I hope that everyone is well-rested and has adjusted to the comforts of home! Hopefully everyone received their luggage yesterday... and got their laundry started right away...
I'm currently working on uploading all of the pictures to a Snapfish account. I'm trying to keep the best resolution, so it takes some time. Once that is done, I will go through and edit- crop, rotate, delete. I will e-mail the username and password to you, then you can create your own album and upload the pictures you would like to share. Some of you got fantastic shots that we didn't (i.e. the toucan, howler monkeys, sea turtles, etc.), so please get those in an album! I'll start working on designing a photo book early next week.
Don't forget to check out some of the pictures that were tweeted as well. I tried to use #cf2cr as much as possible. Or you can search for my Twitter account: @CFCoachBA. I didn't use it much after the first 3 days, but there are still pictures there if you want them.
Students- please share your experience with your family and friends! The blog can only do so much. They are curious about what YOU saw and what YOU learned on this trip. Please use this time to reflect on everything that you did. If you enjoyed your travels and meeting new people, then do something about it! Don't let yourself get too comfortable being back in Chagrin- if you feel like this trip changed you, then continue to challenge yourself every day. Don't fall back into old habits! It's hard for everyone, even the most experienced travelers. Take time to be "off the grid"- get off your phone and connect with those around you face-to-face! Try to make the most of every day and do something to help others. Don't forget your time with the families in Uvita- remember how welcoming they were and their positive outlook. Don't forget conquering your fears- heights, spiders, etc- remember how rewarding it felt to face them. Use this experience to make your life- and someone else's!- better!
I'm open to any feedback from the trip- just let us know in the comments or via e-mail. A big thank you to Rustic Pathways at home and in Costa Rica (Chris, Matija, Ricardo, Mauricio, Edguardo, Yendrey, Carolyn), our phenomenal bus driver (Jorge), the great guides/instructors we had during all of our adventures (Diego, Jesse, Cesar, Wayne, Brian, Johnny, Enzo, Jose, Kristen, Brian, RJ, Gonato, Gato and others), our administrators and school board who approved the trip, the teachers who helped to promote the trip (especially Carole Fahey and Lisa Salyers), the parents who helped make the trip of a lifetime possible for these students, Mrs. Wooden, a great friend and laidback travel buddy, and, most importantly, the 20 students who brought the energy and personality to make this trip a memorable one: Alex, Daniel, Garrett, Matt, Patrick, Rem, Peter, David, Allie, Molly, Lou, Victoria, Ryan, Katy, Kayce, Katie, Ali, Morgan, Anne, and Pearson.
Pura vida!!!!
Friday, June 27, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
I'm looking forward to going home because...
1. Ryan: "home has hot water."
2. Rem: "the food."
3. Pearson: "my bed."
4. Matt: "air conditioning."
5. Anne: "my cats."
6. Alex: "my family."
7. Daniel: "to see my little man, Niels."
8. Molly: "Ann."
9. Garrett: "my family."
10. David: "Ginny."
11. Victoria: "warm showers."
12. Katy: "my bed."
13. Lou: "warm water."
14. Allie: "my family."
15. Morgan: "my bed."
16. Ali: "my friends and family."
17. Kayce: "my dog."
18. Katie: "my parents and my dog."
19. Peter: "my dogs."
20. Patrick: "tennis."
2. Rem: "the food."
3. Pearson: "my bed."
4. Matt: "air conditioning."
5. Anne: "my cats."
6. Alex: "my family."
7. Daniel: "to see my little man, Niels."
8. Molly: "Ann."
9. Garrett: "my family."
10. David: "Ginny."
11. Victoria: "warm showers."
12. Katy: "my bed."
13. Lou: "warm water."
14. Allie: "my family."
15. Morgan: "my bed."
16. Ali: "my friends and family."
17. Kayce: "my dog."
18. Katie: "my parents and my dog."
19. Peter: "my dogs."
20. Patrick: "tennis."
I love Costa Rica because...
