Costa Rica Immersion A: Service Project Video

Hello All,
Below is a video blog about our service project. Hope you enjoy!

Costa Rica Immersion A: Gumdrops and Rainbows

Hola Padres!

The Immersion A group has been working hard and playing hard since our arrival here in La Legua!  After four days of arduous shoveling, cement hauling, painting and sanding, we ended our first work week on a high note with a full day of Saturday celebrations.  The first was a “fiesta de sorpresa” for our village coordinator, Yorleny, where the group sang two spirited rounds of Happy Birthday — one in Spanish and one in English — and then scampered around on the floor with all of the town´s children to fight for the Costa Rican sweets spilled from the piñata.   The town hall filled with screams and laughter as a huge confetti fight ensued!

After a short afternoon rest, we reconvened in the evening to celebrate the Fourth of July in true red, white, and blue fashion.  Jonathan, Tim and Maggie trekked up and down a dirt road and into cow pastures collecting wood for a long-anticipated bonfire, and Benno braved the thick smoke (with a phone book in hand) to help get the flame going.  Though we had to do without fireworks, everyone enjoyed a bit of US tradition as we roasted hotdogs and marshmallows and ate them alongside the Costa Rica favorite pico de gallo. Brent’s love of jalapeños won him special treatment, and he was the sole recipient of a very unique bowl of what was later described as “spicy tuna soup”.  The night ended with an impressive display of impromptu salsa dancing from Hilda and Andrew!

We came back to work on Monday refreshed from a full day of rest and Sunday outings with host families.  (Meredith got a big laugh with her retelling of the trip to what she had been told was a spectacular waterfall — though after several bumpy hours in the car she realized their final destination was actually some sort of power plant!)  The community bleachers started to take shape as different levels were carved out of the dirt embankment, and many students came to appreciate conveniences like bulldozers when enormous mounds of dirt had to be hand-shoveled into pick-up trucks and unloaded off-site.

A morning of back-breaking work on Tuesday was rewarded with a second surprise party, this time for our very own Gracie!  The community gathered for another piñata, and Gracie was presented a bright pink  cake topped with  gumdrops and a carrot (as a salute to her vegetarianism!).  After we dropped our shovels for the day, the group gathered under a florescent sky for a game of water balloon capture the flag.

On Wednesday morning we endured smelly brake fumes and a twisty-turny road on our way to Volcán Arenal, but were rewarded with rainbows upon arrival in La Fortuna.  Students indulged in chocolate-covered strawberries and soaked their weary muscles in the steaming hot springs, then later raced down long waterslides that ranged in intensity from novice to death-defying.  Erica and Cory laughed over a pile-up inside of one of the windy tubes — luckily everyone came out unscathed!  The excitement continued the next morning at a swimming hole at the base of a small waterfall, where everyone took turns swinging off a rope into the crystalline waters below, or diving off the rocks surrounding the pool.  Riley overcame her fear of the rope and let off a memorable scream as she splashed into the water, and Dallas wowed the crowd of students and locals alike with his display of aerial acrobatics.  Everyone agreed it was a trip highlight!

Now, back in La Legua, we’re running far ahead of schedule on our various projects in the village.  Though we still have another week here, all of the students are already saying how hard it will be to leave their families, to whom they’ve grown so close in so little time.  We’re looking forward to a busy few days ahead and will soon be off for more adventures in Monteverde!

Costa Rica Immersion A: Hola desde La Legua!

Immersion A has arrived safe and sound in our new home, La Legua.  After a long day of travel we were greeted the first night by a village full of smiling faces awaiting our arrival.  We moved into the gymnasium where we introduced ourselves to everyone and met our host families.  Dozens of children ran every which way, alive with excitement for the new visitors to their town.  The families of La Legua are very excited to recieve our students, and just about every family has several adorable children for our students to practice Spanish with.  The past couple of days have been filled with wonderful experiences of sharing our cultures and forming bonds with the community. 

Our first day of work was hard, but very satisfying, and we impressed many of the Costa Rican workers with our assembly line system of moving cinder blocks.  We are building a retaining wall for an embankment in the village, as well as many other odd jobs such as painting buildings, sanding school desks, teaching English, and extending a sidewalk.  We are optimistic and inspired to give back to the community that has opened up their homes  to us. 

So far the biggest challenge has been keeping up with the enormous portions that our host families have been serving us for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Every host family has taken so much pride in offering us the warmest hospitality they possibly can.  It`s a wonderful treat to meet people who pride themselves so much on their selflessness and generosity.

My three brothers have been extremely helpful in helping me learn Spanish.  We`ve established a system where they look up words in my Spanish-English dictionary and give them to me to use in conversation.  I`m also leaarning quite a lot of soccer vocab from playing with the children of the town.  I`m enjoying my stay thoroughly.  -Benno

I couldn`t have asked for a more welcoming family! I`ve enjoyed getting to know my younger siblings so much.  I can`t wait to learn more about the culture of this wonderful small town we are living in. – Jojo

I`m enjoying the first few days in La Legua and I`m very appreciative of being part of this community.  I feel very comfortable with my family and I`m excited to see what adventures the rest of the trip holds. -Emily

Manuel Antonio!

Greetings from Manuel Antonio! In just one week, we have done so many amazing things and experienced so much. The first few days were spent getting to know each other, and establishing a solid group dynamic which will help to carry us through our exciting adventures and challenges ahead. The last few days, however, our focus has shifted and we are now taking advantage of every possible opportunity to interact with Costa Ricans, embrace their culture, and practice our Spanish. One of the most beloved members of our group has become William, our Costa Rican bus driver and someone who will be with us throughout the month that we are here. As William does not speak English, he has been a great resource for our students to practice Spanish. Last night at dinner, one of the students read on the menu that for someone’s birthday the restaurant would present a free dessert. The obvious choice was William. We all enjoyed watching him laugh as the waiters turned down the lights and sang happy birthday.

