2023 LFSF Costa Rica Cultural Journey

Program Blog

Latest Updates

Blog 5: Part 2

Yesterday we started the day at 7 AM to go on a hike. Halfway some of the students stopped, but others continued to see a beautiful waterfall. After that walk we went to go have lunch at a very hidden little restaurant where we could fish for our lunch. If you did not want fish you had the choice of chicken. After lunch, we started to head back to the meeting spot to start our to our Spanish classes. After Spanish classes there was a basketball game between some of the students from our school and a local basketball team of their village, and we won!! We finished off the day with a dinner with all ofthe host families and spent our last night at our home stays.

Today we had to meet at the bus at 6:15 AM so many of us were very exhausted. All of us said our final goodbyes to our host families and took the road to our last activity,-whitewater rafting! We spent about three hours rafting plus a stop half way to have an amazing meal, all of us had a blast! Finally we drove to our final hotel where we had our last dinner with everyone. And here is the end of an amazing adventure!

Other opinions about these past 2 days:

Blanche: Swimming in the cold water during the warm weather during white water rafting
Juliette: I liked the big waves during the white water rafting
Chloe: 1 liked splashing other boats during the white water rafting
Eowyn: seeing the colorful flowers during the hike
Paola: she really liked rafting with her friends and racing with other boats
Fleurli: i liked the screaming during the harsh current at white water rafting
Juliette: i loved the waves crashing on the rocks during the white water rafting
Seraphine: I liked laughing with my friends on the boat
Aya: i liked being with my friends during white water rafting
Margot: it was interesting to see the different types of bamboo
Sofia:l loved the surprise party with the piñata to celebrate all the may birthdays
Colette: I loved fishing for our lunch today.
Meyline: it was nice that they bought cakes and decorations for people who are born in may.
Anne-Lise: I loved white water rafting it was so fun.
Oriane:l liked the cake and piñata
Eve: Hanging out with her friends on the bus

Blog 4: Cloudbridge, fiesta de despedida and raaaaaafting, whoop whoop!!!

Today we went on a hike at a place calles Cloudbridge reserve, and it was so fun and challenging, because it was not easy, and the weather didn’t help much, it was so hot.

We then went to a restaurant where you could fish your own food. The food was good and yummy, we had trout, chicken and vegetarian meal for those who don’t eat meat at all. We then had Spanish class which was as fun as always and we learned a lot.

After that we had two basketball matches against the local kids who were surprisingly good for their age and ones who were older who seemed to be on a team. We then had a dinner with all the parents and the class which was the last dinner with them because we would leave early tomorrow. That was very nice and some of us said a couple nice words to the families. The next day we had a bus ride to whitewater rafting which was very fun but scary for some people. We then took the bus again to buy souvenirs of Costa Rica. Also a contest that has started the day before of creating a video with all the photos of Costa Rica that we had taken before had ended and the winners were announced and got ice-cream. In the end it was still great fun to compete in this competition that will remind us of all the fun we had in Costa Rica once we see the video again later. We then had dinner at a restaurant and went to bed early because we would have to wake up early the next day.

Blog 3: From Hot Springs to Bamboo farm and birthday celebrations.

The 17th of may, we had Spanish class in the morning and visited a primary school. Later on, we learned to make tortillas, ate lunch, and made empanadas. After we took the bus to go to the hot springs and chilled in warm water with our friends. We then went back to our homes and ate with our host families.

The 18th, we visited a bamboo farm and went to a market to buy things. We ate at a restaurant and then went to another smaller market. After the bus ride we had Spanish classes and celebrated birthdays in May. We soon returned home to eat and chill with our host families.

Highlights from our travel mates:

Chloe- I liked learning about the bamboo forest and how they built houses out of bamboo.
Juliette- I really liked making the empanadas, they were delicious.
Eowyn- I liked playing soccer with the kid in my host family, it was really fun.
Margot- I liked going in the market and buying things with my friends
Penelope- I loved going in the hot springs with my friends
Léonie- I loved the hot springs to chill with my friends
Colette- I liked making empanadas because I learned to make Costa Rican food
Sofia- I liked the hot springs because I liked hanging out with my friends
Meyline- I loved the hot springs because I spent a lot of time with my friends
Anne-Lise- I liked making empanadas and tortillas because they were very good
Oriane- I liked chilling in the hot springs
Eve- I liked making tortillas because they were delicious
Juliette- I liked making and learning to make tortillas because it was yummy
Aya- I liked taking pictures it’s of my friends in the bamboo forest
Fleurli- I liked the hot springs because they were very warm
Seraphine- I liked being photographed with my friends in the bamboo farm
Paola- I loved the hot springs because it was very pretty
Blanche- I enjoyed tasting bamboo in the bamboo farm, it was good

Blog 2: In love with the Nature and families of Costa Rica.

