2021 South Jersey Costa Rica Service Adventure

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Last day in CR

Written by Rian Heal
After waking up this morning, we all packed up our bags and got ready for our zip lining adventure and bus ride ahead. Breakfast was yummy and filling with pancakes and eggs, I put in too much sugar in my coffee and had to switch to orange juice. Then we said adios and buena suerte to Sarah T. as she and JP traveled directly to San Jose.
We made a quick stop to get some last minute souvenirs and all 12 of us (including Special K) spent our last dollars on bracelets and wooden frog trinkets. Arriving at the zip lining place, I felt excited and confident on my never used zip lining skills. Our group and three families boarded a bus and we were sent to the boarding dock. Soon later we were off, soaring over and through the jungle.
Walking up the spiral staircases 125 feet up to each ledge was not as comfortable as I had thought. My hidden fears were provoked and I caught my anxiety rising with each step I took. The actual zip lining was solely fun and I loved flying over the trees. Throughout the jungle, we saw millipedes, tiger ants, and so many monkeys. It was so cool to be in the jungle and get to see things above and below the tree line. After we descended on a rope and swung on a Tarzan swing.
Then we left and were all so excited to taste cold water and eat lunch. The drive back was bittersweet passing the view we had seen just 9 days prior. The familiar ocean, houses and trees reminded us of our new and excited feelings we had felt for the trip to come.
We made it to Cielo Grande, ate dinner and headed off to our hotel room one last time.
Now we are sitting in the shared area and writing our letters for our future selves to read in 3 years about this trip. Looking back on the memories we made and wishing it didn’t have to end.

Beach Day

Written by Izzy Perez
Today we left Hotel el Descanso on a 2 hour bus ride to the beach. There we all took surf lessons and it was super fun because everyone was able to get up. Then we had lunch and was allowed to explore the beach more. Sadly, we had to leave to COVID test ourselves and thankfully everyone came back negative. After dinner everyone fell asleep very fast.

Surf Day!

Written by Charlee Lopez

Ayy Day two of Charlee. Anyways today was the full tourist experience. Living in New Jersey makes you an avid tourist hater but it’s nice to be one every now and then. Surfing in the morning was simply wonderful. I love surfing but I don’t get the chance to do it much but when I get back I am making it a point to at least go once a week. I feel like in Costa Rica, the people love their land and cherish it. It was seen with the surfers and with the beaches. It is a constant reminder to you after seeing all their different sustainability approaches.

I love beaches. I love the sun and all nature and after being in Costa Rica, I am going to show the earth how much I love it. I am so grateful for everything in this planet and this trip. I know this one is a bit short but if I keep going it is just going to be me rambling about Earth. It’s so beautiful.

Last Day in San Gerardo

Written by Charlee Lopez
Today was actually one of my favorite days. It was all (well for the most part) positive. I woke up at 4:30 by accident and played Subway Surfers until it was time to start getting ready. To be fair, I went to sleep really early the day before. The hard work we’ve been doing has been exhausting, but it makes me feel like I am actually getting something done. It was our last day of work and what I’ve been looking forward to this day… oh man. I was so happy it finally arrived. Also it was Annita’s birthday. One of my roommates whom I love with all my heart. A special day all around.
We were putting the finishing touches to all the little parts of the projects today. Painting part of this one building was a hassle. That was the only minor set back of the day but we pushed on with jokes and laughter. Nothing brought us down. That’s a little cheesy lol. After the work was done we put our names on a wall in the Health Clinic area. A little piece of us there for when we leave. I never thought that four days could make me so close with strangers and acquaintances, but by suprise Henry, Anna, Rían, Julia, and Maddy are people that I will always hold dear in my heart. The memory of tonight and the “Fiesta de Despedida” especially. We played card games with Henry and tore it up on the dance floor. Unforgettable.

