Written by: Ms Robinson
La Carpio
was very humbling and excellent! From the moment we entered La cCarpio, we knew
there was a lot of work to be done. The streets,
in some areas there were roads, but in other areas there were piles of rocks
and dirt. The first thing we began to do was level the roads in order to lay
the cement. Quickly, we saw the students
create their own teams and begin working on the project. There was not a single
standing body, everyone was working, and we all worked very hard together. As we worked, the adults of La Carpio came
out to see what we were doing and how we were working. By mid morning, on the first day, the streets
began to fill with small children who stood closely by their parents to watch what
we were doing. Because of our students great team work and hard efforts, we
were about to flatten 5 blocks of road and remove tons of large rocks that
crested the hill top that many families needed to use in their daily travels.
We all paused for lunch and were given time to relaxed for about an hour. I rested in the church with some of the students,
and what brought tears to my eyes was the later opening my eyes to the sounds
of children’s play and laugher. I looked
outside and saw Our CityHigh students laughing, hugging, and playing soccer
with the young children in the community.
It was absolutely a fantastic time.
The smiles of the parents toward our students I’ll never forget, and the
smile on everyone’s faces was priceless.
After lunch we headed back to work rejuvenated and ready to go. We were taught the formula needed to make the
cement, and came up with a plan to make and lay the roads. Again, no real complaining just purposeful work!
I am so honored to know, work with, and be with these students. Their diligence and dedication is amazing!!
By the next morning we were able to see how our hard work paid off. The community members, along with one of the
of their leaders, gave us a tour of all of the places CityHigh worked/helped that we were able to do in the last 6 years,
and how this work truly improved the lives of their entire community. At lunch, some of the students again played with
the children of the community, but this time there were lots more children who
joined. A few other children sat with
the store owner who spoke to them about the children of La Carpio. She explained that it costs money to go to
school, so many of the families cannot afford to send their children to school. Most learn from their parents and learn to
work as well. Throughout the entire second
day more and more families and children began to help us work, and by the end,
it almost felt like we became a part of their community, which ended with a
celebration that was inspirational to all!
Thank you La Carpio for your hospitality and graciousness. We will never
forget you!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
Day 5 in Costa Rica :)
After an late wake up the day turned around. The volcano we visited was were amazing! The smell wasn't the best however. Most people complained about the climb, but it was actually relatively easy. After the fun on the mountain, we took a 45 minute trip to the other side of Costa Rica to see one of the most famous mask makers in the entire world. It was exciting, because he was a very happy man, and continues to make mask, but he WILL NOT SELL them to anyone. Leaving his house, we went to the coffee plantaition where the best coffee in the world is grown LITERALLY. To conclude this long day the group wound down for the rest of the day at the hotel.
La Carpio Days 1 & 2 and the Volcano
Day 1 in La Carpio:
This is the first day that we had come to this amzing part of town. The very moment that I entered this area, a young female, age 11, by the name of Ana had grabbed me by the hand asking me for my name. After lunch following hard work leveling out the roads, I got to play with the children. A simple game of catch had turned into a large game of soccer. This is the moment that all of the kids and I had a connection that could not have been broken.
Day 2 in La Carpio:
Unfortunatley, this is the day that we had to leave. The people of La Carpio had made us two cakes along with prepared a pinata for us to play with. The kids that I had met the day before had urged me to play and hit the pinata. After that, the children had walked with me to the van and said their good byes. This is when I had given my young friend Ana my hat so that she can remeber me. It was very hard to leave the people of la carpio. They were all very nice! All of the people had a sence of happiness and it touched my heart. I will forever remeber the moment that Neil accidently walked into one othe people's houses and the little kids had sang, "Gringo in mi casa! Gringo in mi casa! Gringo in mi casa!" as they danced arround.
The trip to the valcano:
The trip to the valcano in the cloud forest was very interesting. I think that it was a beautiful sight to see along with a great walk. While we were walking, Mike was "bullying" people which consisted in him running arround taking pictures of random people including us and himself in a very funny fasion. This was deffinatly a highlight to the walk itself. I just wish that we could have spent more time actually looking at the valcano and taking pictures.
This is the first day that we had come to this amzing part of town. The very moment that I entered this area, a young female, age 11, by the name of Ana had grabbed me by the hand asking me for my name. After lunch following hard work leveling out the roads, I got to play with the children. A simple game of catch had turned into a large game of soccer. This is the moment that all of the kids and I had a connection that could not have been broken.
Day 2 in La Carpio:
Unfortunatley, this is the day that we had to leave. The people of La Carpio had made us two cakes along with prepared a pinata for us to play with. The kids that I had met the day before had urged me to play and hit the pinata. After that, the children had walked with me to the van and said their good byes. This is when I had given my young friend Ana my hat so that she can remeber me. It was very hard to leave the people of la carpio. They were all very nice! All of the people had a sence of happiness and it touched my heart. I will forever remeber the moment that Neil accidently walked into one othe people's houses and the little kids had sang, "Gringo in mi casa! Gringo in mi casa! Gringo in mi casa!" as they danced arround.
The trip to the valcano:
The trip to the valcano in the cloud forest was very interesting. I think that it was a beautiful sight to see along with a great walk. While we were walking, Mike was "bullying" people which consisted in him running arround taking pictures of random people including us and himself in a very funny fasion. This was deffinatly a highlight to the walk itself. I just wish that we could have spent more time actually looking at the valcano and taking pictures.
Poas: Not Your Grandma's Volcano.
Written By: Neal Niedecker.
Today we went to the Volcano called Poas. It was really high in the air, so the altitude made it really easy to lose your breathe. Now I know how it feels to play at Mile High Stadium in Denver. So we climbed up this hill and got this fantastic view. Poas is filled with acidic water, so all along it there is no vegatation. It was wild. Then we climbed down and went to see this traditional mask maker. We walked up to this guy, rain pouring, thunder and lightning going strong. There he stood with his shirt half unbuttoned and a huge grin on his face. He is one of the few traditional mask maker left in Costa Rica, as the dancing mask tradition has died out. He seemed really happy, and his masks were great. He and his son put them on and danced to the traditional music. It was really funny. Then I got to put on a mask and dance. One of the funnest moment sof my life
Today we went to the Volcano called Poas. It was really high in the air, so the altitude made it really easy to lose your breathe. Now I know how it feels to play at Mile High Stadium in Denver. So we climbed up this hill and got this fantastic view. Poas is filled with acidic water, so all along it there is no vegatation. It was wild. Then we climbed down and went to see this traditional mask maker. We walked up to this guy, rain pouring, thunder and lightning going strong. There he stood with his shirt half unbuttoned and a huge grin on his face. He is one of the few traditional mask maker left in Costa Rica, as the dancing mask tradition has died out. He seemed really happy, and his masks were great. He and his son put them on and danced to the traditional music. It was really funny. Then I got to put on a mask and dance. One of the funnest moment sof my life
Lar Carpio Part 2: Revenge of the Sun
Written By: Neal Niedecker
So we went back to La Carpio today. What an incredible expeierence it was. See first they showed us the progress they had made in the village. Roads that were dirt and mud a few short years ago are now paved. Parts of La Carpio have sewage and electricity. It is cleaner and safer than it was before. So we went back to building the road. Mixing the cement and pouring it. We not only built a road, but also we helped build a path for a sick child to use his wheel chair on. After we worked on the road for a couple hours I was so tired I feel asleep in the church. When I woke up the people of La Carpio had a celebration for us. We had cake and a pinata and exchanged words. It was a really powerful moment. They were so grateful for all our hard work, it made me want to go back to working. Alas we had to leave as later that night we had a concert to go to. We went to a local jazz club where a really great band played. I danced for like 2 hours solid. My classmates were a little lamer though. A couple of them danced with me but most just sat. It was hands down the most fun I've ever had at a concert, also the band was fantastic. I need to find out what their name was.
So we went back to La Carpio today. What an incredible expeierence it was. See first they showed us the progress they had made in the village. Roads that were dirt and mud a few short years ago are now paved. Parts of La Carpio have sewage and electricity. It is cleaner and safer than it was before. So we went back to building the road. Mixing the cement and pouring it. We not only built a road, but also we helped build a path for a sick child to use his wheel chair on. After we worked on the road for a couple hours I was so tired I feel asleep in the church. When I woke up the people of La Carpio had a celebration for us. We had cake and a pinata and exchanged words. It was a really powerful moment. They were so grateful for all our hard work, it made me want to go back to working. Alas we had to leave as later that night we had a concert to go to. We went to a local jazz club where a really great band played. I danced for like 2 hours solid. My classmates were a little lamer though. A couple of them danced with me but most just sat. It was hands down the most fun I've ever had at a concert, also the band was fantastic. I need to find out what their name was.
La Carpio
Written by: Neal Niedecker
Today was a very rough day. Still I enjoyed myself. We started off by taking a trip to La Carpio. La Carpio is not the nicest place. It was a little strange to see, but still it was overall a great experience. See we leveled out the ground and moved some rocks around. Then we began paving the road. If you saw this town you would know how much a road could do for these people. Most of the houses seem to be built out of corrugated metal and miscellaneous trash. I got to use a pick ax for the first time in my life. It was a serious work out but I enjoyed it. At one point I accidently stepped into some one else’s home. The little kids all started singing “gringo en me casa” It was very funny. Overall I’d say this day was great.
Today was a very rough day. Still I enjoyed myself. We started off by taking a trip to La Carpio. La Carpio is not the nicest place. It was a little strange to see, but still it was overall a great experience. See we leveled out the ground and moved some rocks around. Then we began paving the road. If you saw this town you would know how much a road could do for these people. Most of the houses seem to be built out of corrugated metal and miscellaneous trash. I got to use a pick ax for the first time in my life. It was a serious work out but I enjoyed it. At one point I accidently stepped into some one else’s home. The little kids all started singing “gringo en me casa” It was very funny. Overall I’d say this day was great.
Day 5: Off to Poas
By: Holly Herman
Waking up today was rough! The group had to be up and ready
by 6 in the morning. Typically this would not be that bad but thanks to a late
concert last night it was horrible. Besides waking up early the day was
amazing. It was great seeing the active volcano Poas. Lucky for us the sky was
clear and we had a great view of the crater. After the Volcano we stopped at
numerous gift stores and a coffee plantation. Next we took a 45 minute drive,
which was full of laughs and jokes, to see a local mask maker. Overall the day was amazing .
Day 5:
Written By: Andrea Webb
Hola!
Today we left for breakfast at 6am for a restaurant in Heredia. Our meal consisted of rice, beans, eggs, and bread. Once breakfast was over we were greeted by our volcanologist, Ruldofo. He showed us to the volcano, Poas. Once exploring Poas we learned new facts. We had lunch at the same place as breakfast but this meal consisted of mash potatoes, cole slaw, rice, beans, and fish. Once lunch was over, we headed over to a mask makers workshop/house. At this mans house, he was very enthusiastic to share wih us his work of making traditional masks. The students were then invited to try on the masks and dance with them. Another group of students were able to make masks themselves out of clay to compete for a mask made by the maker. After this wonderful exprience we headed back to the hotel for dinner and prepare to go to the rainforest in the morning.
Hola!
Today we left for breakfast at 6am for a restaurant in Heredia. Our meal consisted of rice, beans, eggs, and bread. Once breakfast was over we were greeted by our volcanologist, Ruldofo. He showed us to the volcano, Poas. Once exploring Poas we learned new facts. We had lunch at the same place as breakfast but this meal consisted of mash potatoes, cole slaw, rice, beans, and fish. Once lunch was over, we headed over to a mask makers workshop/house. At this mans house, he was very enthusiastic to share wih us his work of making traditional masks. The students were then invited to try on the masks and dance with them. Another group of students were able to make masks themselves out of clay to compete for a mask made by the maker. After this wonderful exprience we headed back to the hotel for dinner and prepare to go to the rainforest in the morning.
DAY 4: The real impact
Written By: Andrea Webb
Today, we went back to La Carpio to finish our service project. When driving down the road, you could start to see the impact we had made in the community. We have filled up buckets of rocks, sand, and dirt, to mix cement and pave the roads. After a while, the community lost electricity so we had a delay in our project. During this delay some students migled with the children of La Carpio and others tried to help out with what they could. At the end of the day, the people living in La Carpio expressed their gratitude with a cake, pinata, and kind words. To finish our day, we went to a Costa Rican club where a band played modern Costa Rican music. This was an amazing day!
