of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, we ate a quick lunch at the turtle wildlife ecological center, packed into the vans once more and made our way to Hotel Tecal- the nicest hotel that we’ve stayed at! This quaint, orange hotel has already brought so much joy and tranquility to us weary travelers. Believe it or not, but the rooms of air conditioning, strong plumbing and no bugs!! That’s right, you heard me correctly. Mothra isn’t going to terrorize any of us here (unless it followed Aleisha and Avery to exact revenge!! Lol). A few lucky travelers have been blessed with a TV with Netflix!! After dropping off our things at Hotel Tecal, we filled up our water bottles, applied sunscreen and set off for the beach. On our quick walk, we stopped at the local tienda to grab a few (well, actually many) snacks and drinks!! After grabbing some necessities from the store, like fake Ray Bans, we walked two blocks to the most beautiful beach that any of us have seen. We emerge from the jungle and graces the warm, soft sand while the sun began to inch it’s way towards slumber. For about an hour we swam in the water and embraced picture-perfect waves. The sand under our feet (and in our swim suits, lol) felt brand new. Unlike the white, crusty sand back home, this dark and rich sand felt like seashells had just dissolved to make this beautiful substance. We couldn’t believe that we were just playing on this gorgeous beach. No work, no bugs and no sad faces. Once again we all checked out of reality and enjoyed this time in Costa Rica. When the water and sun became too hot (and it did!), we took refuge under the shade of the coconut trees and tossed the frisbee around. A few tired travelers made their way back to the hotel to shower and rest while the others stayed behind to enjoy the beach. The closer it came for the sun to set, the more beautiful the sky and beach became. We went back out into the water and swim through the waves and watch the golden sun shine on the tropical coastline. It looked unreal. The photos we took may appear photoshopped, but they’re all real! Soon enough, the sky became bubblegum pink with hints of orange, purple and red. The sparkling water on the shore reflected the bursting light of the setting sun. Like a few days ago, the sun became red and painted the sky with that beautiful color. We all had to stop in our tracks, sit down (or grab a frisbee and walk towards the sun like Jeremy did), take dozens of photos and appreciate our surroundings. Families were enjoying themselves and surfers were tearing it up out on the water. The coconut tree leaves swayed in the warm ocean breeze and the waves began to calm down. I swear I heard The Beach Boys playing. Everything about this sunset was perfect. I have to say it again: it was like something out of a movie. None of us have ever been blessed with such a beautiful sunset.

Eventually the red sun disappeared and left the sky with its magnificent colors. We packed up our belongings, washed off our feet and legs and made our way back to the hotel. Showers in our rooms washed off the sticky sand and we all got dressed to enjoy a delicious dinner across the street. Get this, IT WASN’T RICE AND BEANS! No sir, we enjoyed a delicious meal of vegetarian noodles, SAUSAGE, and salad. Everyone devoured every last morsel of food on their plates (except Maya, lol) and we finished off the fresh Pineapple juice in a huge container. With full stomachs and happy hearts we strolled back to the hotel and spent the rest of the night enjoying each others’ company. The boys decided to have a little get together and watch Captain America: Winter Soldier. Sorry ladies, this was a dudes only event! Tommy took it into his hands to make a sign out of paper towels that reads: “No Girlz Allowed”. He hanged up the sign outside of my, Nic and Kyle’s room with band-aids. That’s right, band-aids. Despite the sign, many girls still tried to get into our super awesome party. Sorry girls, maybe next time! Jeremy and Kuntz soon joined in on the fun and had a jolly time with the guys. Zach got the necessary supplies (Grapefruit soda and Red Bull) to make his famous drink. For some reason, instead of using a pitcher like Kyle and laid out for him to use, he utilized the bowl of a Crockpot to mix his famous drink. Once the clock stuck 11, lights were shut off and tired travelers fell asleep. We’re all looking forwards to tomorrow’s surf lessons, zip line tours and hamburgers for dinner. Oh yeah!! Our dreams cams true. We’re having hamburgers tomorrow! Kyle can hardly wait! All he’s been crazing is Five Guys. From us to you, Pura Vida!

