by Ms. Julia Arce, Studies in Literature & English Language, Faculty

We spent the last day at Rio Villa Mar getting ready to depart for San Jose. After a morning meeting where we sang the “Chi Chi a Wa Wa” song three final times, people had the option of visiting the shops and river in the small town of Dominical and/or chilling around the hotel for games and packing. Before and after a savory lunch of fish, potato wedges, salad, and juices, students ordered sodas, smoothies, shakes, and snacks. Indeed, this was a hungry crowd, grateful for the abundance of sustenance. 

We boarded three Kermit-the-Frog green tour buses for the long ride to the Holiday Inn in the capital. The ride provided time to sleep or chat for many hours along a two-lane highway banked by green hills, blue skies, and small towns. Traffic wasn’t bad, though we stopped for some time due to an accident. We took a break for more snacks and souvenir shopping at El Garden, then drove on for another couple of hours. (Max Machle and Indie Briggs spent at least 1/3 of the bus trip fervently debating and discussing the top cultural cuisines ever – and also best individual meals – as we rolled through verdant valleys and bid adieu to the sloth-slow descent of sun). 

Finally, we arrived at the hotel. The breeze refreshed us, but it was humid. Our intrepid bus drivers helped unload hundreds of carry-on luggage onto the front grass and we waited to get room assignments. After a late boxed meal dinner, we gathered around the kidney-shaped pool. Airplanes rumbled above us and the stars were barely visible in the big-city light. Yet, we sat and reflected on the serendipity, hospitality, personal and collective discoveries of our many adventures. By then it was nearing time to get in the rooms, shower, go to sleep – or watch satellite TV – until our wake-up calls at 3 a.m. 

In the early morning, we found our way onto the buses and to the airport. We were tired and ready to head for home. The security lines were extremely long, but we made it to the gate with plenty of time to have a coffee, close our eyes, and watch the night turn to day. Pierce Quigley passed a random security check, in which all his belongings were thoroughly checked for contraband, with a surreptitiously pleasant smile. Then we boarded. 

This blog is being written amidst the Atlanta flight to SFO. Everyone made it through customs and Chick-fil-A. We’re excited to see our families and friends soon. We’re tired, but we’re incredibly overjoyed. What a gift from our parents, our chaperones, our peers, our exquisite Costa Rican hosts, the biodiversity of our journey’s setting, and the Pura Vida vision of Dr. Krejcarek! 

Quotes
I thought being at the beach all together on Thursday was a great bonding experience for all of us and on Day 6 we were given the opportunity to go into the town of Dominical where we could interact with local vendors and explore Costa Rica on our own. 

This trip allowed us to truly embrace the well-known “pura vida” lifestyle and connect as a class without the usage of technology and forced us to be independent and responsible. We practiced being considerate of a new culture and ultimately enjoyed the grandeur of Costa Rica’s nature, beauty, and down-to-earth way of life. – Heidi Yeung

by Ryker Fringer and Cabot Dick

The day started abruptly with a pounding at the door at 6:45, but with a delightful bacon and eggs breakfast. First thing on the agenda was a group meeting with all of the students and chaperones. Next, we climbed onto a green bus heading to horseback riding and waterfalls! After the short ride, we stepped into three pickup trucks with 10 open-air seats. We then descended down to the ranch where the horses were saddled waiting for us. There, we split into two groups (~19 in each); one group would go back into trucks and the other group mounted onto the horses. This was my (Ryker Fringer – Student) first time ever riding a horse! The two groups then met at the waterfall where they changed into their bathing suits and hiked down to the plunge pool. There was an amazing view! The plunge pool turned into a river, which was completely surrounded by boulders and rocks. To be able to jump off the waterfall (~30 ft), one…

This report was interrupted due to Salsa dancing, surfing, snorkeling, and a night hike, but Ms. Árce will add a couple of sentences… To be able to jump off the waterfall (~30 ft), one “swam across the plunge pool into the thrashing cold water from above. Then one had to climb up onto the slick rocks, get pounded by the river thrashing us, all the while being pulled up by the strategically stationed, brilliant Nauyaca guides.”

It’s 11:20 p.m. and we are all pretty tired. This message will be continued.

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.

A quick update from Dominical!

Hi Families,

The flights were on time, and students are excited to be getting into their rooms to settle in. The weather is beautiful, and we are excited to begin our rotations tomorrow. We have shared space together as a full group to discuss the trip ahead, and our adventure begins now! Photos and reflections will be posted to the blog tomorrow and the following days. 

¡Pura Vida! 
The Costa Rica Chaperone Team