Today, we went back to La Carpio to finish our service project. When driving down the road, you could start to see the impact we had made in the community. We have filled up buckets of rocks, sand, and dirt, to mix cement and pave the roads. After a while, the community lost electricity so we had a delay in our project. During this delay some students migled with the children of La Carpio and others tried to help out with what they could. At the end of the day, the people living in La Carpio expressed their gratitude with a cake, pinata, and kind words. To finish our day, we went to a Costa Rican club where a band played modern Costa Rican music. This was an amazing day!
Day 5: Volcano and Masks
Written By: Caitlin Boyd-Ragin
At the start of the day, we went to explore Volcano Poas. I was not looking forward to this at all because I was so tired. Thankfully, my attitude changed once we got there. Even though the walk was a little long, I actually enjoyed it. One thing that I did like was the fact that it was cold there because by now, I was used to Costa Rica's weather being hot, humid, and rainy.Once we got to the top of the volcano, I was completely amazed. The view was beyond awesome. We took many pictures there and learned about the volcano.
The other thing that we did today was visited a guy who makes masks. He told us about the tradition and the masks. Next, he put one on and danced around.The best part was when he let us have the opportunity to wear the masks and dance. He also presented us with the opportunity to make a mask mold using the clay that he uses.
Life Changing Work!
Written By Mike Vaughn
La Carpio was the most impactful,
life changing experience of my life. For two straight days we paved roads and
helped the people of this community. The community was just so grateful and
they were the happiest people I have ever met. These people really didn't have
anything, but were still so happy. All of the community was like one big family
and they all came out to help and better their community. Seeing how these
people all come together inspired me and it was just something that I have
never seen or been a part of before. After the two days of work we had a little
party with the community, consisting of cake and a piñata. This had most of the
group in tears because even though they have barely anything they all came
together to show their appreciation.
Today was our last day in San Jose,
and we decided to take it to the mountain tops. We explored two volcanoes that
were 2 miles in elevation. The volcanoes provided a breath taking view. This site
will definitely be my next Facebook profile picture. After the volcanoes we
meet and worldwide known mask maker. This man was just so proud of his work,
even though he makes no money off of the masks, it's his hobby. He is a farmer
during the day, and mask maker at night. He is one of the few people that keep
the mask making tradition alive. The masks were very interesting, and he is so
proud of his work, and people like us that come to see his work is why he does
it all in the first place.
Coast Rica has been so much more
than I could have ever imagined. We are barely half way through and tomorrow
morning we will be ascending deep into the Rain Forest for the rest of the
trip. We are all looking forward to this and will be supplying tons of pictures
and blogs about it next week, once we regain internet.
Singing off from Costa Rica-- Mike Vaughn
Changing lives: Day 3
Hola!
Hello friends,
Today we had left out early to start our project in La Carpio. Once arrriving at La Carpio we were introduced to our project. This project consisted of our group to help pave the roads. Our group was slipt up into 2 group one group was assigned to help make the road even. Another group was assigned to work on another road , this road was for a disabled child's wheelchair to be able to get out of his house.
As a group we worked hard and at our very best to make and impact on La Carpio. At the end of our day at La Carpio, our hard work had paid off. Once arriving back at the hotel for warming showers and a fresh pair of changing cloths, we had ate dinner. Once dinner was over we had enjoyed the rest of our night with salsa dancing.
Hello friends,
Today we had left out early to start our project in La Carpio. Once arrriving at La Carpio we were introduced to our project. This project consisted of our group to help pave the roads. Our group was slipt up into 2 group one group was assigned to help make the road even. Another group was assigned to work on another road , this road was for a disabled child's wheelchair to be able to get out of his house.
As a group we worked hard and at our very best to make and impact on La Carpio. At the end of our day at La Carpio, our hard work had paid off. Once arriving back at the hotel for warming showers and a fresh pair of changing cloths, we had ate dinner. Once dinner was over we had enjoyed the rest of our night with salsa dancing.
Day 2: Site Seeing
Written by: Andrea Webb
Hello Friends,
Today is the 2nd day here in Costa Rica. Today we woke up at 6:30am to have breakfast, abd to plan for our day. today we had a meeting with Espy Campbell after our meeting we had took a group trip to see important site here in San Jose. Today was the day we had our meet and greet the students at Liceo Julio Fonseca. But once we had arrived at the school and found out that the students didn't go to school because of the protest that was held in San Jose. Instead of comming back to the hotel our tour guide Alfredo decided to take us to the museum. Once our day was completed we had came back to the hotel for dinner and sleep.
Hello Friends,
Today is the 2nd day here in Costa Rica. Today we woke up at 6:30am to have breakfast, abd to plan for our day. today we had a meeting with Espy Campbell after our meeting we had took a group trip to see important site here in San Jose. Today was the day we had our meet and greet the students at Liceo Julio Fonseca. But once we had arrived at the school and found out that the students didn't go to school because of the protest that was held in San Jose. Instead of comming back to the hotel our tour guide Alfredo decided to take us to the museum. Once our day was completed we had came back to the hotel for dinner and sleep.
Day Five: From the City to the "Wild" and Back
Written By: Dray Cottingham
Today was our first encounter with Costa Rican wildlife. Waking up at the crack of dawn (as usual) we set out to an early breakfast which consisted of rice and beans, and scrambled eggs. After our meal we headed to one of Costa Rica's national parks where we hiked for a half an hour uphill through the "cloud forest" to get to the zenith of the Poas Volcano. The smell of rotten eggs and beauty given off from the volcano and its surrounding vegetation really took my breath away. Actually being in the presence of a volcano is something that none of us can, or will, ever forget.
After our excursion to Poas, we stopped for lunch and continued on our way making a few stops. Our first stop was to a souviner shop which sold fresh Costa Rican strawberries; which by far have been the most delicious fruit I've ever tasted. The second stop we made was to a coffee plantation which held what seemed to be millions of coffee plants. Our last experience of the day was to the home of a local mask maker where he shared with us the tradition of mask making in Costa Rica and the significance it has in Costa Rica history. During our time at the mask maker's home, we were able to wear some of the masks and dance to traditional Tico music and Charlene, Jasmine, and I were able to create our own masks in a mask making competition against each other. After all of these festivities, our group headed back to Las Orquideas for our last night in San Jose.
Tomorrow we will be making our way to our eco-lodge in the rainforest. No technology for six days! This should be a great experience.
Today was our first encounter with Costa Rican wildlife. Waking up at the crack of dawn (as usual) we set out to an early breakfast which consisted of rice and beans, and scrambled eggs. After our meal we headed to one of Costa Rica's national parks where we hiked for a half an hour uphill through the "cloud forest" to get to the zenith of the Poas Volcano. The smell of rotten eggs and beauty given off from the volcano and its surrounding vegetation really took my breath away. Actually being in the presence of a volcano is something that none of us can, or will, ever forget.
After our excursion to Poas, we stopped for lunch and continued on our way making a few stops. Our first stop was to a souviner shop which sold fresh Costa Rican strawberries; which by far have been the most delicious fruit I've ever tasted. The second stop we made was to a coffee plantation which held what seemed to be millions of coffee plants. Our last experience of the day was to the home of a local mask maker where he shared with us the tradition of mask making in Costa Rica and the significance it has in Costa Rica history. During our time at the mask maker's home, we were able to wear some of the masks and dance to traditional Tico music and Charlene, Jasmine, and I were able to create our own masks in a mask making competition against each other. After all of these festivities, our group headed back to Las Orquideas for our last night in San Jose.
Tomorrow we will be making our way to our eco-lodge in the rainforest. No technology for six days! This should be a great experience.
Day 5... Chillin at the Craters
Written by: Alex Guy
As usual, the group woke up at 5:30 this morning but this time we went out for breakfast. No need to worry though, we still had our dose of rice & beans with eggs. Mmmmmm... so good. The diner that we ate at this morning wasn't so different from diners in Pittsbugh though. It still had the same atmosphere, the early risers that eat when the diner opens, and the food had the same quality. It was still good by all means, but it was just the same.
Today's event... Poas Volcano! We left from the diner to the volcano called Poas. By the time we got to the top, we were about 8,000 ft above sea level and only about 5,000 ft above where we were in San Jose. The first thing I noticed was that it was extremley cold. It felt colder because of the wind and because of the altitude. Once we started walking, we warmed up very quickly since we walked all up hill. Our guide showed us some interesting things on the way about the plants and the animals as well.
The hike up to the top of the mountain was worth the view of the massive crater at the top. Not only could you see the stone around the crater where the most recent eruption took place, and not only could you see the acid/liquid inside the active crater, but you could also see where the earlier crater was before the volcanic eruption in 2010 had ruined it. It was an amazing site and I never thought that I would see an acitve crater that size. What an experience it was.
I think that the best part of my day happened on the way down the volcano. On the way down, we stopped at two markets. The first one was the "more actracted" tourist place. It had a lot of more expensive souveniers and other products. The two things that caught my eye the most were the coffe beans and the strawberries. The coffee caught my eye for two reasons: I love coffee, and we were surrounded by coffee plantations. It was a little expensive so I didnt get the coffee and I decided to wait till the second stop. Then the strawberries were delicious. They were fresh picked and extremley ripe. They just melted in your mouth.
The second place we stopped was a coffee plantation. Alfredo explained to us the coffee procces, how the beans get from being planted in the ground to being in your cup, and then we went to the store which was directly on the plantation. Alfredo suggested that if we are going to by coffee in Costa Rica that we by it there because it is the best coffee you will ever find. So I bought some and I didn't regret it.
The rest of the day was just chill. We went to lunch and then to see someone make large mask. I still have not regreted signing up for this trip at the begining. There are still surprises around every corner and i am learning more than i could ever imagine.
As usual, the group woke up at 5:30 this morning but this time we went out for breakfast. No need to worry though, we still had our dose of rice & beans with eggs. Mmmmmm... so good. The diner that we ate at this morning wasn't so different from diners in Pittsbugh though. It still had the same atmosphere, the early risers that eat when the diner opens, and the food had the same quality. It was still good by all means, but it was just the same.
Today's event... Poas Volcano! We left from the diner to the volcano called Poas. By the time we got to the top, we were about 8,000 ft above sea level and only about 5,000 ft above where we were in San Jose. The first thing I noticed was that it was extremley cold. It felt colder because of the wind and because of the altitude. Once we started walking, we warmed up very quickly since we walked all up hill. Our guide showed us some interesting things on the way about the plants and the animals as well.
The hike up to the top of the mountain was worth the view of the massive crater at the top. Not only could you see the stone around the crater where the most recent eruption took place, and not only could you see the acid/liquid inside the active crater, but you could also see where the earlier crater was before the volcanic eruption in 2010 had ruined it. It was an amazing site and I never thought that I would see an acitve crater that size. What an experience it was.
I think that the best part of my day happened on the way down the volcano. On the way down, we stopped at two markets. The first one was the "more actracted" tourist place. It had a lot of more expensive souveniers and other products. The two things that caught my eye the most were the coffe beans and the strawberries. The coffee caught my eye for two reasons: I love coffee, and we were surrounded by coffee plantations. It was a little expensive so I didnt get the coffee and I decided to wait till the second stop. Then the strawberries were delicious. They were fresh picked and extremley ripe. They just melted in your mouth.
The second place we stopped was a coffee plantation. Alfredo explained to us the coffee procces, how the beans get from being planted in the ground to being in your cup, and then we went to the store which was directly on the plantation. Alfredo suggested that if we are going to by coffee in Costa Rica that we by it there because it is the best coffee you will ever find. So I bought some and I didn't regret it.
The rest of the day was just chill. We went to lunch and then to see someone make large mask. I still have not regreted signing up for this trip at the begining. There are still surprises around every corner and i am learning more than i could ever imagine.
Arrival: Costa Rica
Written by: Andrea Webb
Hola!
Today was the day City High had arrived to Costa Rica! This day seemed like the longest day in history. After taking two airplanes and a half an hour drive was all worth it. once arriving to Las Orquides we had enjoyed a meal. This meal consisted of rice, beans, potatoes, salad, and meat. The dinner was great, I really enjoyed the flavoring of the beans and rice. After dinner I was conforted by a nice shower following a confortable bed. Well words are running short, Talk to you tomorrow.
Hola!
Today was the day City High had arrived to Costa Rica! This day seemed like the longest day in history. After taking two airplanes and a half an hour drive was all worth it. once arriving to Las Orquides we had enjoyed a meal. This meal consisted of rice, beans, potatoes, salad, and meat. The dinner was great, I really enjoyed the flavoring of the beans and rice. After dinner I was conforted by a nice shower following a confortable bed. Well words are running short, Talk to you tomorrow.