Fiesta de Despedida

Written by Alex Lue

Wow. Where should we start? Well, this morning we once again awoke to the noisy roosters or meowing cats and had delicious breakfasts in our Hosts’ homes. After breakfast, we put on our dirty shoes and made our way to the church for our last day of work. After having a quick meeting under the already hot sun at 8:00 am, we began mixing concrete in wheelbarrows and placing the gooey, watery substance that is concrete into the cracks, crevices and side of the concrete gutters that we’ve worked so hard to place in the ground. Before starting work, we of course filled our water bottles and applied unholy amounts of sunscreen to our burnt skin.

As a result of a lack of tools to lay concrete, many travelers used their hands (with gloves on of course!) to fill the gaps between gutters to ensure maximum water flow! Today’s work has been a dream compared to the previous days’ workloads. Besides mixing the concrete, it was a delight for the whole group when scooping a fist full of concrete with our gloves and plopping it down onto the ground. We pushed through and worked our hardest to finally complete the project! It’s incredibly humbling to know that each individual had a special part in this construction project. Everyone worked as a strong team; taking turns in the shade and out in the sun, filling each other’s water bottles, or even applying sun screen and Aloe Vera to one another’s crispy backs!! After work, we huddled up for another reflection of yesterday with “highs and lows”. The common theme of today’s “highs” was yesterday’s excursion to the beautiful, private swimming hole and waterfall. That moment has been forever burnt into all of our minds as one of the coolest, if not the raddest, moment of the trip. Other highs included getting strawberry cheesecake from their Host mother’s (I’m talking about you, Jeremy! Lol!), playing soccer during the previous day in the plaza with the community’s children, or talking in Spanish about karate! A “low” that many shared was yesterday’s exciting encounter with the water snake in the swimming hole! Sophia was the first to encounter the snake as it fell on top of her head from the sides of the swimming hole! Thankfully that snake was more scared of us and scurried away.

After concluding our little huddle, everyone made their way back to their homes to have lunch and get ready to either make the journey to another nearby waterfall, or just chill at the local tienda. 17 travelers ventured to the gushing falls while the rest stayed behind and drank cold Orange Fanta and ate Costa Rican chips. For those who went to the falls experienced no disappointment. After a long day’s work in the sun, swimming in the water is always a good idea! Travelers packed into the back of a truck and the Toyota 4 Runner that Sofia and Natalia drive to make their way down to the river. The rest of us stayed behind to utilize the store’s WiFi, purchase ice cold drinks, and buy little souvenirs like bracelets and towels that look like Costa Rican bills! Hayden snagged the last towel with the Shark bill on it (that’s the dos mil bill here). The group that stayed behind also enjoyed a few rounds of “Honey Do You Love Me?” and Mafia under the shade by of the tall, green trees by the open soccer field next to the church. Sadie, Jen and Aly were common targets of being labeled as the “Mafia” (only Aly out of that list was a member of the mafia during the game!! Haha).

After reconnecting with the waterfall group, everyone once again made their way back to their Hosts’ families to wash up for tonight’s fiesta! Even though everybody’s energy was depleted from the exhausting sun, upon arrival at the farewell fiesta everyone had a smile on their face and were ready to party the night away! Tonight’s sunset was unreal. The setting sun kissed the darkening sky with hints of bubblegum pink and orange. Little wisps of clouds were painted throughout the sky. This sunset has been the quintessential “Golden Hour- if not the mother of all “Golden Hours”. Many took advantage of the perfect lighting to take pictures with their Host Families.

At the fiesta, we played glow-in-the-dark frisbee with the community’s children: Many were subject to giving piggyback rides or walking with kids attached to our legs. This was definitely a night of bonding with San Salvador. All the kids were so excited to have us play with them. Even if they hadn’t met you yet, they were happy to throw the frisbee or play tag.