1. Ryan: "of the beach."
2. Rem: "of the people."
3. Pearson: "of the Pura Vida lifestyle."
4. Matt: "water is wet."
5. Alex: "of the adventure."
6. Anne: "of the whitewater rafting."
7. Daniel: "the Ticos are nice."
8. David: "it has sloths."
9. Victoria: "everyone is friendly."
10. Katy: "it is gorgeous everywhere you go."
11. Lou: "the people have good attitudes no matter what."
12. Ali M: "it's a beautiful place."
13. Allie F: "everyone is friendly and willing to teach us their ways."
14. Morgan: "it is a beautiful place."
15. Molly: "everyone is so welcoming."
16. Kayce: "everyone always smiles and waves."
17. Katie: "everyone was really friendly and polite and I got to practice my Spanish."
18. Peter: "it is a beautiful country with friendly people."
19. Patrick: "there is something for everyone."
20. Garrett: "everyone is so welcoming."
2. Rem: "of the people."
3. Pearson: "of the Pura Vida lifestyle."
4. Matt: "water is wet."
5. Alex: "of the adventure."
6. Anne: "of the whitewater rafting."
7. Daniel: "the Ticos are nice."
8. David: "it has sloths."
9. Victoria: "everyone is friendly."
10. Katy: "it is gorgeous everywhere you go."
11. Lou: "the people have good attitudes no matter what."
12. Ali M: "it's a beautiful place."
13. Allie F: "everyone is friendly and willing to teach us their ways."
14. Morgan: "it is a beautiful place."
15. Molly: "everyone is so welcoming."
16. Kayce: "everyone always smiles and waves."
17. Katie: "everyone was really friendly and polite and I got to practice my Spanish."
18. Peter: "it is a beautiful country with friendly people."
19. Patrick: "there is something for everyone."
20. Garrett: "everyone is so welcoming."
Airport update
We made it through check-in and security in two hours. Yikes. It wasn't that there was a long line- we got here at 10:30 and we were told that they wouldn't check in for our flight until 11. The entire process was slow- departure taxes, baggage fees, checking passports, etc. It didn't help that anyone with first class tickets or online check-in automatically cut in front of us for one of the three lines. We had just one mishap in security- someone tried to take 2 containers of bug spray back in their backpack...
The first thing that the students did in line was start checking Snapchat. 10 days is a very long time for high school students to go without wifi. They are all still alive, but they rejoiced like they had been without water or food all this time.
They will start boarding our plane at 2 PM local time. Until then, students are shopping, using wifi, eating, and enjoying the AC. We've been given special instructions for Charlotte. We will be on the same plane coming in to Cleveland. We have only an hour window to get our backs, go through customs and immigration, re-check our bags, then board the same plane back home. With a group this large, we aren't worried about being late and US Air not holding the flight. The main concern with a group this big is that they stay together and go straight to the gate- don't get distracted by all the food and shopping in Charlotte. It will be a tough task.
Our flight lands in Cleveland at 11:43 PM. Parents can meet us in baggage claim. If arrival time changes, I will try to use Twitter to inform everyone of delays or early arrival- I'm not sure how much time we'll have in Charlotte at this point.
Looking forward to seeing everyone!
The first thing that the students did in line was start checking Snapchat. 10 days is a very long time for high school students to go without wifi. They are all still alive, but they rejoiced like they had been without water or food all this time.
They will start boarding our plane at 2 PM local time. Until then, students are shopping, using wifi, eating, and enjoying the AC. We've been given special instructions for Charlotte. We will be on the same plane coming in to Cleveland. We have only an hour window to get our backs, go through customs and immigration, re-check our bags, then board the same plane back home. With a group this large, we aren't worried about being late and US Air not holding the flight. The main concern with a group this big is that they stay together and go straight to the gate- don't get distracted by all the food and shopping in Charlotte. It will be a tough task.
Our flight lands in Cleveland at 11:43 PM. Parents can meet us in baggage claim. If arrival time changes, I will try to use Twitter to inform everyone of delays or early arrival- I'm not sure how much time we'll have in Charlotte at this point.
Looking forward to seeing everyone!
Last day in Costa Rica :(
Today was a bit of a transition day for our group; a day to tie up loose ends. We enjoyed a late breakfast and some down time, then we went into Turrialba to watch the soccer match between Costa Rica and England.
The restaurant we went to was called Avenida 6, named after its location off of the town square. It was very nice inside- described as a "gastropub & cafe," it was the closest thing that we'd seen to anything back home. Ricardo, the Costa Rica country director for Rustic Pathways, owns the restaurant, so a large portion of it was set aside for our group and another Rustic group. The other group is a 2 week home-stay/Spanish immersion program in Turrialba. It was a pleasant surprise to see that their group had another Chagrin student in it! Everyone enjoyed catching up.
The game started at 10 and the rest of the restaurant began to fill up with locals, all wearing the Costa Rica soccer jersey and toting flags or noisemakers. It was an intense crowd that made an already exciting game even better. The game ended as a draw, but it secured Costa Rica's place as the top finisher in its group, allowing the country to advance in the World Cup for the first time. People spilled out into the streets from where they were watching the game, singing and chanting, and cars drove by honking horns and waving the flag out their window. The entire country was celebrating- and we had a chance to be part of it!