Written by Mollie Schillinger
Today was pretty relaxing compared to the past few days we have had. We went to Poas, which is an active volcano. It was really cool and pretty. We walked around that area for awhile, and then we headed to lunch. When they first brought our food out, I was shocked because there were no beans or rice on our plates, I thought it was going to be our first meal without them, but then they brought out a bowl of each... After we got done eating lunch, we went to a mask makers house. The masks were really big and cool. Some of our students even got to put on the masks and dance around them. We got some videos of them too. It was pretty interesting to watch. The only bad part of the day is that we spent a lot of time driving around in the vans. But overall today was really nice and relaxing. It was a much needed break after our work in La Carpio.
Tomorrow we will be heading out into the rain forest. I am really excited, but at the same time, I am kind of nervous. The thing that I think I am the most excited for is the beach. I am also really looking foward to swimming in the water falls and zip lining. I hope I get practice my spanish some more as well. So far, I think I am doing pretty well with it. Yesterday, in La Carpio, I was able to have a full conversation with a woman the spoke no english. It was pretty neat and I was really proud of myself. Well, I guess that's all for tonight!
Today was pretty relaxing compared to the past few days we have had. We went to Poas, which is an active volcano. It was really cool and pretty. We walked around that area for awhile, and then we headed to lunch. When they first brought our food out, I was shocked because there were no beans or rice on our plates, I thought it was going to be our first meal without them, but then they brought out a bowl of each... After we got done eating lunch, we went to a mask makers house. The masks were really big and cool. Some of our students even got to put on the masks and dance around them. We got some videos of them too. It was pretty interesting to watch. The only bad part of the day is that we spent a lot of time driving around in the vans. But overall today was really nice and relaxing. It was a much needed break after our work in La Carpio.
Tomorrow we will be heading out into the rain forest. I am really excited, but at the same time, I am kind of nervous. The thing that I think I am the most excited for is the beach. I am also really looking foward to swimming in the water falls and zip lining. I hope I get practice my spanish some more as well. So far, I think I am doing pretty well with it. Yesterday, in La Carpio, I was able to have a full conversation with a woman the spoke no english. It was pretty neat and I was really proud of myself. Well, I guess that's all for tonight!
Costa Rica Day 5 - Volcano & Mask-maker
Written by Dawn Dallmus
Today we went to see the active volcano called Poas. It was a long ride but it definitely was well worth it. The scenery was gorgeous going up the mountain to get to the trail where we would hike up to the Poas craters. With the air being so thin because we were so high up, I had to take many rest stops because I was running out of breath and it was difficult for me to breathe. As we hiked to the first crater, you could smell the sulfur. The crater was emitting many other fumous gases along with the sulfur. Other than the smell, the site was just so beautiful and I wish that my family could have been with me to see it. After that, we visited another crater that was inactive and that caused rain water to fill it up and make it a lake. There was a lot of greenery around the slopes of the crater because the crater was inactive. As we left Poas, we stopped at a strawberry stand and got a few kilo's of strawberries for everyone to share. Then we stopped at the most famous and most delicious coffee plantation in the world. I even got a gift for my stepdad there as well. Then we headed to lunch in Heredia and then we were off to see a traditional mask-maker. This mask-maker was so amazing and talented. All his masks were made up of his second family and this was a job that he had pursued because he enjoyed making masks. He mainly made the masks for parades and such but every once in a while he'll take them to a convention or fair and put on a performance to make a little money but he will not sell them. Three of us were chosen to be in a mask-making contest and he and his son showed us the way the masks were worn and how the dances were performed. Finally, we headed home for dinner and to pack a bag for the next five days. We leave for the rainforest tomorrow and won't be back to the hotel till July 5. That means no technology and no way to keep you guys updated on what is going on in the rainforest until we get back. TTFN
Today we went to see the active volcano called Poas. It was a long ride but it definitely was well worth it. The scenery was gorgeous going up the mountain to get to the trail where we would hike up to the Poas craters. With the air being so thin because we were so high up, I had to take many rest stops because I was running out of breath and it was difficult for me to breathe. As we hiked to the first crater, you could smell the sulfur. The crater was emitting many other fumous gases along with the sulfur. Other than the smell, the site was just so beautiful and I wish that my family could have been with me to see it. After that, we visited another crater that was inactive and that caused rain water to fill it up and make it a lake. There was a lot of greenery around the slopes of the crater because the crater was inactive. As we left Poas, we stopped at a strawberry stand and got a few kilo's of strawberries for everyone to share. Then we stopped at the most famous and most delicious coffee plantation in the world. I even got a gift for my stepdad there as well. Then we headed to lunch in Heredia and then we were off to see a traditional mask-maker. This mask-maker was so amazing and talented. All his masks were made up of his second family and this was a job that he had pursued because he enjoyed making masks. He mainly made the masks for parades and such but every once in a while he'll take them to a convention or fair and put on a performance to make a little money but he will not sell them. Three of us were chosen to be in a mask-making contest and he and his son showed us the way the masks were worn and how the dances were performed. Finally, we headed home for dinner and to pack a bag for the next five days. We leave for the rainforest tomorrow and won't be back to the hotel till July 5. That means no technology and no way to keep you guys updated on what is going on in the rainforest until we get back. TTFN
Costa Rica - Day 4 - Service Work & Concert
Written by Dawn Dallmus
Today we did the same thing as yesterday in La Carpio. We continued to work on the road until lunch. When lunch was supposed to be finished however, the electricity went out and we were stuck trying to find something to do. Some of us took a siesta, others talked, and others played soccer. I watched Josh and Mike P. play soccer with the kids and then something really funny happened. Josh went to kick the ball and missed. He fell on his butt and split his pants open right in the crotch area. All the kids laughed and some even imitated what happened. After that, Alfredo said the leaders of the section that we were working in had something for us. We all gathered a short distance from where we were working and the leaders said many nice things about our group and what we had done to help their community. Then they brought out two cakes that said "City High Gracias!" We also said a few nice words to them. Then they brought out a pinata for us to hit and it took five different students to finally get the pinata open and have all the candy spill out for the children to get. Right after that, we had to leave to go back to the hotel. All the children hugged us and said goodbye and messed with a few others such as Alex. It was sad leaving them but I am glad we had done what we did because it was a nice thing to do. Once we got back to the hotel, we got ready to go to a jazz club where a band was playing. The band was amazing and so was the entire atmosphere. Everyone was just up and dancing when the band was ready to perform. The drinks were also amazing! We had the choices of soda, water, juice, a virgin Pina Colada, or a virgin Daiquiri. I chose the virgin Daiquiri and it was delicious with the mixture of the strawberry, orange, and other citrus fruits. When I finished my drink, I got up to dance to the music that the band was playing and I had a blast.
Today we did the same thing as yesterday in La Carpio. We continued to work on the road until lunch. When lunch was supposed to be finished however, the electricity went out and we were stuck trying to find something to do. Some of us took a siesta, others talked, and others played soccer. I watched Josh and Mike P. play soccer with the kids and then something really funny happened. Josh went to kick the ball and missed. He fell on his butt and split his pants open right in the crotch area. All the kids laughed and some even imitated what happened. After that, Alfredo said the leaders of the section that we were working in had something for us. We all gathered a short distance from where we were working and the leaders said many nice things about our group and what we had done to help their community. Then they brought out two cakes that said "City High Gracias!" We also said a few nice words to them. Then they brought out a pinata for us to hit and it took five different students to finally get the pinata open and have all the candy spill out for the children to get. Right after that, we had to leave to go back to the hotel. All the children hugged us and said goodbye and messed with a few others such as Alex. It was sad leaving them but I am glad we had done what we did because it was a nice thing to do. Once we got back to the hotel, we got ready to go to a jazz club where a band was playing. The band was amazing and so was the entire atmosphere. Everyone was just up and dancing when the band was ready to perform. The drinks were also amazing! We had the choices of soda, water, juice, a virgin Pina Colada, or a virgin Daiquiri. I chose the virgin Daiquiri and it was delicious with the mixture of the strawberry, orange, and other citrus fruits. When I finished my drink, I got up to dance to the music that the band was playing and I had a blast.
A life changing experience so far
This trip has continued to amaze me. I knew this trip was going to be a life changing experience, but I never knew I would grow as much as I have in the last few days. The experiences I have made here will undoubtedly stay close to me for the rest of my life. Working in La Carpio was an extremely gratifying experience. The people living there were so happy despite their misfortunes. I have never met a more dedicated group of people in my life. Our group did a lot of good for the community; our help will affect them for years to come. What amazed me the most about La Carpio was the appreciation of the people there. At the end, they managed to have a cake and piñata for us, and we also received bible verses from them. Despite having hardly anything, they were still willing to show their appreciation to us. There are people who have everything that would not have been that generous.
The language barrier was not even as big of an issue as I thought it was going to be. I do speak a little Spanish, but I am by no means fluent. I have a really hard time understanding what people are saying when they are speaking very quickly. Costa Rica is actually considered one of the worst places to try to learn Spanish as a beginner because of the amount of slang they use when they speak. Even with this, I still managed to pick up a lot of Spanish. I loved talking to the locals, especially the kids (probably because they were more on my level). Despite not speaking the same language, we could all still communicate with each other fine. I am now determined to become fluent in Spanish. It is going to take a while, but this trip has stressed the importance of learning a different language to me. Also, today I received a mask from the mask maker we visited. It was such an honor to receive something that this man has dedicated his life to. Tomorrow we head out for the rain forest. Hopefully the second half of this trip will be just as great as the first half.
Costa Rica Day 5
Written by Michael Pittek
Today was our last day in San Jose and it was a fun one. Today started off with breakfast at a restaurant where we meet the volcanologist that would be taking us on a tour of the volcano called paos. The trip to the volcano from the restaurant took around 45 minites. On the way we passed coffee bean plantations that were in the mountains, we later stoped to visit these plantations. When we arrived we began our hike up one of the trails to the volcano. After a short while we were at an overview of the crater. We were very lucky because there were no clouds at all and the view was amazing. It seemed to go on for ever and there was a strong smell of sulfur in the air. We visited another crater that was near the first. This crater was much older and was now filled with water and resembled a lake. We hiked back down to a museum and spent a little while there before heading back to the restaurant for lunch. After our meal we headed to the home of a man who made traditional masks. The masks were large and you could wear them over your entire body, some of them were over 4 feet tall. We talked with the man and his family and learned a brief history about the forgotten tradition. We learned that the man was one of the only ones in the country who still made these masks and they were no longer used by anyone. We than thanked the man for putting on a show for us and showing us how the masks were created and headed to the hotel for dinner. We are leaving for the rain forest in the morning, now we have to pack and we have a long 4 hour ride ahead of us. This will be the last time that we have internet acess and won't get to blog again until we return to the hotel in a few days.
Today was our last day in San Jose and it was a fun one. Today started off with breakfast at a restaurant where we meet the volcanologist that would be taking us on a tour of the volcano called paos. The trip to the volcano from the restaurant took around 45 minites. On the way we passed coffee bean plantations that were in the mountains, we later stoped to visit these plantations. When we arrived we began our hike up one of the trails to the volcano. After a short while we were at an overview of the crater. We were very lucky because there were no clouds at all and the view was amazing. It seemed to go on for ever and there was a strong smell of sulfur in the air. We visited another crater that was near the first. This crater was much older and was now filled with water and resembled a lake. We hiked back down to a museum and spent a little while there before heading back to the restaurant for lunch. After our meal we headed to the home of a man who made traditional masks. The masks were large and you could wear them over your entire body, some of them were over 4 feet tall. We talked with the man and his family and learned a brief history about the forgotten tradition. We learned that the man was one of the only ones in the country who still made these masks and they were no longer used by anyone. We than thanked the man for putting on a show for us and showing us how the masks were created and headed to the hotel for dinner. We are leaving for the rain forest in the morning, now we have to pack and we have a long 4 hour ride ahead of us. This will be the last time that we have internet acess and won't get to blog again until we return to the hotel in a few days.
Goodbye Civilization
Written by: Joshua Brown
Today was a great way to end our time here in the capital of Costa Rica. This morning we went to visit the Paos volcano, one of Costa Rica's many volcanoes. Before we headed to the volcano, we went to eat breakfast at a small little restaurant where we met a volcanologist. He joined us for breakfast, and took us to the volcano.