It seemed that the whole town was there to send us off with this farewell party. All of us sat down at cafeteria-like tables to enjoy the delicious dinner prepared. Ride, beans, salad and chicken were downed by the hungry stomachs of the travelers and townspeople alike. After dinner, deep and wonderful conversations broke out between us Oregonians and our Host Community. Many took time to play more in the field and just enjoy this time of tranquility and peace. Soon ice cream was passed out and a piñata was burst open; sending out delicious candy that children and adults alike dove for and maybe threw some elbows for!! The birthday boy, Zach, got to take a few swings at the piñata. Of course, he was blindfolded and missed most of his swings… But it wasn’t his fault!! Many of us tricked him by saying “swing to the left” or “it’s right in front of you” when in reality the Despicable Me themed piñata was nowhere near him! Haha. Despite how tired we were, we all joined in for the Cupid Shuffle and Macarena dances before hearing Nic play two phenomenal renditions of Green Day hits. Everyone was transfixed on his playing and fell in love with the moment. Even though he sang in English, our Hosts loved every second of his playing. At the end of his first song, he slipped in “Cielito Lindo” and the entire town joined in on the singing! Once he was done playing, everyone chanted “Encore” and Nic played one more awesome song! It was the highlight of the night. Everyone came together as one. We all forgot about life for a while and just enjoyed ourselves. We didn’t worry about school, work or anything at home. We just lived in the moment. It’s not everyday that you’re in Central America and have a fiesta! No one is looking forward to leaving tomorrow. We’ve all grown so much- whether it be personal growth or a communal growth. San Salvador has opened our eyes to how much we’re blessed. Be thankful that you have strong water pressure in your home, and don’t have cockroaches crawling around or Mothra terrorizing your house (or maybe you do. In that case, I’m so sorry. I feel your pain!). We love San Salvador and its people. This little town is picturesque in every way possible and holds so much meaning. Though we’re leaving it, this town and the people of the community will always be in our hearts. ¡Pura Vida!

Service and Swiming

Written by Alex Lue

What a day, what a lovely day! This morning, travelers awoke once again in their Host family’s home and ate delicious breakfasts. Some enjoyed rice and beans with platanos (as usual, lol) or even pink pancakes! After breakfast, travelers met up in front of the town’s local church to preview the day’s schedule and make a game plan for today’s work. Before beginning to work, bottles were filled with water, sunscreen was applied, and everyone went around in a circle again to give their highs and lows. Again, many of the “highs” consisted of playing with the children of their Host Family, playing card games, taking cold showers, listening to Nic play Green Day on the guitar, or realizing that their Spanish-Speaking skills are much better than what they thought they were! Mostly everyone had zero “lows”, however poor Taryn and Sofia had to fight off Mothra the night before!! It seems that the moth is making its way around the houses-hopefully it won’t terrorize anyone else!!

After our recaps, Brad, Jeremy, Sofia, Petra, and Natalia reminded everyone to put on plenty of sunscreen. Even though much sunscreen was applied the day before, many arms, legs, faces, backs, and shoulders had turned tomato red! No worries, a local worker, Alberto, brought a piece of Aloe Vera to cut and let everyone apply to their burning skin. This Costa Rica sun has no mercy, but we stayed well hydrated and cooled off in the shade when not shoveling, using the pickaxes, compacting dirt, or lifting the heavy cement gutter pieces to place in the trench. Our whole group worked like a well-oiled machine! Each person took turns at different jobs today while others cooled off in the shade or reapplied sunscreen. Hayden, Tommy, Kyle, Nic were our heavy lifters. They took turns as pairs to place the cement gutters in the correct places. I’m pretty sure they’ll all have six packs after lugging those things around!

Some travelers took it into their own hands to play some tunes while working. Songs like “September”, “Boys of Summer”, “All-Star”, and “Hey-Ya!” were enjoyed by many. It all started after Aila began singing “County Roads” by John Denver, haha.

By noon, all the cement gutters were in place and connected to each other in the trench. Sweaty faces and tired bodies watched as water ran down the gutters to clear out dirt. What a sight! It looked like a mudslide had occurred! Tomorrow we’ll be filling in the cracks between the gutters to ensure maximum efficiency of water drainage. This will allow disabled individuals who use wheelchairs to safely access the beautiful church when the rainy season begins again!

