by Rebecca Alba and Chiara Ferro
We began the day by heading down to the dining room for breakfast which consisted of rice, beans, eggs, potatoes, french toast, and fresh pineapple. After the meal, we made our way into the common room, where Dr. Krejcarek led us through an exciting new song called “Chi Chi Ri Wa Wa”. Next, we split up into our day groups and headed to our respective activities. My group and I went to a local school in a town called El Silencio, and painted a new hopscotch game for the kids to enjoy. The activity was fun and exciting, but came with many challenges along the way.
Despite the humid and warm climate, we played soccer or “fútbol” with the local kids. One girl that I especially connected with, named Ana, was the daughter of someone who has been working with our community for a long time. It was really interesting to see a glimpse into the life of a Costa Rican teenager and understand the cultural differences and similarities in our lives. The language barrier challenged me when talking to the owner of the school and while receiving directions on what we needed to do. But I was given the opportunity to use my Spanish skills to connect with her despite the language barrier.
Photos by Julie Martin, Visual Arts, Faculty
Chiara Ferro adds, “I thought that the service work we did was impactful towards me because it was so fun to speak Spanish to the kids and create a bond with them despite the language barrier.“
Our art teacher Ms. Martin, who assisted us during this project, says, “the service work today at El Silencio was meaningful and powerful. It was incredible to see students jump right in and connect with the purpose of the project. We were able to execute a hopscotch painting that will be utilized by primary school students. I am grateful that we all had this experience to give back in a lasting and meaningful way.“
Overall, I’m so glad we were given the opportunity to participate in this experience and connect with people of different cultures, and it’ll be something I remember forever.
Convent & Stuart Hall Travel 