During the trip, he told us a variety of facts about volcanoes. He demostrated how they work, how they are created, and the effects that they can have on civilization. We visited 2 different craters, and both were located at about 8,000 ft above sea level. The air was thick, but we made it. The first crater looked a lot like a desolate wasteland, with no vegetation. The crater itself was filled with highly acidic water, and it gave off a lot of gases which made the area smell terrible. The second crater was one that was formed thousands of years ago. It is located to the east, which means that the acid doens't get to it as much because the volcanologist told us that the wind normally blows west. This crater was a giant lake that was surrounded by vegetation, which is understandable due to its less acidic environment.
Later, we returned to the same restaurant as before. This trip, however, turned our spirits around. After eating endless amounts of rice and beans daily, we were treated with a delightful fried fish, salad, and MASHED POTATOES! Not rice, but something that a majority of the people actually liked to eat. They were covered in butter, and they were delicious. I am not normally a fan, but anything besides rice was acceptable to me.
To finish off the day we visited one of the most popular mask makers in all of Costa Rica. He is known internationally for his traditional masks, and performances. It was truly an amzing experience to see this man in action. He allowed some of us to wear the masks and dance around in them. He also let some students make their own mini-masks out of clay. It was amazing how the man danced, and it was a shame to hear that no one was willing to pick up the tradition.
Well that is it for our time here in San Jose. Now it is time to go off to the rain forest!
Today was a great way to end our time here in the capital of Costa Rica. This morning we went to visit the Paos volcano, one of Costa Rica's many volcanoes. Before we headed to the volcano, we went to eat breakfast at a small little restaurant where we met a volcanologist. He joined us for breakfast, and took us to the volcano.
During the trip, he told us a variety of facts about volcanoes. He demostrated how they work, how they are created, and the effects that they can have on civilization. We visited 2 different craters, and both were located at about 8,000 ft above sea level. The air was thick, but we made it. The first crater looked a lot like a desolate wasteland, with no vegetation. The crater itself was filled with highly acidic water, and it gave off a lot of gases which made the area smell terrible. The second crater was one that was formed thousands of years ago. It is located to the east, which means that the acid doens't get to it as much because the volcanologist told us that the wind normally blows west. This crater was a giant lake that was surrounded by vegetation, which is understandable due to its less acidic environment.
Later, we returned to the same restaurant as before. This trip, however, turned our spirits around. After eating endless amounts of rice and beans daily, we were treated with a delightful fried fish, salad, and MASHED POTATOES! Not rice, but something that a majority of the people actually liked to eat. They were covered in butter, and they were delicious. I am not normally a fan, but anything besides rice was acceptable to me.
To finish off the day we visited one of the most popular mask makers in all of Costa Rica. He is known internationally for his traditional masks, and performances. It was truly an amzing experience to see this man in action. He allowed some of us to wear the masks and dance around in them. He also let some students make their own mini-masks out of clay. It was amazing how the man danced, and it was a shame to hear that no one was willing to pick up the tradition.
Well that is it for our time here in San Jose. Now it is time to go off to the rain forest!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Dignity of Simplicity
Today was one of the most rewarding days yet. As we ventured back to La Carpio to continue our service work in this village that was built from the ground up by those who reside there, we were able to see the completion of the sidewalk we paved the day before for a family that had a child who needed accessibility via a wheelchair and we continued with our other paving project. Today seemed to be a bit more intense for us as many were sore from the day before. Unfortunately, we weren't able to complete our work due to a power outage that hit the area. The fortunate thing from this was we were able to interact even more with the residents and their children. Some of our students interacted with the children in a game of soccer, used their Spanish to communicate and exchange their names and just enjoy one another to name a few. Before we headed back to San Jose, we were able to provide a love offering to their community to assist with the continuation of the project we had started. We allowed several of our students to present this on behalf of our group in Spanish. Then several representatives of the community shared their gratitude and appreciation for all that we did for their community. They also wanted to hear from each of us; what our names were and what we thought about our experience over the last 2 days. This was a very heartfelt experience for our group to truly share how they felt about their time in La Carpio. The response that we received from the residents was filled with sincere love. As a thanks to us, the residents surprised us with 2 homemade cakes, a nice sign with a blessing for a safe return and a pinata to celebrate our efforts. We were so overwhelmed by their thoughtfulness and deep appreciation. I truly believe this was an eye opening experience for our kids to see how much of a blessing we were to people that are so humble, have a true sense of community, hardworking and grateful despite having very little. It truly was a testament to the dignity they have in living a life focused on what truly matters (love, family, togetherness, support, hard work, etc.) and not centered on material things and what others think and more importnatly what it really means to survive. To end the day, the local children were so intrigued by our cameras that they took many pictures with us and of us, gave us hugs and walked us back to our vans before we departed. They were so happy to have us their and more importantly we were able to provide them one step closer to a better quality of life. We will miss you La Carpio and your presence will always be in our hearts. Mejores deseos~
Day 3 & 4
Written by Jozelyn Burke
To begin, these last couple days have truely been life changing and a reality check!
Day 3:
On this day we had breakfast then headed out for La Carpio. La Carpio is an area in Costa Rica which is a refugee village. At this area we went & helped dig out, flaten, and pave the roads in the village. While working we seen many homes of those who live in the area. The homes were not in the best condition and were mostly made out of thin metal. At first I had many thoughts going through my head about how bad I felt and how the families must be upse about the living conditions. After working for a bit, those living in the community then came out to help us which was interesting because we coul hardly understand them and they could hardly understand us. Once the day of working was over we came back to shower and get ready for our salsa lessons! At first I did not really want to but the instructor was so fun and exciting my entire mood changed. We learned many hip moving, shoulder shaking, and popping moves. The most intersting part was dancing with a partner. Since none of us really knew what we were doing, it was a fun and challenging time. After salsa dancing and working it seemed as if I had to long workouts in one day so sleep was the next huge step!
Day 4:
Day three had my body so tired but I got up and went to La Carpio again. We then went and began to continue working on the project we started. After having lunch, we found out that the power in the area had went out so we tried waiting out to see if it would come back on, and it did not. The people that were living in the area then decided to have a meeting with us. What we thought was a meeting quickly turned into kind of a celebration. They were so thankful for what we did and they had prepared us cake and a pinata. I hate cake and vnever eat cake, but because they were so nice I tried it and loved the cake. Honestly, this was a moment I would never forget! I had no idea that I would have so much fun. All we had was cake and a pinata but I truely had an amazing time and even cried. I seen people who did not have much but were truely happy. They appreciated what we did for them so much and I enjoyed doing it. Material things do not have to be what makes us happy. We took so little and had the best time. Once we left so many of us including myself were sad because we seen the impact we made on them and with the impact they had on my life was even greater!
To begin, these last couple days have truely been life changing and a reality check!
Day 3:
On this day we had breakfast then headed out for La Carpio. La Carpio is an area in Costa Rica which is a refugee village. At this area we went & helped dig out, flaten, and pave the roads in the village. While working we seen many homes of those who live in the area. The homes were not in the best condition and were mostly made out of thin metal. At first I had many thoughts going through my head about how bad I felt and how the families must be upse about the living conditions. After working for a bit, those living in the community then came out to help us which was interesting because we coul hardly understand them and they could hardly understand us. Once the day of working was over we came back to shower and get ready for our salsa lessons! At first I did not really want to but the instructor was so fun and exciting my entire mood changed. We learned many hip moving, shoulder shaking, and popping moves. The most intersting part was dancing with a partner. Since none of us really knew what we were doing, it was a fun and challenging time. After salsa dancing and working it seemed as if I had to long workouts in one day so sleep was the next huge step!
Day 4:
Day three had my body so tired but I got up and went to La Carpio again. We then went and began to continue working on the project we started. After having lunch, we found out that the power in the area had went out so we tried waiting out to see if it would come back on, and it did not. The people that were living in the area then decided to have a meeting with us. What we thought was a meeting quickly turned into kind of a celebration. They were so thankful for what we did and they had prepared us cake and a pinata. I hate cake and vnever eat cake, but because they were so nice I tried it and loved the cake. Honestly, this was a moment I would never forget! I had no idea that I would have so much fun. All we had was cake and a pinata but I truely had an amazing time and even cried. I seen people who did not have much but were truely happy. They appreciated what we did for them so much and I enjoyed doing it. Material things do not have to be what makes us happy. We took so little and had the best time. Once we left so many of us including myself were sad because we seen the impact we made on them and with the impact they had on my life was even greater!
Days 3 and 4: Humbling Experiences
Written By: Dray Cottingham
Yesterday and today have been the most life changing experiences I have ever had. We completed service work in a refugee village called La Carpio where we paved roads. While there we worked hand in hand with the people living in La Carpio. Seeing how these people live really made realize how grateful I should be for the things I have. They have necesities to stay alive but these necesities are extremely basic. Their sewage systems aren't the best, the structure of their homes are terrible, and the overall area seems poverty stricken. Despite all these people live through, they remain very pleasant. Not once have I see someone frown or not smiling. In working with them the entire community helped from grandparents to children under the age of five. We had a great time working with the citizens of La Carpio. This experience has definitly made me more humble and grateful for having the things I do. The people living here are sincerely my heroes.
Yesterday and today have been the most life changing experiences I have ever had. We completed service work in a refugee village called La Carpio where we paved roads. While there we worked hand in hand with the people living in La Carpio. Seeing how these people live really made realize how grateful I should be for the things I have. They have necesities to stay alive but these necesities are extremely basic. Their sewage systems aren't the best, the structure of their homes are terrible, and the overall area seems poverty stricken. Despite all these people live through, they remain very pleasant. Not once have I see someone frown or not smiling. In working with them the entire community helped from grandparents to children under the age of five. We had a great time working with the citizens of La Carpio. This experience has definitly made me more humble and grateful for having the things I do. The people living here are sincerely my heroes.
Gracias, to the people of La Carpio. You have truly changed my life.
Costa Rica Day 3 & 4
Written by Michael Pittek
Day 3
Today was when the work really started. We got up early, ate, and then left the hotel for Lacarpio. Lacarpio is in need of a lot of help. The rodes that they have are unfinished and the people live in unfinished homes. When we got there we were told that we would be clearing room for a rode and helping to pour concrete. The first half of the day involved moving rocks and digging up dirt to even out the rode. After that we had some lunch and took a break. When we started working again this time we were helping mix the concrete. We would fill up buckets of rocks and sand. We filled up the buckets and poured them into the mixer with the help of some construction workers. When the concrete was done mixing we would get wheel barrels and fill them and bring them to their destination where more workers would smooth out the rode. We did this for a few hours and it was a lot of work in the hot sun. Luckly I got no sunburn. The people in Lacarpio were very nice and welcoming. The kids of the area were also very nice they would bring out a soccer ball to the rode and invite us to play with them, it was a lot of fun. When we finised our work for the day we headed back to the hotel for some dinner as well as salsa leasons from a professional dancer. He showed us some moves and we danced for a while it was really funny. After that we spent the rest of the night relaxing and playing cards before going to bed.
Day 4
Day four was very similar to day 3. We had another early start, waking up at 5:30, eating and heading to Lacarpio by 7:00. We spent the day mixing concrete once again and moving it to where it needed to go. We worked until noon and took a break to eat lunch. During our break the power went out and the concrete mixer stopped so we could not continue. So we went outside where a game of soccer was picking up. The kids saw us and invited us to play in thier growing gae whic had far more players than the game yesterday. It was a lot of fun and the kids were very funny, playful and full of energy. After the game of soccer we were told that the leaders of the town wanted to talk with us and thank us for our help. They thanked us and had a little celibration for us. They surprised us with cake and a pinata. It was very nice of them. The people of Lacarpio were very greatfull that we had helped them and are very hard working people as well. They would not hesitate to help us out and made us feel welcome. It was a lot of hard work but it was all worth it and I am glad that I got the opportunity to help the people of the small and close community. We left Lacarpio and are now at the hotel. Soon we will be having dinner and then going to a concert.
Saying Goodbye to La Carpio
Written by: Joshua Brown
These past 2 days have been an amazing time in La Carpio. The time spent with all of the locals working on building the roads, moving around gravel, and flattening the dirt has been led to a very sad day to say goodbye. Don't worry though, City High students never say goodbye without some great memories to remember it by.
Today we continued our work on the roads. We were working really hard today, and were able to finish off the block that we were working on for the most part. Today there were many more locals out and about working with us. I saw kids jumping over fences and walls to play in the streets, and families coming outside with tools for us to use.
