2022 Lake Oswego Costa Rica Service Adventure

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Finish with a Flurry and in a Flash

Written by Joey

The final few days of our Costa Rican adventure were jam packed! If you’ve seen the photos/videos on smugmug then you know that we all learned to surf on the Uvita coastline (how cool!) and flew through the jungles near Quepos on ziplines. Our last two days were spent deep within the southeastern jungles of Costa Rica traveling along the Pacuare river. The first day was calm, and the weather was equally neutral as we travelled through class 2 and 3 rapids before spending a night in a jungalow hideaway in a picturesque bend of the Pacuare. We had the supreme fortune on day two of our rafting trip to travel down the lower portion of the Pacuare, which has been mostly closed over recent weeks due to heavy rains and dangerous currents. The hot sun graced us during this unforgettable day of Class 4 rapids as we witnessed beautiful river-adjacent waterfalls, a couple of blue morpho butterflies, a pair of rafters overboard (including a flipped boat!), and, in the words of James “Stevie” Mooney, a nice base layer of tan (which for the moment is most likely still very red and uncomfortable, just ask Julie. And to vouch for myself, sunscreen was offered excessively!). We spent time reflecting on our journey these last two days and I felt privileged to be included in this conversation. All students had gained a new self-confidence that was forged not just by the time spent traveling with barely familiar folks from LO, but also by spending four days with host families. It was hard to see these kids leave this morning but I feel so fortunate to have shared in this journey with them and wish them all the best!
Go Lakers! Go Gring@s!

Family and Community

Written by Danielle and Derek
As the sun rises over the Chirripó mountain range, it bakes away the early morning fog. Sitting in our comfy beds hearing the rhythm of the crashing river we recall all the good moments we have had these past few days. Everyday we became more comfortable spending time with the community of Herradura, playing cards, eating together, and practicing our Spanish. We’ve been able to learn so much thanks to the hospitality and genuine good-will of the people of Herradura.
While saying our last goodbyes and beginning to load the bus, we observed the final outcome of our community service project: the park now with a fresh coat of red and white paint glistening in the early morning sunlight, a refurbished concrete table, once heavily overgrown paths now cleaned and cleared, flowers planted throughout, and a sign bearing each of our names and two tables bearing each of our hand prints. The freshly painted fence leads to the basketball court where just a few days ago, we played against the local team. The “Gringas” were down by nearly 48 points by half-time but the boys managed to get it close against the “Ticas”. The final score may indicate that we lost but at the end of this homestay experience, it was clear everyone had won! Getting to observe, understand, and experience the lives of the people of Herradura was an unforgettable experience.
Thank you so much to the Herradura community
Love,
Lake Oswego High School

Costa Rica!! 

Written by Chloe C, Chloe W, Julie W, Maddie
6/21: After a mad basketball game of “bump” and finishing up day one of our service project, we headed back to our host families. With our host hermana and abuela we watched the CW show “Arrow” in Spanish. Abuela had to cover her eyes a few times because the “violencia” was too much. For dinner we ate soup with vegetables and meat.  All the ingredients were fresh from their family farm. Following dinner our host hermana taught us a Costa Rican card game and we taught her one from America. The competition was intense, but we did manage to come out on top a few times. Before bed we worked on some crosswords together and caught up on each other’s lives back home in LO and our experiences thus far in Costa Rica. Exhausted from a long day of work and play, it was easy to fall asleep to the sound of the jungle wildlife right outside our window.
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6/22: The day began with fresh, homemade tamales for breakfast (they were much better than the microwaveable ones from Costco). They gave us the fuel to complete another tough day working on our service project. The majority of the kids painted a fence surrounding a local park and some others picked weeds or cleared branches. We made great progress during the first few hours before taking a lunch break. Our host hermana kindly supplied us with rice, chicken, and vegetable bowls. They were muy delicioso! Following lunch we picked up our paint brushes and machetes (gotta cut down those branches somehow) and continued working. Most days in the host community follow a similar weather pattern. Sunny and hot in the morning and in the afternoon, around 2pm, the rain begins. Today was no different. When the rain clouds rolled in, we cleaned up and headed to the basketball court for the scrappiest game of 7 v 7 Costa Rica has ever seen. It will go down in Walking Tree history without a doubt. The night concluded with some down time for rest and another fantastic authentic meal.

Waking up in Pura Suerte; Falling asleep in Herradura

Written by Derek and Daniel

The late afternoon light shines through the window of our cabin as insects and animals buzz about, creating a sweet melody. Then begins the tour of the Cafe Florida farm. We walked through narrow paths as our guide identified the 10 species of wood that surrounded their farm, including a rainbow eucalyptus tree. With bark of all different colors it stands out from the rest, indicative of the beautiful landscape in which the Ticos live. Throughout the tour the group was mesmerized by the wide variety of flora and fauna: 11 species of banana, star fruit, coffee, chile, cocoa, granadilla, papaya, and 2 tucans.

 Since it is the rainy season in Costa Rica, the mornings are clear and hot while the afternoons dump rain with lightning and crashing thunder storms. 

The next stop was Nauyaca Falls which was a fifteen minute hike into a neighboring valley. At the waterfall, the water was refreshingly cold with strong currents that carved through gigantic rocks. We capped off our amazing swim and hike with homemade ice cream.

To end out the day, we shuffled our way through the countryside to a small town called Herradura located in the valley of the Chirripó mountains, our new home for the next several days. The group was nervous to meet their new host families but were all greeted with warm hugs. Waking up in an unfamiliar bed can be a jarring experience but you realize your at home. Most meals, including breakfast, included a healthy portion of beans and rice (a staple in Costa Rica). A filling breakfast is always important, especially today. We need as much energy as possible to help with restoring a the community park. As we cleaned the fence, picked up trash, and cleared branches, the park was a step closer to becoming restored. More work to complete, adventures to seek, and new families for keeps.

Love, 

Sus hijos <3

 

 

 

La Llegada!

Written by Joey

The group arrived late at night into san jose, but this gave us a great opportunity to see the central valley of costa rica from our perch at the foothills of te mountains at the Hotel Cielo Grande. We woke up early to clear skies and another amazing view of the capital city but couldn’t stay long as we had a long travel day ahead. Passing along Costa Rica’s version of highway 1, La Costanero took us all the way to Dominical, where we had a hearty lunch of casados, the traditional Costa Rican dish. We made our way inland from the coast, heading higher into the dense southcentral jungles of Costa Rica which became increasingly consumed by clouds and moisture as we drove. We made it safely to La Pura Suerte, a beautiful little community within the jungle, but we were sure to stop and appreciate the Catarata Diamante from afar. We spent the early evening with a couple who own a small coffee plantation, helping them make coffee, hot chocolate and empanadas, while we shared with them the sweet tunes of Michael Jackson. It was a Thriller of a first day! We wrapped it up with dinner and an orientation. Bed early tonight as tomorrow we have more to explore and host families to meet!

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