At Pura Suerte, we really got a first hand look at the beautiful Costa Rican jungles. Nestled in the mountains just off the coast, we were greeted by rainforest wildlife, the most prevalent being bugs. At night, rain pelted the roofs of Pura Suerte so hard that we could not hear each other speaking, and dawn was met by the sound of monkeys chattering away in the trees overhead. We hiked to the Nuayaca Waterfall on our second full day at Pura Suerte, and were blessed by beautiful weather for swimming in the small pools at the waterfall’s base. One of the highlights of Pura Suerte was the evening we walked up to a small hill on the farm to watch the sun set over the Pacific. We spread out on the grass of the small hill for personal reflection as we watched the sky light up into fiery reds and deep purples. With the ocean just beyond the hills, sky and sea met in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Now in Manuel Antonio, the group has had the chance to take advantage of the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica. The first afternoon, we charged down to the beach and threw ourselves into the Pacific. Soon thereafter, a warm tropical shower rained down on us as we frolicked on the beach. The next day we met with our friend Dante, who gave us first class surf lessons and a full day of relaxation on the beach. After several tries, many students really got the hang of it, and they rode in many waves. If we were to nominate a couple of students to represent our surfing skills it would have to be Dallas and Hilda who seemed to pick it up right away. When we weren’t surfing we shopped the local handicrafts on the boardwalk, played frisbee, and rode the banana boat. Today is our last day at the beach, but before we leave we will be visiting the National Park Manuel Antonio, where we will get to see sloths, monkeys, and other wildlife up close as well as visit the beautiful beaches within the park.

Right now on most people’s minds is the homestay experience. This afternoon we will drive to La Legua and meet our host families for the first time. Students are nervous and excited. Everyone wants to know what their family will be like, and is looking forward to being thrown into a language immersion. In a few days the bonds they form with these families will be strong and the work we will be doing will create a lasting impact on the village and its people.

Pura Vida!

I loved the surf lessons! I have always wanted to learn. Our day at the beach was really fun. Manuel Antonio is a beautiful place but I am ready to finally go to the village and meet my host family! -Jojo

The trip has been a very interesting experience so far. I have had lots of fun at the beach and I’m very excited to move on to my home stay. -Riley

The trip so far has been amazing. We had a perfect day at the beach yesterday and spent hours swimming and surfing. But my favorite thing so far was watching a gorgeous sunset on a hill at Pura Suerte -Meredith

This trip is starting to become more of a challenge with the coming of the homestay. However, I am pretty stoked to find out what it’s going to be like in such a new environment. So far, we’ve been doing some textbook tourist type things and I am totally ready to be immersed into a new culture and gain a new perspective in my lifestyle. – Camille “Cami-Cane” Henrot

Costa Rica Immersion A

Hola from Costa Rica!!!!

After weeks of anticipation, our Costa Rican adventure is finally in full swing!  Everyone arrived safe and sound, and we are so excited to be here together, building group bonds and exploring the unknown.  Our first two nights were spent in San José at our beautiful hotel where we adjusted to our new surroundings and got to know one another.  Just a few days into the trip, and we have already seen, heard, smelled and tasted things that we have never experienced before.

After a couple of days in the bustling capital city, we hopped on our bus with our driver William, who has been described by Dallas as having ¨heroic demeanor¨and ¨legendary driving skills,¨ and traveled through the beautifully lush countryside to Pura Suerte.  Here we have enjoyed delicious meals prepared with wholesome, fresh ingredients, as well as breathtaking views of the jungle.  Last night the group bonded with games and and group reflections over our experiences so far.  It´s so exciting to see everyone step out of their comfort zones and open themselves up to trying new things and establishing new friendships.

This morning we woke up and had a group yoga session on the balcony of our jungalow that overlooks the dense rainforest.    Today we are in San Isidro exploring a street market, and it has been a great opportunity for each and every one of the students to challenge themselves to interact in Spanish with the locals, buying fresh fruits and vegetables and other trinkets.  It is amazing  how quickly the students are taking in their surroundings and we can see growth in everyone already.  We are enjoying every moment we have in this amazing country, and can´t wait for what´s to come!

¨Costa Rica is phenomenal!!!  The views are breathtaking and the climate is amazing!¨ -Tim

¨The food here at this unforgettable location is the best so far.¨ -Dallas

¨I thank my parents, Walking Tree, and the Costa Rican people f0r the opportunity to experience this beautiful country.¨ -Benno

¨Today after sleeping in the jungalows I was awoken by the animals.  It was amazing.  All the people on the trip are so cool, and I have connected with them a lot.¨ -Andrew

¨Everyone on this trip is so amazing and unique in their own way.  We always have fun, no matter the situation.  For example, we (the guys) have named the huge bug in our jungalow ¨Barthalomeu¨. -Brent

¨I am so excited to be in the jungle, it is so peaceful.  Pretty much- Costa Rica rocks!¨- Hilda

¨I´m very excited for the market today, and I´ll get to use my Spanish.  I´m beginning to think that a month just isn´t long enough.¨ -Cory

¨I am sooo crazy happy to have been able to go on this trip.  At night you can hear the rain and all the sounds of the forest.¨ -Katy

¨It has been so great being here, already there have been so many opportunities to get out of my comfort zone.  It has been fabulous, truly fabulous.¨ -Gracie