Unfortunately, however, the power went out as we took a break for lunch. This meant that the concrete machine was no longer useable. This left us with a few hours of working time left, but not much work to fill it with. Instead, we sat around and watched the locals play soccer. The games were the most legit street games I have ever seen. They had exact measurements for goals, they had rules, and they were civil. There was no crying over penalties, they either agreed or disagreed, in fact I even saw them play rock, paper, scissors for who would take/defend a penalty shot. They even had a rule that to start the game instead of taking turns kicking off, they would throw the ball in the air and count to 3. If you touched the ball before 3 was said, the other team got the ball. If both teams waited, however, it was fair game.
Later on in the day I was invited to join in the game with Mike Pittek. The game was fun, but I ended up making a mistake that I probably will never forget. The ball went out of play and a child went to throw it in. He went to throw it so I jumped. He ended up faking me, but it was too late. I continued with my leg to kick it and I ended up falling on my butt. This wasn't even the worst part. As I was in the air I stretched my pants to far, and soon enough a giant hole in my pants appeared located from the bottom of my zipper, to the seam connecting the front and back of the pants. It was truly amazing how I managed to do it, and that it was in the perfect moment for all the kids, and Mr. Z to see it happen. As the day went on several kids would come up to me and laugh, immitate my fall, and mock me. I was the highlight of the day.
At the end before we said goodbye they had a little ceremony for us. The leaders of La Carpio said their thanks, and in return we said our thanks, how we felt about the experience, and donated money to them for more concrete to finish the roads. In additon, they gave us cake and a piñata. The cake was divine, and the idea of us trying to hit this piñata should be entertaining enough for you all. We all failed at hitting it, and of course, me as the story of the day, was forced to finish it off. They made me rip it in half because I was known for ripping things.
Overall, these have been an amazing past few days. My time in La Carpio has provided me with a much better understanding of how other people live outside of America. Despite the poverty of La Carpio, I have never seen a happier group of people. Everyone was friendly, they accepted us into their community, and honestly I can say I have had the experience of a lifetime. If anyone ever gets the chance to visit Costa Rica I highly recommend visiting La Carpio as well. You will never meet a better group of people.
These past 2 days have been an amazing time in La Carpio. The time spent with all of the locals working on building the roads, moving around gravel, and flattening the dirt has been led to a very sad day to say goodbye. Don't worry though, City High students never say goodbye without some great memories to remember it by.
Today we continued our work on the roads. We were working really hard today, and were able to finish off the block that we were working on for the most part. Today there were many more locals out and about working with us. I saw kids jumping over fences and walls to play in the streets, and families coming outside with tools for us to use.
Unfortunately, however, the power went out as we took a break for lunch. This meant that the concrete machine was no longer useable. This left us with a few hours of working time left, but not much work to fill it with. Instead, we sat around and watched the locals play soccer. The games were the most legit street games I have ever seen. They had exact measurements for goals, they had rules, and they were civil. There was no crying over penalties, they either agreed or disagreed, in fact I even saw them play rock, paper, scissors for who would take/defend a penalty shot. They even had a rule that to start the game instead of taking turns kicking off, they would throw the ball in the air and count to 3. If you touched the ball before 3 was said, the other team got the ball. If both teams waited, however, it was fair game.
Later on in the day I was invited to join in the game with Mike Pittek. The game was fun, but I ended up making a mistake that I probably will never forget. The ball went out of play and a child went to throw it in. He went to throw it so I jumped. He ended up faking me, but it was too late. I continued with my leg to kick it and I ended up falling on my butt. This wasn't even the worst part. As I was in the air I stretched my pants to far, and soon enough a giant hole in my pants appeared located from the bottom of my zipper, to the seam connecting the front and back of the pants. It was truly amazing how I managed to do it, and that it was in the perfect moment for all the kids, and Mr. Z to see it happen. As the day went on several kids would come up to me and laugh, immitate my fall, and mock me. I was the highlight of the day.
At the end before we said goodbye they had a little ceremony for us. The leaders of La Carpio said their thanks, and in return we said our thanks, how we felt about the experience, and donated money to them for more concrete to finish the roads. In additon, they gave us cake and a piñata. The cake was divine, and the idea of us trying to hit this piñata should be entertaining enough for you all. We all failed at hitting it, and of course, me as the story of the day, was forced to finish it off. They made me rip it in half because I was known for ripping things.
Overall, these have been an amazing past few days. My time in La Carpio has provided me with a much better understanding of how other people live outside of America. Despite the poverty of La Carpio, I have never seen a happier group of people. Everyone was friendly, they accepted us into their community, and honestly I can say I have had the experience of a lifetime. If anyone ever gets the chance to visit Costa Rica I highly recommend visiting La Carpio as well. You will never meet a better group of people.
Adios La Carpio!
Written by Mollie Schillinger
Today was our last day in La Carpio. It did not really go as planned.... We started the day off really well and we were helping to pave the road for them. We ate lunch and I was practicing my spanish with one of the woman who live in the area. She was really nice and she did not make fun of me for my bad spanish. I was really looking foward to getting furhter with the road, but we soon found out that the power was out, which meant that the cement mixer was not working so we could not finish the road. It was really dissapointing and I felt really bad, I wish we could have done some more. But on a positive note, we got to interact more with the people living there and the kids loved that they could play soccer with people from our group. It was really cool to watch. Later in the day, we all got together and to our surprise, they brought out two cakes and a pinata. Everyone was having so much fun and they were all so happy. It meant so much to us that they would do that for us, considering that they probably spent a lot of money that they needed on it. Watching people try to break the pinata was the best part of the party. Especially since all of the people seemed to enjoy watching it so much as well.
Another downfall of the day was the fact that it was our last day there. It was so sad to leave all of the people and the kids knowing that we won't be going back the next day. They seemed to grateful that we were there helping them. They seemed pretty sad that we were leaving as well. All of the kids were giving us hugs and high fives and taking pictures with us as we left. It was pretty bitter sweet. I know that I will remember this experience for the reast of my life. I will never forget all of the people that I met.
Today was our last day in La Carpio. It did not really go as planned.... We started the day off really well and we were helping to pave the road for them. We ate lunch and I was practicing my spanish with one of the woman who live in the area. She was really nice and she did not make fun of me for my bad spanish. I was really looking foward to getting furhter with the road, but we soon found out that the power was out, which meant that the cement mixer was not working so we could not finish the road. It was really dissapointing and I felt really bad, I wish we could have done some more. But on a positive note, we got to interact more with the people living there and the kids loved that they could play soccer with people from our group. It was really cool to watch. Later in the day, we all got together and to our surprise, they brought out two cakes and a pinata. Everyone was having so much fun and they were all so happy. It meant so much to us that they would do that for us, considering that they probably spent a lot of money that they needed on it. Watching people try to break the pinata was the best part of the party. Especially since all of the people seemed to enjoy watching it so much as well.
Another downfall of the day was the fact that it was our last day there. It was so sad to leave all of the people and the kids knowing that we won't be going back the next day. They seemed to grateful that we were there helping them. They seemed pretty sad that we were leaving as well. All of the kids were giving us hugs and high fives and taking pictures with us as we left. It was pretty bitter sweet. I know that I will remember this experience for the reast of my life. I will never forget all of the people that I met.
Finished in La Carpio
By: Montell Herring
The first day in La Carpio was kind of hard, we had to level rodes, so we can pave them. Almost everyone was covered in dirt! It was great to interact with the local, esspecially the children. The children were so funny, a few of us walked into the wrong house, and the kids showed us which way to go. Then they ran back and called their grandfather and sang "Gringos in la casa". This was hands down the best moment we've had so far.
The second day were warmer, and easier work. We moved cement from the cement mixer, to different spots around the community. Hands down the best part of day 2 was when we were leaving. It was so touching. We thanked the people of La Carpio and gave them a small donation. In return they baked us two cakes and sada. Following that we had fun with a pinnata. Many people gathered and watch three students make fools of themselves trying to break the pinnata. On our way back to the vans we gave kids hugs and said our goodbyes, but there were a few funny kids who bumped us, and we got into a playfull wrestling match with them. I actually was sad to leave, because i actually had a lot of fun in La Carpio.
The first day in La Carpio was kind of hard, we had to level rodes, so we can pave them. Almost everyone was covered in dirt! It was great to interact with the local, esspecially the children. The children were so funny, a few of us walked into the wrong house, and the kids showed us which way to go. Then they ran back and called their grandfather and sang "Gringos in la casa". This was hands down the best moment we've had so far.
The second day were warmer, and easier work. We moved cement from the cement mixer, to different spots around the community. Hands down the best part of day 2 was when we were leaving. It was so touching. We thanked the people of La Carpio and gave them a small donation. In return they baked us two cakes and sada. Following that we had fun with a pinnata. Many people gathered and watch three students make fools of themselves trying to break the pinnata. On our way back to the vans we gave kids hugs and said our goodbyes, but there were a few funny kids who bumped us, and we got into a playfull wrestling match with them. I actually was sad to leave, because i actually had a lot of fun in La Carpio.
Day 4... Adios La Carpio
Written by: Alex Guy
Today was the most unique day yet. This morning, we left for La Carpio for the second and last time. Today's work was continued We continued loading the cement maker, transporting cement with old wheel barrels, and becoming more exhausted. There was still a lot of work to be finished from yesterday. So as soon as I walked up, Alfredo said "grab that wheel barrel and take it back to the ally". Tha's when i knew it was going to be a long day. So throughout the morning, I worked extremley hard and I gained several blisters to prove it.
I was very glad to help the community. For some reason, I get a wierd satisfaction out of working hard and, today, i got that satisfactions. After our lunch break, Alfredo told us that the electricity was out which meant the cement mixer couldnt be used which meant we couldnt finish our work. So we relaxed for a good part of the afternoon.
What I loved was the fact that we had a meeting with the community leaders and we discussed with them what we saw in their community and they graciously thanked us all for helping them. Then they brought out two cakes for us and some bottles of coke. I was so happy and so shocked that they appreciated our work that much. It was an amazing experience to have that many people, who have so little, be that gracious and thankful for only ab out 10 or so hours of work. It was a blessing to help that community for too many resasons too count.
After our little social event, our groupd started walking back to the vans with our stuff. On our way, all the children that we played soccer with or interacted with came to say goodbye. That was the sadest/happiest time of the day. Some of the younger boys started to try and be tough with me by putting their chest out and walking up on me. I started to laugh and push back a little. Then I their whole gang came over and tried to shove me around. Some of them jumped on me. I just messed around with them for a little while. It was definately a good time though. I gave all the kids a hugh goodbye and as we left, they all had smiles on their faces. It was an amazing image that I won't forget.
Today was the most unique day yet. This morning, we left for La Carpio for the second and last time. Today's work was continued We continued loading the cement maker, transporting cement with old wheel barrels, and becoming more exhausted. There was still a lot of work to be finished from yesterday. So as soon as I walked up, Alfredo said "grab that wheel barrel and take it back to the ally". Tha's when i knew it was going to be a long day. So throughout the morning, I worked extremley hard and I gained several blisters to prove it.
I was very glad to help the community. For some reason, I get a wierd satisfaction out of working hard and, today, i got that satisfactions. After our lunch break, Alfredo told us that the electricity was out which meant the cement mixer couldnt be used which meant we couldnt finish our work. So we relaxed for a good part of the afternoon.
What I loved was the fact that we had a meeting with the community leaders and we discussed with them what we saw in their community and they graciously thanked us all for helping them. Then they brought out two cakes for us and some bottles of coke. I was so happy and so shocked that they appreciated our work that much. It was an amazing experience to have that many people, who have so little, be that gracious and thankful for only ab out 10 or so hours of work. It was a blessing to help that community for too many resasons too count.
After our little social event, our groupd started walking back to the vans with our stuff. On our way, all the children that we played soccer with or interacted with came to say goodbye. That was the sadest/happiest time of the day. Some of the younger boys started to try and be tough with me by putting their chest out and walking up on me. I started to laugh and push back a little. Then I their whole gang came over and tried to shove me around. Some of them jumped on me. I just messed around with them for a little while. It was definately a good time though. I gave all the kids a hugh goodbye and as we left, they all had smiles on their faces. It was an amazing image that I won't forget.