When the clock read 12:00 pm and the sun was in the middle of the clear, blue sky, workers took refuge in the trees by the large soccer field to enjoy the beautiful lunches prepared by everyone’s hosts mothers. What a treat. Many lunches consisted of rice and beans, tamales, platanos, chicken, and even poached eggs! Many guessed what their Host mothers brought them to drink. Sarah and Isabelle enjoyed a Strawberry Juice drink in baby bottles while Hailey and Chloe enjoyed cold tea! After lunch, everyone was treated with the surprise of a hike down to the coolest, most amazing, breathtaking swimming hole that we’ve encountered on the trip! A tiny waterfall gushes water from the Diamente Verde Falls into this phenomenal swimming hole. This swimming hole looked like something out of a Fiji Water commercial or tropical movie! It’s picture perfect and is enclosed by tall, swaying trees. Untouched by man, the water in this pool was incredibly cleared and refreshed every weary traveler. Everyone checked out of reality while swimming. Many dove in and took a relaxing swim. Those who swam to the waterfall enjoyed swimming behind, and even through, the waterfall! A few adventurous souls, like Maya, Tryton, Zach, Avery and Aleisha somehow climbed up on a tiny ledge a few feet above the water. Maya was the first to conquer this challenge and many followed in her footsteps to reach the tiny cliff, but only a few succeeded. In a blink of the eye, Brad made his way onto a little ledge behind the waterfall and went into full Zen-mode to enjoy the tranquility of the rushing water. Just before packing up to leave, our guide Sofia, as well as Maya, Zach, Nic and myself all dashed away from the side of the swimming hole after a long, thin, yellow snake swam its way across the top of the water! We all thought it was going to get us!! Haha. No worries, it slithered into the rocks and disappeared. After hiking back up to the community, everyone changed into dry clothes and made their way to the local tienda (store) to enjoy ice cream, Grapefruit soda, Costa Rican chips or chocolate delicacies. For those who did not hang around the store to cool down and recharge, they spent their time in the main field of town to play soccer and ultimate frisbee with the children of the community while the bright orange sun set and filled the sky with a deep-red hue. It looked like something out of a Steven Spielberg film. Playing in the field or taking it easy at the store helped travelers truly connect with San Salvador and become one with the community. We’re all grudging having to leave soon. It’s been such an amazing opportunity. Everyone has grown in their own special way; either it being that someone has grown stronger in fighting home-sickness or discovering their true inner strengths when it comes to team work. Today held many challenges for everyone. From lifting heavy objects under the sun to hiking to the swimming hole, everyone accomplished their goals in becoming stronger in themselves and within their own community. Costa Rica truly helps you appreciate life for what it is! ¡Pura Vida!

San Salvador

Written by Alex Lue

Today we awoke in our Host Community and were treated with delicious breakfasts from our Host families. Everyone has settled in perfectly to their new surroundings and have already being treating their hosts like their own family members (don’t worry folks, you haven’t been replaced!!). There’s a sense of well-being and tranquility among our group. During our 8:00 am meeting after breakfast, each traveler went around in a circle to talk about their highs and lows of their experience so far in San Salvador. Most of the highs consisted of meeting their new families or playing with the kids of the community. A common “low” was the language barrier, bugs, or rooster squawking at 2 am. The roosters here apparently don’t wait until sunrise to make noise!

Aleisha and Avery had one heck of an experience last night. A moth the size of a shoe, or as Aleisha called it a “bird”, came into their room last night and terrorized them! Thankfully their host father came in to save the day and expel the dinosaur moth from their room.

After our meeting we went to work! For the next three days, we’ll be creating a rain water channel and wheel-chair accessible walkway for the local church. Today everyone gave it their all as we worked under the sun for a few hours digging up dirt, rocks, tree roots, clay and more rocks! Let me just say that there’s more rocks than dirt, haha. Travelers took turns digging, dumping debris with wheelbarrows, or pretending that they were in Minecraft while using pickaxes. When not working, we took water breaks and sat in the shade. A common theme of today was staying incredibly hydrated. Dozens of gallons of water were consumed today to avoid exhaustion and heat stroke. So much so that we burst the pipe that ushered water to the church! Thankfully the pipeline was fixed during lunch.

After completing the lunches that Host Mother’s brought for us to enjoy, Jeremy, Hayden, Avery, Emma and a few others threw frisbees around in the open field with children of the community! It was a great time to be fully immersed in the culture and connect with the community. After refilling our water bottles and saying “Hasta Luego” to our Host Mothers, we got back to work! After completely digging out the trench for the irrigation system, the sweat-drenched travelers made their way back to their homes to take cold showers. But before doing so, a few travelers joined Mr. Kuntz- I mean Brad (lol!)- in a mindfulness activity. Travelers cleared their minds and hopefully found inner peace.

For an hour and a half, travelers took time to ask questions to their Host Families about their lives, homes, experiences, and opinions about Costa Rican weather and seasons. On Thursday we’ll report back to Sofia and Natalia (our two amazing guides who have organized this whole trip and have been with us for every step of the way) about what our Host Families had to say about our questions.