We had a delicious lunch after the game, then had some time to shop in Turrialba. I took advantage of the restaurant's wifi and quickly copied and pasted the blog posts, then caught up with the group at Pops. Pops is a small ice cream parlor located just off the opposite corner of the square. Walking there, people were shouting "hello" and "goodbye," eager to point out how obviously American our group is. Most students purchased large Brownie ice cream milkshakes- I can't get over how much they can eat! The next two things we had to take care of: souvenirs and soccer jerseys. We went to a small souvenir shop by bus, since the afternoon storms had arrived. There were lots of different items to look at, hammocks to purchase, but there weren't any jerseys there. We drove all over town, trying to find stores that had the jerseys in stock- no such luck. The team was popular before, but now that they are doing so well in the World Cup, anything associated with the team is in high demand. We had to give up looking and the students are hopeful that maybe they can find them in the airport...
Around 4 we had to say our goodbyes to Carolyn. She had to head into San Jose tonight because her next Rustic group starts first thing tomorrow morning. This is her first summer with Rustic and we were her first group- you wouldn't know it because she did such a great job. Everyone really enjoyed talking to her and she had the best laugh! She was so welcoming to our group and we hope that she has just as much fun the rest of this summer.
Jorge brought us back to the house for a little down time, but it felt like nap time with the rain and cooler weather. It was pretty quiet in the house until Garrett, Rem, Matt, Patrick, Daniel, and Alex decided to get another competitive game of water polo going. Mrs. Wooden, Edguardo, Jorge and I enjoyed coffee and conversation while we watched the boys play. Rem took an elbow to the eye, which looks like it has the potential to be an awesome black eye. Maybe this is payback for the shovel incident from our first full day here....
We enjoyed a low-key dinner at the house after a day out in Turrialba. Yendrey and Edguardo led the group in "Rustic Ties" afterward. They had bracelets for each of us and we shared something about the person sitting next to us before giving them a bracelet. I was lucky enough to sit between Matt and Anne, two wonderful students of mine that I had the chance to get to know better on this trip. It was a nice activity to wrap things up. The packing started- not without some prodding from the adults, but it started- and everyone had to figure out how to fit all their new/worn/wet/dirty stuff into their bags. There will be some damp, smelly bags arriving in the US tomorrow!!
Breakfast will be at 7:30 tomorrow and we will make the 2+ hour drive to San Jose right after. We want to allow plenty of time to drive there, get bags checked, turn in departure taxes, go through security, etc. Our flight is scheduled to depart from San Jose at 2:30 our time, 4:30 EST. We are still expected to arrive in Cleveland close to midnight, but I will update everyone from Charlotte on our arrival time.
It has been a great trip and one that I hope the students won't forget. From community service to adventure, we accomplished a lot. I hope that it was an eye-opening experience on all levels and that the students have a greater appreciation for travel and culture, as well as their lifestyle back home.
Pura vida!
The restaurant we went to was called Avenida 6, named after its location off of the town square. It was very nice inside- described as a "gastropub & cafe," it was the closest thing that we'd seen to anything back home. Ricardo, the Costa Rica country director for Rustic Pathways, owns the restaurant, so a large portion of it was set aside for our group and another Rustic group. The other group is a 2 week home-stay/Spanish immersion program in Turrialba. It was a pleasant surprise to see that their group had another Chagrin student in it! Everyone enjoyed catching up.
The game started at 10 and the rest of the restaurant began to fill up with locals, all wearing the Costa Rica soccer jersey and toting flags or noisemakers. It was an intense crowd that made an already exciting game even better. The game ended as a draw, but it secured Costa Rica's place as the top finisher in its group, allowing the country to advance in the World Cup for the first time. People spilled out into the streets from where they were watching the game, singing and chanting, and cars drove by honking horns and waving the flag out their window. The entire country was celebrating- and we had a chance to be part of it!
We had a delicious lunch after the game, then had some time to shop in Turrialba. I took advantage of the restaurant's wifi and quickly copied and pasted the blog posts, then caught up with the group at Pops. Pops is a small ice cream parlor located just off the opposite corner of the square. Walking there, people were shouting "hello" and "goodbye," eager to point out how obviously American our group is. Most students purchased large Brownie ice cream milkshakes- I can't get over how much they can eat! The next two things we had to take care of: souvenirs and soccer jerseys. We went to a small souvenir shop by bus, since the afternoon storms had arrived. There were lots of different items to look at, hammocks to purchase, but there weren't any jerseys there. We drove all over town, trying to find stores that had the jerseys in stock- no such luck. The team was popular before, but now that they are doing so well in the World Cup, anything associated with the team is in high demand. We had to give up looking and the students are hopeful that maybe they can find them in the airport...