Day 3: The work begins
Written by: Caitlin Boiyd-Ragin
Day 3:
Day 3 was the first day that we had to get up at 5:30. The real work had begun. From 8:00-3:00 we worked on our service learning project. This year we are paving roads in La Carpio. La Carpio is a very poor town, home to thousands of people, in Costa Rica. The first thing that caught my eye upon arriving in La Carpio was the large number of stray dogs running thorugh the streets. I think I seen more stray dogs than I see stray cats in my own neighborhood. Some of the dogs were so cute and tempting to interact with.
Once it was time to work, we were told that we had to level a road. At first glance it seemed impossible. There were huge rocks everywhere, large dips, and it seemed as if there wasn't enough dirt. After hours and hours of hard work we had finally leveled the road. Once the road was leveled, we ate lunch. While looking for the church, where we were told we could eat our food, we walked into someone's house. We thought is was the church, until we asked a little girl and boy who led us to the church. Once there, we could hear a little girl and boy chanting "Gringo en mi casa." That made my day. They were so happy to interact with us and even happy that we had accidently walked into their houses.
After lunch, we had the opportunity to play soccer with the kids in the community. They were so fun to interact with and very good at soccer. Even though they didn't have much, they still knew how to have fun. Soon after that, we got back to work. First, we paved a walk way between houses, and then we started to pave the actual road. At that point, the entire community came out to help. I liked the fact they they didn't just watch us work. They had a desire to help us and they did just that.
Even though I'm tired, I very excited to work again today. I love helping others even when that means hard work.
Day 3:
Day 3 was the first day that we had to get up at 5:30. The real work had begun. From 8:00-3:00 we worked on our service learning project. This year we are paving roads in La Carpio. La Carpio is a very poor town, home to thousands of people, in Costa Rica. The first thing that caught my eye upon arriving in La Carpio was the large number of stray dogs running thorugh the streets. I think I seen more stray dogs than I see stray cats in my own neighborhood. Some of the dogs were so cute and tempting to interact with.
Once it was time to work, we were told that we had to level a road. At first glance it seemed impossible. There were huge rocks everywhere, large dips, and it seemed as if there wasn't enough dirt. After hours and hours of hard work we had finally leveled the road. Once the road was leveled, we ate lunch. While looking for the church, where we were told we could eat our food, we walked into someone's house. We thought is was the church, until we asked a little girl and boy who led us to the church. Once there, we could hear a little girl and boy chanting "Gringo en mi casa." That made my day. They were so happy to interact with us and even happy that we had accidently walked into their houses.
After lunch, we had the opportunity to play soccer with the kids in the community. They were so fun to interact with and very good at soccer. Even though they didn't have much, they still knew how to have fun. Soon after that, we got back to work. First, we paved a walk way between houses, and then we started to pave the actual road. At that point, the entire community came out to help. I liked the fact they they didn't just watch us work. They had a desire to help us and they did just that.
Even though I'm tired, I very excited to work again today. I love helping others even when that means hard work.
Costa Rica Day 3 - Service Work & Salsa
Written by Dawn Dallmus
Today was full of hard work and sweat. We went to La Carpio where we helped flatten a road so we could help pave it and cleared out a pile of dirt for a lady so she could put up a fence. This involved a lot of sweat because it was so hot out and I am also not used to working so hard. Lunch came pretty quickly and with it, the children. The kids brought out a basketball that they used as a soccer ball. The game brought out the soccer players of City High while others were having their siesta time. After the siesta and soccer game, we got back to work mixing cement and shoveling. It rained on us twice while we were working but that didn't stop us. We continued to work until 3PM where we waited for the vans to take us back to the hotel where I could shower and get ready for salsa dancing. The highlight of the day was definitely the salsa dancing lessons. That was just so much fun! Everyone had a blast and was laughing so much. Even the teachers were dancing and of all of them, Z was the only one of the guys that was killing it. The instructor was awesome as well with his weird sayings. "Chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie..."
Today was full of hard work and sweat. We went to La Carpio where we helped flatten a road so we could help pave it and cleared out a pile of dirt for a lady so she could put up a fence. This involved a lot of sweat because it was so hot out and I am also not used to working so hard. Lunch came pretty quickly and with it, the children. The kids brought out a basketball that they used as a soccer ball. The game brought out the soccer players of City High while others were having their siesta time. After the siesta and soccer game, we got back to work mixing cement and shoveling. It rained on us twice while we were working but that didn't stop us. We continued to work until 3PM where we waited for the vans to take us back to the hotel where I could shower and get ready for salsa dancing. The highlight of the day was definitely the salsa dancing lessons. That was just so much fun! Everyone had a blast and was laughing so much. Even the teachers were dancing and of all of them, Z was the only one of the guys that was killing it. The instructor was awesome as well with his weird sayings. "Chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie, chickie..."
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Written by Mr. Rucker
Day Three – Knowledge of Self and Others
OK, so I’m admittedly not el rey de salsa fuego! In fact, for me the closest thing to fuego in my salsa experience is that blistering sense of brimstone and eternity. With that said, amigos y amigas, you can imagine Mr. Robot Rucker’s level of anxiety as dinner wound down and the salsa satan showed up (on time). Should I slip out of the hotel to buy some bottled water? Could I pretend to get locked in el banyo? Plead heat stroke from our day of service work in La Carpio?
Wait…La Carpiol …
The students were amazing all day. No complaints. Nada. I watched “my” junior students work harder for that community than I even imagined possible, let alone likely. The graduated seniors were right there too, sweating and shoveling, befriending the children and using all the Spanish they had. The students were like worker ants lifting many times their own body weight at the end of a shovel, in a bucket of gravel, or a wheelbarrow of fresh cement. The only thing teachers had to force them to do was hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
… Certainly, I could grace them with my graceless salsa fuego. “Chicky, chicky,” Charter High students and graduates. You awed me with your enthusiasm and other-worldly work! Let’s do it again tomorrow (without the salsa).
Day 3... Tengo Amigos Nuevos
Written By: Alex Guy
Today was a very exauhsting, interesting, and definately a needed day. Today was the first of many service projects. Our group went to La Carpio, which is just outside of San Jose, and we started our prject. The leaders of the community had us start on smoothing out the roads and ally ways of the village. It wasn't the most excited time, but it definately felt good to give to the community. Mike and I both were assigned to a back ally. We had to smooth out an ally way and, being as big as we are, it was difficult to move around in the skinny ally way. Eventually we got to poor cement which felt good because it was basically like putting a finishing touch on a project.
The day was long and tiring. I got to play soccer with some of the Tico's, learn what poverty really lookes like, and serve a community i have never even heard of. It was a great day to be in Costa Rica and doing our service work is making this trip worth it.
Tuesday
Today was one radical day. We woke up an hour early thanks to our
herald, Alex, but it worked out nicely since I got to spend some time
in the garden outside of the hotel. There, I spent the better part of
an hour harvesting golden orb weaver spider webs, touching the
spiders, taking pictures, and admiring these white flowers that were
growing completely upside down. Afterwords we ate breakfast and
interview Pepsi Campbell. That was actually pretty awesome; she is
obviously a very intelligent woman with a lot of potential to change
the Costa Rica as we know it. After asking her some follow up
questions about the country and her campaign we set out on the town.
Alfredo expertly guided us through bustling streets and homeless
people harassing us for money we didn't care to give them. After
having lunch at El Bueno Comer, we braved the rainy afternoon to
return to the hotel. We were back for five minutes when we were ousted
from the hotel and into two vans destined for the high school our pen
pals attended. We were making jokes the whole time about how we would
end up not getting to meet our pen pals, and it actually didn't
happen. It turned out that protests throughout the city had the school
closed for the day. Instead we went to the national museum, which was
pretty cool. We walked in through a room filled with butterflies and
plants native to the land. It was cool to see the butterflies landing
on fruits sitting out on pedestals and feeding; it was the only time
the staid still long enough for you to get a good look at them. Then
we took a variety of pictures and parted ways, I decided to go with a
group that would be walking some more through the city. We got some
coffee and strolled through some of the city's parks and took some
more pictures. It's surprising to see how people actually socialize in
the parks here; back in America parks are exclusively for stoners and
the elderly. We then returned to the hotel for dinner. Prior to this I
meditated. After dinner I philosophized with my friend and messaged my
pen pal on Facebook. I am now wrapping up this blog.
So far I feel very comfortable in San Jose. I'm happy that I can
understand a lot of what people are saying, or at least get the gist
of it. I can also form a lot of different sentences and interact
fairly well with the locals.
herald, Alex, but it worked out nicely since I got to spend some time
in the garden outside of the hotel. There, I spent the better part of
an hour harvesting golden orb weaver spider webs, touching the
spiders, taking pictures, and admiring these white flowers that were
growing completely upside down. Afterwords we ate breakfast and
interview Pepsi Campbell. That was actually pretty awesome; she is
obviously a very intelligent woman with a lot of potential to change
the Costa Rica as we know it. After asking her some follow up
questions about the country and her campaign we set out on the town.
Alfredo expertly guided us through bustling streets and homeless
people harassing us for money we didn't care to give them. After
having lunch at El Bueno Comer, we braved the rainy afternoon to
return to the hotel. We were back for five minutes when we were ousted
from the hotel and into two vans destined for the high school our pen
pals attended. We were making jokes the whole time about how we would
end up not getting to meet our pen pals, and it actually didn't
happen. It turned out that protests throughout the city had the school
closed for the day. Instead we went to the national museum, which was
pretty cool. We walked in through a room filled with butterflies and
plants native to the land. It was cool to see the butterflies landing
on fruits sitting out on pedestals and feeding; it was the only time
the staid still long enough for you to get a good look at them. Then
we took a variety of pictures and parted ways, I decided to go with a
group that would be walking some more through the city. We got some
coffee and strolled through some of the city's parks and took some
more pictures. It's surprising to see how people actually socialize in
the parks here; back in America parks are exclusively for stoners and
the elderly. We then returned to the hotel for dinner. Prior to this I
meditated. After dinner I philosophized with my friend and messaged my
pen pal on Facebook. I am now wrapping up this blog.
So far I feel very comfortable in San Jose. I'm happy that I can
understand a lot of what people are saying, or at least get the gist
of it. I can also form a lot of different sentences and interact
fairly well with the locals.
A Great Day
Written by: Neal Niedecker
Today was a pretty great day. We woke up early which I actually didn’t mind very much. We ate breakfast, which was a delicious meal of rice, beans, eggs and toast. Let me tell you rice and beans are my two of my favorite foods. Soon after breakfast Epsy Campbell stopped by to speak to us. Epsy Campbell is the leader of the Citizen’s Action Party here in Costa Rica. She seems very idealistic and hard working. She spoke mainly of her past and some of the current problems Costa Rica is facing. After we exchanged words with Epsy, the group took a leisurely stroll around San Jose. Walking through the main drag of the city, I didn’t feel like I was in a place all that different from Pittsburgh. Once you get farther out from the commercial district however, the differences start to kick in. The architecture is very different. There seems to be a lot more green space in an urban environment then there would be in the U.S. Later we were supposed to go meet some kids from a local high school. Except the kids from the high couldn’t come out to play because they were busy protesting. Instead we went to a museum. I’m not usually too into museums, but this one wasn’t bad. It was very open, and had a lot of things that were actually interesting inside of it. Overall I’d give it like a six out ten stars in terms of importance for a tourist to visit. Okay other kids need to blog so I’m going to go ahead and wrap this up as we only have a limited number of computers. Before I go, let me just say the coffee here is pretty swell.
Today was a pretty great day. We woke up early which I actually didn’t mind very much. We ate breakfast, which was a delicious meal of rice, beans, eggs and toast. Let me tell you rice and beans are my two of my favorite foods. Soon after breakfast Epsy Campbell stopped by to speak to us. Epsy Campbell is the leader of the Citizen’s Action Party here in Costa Rica. She seems very idealistic and hard working. She spoke mainly of her past and some of the current problems Costa Rica is facing. After we exchanged words with Epsy, the group took a leisurely stroll around San Jose. Walking through the main drag of the city, I didn’t feel like I was in a place all that different from Pittsburgh. Once you get farther out from the commercial district however, the differences start to kick in. The architecture is very different. There seems to be a lot more green space in an urban environment then there would be in the U.S. Later we were supposed to go meet some kids from a local high school. Except the kids from the high couldn’t come out to play because they were busy protesting. Instead we went to a museum. I’m not usually too into museums, but this one wasn’t bad. It was very open, and had a lot of things that were actually interesting inside of it. Overall I’d give it like a six out ten stars in terms of importance for a tourist to visit. Okay other kids need to blog so I’m going to go ahead and wrap this up as we only have a limited number of computers. Before I go, let me just say the coffee here is pretty swell.