A highlight of many for today was playing with the children of their Host Families or walking over their friends’ Host homes to talk or play games like UNO. A few families got together to listen to Nic play Green Day on the guitar with a pick made out of a waterbottle! Overall, San Salvador has greeted us with open arms and has made sure we’re staying very hydrated under the Costa Rican sun. Everyone here is one big family, and Gladstone has just become the newest addition. It’ll be hard for us all to leave and say goodbye to our families and the little store that everyone buys ice cream and the world’s greatest Coca Cola from. Let’s not worry about that. For now, let’s focus on what’s happening in the present and appreciate every second we have here! ¡Pura Vida!

Waking up at the Waterfall

Written by Alex Lue

Well, another eventful and exciting day has come to a close. Travelers awoke to the rushing waters of the Diamente Verde waterfalls; one of the tallest waterfalls in Costa Rica! The sun bright sun slowly raised in the dark sky and began to poke its rays through the jungle tree leaves as we started to get ready for another phenomenal day. Around 9:30 am, we set off on the trail we came up to the waterfalls on and made our way back down to the organic farm that we previously stopped at the day before. For about 30 minutes we were graced with a delightful tour of the farm. Travelers got to smell and even taste each individual herb and vegetable that grows at the farm, like Mint, Oregano and even peppers!! Aila, Tryton and Emma felt the wrath of the Red Hot Chili Peppers… Seriously!!

After the tour, we resumed our hike down the trail, made it to the bottom of the mountain and jumped into waiting vehicles to be transported back to our vans. After saying a farewell to our amazing tour guides we set out for lunch at another restaurant with a spectacular view. This time we looked over the valley that we will be at for the next few days. What a view. Everyone got WiFi at the restaurant and took time to say hello to their family and friends. It was a beautiful sight to see everyone reconnecting with their loved ones, excitingly telling them about their trips, and then saying goodbye so they can make more memories. The meal was absolutely delicious and the strawberry, pineapple, guava or blackberry drinks that everyone drank hit the spot!! On top of that, a few travelers purchased ice cold Coca-Cola’s and Strawberry Fanta’s and sat back to watch the views. Then Brad and Jeremy called for everyone to get back on the buses and we set our to our Host Community.

A little anxiety crept over everyone’s shoulders as we grew more and more anxious about who our host family would be for the next few days. Upon arrival, we were greeted with smiling faces and big hugs from the families. Everyone got placed into awesome host families and settled in to their new home for the next four days. From then on, each group of students and our chaperones went off with their hosts families to tour the community and talk in complete Spanish about their families, lives and Costa Rica experience. I kid you not, no one here speaks a lick of English!! What a great way to dive into this beautiful culture and see what it’s like to be a Costa Rican. Tomorrow we’ll be doing some community work and spend more time with our families. We can’t wait for what’s in store! Pura Vida!

Pura Vida

Written by Alex Lue

Today we awoke to the beautiful rising sun, buzzing birds and howling monkeys! Breakfast consisted of steaming rice with veggies, eggs and some fresh fruit grown at the ranch we stayed at! After breakfast, travelers hurriedly packed their bags and made their way onto the gravel road to once again conquer steep hills. All of the guys packed into one van to weigh it down so the van had traction to climb up the hill. While driving, we passed all the girls walking up the hill! We got some dirty looks, haha! Eventually everyone found their way into the two vans again and we found ourselves at the base of the hiking trail to Diamente Verde Waterfalls. Tommy and Zach took it into their own hands to crack open some coconuts and drink their juice. What a treat! However, when I got the chance to take a sip, I spilt a cup full of juice on my shirt! What a great way to start the hike. We were warned of a long hike, but no one realized there would be such intense heat! I mean, we were expecting some heat, but not anything but like this. It felt like we were in an oven! For 3 hours we made our way up the mountain; climbing up dirt stairs and stepping over tree roots. Bugs buzzed and bird chirped. I could have sworn we were in Jurassic Park! Some great conversations occurred during the hike and Aleisha played some jams to help ease the pain of the heart. Isabelle and Hailey saw a snake! Sarah had a huge bug slapped off her back. The bug may or may not have smeared on her shirt. I think we’re in an Indiana Jones movie!