Mi Cumpleaños

Written by Anna Geubtner
Today was our last day of service in the community which was accomplishing but sad as well. Breakfast was good as always, but omelets and toast today! Special K (aka Mrs Kronemeyer) even got me candies as a birthday gift. Then we got off to work. There was more manual work today for planting but the reward of seeing how pretty it looked after was worth it!
The second half of the day ended a little after lunch when we finished our tasks for the trip! My roomies and I went to go get nachos with our free time as always and then got ready for the party with some families. Little did I know it was also a party for my birthday! They set up everything with decorations and even a cake. Even our foreman for the program, Henry, gave me a gift! It was such a sweet end to the day. After dancing for a while we called it a night! This was such a memorable birthday for me even though I felt a little homesick at first, my Costa Rica family made it very special.

Dinner and Bachata

Written by Maddy Falk
We started our day strong with pancakes for breakfast. They were not exactly like American pancakes but they were pretty darn close. Our work day consisted of different stations: cleaning surfaces to prep for painting, and weeding. All of us were split into three groups and we switched stations after each break. My group started off weeding and I think that was the best place to start. We used shovels and our hands to weed, and we worked with Henry who was a much faster weeder than us. Henry also brought his dog, Tom, to work today and he was one of the most loyal dogs I have ever seen (and he was SUPER soft). We were weeding to prepare for a future flower garden in front of a mural, and there were a lot of rocks and deep roots, so we got very hot and sweaty.
After the first two hours of work, we took a snack break and all of us grubbed on lots of snacks. I had some delicious tortilla chips and some blackout cookies (smaller, Oreo-like cookies). Once the break ended, we rotated stations and my group got to sit as we cleaned a railing that was about to be painted. It felt very nice to sit and feel the breeze that was bringing in the afternoon rain clouds.
We cleaned until lunch, when Margarita brought us food. We ate rice with chicken, beans, and a vegetable salad. It was so delicious. We then finished the work day painting the side of the community center building while it thunder-stormed.
After working, we found out we were going to eat dinner with the families who used to host students pre-covid. We were put into pairs and assigned to a family. My partner was Anna and we went to Bernie and Carolina’s house. They have three young girls and a newborn baby boy. We talked about our lives and gave them the presents we brought for them. Anna and I were able to hold their baby and we also played with the girls. We drew pictures, taught them a game, and they gave us a tour of their garden.  For dinner, we ate rice, beans, chicken, french fries, cooked vegetables, and plantains. It was also so so good. After eating, we had a dance party where they tried to teach us bachata and we followed Just Dance (the game) videos in YouTube. I was nervous going into the dinner because I didn’t know what to expect, but it ended up being such a fun night and it made me more excited for the fiesta tomorrow so I can see their family again.

Meeting Families

Written by Hadley Kronemeyer
Today we went back to work on our painting skills, but we also got to begin weeding the garden area in prep for tomorrow. We then were greeted by a delicious lunch provided to us by Margarita and Guillermo. We had rice, beans, ensalada, and chips and it was very delicious. After we found out that we were going to have the opportunity to have dinner with a local family here in San Gerardo! I was excited because I was able to go back to my original host family with Bernal and Shirley and bring Emma along with me. We had an appetizer that I would call a cousin to pizza, and then for dinner, rice, lasagna (with potatoes not noodles) and salad. It was amazing! Then for dessert we ate cookie sandwiches which we helped to make. We also got to meet the first woman to ever become a certified guide leading tours up the neighboring mountain El Chirripo. Today was a great day of work followed by a cultural learning experience!

Quality Time in the Village

Written by Hadley Kronemeyer

This morning we awoke in our hotel El Descanso. We had a delicious breakfast which consisted of eggs and toast. We then hiked up to the clinic for our first day of work where we got to paint a really bright blue color on the outside and a calming green color on the inside. After today’s work we were giving a photo scavenger hunt where we broke off into teams and took photos of things and with people around the town. My team, Anna, Emma, and I discovered a fish farm and restaurant where we met some past host parents and got to use our Spanish skills. It was the perfect way to get exposed to the culture and perfect our skills. We then relaxed back at the hotel and had some spaghetti for dinner, what a surprise! It was the perfect start to our days spent working in the village and I am excited to continue exploring the community.