Service Work, Day 1
Written by: Joshua Brown
Today was the start of our first day of service work in La Carpio. We had to wake up at 5:30 this morning, which was crazy. Breakfast was the same as yesterday, and we then enjoyed a nice drive to our destination. This was a huge culture shock for me personally because all of the houses were made of metal, and every house had bars to keep out people. Despite all of this, however, the people there seemed very nice.
For the first few hours we were in charge of moing dirt around to flatten out the ground so that we could later concrete them. This was a long job, but in the end we were all proud of our work. In addition, we worked with the locals to move the rocks and dirt around further down the path. During the course of just a few hours we covered the majority of a whole block, and this meant that we could begin to lay the concrete after lunch.
Lunch was a pretty fun time. We were given a hoagie, a bag of chips, and a piece of watermelon. This was okay, but the real fun started after we ate. There were a lot of little children running around the streets as we ate. Two kids were throwing around fruit as a bouncy ball, and eventually more kids came out. One child grabbed a basketball and began to kick it around, and soon everyone was involved. We played a small game of soccer with the locals, in which I personally scored 4 goals, and everytime someone scored everyone screamed. The kids were awesome. In fact, most of the kids were under the age of 10, the one kid was even 4 years old and he was still running around scoring goals. It was truly an amazing experience.
To top off the day we began to lay the concrete. We made the concrete ourselves, and in end we layed about a quarter block of concrete. We have full intentions of finishing tomorrow, and I hope that it doesn't disappoint. The main reason we stopped was a huge rain storm that hit. It began to downpour, and I am sure it is still raining now as we speak. This wasn't to bad, but it did cause some traffic.
Overall, today was a rather cool day. I can't wait to learn to salsa dance later, but I am sure that it will be an embarassment as expected. I am no dancer, nor do I ever intend to be. Well that is all for now, hope you all enjoy the pictures that are being uploaded. To find them, click the link on the far right page under "home".
Today was the start of our first day of service work in La Carpio. We had to wake up at 5:30 this morning, which was crazy. Breakfast was the same as yesterday, and we then enjoyed a nice drive to our destination. This was a huge culture shock for me personally because all of the houses were made of metal, and every house had bars to keep out people. Despite all of this, however, the people there seemed very nice.
For the first few hours we were in charge of moing dirt around to flatten out the ground so that we could later concrete them. This was a long job, but in the end we were all proud of our work. In addition, we worked with the locals to move the rocks and dirt around further down the path. During the course of just a few hours we covered the majority of a whole block, and this meant that we could begin to lay the concrete after lunch.
Lunch was a pretty fun time. We were given a hoagie, a bag of chips, and a piece of watermelon. This was okay, but the real fun started after we ate. There were a lot of little children running around the streets as we ate. Two kids were throwing around fruit as a bouncy ball, and eventually more kids came out. One child grabbed a basketball and began to kick it around, and soon everyone was involved. We played a small game of soccer with the locals, in which I personally scored 4 goals, and everytime someone scored everyone screamed. The kids were awesome. In fact, most of the kids were under the age of 10, the one kid was even 4 years old and he was still running around scoring goals. It was truly an amazing experience.
To top off the day we began to lay the concrete. We made the concrete ourselves, and in end we layed about a quarter block of concrete. We have full intentions of finishing tomorrow, and I hope that it doesn't disappoint. The main reason we stopped was a huge rain storm that hit. It began to downpour, and I am sure it is still raining now as we speak. This wasn't to bad, but it did cause some traffic.
Overall, today was a rather cool day. I can't wait to learn to salsa dance later, but I am sure that it will be an embarassment as expected. I am no dancer, nor do I ever intend to be. Well that is all for now, hope you all enjoy the pictures that are being uploaded. To find them, click the link on the far right page under "home".
Day 1 and 2 : Traveling and Exploring
Written by: Caitlin Boyd-Ragin
Day 1:
Today I experienced m first time flying. On the first flight, that we took to Dallas, I as extremely uncomfortable. My seat was far away from the rest of the group and I had to sit in between two complete strangers. I also didn't like the seats. They were very close together and hard. Therefore, I had a hard time resting, which was not good because I was exhausted from packing all night.
Thankfully, the second flight was much better. I had more room, I was close to the group, I had an aisle sleep, and they fed us! To my surprise, the food was actually good. The only bad element of the second flight was that I was already tired of flying from the first flight. I just wanted to be here already. I coudn't stand the thought of having 3 more hours on a plane. At the end of the day, I'm glad we made it here safely and in due time.
Day 2:
The best thing that we did today was go to the market area, which is like their downtown. It reminded me a lot of Times Square in New York City. There were so many people there and so many different stores. I had a very hard time facing the fact that I couldn't go shopping. I was so attracted to the vast majority of the stores that we passed. I really wish we had more time.
Another very interesting part of today was the meeting that we had with politcal activist Epsy Campbell. Epsy is a black Costa Rican who has ran for president and served as a congress member in the past. Today, she discussed discrimination and inequality in Costa Rica. Not to my surprise, it really resembled the discrimination and inequality that exists in the United States. At the end of it all, I am glad that I had the chance to meet her. She represented courage, persistence, wisdom and knowledge.
Day 1:
Today I experienced m first time flying. On the first flight, that we took to Dallas, I as extremely uncomfortable. My seat was far away from the rest of the group and I had to sit in between two complete strangers. I also didn't like the seats. They were very close together and hard. Therefore, I had a hard time resting, which was not good because I was exhausted from packing all night.
Thankfully, the second flight was much better. I had more room, I was close to the group, I had an aisle sleep, and they fed us! To my surprise, the food was actually good. The only bad element of the second flight was that I was already tired of flying from the first flight. I just wanted to be here already. I coudn't stand the thought of having 3 more hours on a plane. At the end of the day, I'm glad we made it here safely and in due time.
Day 2:
The best thing that we did today was go to the market area, which is like their downtown. It reminded me a lot of Times Square in New York City. There were so many people there and so many different stores. I had a very hard time facing the fact that I couldn't go shopping. I was so attracted to the vast majority of the stores that we passed. I really wish we had more time.
Another very interesting part of today was the meeting that we had with politcal activist Epsy Campbell. Epsy is a black Costa Rican who has ran for president and served as a congress member in the past. Today, she discussed discrimination and inequality in Costa Rica. Not to my surprise, it really resembled the discrimination and inequality that exists in the United States. At the end of it all, I am glad that I had the chance to meet her. She represented courage, persistence, wisdom and knowledge.
Day 1 and 2 of Costa Rica
Written by Dawn Dallmus
Day 1 – Costa Rica – Travel
June 25, 2012
What a day! What a very emotional day for me. I didn’t want
to leave my mom, who was crying before I went into the airport. I especially
didn’t want to leave my boyfriend for 12 days. So yeah, very emotional. It’s
hard to leave someone you love for more than a week with no communication at
all to keep the two of you connected. The flights were long and somewhat
enjoyable but uncomfortable. Now being at the hotel, it’s hot, muggy, and
sticky. I miss air conditioning and I miss my mom and Eric. =( I cannot wait to
go back home.
Day 2 – Costa Rica – Interview, tour, and museum.
June 26, 2012
Today was okay. We had the interview with Epsy Campbell
after breakfast at the hotel and she reminded me of myself. Her thoughts and feelings
sounded like mine and how I believe the US should be. After the interview we
went on a tour of San Jose on foot. There were so many shops and it reminded me
of China Town in New York City. Then we had lunch in a cute little restaurant
about 5 blocks from where we were staying. After that we went to the high
school but everyone was gone because of a protest that was going on in town. So
instead we went to the national museum of Costa Rica. I took lots of pictures
there. Once again, today was okay but I had a ton of homesickness hit me. I
miss my mom and my boyfriend and I cannot wait to see them.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Arriving In Costa Rica
Written by : Jazmine Tucker
After two planes rides from Pittsburgh to Dallas from Dallas to San Jose and a drive from Coista Rica airport to Las Orquideas Hotel. We are here safely! Let me tell you guys about how much I hated riding thesre airplanes. It was my first time flying and it left me with memorable suffering. It all started when I got on the plane. As we got ready to take off I got extremely dizzy which made me almost throw up. Once in the air I was cool but then it was time for landing and the pressure made my ears pop like crazy. It was the worst pain ever. They were popping un controlably and burning. I began to cry. Ms. Robinson tried to ease mypain by rubbing my back but she couldn't do it like my mommy.
After I arrived at the airport where I got my first international stamp I then followed our tour guid who lead us to our transportation vans. The ride though the city was cool. ewe got to see a quick glance of the street life of Costa Rica. When we got to the hotel we wee greeted with a dinner of salad, beef with potatoes and carrots, and the traditonal rive and beans. After that the day was over and the lights went out.
Talk to you next time (=
After two planes rides from Pittsburgh to Dallas from Dallas to San Jose and a drive from Coista Rica airport to Las Orquideas Hotel. We are here safely! Let me tell you guys about how much I hated riding thesre airplanes. It was my first time flying and it left me with memorable suffering. It all started when I got on the plane. As we got ready to take off I got extremely dizzy which made me almost throw up. Once in the air I was cool but then it was time for landing and the pressure made my ears pop like crazy. It was the worst pain ever. They were popping un controlably and burning. I began to cry. Ms. Robinson tried to ease mypain by rubbing my back but she couldn't do it like my mommy.
After I arrived at the airport where I got my first international stamp I then followed our tour guid who lead us to our transportation vans. The ride though the city was cool. ewe got to see a quick glance of the street life of Costa Rica. When we got to the hotel we wee greeted with a dinner of salad, beef with potatoes and carrots, and the traditonal rive and beans. After that the day was over and the lights went out.
Talk to you next time (=
Stormy weather in Costa Rica!
By: Holly Herman
Today was interesting and quite the surprise! After speaking to Epsy, a political leader in Costa Rica, the group left to explore San Jose. As soon as we entered downtown I was shocked to notice how similar the city was to Pittsburgh. The streets of San Jose were filled with fast-food joints, vendors, clothing store, and homeless people. It was surprising to see how many people spoke English and the amount of people from America. We even ran into a group of people that were from Pennsylvania! After exploring the city we went to meet-up with local students. Unfortunately they were not at the school when arrived because their classes were canceled due to political riots. We had more obstacles to overcome when we arrived at our hotel because the power was out. Thankfully it came back on within two hours. Despite all the setbacks, I had a great day and enjoyed the city!
Costa Rica Day 1 & 2
Written by Michael Pittek,
Day 1, Monday, June 25th, 2012:
Today was mostly traveling. Our flight from Pittsburgh to Dallas was delayed by an hour. We had to rush a little in the Dallas airport due to the delay but there were no problems and everything went smoothly. After the long two flights that seemed to go on forever we made it to San Jose, Costa Rica. The hotel that we are staying at is nicer than what I was expecting. The staff and our guide Alfrado are very kind and helpful. They warmly greeted us and feed us a nice meal. That night we went over what our agenda was and then went to bed.
Day 2, Tuesday, June 26th, 2012:
Today was an interesting day. We learned a lot about Costa Rica and its culture. The day started off with a nice breakfast and then an interview with Epsy Campbell. Epsy is a popular political leader in Costa Rica, she ran for president in the past but was defeated by a very few number of votes. It was a very close race. She has gained popularity once again and is considering running for president again in the upcoming election. Not only is Epsy a woman but she is also of African descent. If she were to win the upcoming election it would be a huge victory for women and minorities in the country. After listening to Epsy's story and asking her a few questions she was kind enough to take a group photo with us before leaving. It was very kind of her to take time out of her busy schedule to talk with us.
After our interview we headed out with our tour guide Alfrado to do some sightseeing in downtown San Jose. The city is very large and seems to go on forever. One thing that surprised me was that the tallest building in the entire city was around the same size as City High's building. The market place is very vast and all of the government branches have their own buildings that are all located near each other.
After our tour we stopped at a restaurant for lunch before heading to the high school, Liceo Julio Fonseca. However when we arrived the school was out and none of the teachers or students were there. The guard at the school told us that he was told nothing about the meeting and did not know that one had even been scheduled. I'm not sure what had happened. There may have been some form of miscommunication but whatever the case may be I was a little upset that we did not get a chance to meet the students. I was looking forward to playing a game of soccer with them.