Halfway through the trek and we stopped at an organic farm. There we refilled our water and ate some salty snacks. Every time a group of travelers arrived at the farm, we hollered and cheered to encourage the weary hikers!! While waiting for the last group of travelers to arrive, Howler Monkeys were spotted!! For about 20 minutes we stood and watched a mother and baby monkey peacefully sit in the branches above. What a sight. This was a first time for many to see Howler Monkey, any monkey, in the wild. No worries, no poop was thrown at us. After every hiker made their way to the halfway point, we set out on the trail again for the final leg of the hike! Then, all of a sudden, there it was, the gorgeous waterfall. It emerged from the trees of the deep jungle. What a reveal! We settled into our sleeping quarters and got ready to climb to the water pools. After another 30 minute, and much steeper hike, bam!! A cold and refreshing pool of water that was filled with a small waterfall. Some brave travelers, like Avery, Nic, Chloe and Hayden jumped from a small cliff and made a serious splash! To top it off, we to peak over an edge of the mountain and look into the valley. Wow. What a sight!

We set out again for the hike back, got changed, took showers and got ready for the sunset. For those who trekked down the hill, we were blessed with an out-of-this-world experience. 20 of us inched out to the edge of a cliff and watched the shining, red sun set. It looked like the sun from the Empire of the Sun poster!! A bunch of photos were taken, a few time lapses were recorded and even a few tears were shed. Clark said that we could possibly see a green flash of light at the final second of the sun setting. No flash of green tonight, but hopefully in the next few days we can witness this sight! On the way back, a few brave souls, like Jeremy, Brad (we can’t call him or Jeremy by their last names since they’re not in school, lol), Tryton, Hayden, Tommy, Chloe, Maya, Zach, Sophia and our guide Diego, hanged back to find glowing scorpions and HUGE spiders. I kid you not, they’re huge!! Tommy brought back a Scorpion Spider for everyone to see! What a sight. Not the spider, even though it was crazy cool, but the shouting and shrieking travelers!! I think a few people jumped on top of chairs. To end the night, everyone was treated with another delicious meal and settled into our sleeping bags. The rushing water and buzzing bugs are all we hear. Let’s hope that no spiders find our way into our bags or shoes!! Pura Vida!

First Day in Costa Rica

Written by Alex Lue

3 hours (probably less) of sleep last night and we’re off to an amazing start! After getting into beautiful Costa Rica well after midnight and settling into our hotel at 2 in the morning, everyone got together this morning with sleepy eyes for a delicious breakfast. Our sleep-deprivation instantly disappeared when we were treated to the stunning views of the valley during breakfast as we watched the gorgeous sun burst over the tall mountains. When breakfast concluded, everyone packed into two, big, white vans and hit the road for a 3 plus hour drive. Hayden volunteered to climb up top on one of the vans to help strap luggage to the top. What a gentlemen! While on our drive, we saw the crazy sights of Costa Rican freeways and drivers. There are more motorcycles than cars, and the trucks sure love to drive down narrow streets. Rather than using blinkers, drivers whistle or wave their hands. Shockingly, we witnessed zero accidents. Drivers are very kind and always have a smile on their face when you pass them. Eventually, we found ourselves among the top of the mountains and above the clouds. It seemed like we were a few feet from Heaven. For lunch, we stopped at the highest elevation restaurant in Central America. We looked over the country 10,000 feet up in the air. It was a cafeteria style restaurant and we took whatever was put on our plate. I somehow ended up with purple beet salad on my plate, haha. It seemed like everyone got a surprise with their meals. Nonetheless, the food was absolutely delicious and helped every anxious traveler ease into their new surroundings. Soon enough we found ourselves on the road again and made our way to La Vida de Los Sueños Rancho. We have been welcomed and treated with great hospitality. Travelers were able to take a tour of the ranch, check out a bio-fuel system (pig poop converter) and even milk a cow! Isabelle was bestowed with a machete and lead the way through the jungle to our coffee and empanadas tasting. To end the night, travelers had yet again another delicious meal and previewed what is to come for tomorrow. After that, everyone said goodnight and went back to their jungalows to embrace some much needed sleep. Tryton and the rest of the guys in our jungalow want you to watch out for the chupacabra!! Can’t wait for tomorrow. Pura Vida!