First Day of Work

Written by Sienna Carroccia

Today we started out community service work in the town. We walked into the town and got to see the school, soccer field, and the corner store. After that, we walked to the clinic, where we would be painting the outside and inside. Roy and Carlos were introduced to us and we got to learn a little about both of them. Painting the outside was very fun and relaxing. By working with other people, I got to become closer with them. After painting most of the outside quickly, we started working on the inside. Then we had our lunch break where we met Margarita and her husband, Guillermo, learning all about their lives and eating their delicious food. After lunch, we visited the store and continued painting the inside until around 3. After that we got into group and did a picture scavenger hunt. We were able to explore the whole town and talk to a few locals until dinner time at 7:30.

From Jungalows to San Gerardo

Written by Marley Kronemeyer

We awoke this morning to the sound of rain beating against the roof of our jungalow. We packed up our stuff and headed off to a big breakfast! We hiked back up to the bus and took in all the views. Next, we were off to a waterfall. After a nice little hike down we got to swim and take lots of pictures. It was so beautiful it almost didn’t look real. We even got to eat our lunch down there!

Now, we’re relaxing in the hotel at San Gerardo. We’re all so excited to get started on our service work and can’t wait to let you guys in on the experience!

Day 3 at the Waterfall!

Written by Julia Reynolds

 We woke up this morning to some rain. We feared our planned trip to the waterfall was going to be canceled due to the weather. We walked down from our Jungalow to the restaurant and ate breakfast. We had banana bread, cereal, granola, fresh fruits, rice and beans, and of course coffee and juice. Over breakfast, we found out we were still going to the waterfall! We hiked from the restaurant to the bus, and went on our way to the waterfall. 

Because of the wet, slippery conditions, a trolly car drove us part way to the waterfall. It was a positive alternative despite the rain. We hiked the rest of the way and were finally able to swim and see the beautiful site! We took lots of pictures and spent about an hour there enjoying ourselves. Then, we ate a yummy packed lunch at the spectacular view. 

Following lunch, we walked to the second tier and got another view of the fall. We even got to stand under part of it. When it was time to leave, the trolly took us back to the bus. We were served some delicious paletas de chocolate. 

We drove to the host community and stopped at a supermarket on the way. The bus ride was beautiful as we arrived quickly at Hotel El Descanso and met Hazel and Samantha. Hazel was welcoming and gave us background information on the hotel and restaurant’s history. We had a quick team meeting, followed by free time and dinner!

Travel Day in Costa Rica

Written by Anna Geubtner
Today we got up early at for breakfast at 7 but I got up at 5 because of a miss Rian Heal who may have stolen all the covers… I got my sleep back on the ride to Pura Suerte though. The ride was 4 hours but took more like 6 because of beautiful stops. I made a friend while buying bracelets… and my feet later got swollen from the heat. They completely went down however after traveling up the cool mountain to Pura Suerte. Everyone was so kind and funny, they even crowned me the queen of the day because of my upcoming birthday. Overall it was a perfect second day, so enriching and such a learning experience already. A lot of amazing coffee as well which is all I can ask for.

The Journey Begins

Written by Sarah Thomas 
Heading to Costa Rica from Newark was in a way a dream come true. Many of us have been waiting to travel for so long , and being able to come on this trip is what I needed personally. Breathing the air of Costa Rica, and hearing the sounds of Alajuela as we landed set in how surreal this experience was. We headed to Casa Cielo Grande and stayed in a huge room where we all were together. We soon became accustomed to the diet of Costa Rica, eating rice beans and delicious chicken for dinner. At night, I sat overlooking three of the seven provinces of Costa Rica taking it all in. Overlooking the entirely abstract environment from what we know was the beginning of this great trip. 
I journaled among the stars and cityscapes, and talked with the girls before bedtime. Being away from what we know and getting culturally more intelligent even on the first day was so amazing to experience. Day one was a day to come to reality that we ARE in Costa Rica , and I am so excited for the various adventures and memories to come. 
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