Around 4 we had to say our goodbyes to Carolyn. She had to head into San Jose tonight because her next Rustic group starts first thing tomorrow morning. This is her first summer with Rustic and we were her first group- you wouldn't know it because she did such a great job. Everyone really enjoyed talking to her and she had the best laugh! She was so welcoming to our group and we hope that she has just as much fun the rest of this summer.
Jorge brought us back to the house for a little down time, but it felt like nap time with the rain and cooler weather. It was pretty quiet in the house until Garrett, Rem, Matt, Patrick, Daniel, and Alex decided to get another competitive game of water polo going. Mrs. Wooden, Edguardo, Jorge and I enjoyed coffee and conversation while we watched the boys play. Rem took an elbow to the eye, which looks like it has the potential to be an awesome black eye. Maybe this is payback for the shovel incident from our first full day here....
We enjoyed a low-key dinner at the house after a day out in Turrialba. Yendrey and Edguardo led the group in "Rustic Ties" afterward. They had bracelets for each of us and we shared something about the person sitting next to us before giving them a bracelet. I was lucky enough to sit between Matt and Anne, two wonderful students of mine that I had the chance to get to know better on this trip. It was a nice activity to wrap things up. The packing started- not without some prodding from the adults, but it started- and everyone had to figure out how to fit all their new/worn/wet/dirty stuff into their bags. There will be some damp, smelly bags arriving in the US tomorrow!!
Breakfast will be at 7:30 tomorrow and we will make the 2+ hour drive to San Jose right after. We want to allow plenty of time to drive there, get bags checked, turn in departure taxes, go through security, etc. Our flight is scheduled to depart from San Jose at 2:30 our time, 4:30 EST. We are still expected to arrive in Cleveland close to midnight, but I will update everyone from Charlotte on our arrival time.
It has been a great trip and one that I hope the students won't forget. From community service to adventure, we accomplished a lot. I hope that it was an eye-opening experience on all levels and that the students have a greater appreciation for travel and culture, as well as their lifestyle back home.
Pura vida!
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Rio Pacuare!
Right after I finished the post and turned in for bed, the skies opened up and it just poured. Absolute torrential downpour. This continued for about an hour, took a rest, then continued at almost hour intervals throughout the evening. It was nice to listen to the rain hit the tin roof and to drift in and out of sleep. A very nice night after a very long day.
We woke up to foggy skies, but no rain, for breakfast at 7:30. It was still humid, but it seemed to be much cooler this morning. The plan was to eat then prepare to leave for rafting at 8:15. We talked about how it can get hot and be sunny on the river, but it was hard to plan for what could happen when the sky looked so dreary. If we didn't get soaked by the rain, we would definitely get soaked in the boat, so we planned for a little of everything. Many of us were cold on the bus ride and it started to rain once again. I was a little worried that we would be miserable- cold and wet- on the river all day. Then I heard that some groups were cancelled the week before because the water level was too high and I got really worried that we wouldn't get to go at all... but since we continued to drive, I became hopeful that we would still be able to raft.
After about an hour drive, Jorge reached the turn off for the rafting headwaters. This man drives the bus like it is a Fiat. It was unreal how well he could navigate a narrow road, complete with hairpin turns and steep sections. Just driving into the valley and to the river took about 30 minutes. Don Jorge kept us safe and got us there on time. He is wonderful!
We were met by our rafting guides, safety kayakers, and photographer at the bottom. They gave us our helmets, lifevests, and paddles. We had a safety lesson on what to do if you fall out of the boat, what happens if the boat flips, how you pull someone back on the boat, etc. Then they split up our group of 25 into 4 boats. I had the good fortune of going with Rem, Alex, Lou, Katy, Mrs. Wooden, and our guide, Johnny.
The Pacuare is the best rafting in Costa Rica and it is the #4 rafting river in the world. It ranges from Class I to IV rapids- and when the water level is high enough, several Class V rapids. There were sections of the river that had beautiful rope bridges roughly 50 feet over our head- Johnny said that sometimes the water gets high enough that the river is very close to the bridges. Hard to believe at first, but when you take into account rainy season and how fast the river flows... it would be a scary sight. There were beautiful places between steep cliffs were the water was calm and we could swim. There were also waterfalls in several locations that our guides would point out. Our boat had the opportunity to go into a "cave," which really only fit half of our boat. But it was great because we got to see nests made by black phoebe birds and carvings in the rock wall. Johnny explained a lot of the different plants and birds on the river. He also told us the names for the different rapids in English and Spanish, including "Rodeo," "Double Dip," and, our personal favorite, "Cemetery," a Class IV rapid.