Yesterday, we woke up and we tried different varieties of fruits and pastries for breakfast at our accommodation. We then went on a hike in the Manuel Antonio national park. We had the opportunity to see different animals and insects. We then played in the waves and had a great time. Then we stopped at el wagon pizzeria where we saw a wagon which was amazing! Our ride to the community took a while due to the amazing mountain range, we drove from sea level to 4,000 feet above sea level!
There we met with the all the homestay families, and with the sound of clap “drum roll”sound, they called each one of us and the families. It was awesome and also we were nervous. Afterwards we all had dinner with our families. Then we all had a comfortable rest.
Highlights from everyone:
Colette: “I enjoyed swimming at the beach and the water was really nice.”
Chloe: “I enjoyed seeing the monkeys because they were cute.
Eowyn: “I liked seeing the animals in the park because they were species l’ve never seen before.”
Blanche: “We ate good food with the families”
Margot: “The families were very welcoming’
Penelope: “I liked meeting my host family”
Juliette du Fayet: “I liked meeting my host family”
Seraphine: “I liked eating cheese because it was delicious”
Fleurli: “I liked swimming at the beach because it was very nice”
Juliette Freeland: “It was nice to swim in the ocean and jump in the waves”
Anne-lise: “I liked petting baby cows”
Sofia: “l liked swimming at the beach”
Oriane: “I liked the beautiful hotels”
Eve: “I liked going to the beach”
Meyline: “I had fun at the beach”
Leonie: “I liked hanging out with my friends at the beach”
Aya: “I liked swimming at the beach”
Paola: “I liked walking at the nature reserve”
Yann : I really liked the beach
Arsene: I loved the hike in the nature and watching the animals
Titouan: I liked the zip line
Loic: I’m happy to be with my friends on this trip
Henri: I enjoyed meeting with the families
Calixte: i felt very welcome by the families
Jack: I liked all the nature and the animals, especially when the monkey stole Diego’s gum.
Rafi: I really like that we had the opportunity to travel through an untouched jungle.
Julian: I loved going zip lining with my friends.
lban: I really liked trying the cheese by and milking the cows
Jens: I liked meeting the families and their customs
Jeremie: I liked the food families cooked.

Blog 1: BIENVENUE AU COSTA RICA

Yesterday we arrived and it was 11 o’clock so we took the bus and went to the hotel. At the hotel we ate sandwiches and then we did a chocolate workshop, so we made chocolate bars and tasted cocoa beans. After we got ready and we went to the restaurant and after the restaurant we all went to the pool! After that we went to bed.
We then woke up and ate breakfast at the hotel.  We then took our suitcases and got on the bus. After lunch at a restaurant along the way we went zip lining. After that we got to the hotel, changed, and went to the beach to watch the sunset and swim a little. Afterwards we showered and went to a restaurant.  After the restaurant we went to the swimming pool and played Marco Polo and chicken fights.
Here are the highlights from the rest of us:
Penelope said that the dinner was delicious and I loved exploring the nature.
Margot loved the zip line, it was such an adventure.
Meyline liked the free time that we had to explore the hotel.
Seraphine loved hanging out with my friends.
Anne-lise liked seeing the crocodiles and they were huge.
Aya loved swimming in the ocean and it was fun and the water was warm.
Colette loved the beach and the sunset.
Leonie loved the zip line and she saw a sloth.
Sofia loved seeing the alligators it was scary but cool at the same time.
Oriane saw a monkey and they were adorable.
Eve saw bats and she fell in love with them.
Juliette liked the ocean and the waves, it was really pretty.
Fleurli said zip line was fun and the views were amazing.
Juliette F. said the zip line was great and swinging upsidown saw impressive.
Chloe had fun in the ocean and bodyboarding.
Eowyn liked the beach and playing in the sand.
Paola said the ocean was warm  and she liked playing in the waves.
Jens saw the beautiful sunset while they played football on the beach.
Top