About two hours into our trip, we pulled the rafts off on a sandbar for a rafting lunch. Each raft carried a waterproof barrel filled with supplies. One of the rafts gets overturned as a table, then the guides go to work setting up lunch. You don't realize how hungry or tired you are until the raft stops. The guides prepared all the necessities for a great sandwich, made fresh guacamole, cut up pineapples and watermelons, mixed up an orange drink, and had Cremas, a Costa Rican cookie, for dessert. Many students went back for seconds- they made impressive and creative sandwiches. All of the trash gets put back into the barrels and it's like we were never there. We headed back out into the river for a few more rapids, but all of the Class IV rapids were behind us for the last part of the trip.
Our raft was very quiet, but great to work with! We didn't have a single person fall out of our boat the entire time. Morgan took the honors of being the first person to fall in and Patrick was the only person to fall in twice. The rain stopped for the entire day and the only time the sun really came out was around lunch- it didn't look like there were many sunburns. Jorge picked us up at the end of our run and he already had trashbags down on all the seats so we wouldn't get them soaking wet. Our bus smelled awful! We thought it was bad after the cave, but it was really bad after all the river water. A vote was taken and we drove with the windows open, instead of the AC on, back to the Rios Tropicales rafting headquarters in Siquirres, where we could shower and change. Students cleaned up, purchased some souvenirs and photos, enjoyed the complimentary juices and coffee, then we made the long drive back into Turrialba. The timing couldn't have been better because the torrential rain started all over again.
We stopped at Maxipali on the way into town. It's basically a combination between Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. The students asked Edguardo if we could stop because they wanted more snacks. The guides have marveled at how much this group has spent on junk food. I'm just glad that we're transitioning away from Milanos and Oreos and the students are branching out to try the Costa Rican snacks. They've been eating plenty of fruits and vegetables at meals- no worries. I took advantage of the stop so I could pick up a flashdrive to save all of Yendrey's photos- there are far too many for the capacity of the Chromebook. I'm REALLY excited for everyone to finally get to see them!
Jorge brought us back to the house around 5 and it was still raining pretty hard- it didn't deter the boys and Pearson from playing a game of water polo in the pool! It was fun to watch- they get fired up :) Other students took naps or showered before dinner at 6. We had a chicken lasagna with salad and rice pudding for dessert. None of the cookies ruined our dinner- all of them must have been really hungry after a day of rafting...
It was refreshing to hear the students' reactions after a day on the river. For most of the trip, they haven't interacted with the adults much and most of what we've heard has been all of their dislikes. Parents- you'll have to pump them for information when they get home! Anyway, I was so happy to hear that they had fun on the river. Each reaction and answer was genuine when they were asked about the rafting. It ended up being a nice adventure to wrap up the trip.
Tomorrow we'll eat breakfast at 8, then go into town to watch the soccer game at 10. The Rustic Pathways country director owns a restaurant in Turrialba and they are shutting it down just for our group and the language immersion trip so we can watch the game. I'm glad that we'll get to watch it in town AND it won't be super chaotic with all the locals. In the afternoon we'll have the opportunity to explore some different shops around the town square.
Bug bites and bruises are at an all-time high. Sunburns are either peeling or fresh from the river. Pura vida!
We woke up to foggy skies, but no rain, for breakfast at 7:30. It was still humid, but it seemed to be much cooler this morning. The plan was to eat then prepare to leave for rafting at 8:15. We talked about how it can get hot and be sunny on the river, but it was hard to plan for what could happen when the sky looked so dreary. If we didn't get soaked by the rain, we would definitely get soaked in the boat, so we planned for a little of everything. Many of us were cold on the bus ride and it started to rain once again. I was a little worried that we would be miserable- cold and wet- on the river all day. Then I heard that some groups were cancelled the week before because the water level was too high and I got really worried that we wouldn't get to go at all... but since we continued to drive, I became hopeful that we would still be able to raft.
After about an hour drive, Jorge reached the turn off for the rafting headwaters. This man drives the bus like it is a Fiat. It was unreal how well he could navigate a narrow road, complete with hairpin turns and steep sections. Just driving into the valley and to the river took about 30 minutes. Don Jorge kept us safe and got us there on time. He is wonderful!
We were met by our rafting guides, safety kayakers, and photographer at the bottom. They gave us our helmets, lifevests, and paddles. We had a safety lesson on what to do if you fall out of the boat, what happens if the boat flips, how you pull someone back on the boat, etc. Then they split up our group of 25 into 4 boats. I had the good fortune of going with Rem, Alex, Lou, Katy, Mrs. Wooden, and our guide, Johnny.
The Pacuare is the best rafting in Costa Rica and it is the #4 rafting river in the world. It ranges from Class I to IV rapids- and when the water level is high enough, several Class V rapids. There were sections of the river that had beautiful rope bridges roughly 50 feet over our head- Johnny said that sometimes the water gets high enough that the river is very close to the bridges. Hard to believe at first, but when you take into account rainy season and how fast the river flows... it would be a scary sight. There were beautiful places between steep cliffs were the water was calm and we could swim. There were also waterfalls in several locations that our guides would point out. Our boat had the opportunity to go into a "cave," which really only fit half of our boat. But it was great because we got to see nests made by black phoebe birds and carvings in the rock wall. Johnny explained a lot of the different plants and birds on the river. He also told us the names for the different rapids in English and Spanish, including "Rodeo," "Double Dip," and, our personal favorite, "Cemetery," a Class IV rapid.
About two hours into our trip, we pulled the rafts off on a sandbar for a rafting lunch. Each raft carried a waterproof barrel filled with supplies. One of the rafts gets overturned as a table, then the guides go to work setting up lunch. You don't realize how hungry or tired you are until the raft stops. The guides prepared all the necessities for a great sandwich, made fresh guacamole, cut up pineapples and watermelons, mixed up an orange drink, and had Cremas, a Costa Rican cookie, for dessert. Many students went back for seconds- they made impressive and creative sandwiches. All of the trash gets put back into the barrels and it's like we were never there. We headed back out into the river for a few more rapids, but all of the Class IV rapids were behind us for the last part of the trip.
Our raft was very quiet, but great to work with! We didn't have a single person fall out of our boat the entire time. Morgan took the honors of being the first person to fall in and Patrick was the only person to fall in twice. The rain stopped for the entire day and the only time the sun really came out was around lunch- it didn't look like there were many sunburns. Jorge picked us up at the end of our run and he already had trashbags down on all the seats so we wouldn't get them soaking wet. Our bus smelled awful! We thought it was bad after the cave, but it was really bad after all the river water. A vote was taken and we drove with the windows open, instead of the AC on, back to the Rios Tropicales rafting headquarters in Siquirres, where we could shower and change. Students cleaned up, purchased some souvenirs and photos, enjoyed the complimentary juices and coffee, then we made the long drive back into Turrialba. The timing couldn't have been better because the torrential rain started all over again.
We stopped at Maxipali on the way into town. It's basically a combination between Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. The students asked Edguardo if we could stop because they wanted more snacks. The guides have marveled at how much this group has spent on junk food. I'm just glad that we're transitioning away from Milanos and Oreos and the students are branching out to try the Costa Rican snacks. They've been eating plenty of fruits and vegetables at meals- no worries. I took advantage of the stop so I could pick up a flashdrive to save all of Yendrey's photos- there are far too many for the capacity of the Chromebook. I'm REALLY excited for everyone to finally get to see them!
Jorge brought us back to the house around 5 and it was still raining pretty hard- it didn't deter the boys and Pearson from playing a game of water polo in the pool! It was fun to watch- they get fired up :) Other students took naps or showered before dinner at 6. We had a chicken lasagna with salad and rice pudding for dessert. None of the cookies ruined our dinner- all of them must have been really hungry after a day of rafting...
It was refreshing to hear the students' reactions after a day on the river. For most of the trip, they haven't interacted with the adults much and most of what we've heard has been all of their dislikes. Parents- you'll have to pump them for information when they get home! Anyway, I was so happy to hear that they had fun on the river. Each reaction and answer was genuine when they were asked about the rafting. It ended up being a nice adventure to wrap up the trip.
Tomorrow we'll eat breakfast at 8, then go into town to watch the soccer game at 10. The Rustic Pathways country director owns a restaurant in Turrialba and they are shutting it down just for our group and the language immersion trip so we can watch the game. I'm glad that we'll get to watch it in town AND it won't be super chaotic with all the locals. In the afternoon we'll have the opportunity to explore some different shops around the town square.
Bug bites and bruises are at an all-time high. Sunburns are either peeling or fresh from the river. Pura vida!
Trek to Turrialba
Believe it or not, much of the group was stirring before 6 AM. The sun rises so early here and, as dark as it was last night, it was bright early in the morning. Light was pouring into the cave. Many of us tried to sleep a little more, but it was difficult when you felt sticky and your cot wasn't the most comfortable bed out there...
We all had to get used to the creatures from the night before and we were sharing our stories. It definitely smelled like a skunk- I had convinced myself that our group smelled that bad, but it was, in fact a skunk, our guides confirmed it. We heard bats all through the night and many of us saw cave crickets. It was rustic but beautiful- perfect.
Breakfast was at 7, then we made the hike back to the bus. The visibility was too poor for a hike to another waterfall. With the higher elevation, the clouds and fog just hang in the air during rainy season. We didn't know for sure if it was 1) safe and 2) worth the trip if you couldn't see anything. Also, the traffic back to Turrialba would be terrible if we waited too long to get out of there. A 4 hour bus ride has the potential to take 7 1/2 hours if you leave too late.
The hike back down went by MUCH faster. Some of us with older knees (i.e. me) took our sweet old time going down, with frequent stops to admire the view. The path was very soggy and muddy from the rain the night before, making for some muddy students and a lot of laughter. At the bottom, we put our flip flops back on and boarded the bus- which smelled AWFUL. Wet shoes, sweaty clothes, ice cold showers without soap the night before- we were quite the group.
Jorge kept the A/C going for us so we could cool down and it wouldn't smell as bad. This then led to a stinky bus filled with children wrapped up in stinky sweatshirts or towels to try to keep warm. We're basically a disaster at this point, but made it to a cafeteria to stop for lunch. We thought it would be nice to get off the bus where it was warm again- nope! We were at an even higher elevation and it was very, very chilly (chilly for Costa Rica- we quickly forget how cold Ohio can be). We were well-fed, bought some more snacks, then continued our journey...
There are no interstates or tollways in this entire country. It's all two lane roads and it winds around national parks and biological preserves- it doesn't go through them. You go up and down mountains- one section of the road was actually called "Peak of Death" because it winds, it's narrow, and it is typically foggy. We also got into a "Costa Rican traffic jam," stuck behind a truck with at least 12 horses in it. It wasn't a trailer- a normal flat-bed truck with some wooden slats on the sides and ends. You can't pass it on a road like what we were on, so you end up following it, slowly, for 30 minutes before you have the opportunity to pass.
One of the cool places we went through, which was also a bit of a traffic problem, was Cartago. I was there 4 years ago, so I don't remember much of the details, and I don't have wifi for Google right now, so just bear with me... Cartago is kind of between San Jose and Turrialba. For some reason, I think because of a miracle, it is a Catholic pilgrimage site. Ticos from all corners of Costa Rica will WALK to Cartago during a holy week. There are ruins from one church in the town square and there is also a beautiful "new" (200 years old?) church just a few blocks away. There were people everywhere! No church service going on, but on a Sunday afternoon, people were at the town square and all around the plaza in front of the church. The church is gorgeous inside- a stark contrast to the community around it- but unfortunately, time wouldn't allow for a stop.
In the hour between Cartago and Turrialba, there were tons of greenhouses and fields planted right into the side of the mountains. The sugar cane, coffee plants, and banana trees were easy to spot. But a lot of the plants had a black netting over the top of them. It almost looked like they were growing flowers to ship out. I'll have to look it up later- just acres upon acres covered with netting or tarp...
The students were counting down the kilometers to Turrialba, doing a very poor job of converting it into miles... they were driving each other (and their chaperones) a little crazy. But we finally made another turn around the mountain and saw the city in the valley. We didn't go right through the middle of the city, so I'm looking forward to the students' reaction on Tuesday. We headed back up into the mountains a little bit, then onto another dirt road. At the very end of it, we arrived at Mau's family's vacation house. His family still lives in Turrialba, but they purchased the land several years back so they could get out of the city. On the trip 4 years ago, the group came up here for a cookout right after they bought it. None of it was finished, the pool didn't have water, but it had the potential to be a great hangout. It is AWESOME. The downstairs has a family room, just completed kitchen, two rooms with bunkbeds for the guides and the boys, and a bathroom. The upstairs has one large bedroom with plenty of bunkbeds for the girls, a bathroom, and incredible outdoor patio, complete with hammocks and a pool table. The pool is finished and their is an outdoor kitchen. Edguardo said that a few of the Rustic Pathways groups will use the house over the summer. It is in a nice, quiet area above the city with just enough amenities from home.
Boys and girls quickly split up to their rooms and the girls were the first ones to race to the pool... and back out. It isn't heated. After some rain, it feels very "refreshing." The boys, however, had a very competitive game of water polo going, which was a lot of fun.
We had dinner at 6. I don't know if we realize how spoiled we are to have such a nice private house to stay in AND we don't have to cook dinner- a restaurant from in town came up to cater it. They will prepare our breakfast tomorrow as well.
All of the students are currently lounging in hammocks or playing pool. I'm trying to catch up on the blogging from the last two days and trying to get to bed early! Tomorrow will be a grueling day- we will raft the entire day on the Pacuare River! Physically challenging and in the sun all day- should be exciting!
We all had to get used to the creatures from the night before and we were sharing our stories. It definitely smelled like a skunk- I had convinced myself that our group smelled that bad, but it was, in fact a skunk, our guides confirmed it. We heard bats all through the night and many of us saw cave crickets. It was rustic but beautiful- perfect.
Breakfast was at 7, then we made the hike back to the bus. The visibility was too poor for a hike to another waterfall. With the higher elevation, the clouds and fog just hang in the air during rainy season. We didn't know for sure if it was 1) safe and 2) worth the trip if you couldn't see anything. Also, the traffic back to Turrialba would be terrible if we waited too long to get out of there. A 4 hour bus ride has the potential to take 7 1/2 hours if you leave too late.
The hike back down went by MUCH faster. Some of us with older knees (i.e. me) took our sweet old time going down, with frequent stops to admire the view. The path was very soggy and muddy from the rain the night before, making for some muddy students and a lot of laughter. At the bottom, we put our flip flops back on and boarded the bus- which smelled AWFUL. Wet shoes, sweaty clothes, ice cold showers without soap the night before- we were quite the group.
Jorge kept the A/C going for us so we could cool down and it wouldn't smell as bad. This then led to a stinky bus filled with children wrapped up in stinky sweatshirts or towels to try to keep warm. We're basically a disaster at this point, but made it to a cafeteria to stop for lunch. We thought it would be nice to get off the bus where it was warm again- nope! We were at an even higher elevation and it was very, very chilly (chilly for Costa Rica- we quickly forget how cold Ohio can be). We were well-fed, bought some more snacks, then continued our journey...
There are no interstates or tollways in this entire country. It's all two lane roads and it winds around national parks and biological preserves- it doesn't go through them. You go up and down mountains- one section of the road was actually called "Peak of Death" because it winds, it's narrow, and it is typically foggy. We also got into a "Costa Rican traffic jam," stuck behind a truck with at least 12 horses in it. It wasn't a trailer- a normal flat-bed truck with some wooden slats on the sides and ends. You can't pass it on a road like what we were on, so you end up following it, slowly, for 30 minutes before you have the opportunity to pass.
One of the cool places we went through, which was also a bit of a traffic problem, was Cartago. I was there 4 years ago, so I don't remember much of the details, and I don't have wifi for Google right now, so just bear with me... Cartago is kind of between San Jose and Turrialba. For some reason, I think because of a miracle, it is a Catholic pilgrimage site. Ticos from all corners of Costa Rica will WALK to Cartago during a holy week. There are ruins from one church in the town square and there is also a beautiful "new" (200 years old?) church just a few blocks away. There were people everywhere! No church service going on, but on a Sunday afternoon, people were at the town square and all around the plaza in front of the church. The church is gorgeous inside- a stark contrast to the community around it- but unfortunately, time wouldn't allow for a stop.
In the hour between Cartago and Turrialba, there were tons of greenhouses and fields planted right into the side of the mountains. The sugar cane, coffee plants, and banana trees were easy to spot. But a lot of the plants had a black netting over the top of them. It almost looked like they were growing flowers to ship out. I'll have to look it up later- just acres upon acres covered with netting or tarp...
The students were counting down the kilometers to Turrialba, doing a very poor job of converting it into miles... they were driving each other (and their chaperones) a little crazy. But we finally made another turn around the mountain and saw the city in the valley. We didn't go right through the middle of the city, so I'm looking forward to the students' reaction on Tuesday. We headed back up into the mountains a little bit, then onto another dirt road. At the very end of it, we arrived at Mau's family's vacation house. His family still lives in Turrialba, but they purchased the land several years back so they could get out of the city. On the trip 4 years ago, the group came up here for a cookout right after they bought it. None of it was finished, the pool didn't have water, but it had the potential to be a great hangout. It is AWESOME. The downstairs has a family room, just completed kitchen, two rooms with bunkbeds for the guides and the boys, and a bathroom. The upstairs has one large bedroom with plenty of bunkbeds for the girls, a bathroom, and incredible outdoor patio, complete with hammocks and a pool table. The pool is finished and their is an outdoor kitchen. Edguardo said that a few of the Rustic Pathways groups will use the house over the summer. It is in a nice, quiet area above the city with just enough amenities from home.
Boys and girls quickly split up to their rooms and the girls were the first ones to race to the pool... and back out. It isn't heated. After some rain, it feels very "refreshing." The boys, however, had a very competitive game of water polo going, which was a lot of fun.
We had dinner at 6. I don't know if we realize how spoiled we are to have such a nice private house to stay in AND we don't have to cook dinner- a restaurant from in town came up to cater it. They will prepare our breakfast tomorrow as well.
All of the students are currently lounging in hammocks or playing pool. I'm trying to catch up on the blogging from the last two days and trying to get to bed early! Tomorrow will be a grueling day- we will raft the entire day on the Pacuare River! Physically challenging and in the sun all day- should be exciting!
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