After we left the school we moved to "Plan B" which involved a trip to Costa Rica's National Museum. Our tour guide Alfrado showed us around and told us some interesting facts about the country and gave us a brief overview of the country's history. After we were finished looking around the museum we split into two groups. One of the groups went back to the hotel and the other group took another walk around the city. I choose to go with the walking group. We enjoyed fresh Costa Rican Coffee and took a bunch of group pictures.
When we arrived back at the hotel the power was out and there was an incoming storm. We spent the rest of the day eating dinner followed by a few card games and some relaxation. The power came back on and we had on more group meeting before going to bed for the night.
Day 1, Monday, June 25th, 2012:
Today was mostly traveling. Our flight from Pittsburgh to Dallas was delayed by an hour. We had to rush a little in the Dallas airport due to the delay but there were no problems and everything went smoothly. After the long two flights that seemed to go on forever we made it to San Jose, Costa Rica. The hotel that we are staying at is nicer than what I was expecting. The staff and our guide Alfrado are very kind and helpful. They warmly greeted us and feed us a nice meal. That night we went over what our agenda was and then went to bed.
Day 2, Tuesday, June 26th, 2012:
Today was an interesting day. We learned a lot about Costa Rica and its culture. The day started off with a nice breakfast and then an interview with Epsy Campbell. Epsy is a popular political leader in Costa Rica, she ran for president in the past but was defeated by a very few number of votes. It was a very close race. She has gained popularity once again and is considering running for president again in the upcoming election. Not only is Epsy a woman but she is also of African descent. If she were to win the upcoming election it would be a huge victory for women and minorities in the country. After listening to Epsy's story and asking her a few questions she was kind enough to take a group photo with us before leaving. It was very kind of her to take time out of her busy schedule to talk with us.
After our interview we headed out with our tour guide Alfrado to do some sightseeing in downtown San Jose. The city is very large and seems to go on forever. One thing that surprised me was that the tallest building in the entire city was around the same size as City High's building. The market place is very vast and all of the government branches have their own buildings that are all located near each other.
After our tour we stopped at a restaurant for lunch before heading to the high school, Liceo Julio Fonseca. However when we arrived the school was out and none of the teachers or students were there. The guard at the school told us that he was told nothing about the meeting and did not know that one had even been scheduled. I'm not sure what had happened. There may have been some form of miscommunication but whatever the case may be I was a little upset that we did not get a chance to meet the students. I was looking forward to playing a game of soccer with them.
After we left the school we moved to "Plan B" which involved a trip to Costa Rica's National Museum. Our tour guide Alfrado showed us around and told us some interesting facts about the country and gave us a brief overview of the country's history. After we were finished looking around the museum we split into two groups. One of the groups went back to the hotel and the other group took another walk around the city. I choose to go with the walking group. We enjoyed fresh Costa Rican Coffee and took a bunch of group pictures.
When we arrived back at the hotel the power was out and there was an incoming storm. We spent the rest of the day eating dinner followed by a few card games and some relaxation. The power came back on and we had on more group meeting before going to bed for the night.
Similarities
Written by Charlene Ward
Costa Rica is an absolutely amazing
place. It has been very interesting to see all the cultural differences, as
well as the similarities. I could not help but noticing the parallels between illegal
immigration in the United States and in Costa Rica. Costa Rica has an
immigration issue with its neighboring country, Nicaragua. Many Costa Ricans
extremely dislike Nicaraguans for a wide variety of reasons which include economical,
social, and ethnic issues. Illegal immigration is something that they have trying
to prevent. As of now, there are 600,000 Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica. Most
complain that the Nicaraguans benefit from the government despite not paying
tax. They were still able to acknowledge that the Nicaraguans were working jobs
that were undesirable to most Costa Ricans. Costa Ricans are very proud of
their country, and they believe that Nicaraguans tarnish that image.
In the United States, we have the
same attitude towards Latin American illegal immigrants, but most of our discrimination
is directed towards Mexicans. Often, we acknowledge that the illegal immigrants
coming into the country are very helpless, though we still discriminate against
them. The United States finds illegal immigrants from Mexico and other Latin
American countries to be a nuisance for the same reason that Costa Ricans find
Nicaraguans to be nuisances. I was surprised by the relentlessness that Costa
Ricans felt about the Nicaraguans, but I had to realize that we have the same
issue in the U.S. Coming to a new country really allows one to see how similar
we humans are. I am positive that Costa Rica will continue to amaze me. I
already know that this trip will be a life changing experience.
Day 1 - 2
Written by Jozelyn Burke
Day one was mostly full of traveling. After traveling from about 1pm to almost 9pm we landed in Costa Rica and were first brought to our hotel. After being settled in to our rooms we then all sat at the table together to have dinner. The meal consisted of traditional Costa Rican food with beans, rice, a type of salad. After a quick meeting everyone was ready for bed.
Day two began at 6:30 a.m with the sun shining through the windows. It seemed later since we were not use to the sun being out so early in the morning. Breakfast was beans, rice, eggs, and toast. We then left out for an eventful day. We first began to walk around a bit and talked about some of the differences between America and Costa Rica. After walking for a couple hours we had lunch at a local restaurant near where we were staying. Chosing between two meals I chose the meal prepared with beans, rice, plantains, meatballs, and a type of slaw on the side along with a fresh mango juice. After lunch we went through a national museum that had alot about the Costa Rican history. Finally, we went on a walk to see a few historical buildings, went back to the hotel for dinner, and finished the day off with relaxing!
Day one was mostly full of traveling. After traveling from about 1pm to almost 9pm we landed in Costa Rica and were first brought to our hotel. After being settled in to our rooms we then all sat at the table together to have dinner. The meal consisted of traditional Costa Rican food with beans, rice, a type of salad. After a quick meeting everyone was ready for bed.
Day two began at 6:30 a.m with the sun shining through the windows. It seemed later since we were not use to the sun being out so early in the morning. Breakfast was beans, rice, eggs, and toast. We then left out for an eventful day. We first began to walk around a bit and talked about some of the differences between America and Costa Rica. After walking for a couple hours we had lunch at a local restaurant near where we were staying. Chosing between two meals I chose the meal prepared with beans, rice, plantains, meatballs, and a type of slaw on the side along with a fresh mango juice. After lunch we went through a national museum that had alot about the Costa Rican history. Finally, we went on a walk to see a few historical buildings, went back to the hotel for dinner, and finished the day off with relaxing!
First Two days!
Written by Mollie Schillinger
On our first day of the trip, all we did was travel. It was a very long day. I still thought that it was pretty fun though. We also had our first taste of what the meals were going to be like for the rest of the trip. Today was when the trip started getting interesting. We woke up this morning and had our first breakfast here, then we met with Epsy, a strong political leader here in Costa Rica. She was very kind and interesting to talk to. After meeting with her, we headed out into the city of San Jose. We saw a lot of cool and interesting things that most of us probably never saw before. It was cool to see how different it was compared to Pittsburgh. One major difference were the cars! They nearly hit us many times and they do not really stop for people, or let people cross.
After being in the city and walking around there we had lunch at a local place, and it was very good. We then headed to the National Museum of Costa Rica. It was really cool there. We got to see butterflys along with a lot of cool plants. Overall the past two days have been a lot of fun, but also very long. I am really excited to be starting our service work tomorrow.
On our first day of the trip, all we did was travel. It was a very long day. I still thought that it was pretty fun though. We also had our first taste of what the meals were going to be like for the rest of the trip. Today was when the trip started getting interesting. We woke up this morning and had our first breakfast here, then we met with Epsy, a strong political leader here in Costa Rica. She was very kind and interesting to talk to. After meeting with her, we headed out into the city of San Jose. We saw a lot of cool and interesting things that most of us probably never saw before. It was cool to see how different it was compared to Pittsburgh. One major difference were the cars! They nearly hit us many times and they do not really stop for people, or let people cross.
After being in the city and walking around there we had lunch at a local place, and it was very good. We then headed to the National Museum of Costa Rica. It was really cool there. We got to see butterflys along with a lot of cool plants. Overall the past two days have been a lot of fun, but also very long. I am really excited to be starting our service work tomorrow.
Costa Rica So Far!
Written By Mike Vaughn
Yesterday was a long day of flying and it was very tiring. We waitied in the airport in Pittsburgh for about 5 hours until our first flight to Texas. We arrived in Texas at 3:30, their time, and our connecting flight to Costa Rica started boarding at 3:40. We had to rush through the Dallas Airport to make our connect. We arrived in Costa Rica at 8:30, 10:30 Pittsburgh time and we got to the hotel at about 9:30. We settled in, ate dinner, and went to sleep. We were up by 6:30 this morning to start our day. Today we interview an interesting political leader Epsy. She is all about women's rights and had nearly won presidency in 2006. After being inspired by Epsy, we explored the city of San Jose, and had lunch at a local resturant. We then went and toured the Costa Rica National Museum. After the museum we made our way back to the hotel where the electric had been off for about an hour until we sat down to eat dinner then the power had came back on, which was like a breath of fresh air. Today has been very tiring and we are going to have a group meeting now, and then making our ways to our beds for a goodnight sleep.
Signing off from Costa Rica -Mike Vaughn
Yesterday was a long day of flying and it was very tiring. We waitied in the airport in Pittsburgh for about 5 hours until our first flight to Texas. We arrived in Texas at 3:30, their time, and our connecting flight to Costa Rica started boarding at 3:40. We had to rush through the Dallas Airport to make our connect. We arrived in Costa Rica at 8:30, 10:30 Pittsburgh time and we got to the hotel at about 9:30. We settled in, ate dinner, and went to sleep. We were up by 6:30 this morning to start our day. Today we interview an interesting political leader Epsy. She is all about women's rights and had nearly won presidency in 2006. After being inspired by Epsy, we explored the city of San Jose, and had lunch at a local resturant. We then went and toured the Costa Rica National Museum. After the museum we made our way back to the hotel where the electric had been off for about an hour until we sat down to eat dinner then the power had came back on, which was like a breath of fresh air. Today has been very tiring and we are going to have a group meeting now, and then making our ways to our beds for a goodnight sleep.
Signing off from Costa Rica -Mike Vaughn
Day Two: Exploring San Jose
Written By: Dray Cottingham
After our entrance into the bustling city of San Jose and a night filled with laughing in our room of six, we woke up for day two not too enthralled at what was to come. We (as a group) started our morning with a breakfast which consisted of rice and beans (as always), eggs, and toast which was absolutely, suprisingly delicious. After our meal, we met with a leader in politics here in Costa Rica, Epsy Campbell, who had a lot to tell us about her outlook on the Costa Rican government and all she has been through being that she is the first black woman who had ran for president in Costa Rica. After our meeting, our group of seventeen students and four chaperones, headed out into the capital city of San Jose where we toured several areas. This was the most exciting part of the day for me personally. Walking through the city really gave me an idea of how Tico's truly live. We learned that because San Jose isn't very large, most of it's citizens must travel downtown (where we toured) via bus to go to the market place or to buy very simple items. In one tiny area there was so much to buy. You could go there if you wanted a suculent chicken dinner or if you and your family decided you wanted to buy a parakeet as a family pet; you name it, it was in the San Jose market place. At the end of the day, and I'm sure I can speak for the entire group on this, we really appreciated the experience of day two and we hope that the rest of this excursion brings us more great memories and experiences.
After our entrance into the bustling city of San Jose and a night filled with laughing in our room of six, we woke up for day two not too enthralled at what was to come. We (as a group) started our morning with a breakfast which consisted of rice and beans (as always), eggs, and toast which was absolutely, suprisingly delicious. After our meal, we met with a leader in politics here in Costa Rica, Epsy Campbell, who had a lot to tell us about her outlook on the Costa Rican government and all she has been through being that she is the first black woman who had ran for president in Costa Rica. After our meeting, our group of seventeen students and four chaperones, headed out into the capital city of San Jose where we toured several areas. This was the most exciting part of the day for me personally. Walking through the city really gave me an idea of how Tico's truly live. We learned that because San Jose isn't very large, most of it's citizens must travel downtown (where we toured) via bus to go to the market place or to buy very simple items. In one tiny area there was so much to buy. You could go there if you wanted a suculent chicken dinner or if you and your family decided you wanted to buy a parakeet as a family pet; you name it, it was in the San Jose market place. At the end of the day, and I'm sure I can speak for the entire group on this, we really appreciated the experience of day two and we hope that the rest of this excursion brings us more great memories and experiences.
Day 2... a first for everything
By Alex Guy:
Today, I found several things interesting. One being that we ate at a local restaurant which was an interesting experience. Our group came to the restaurant and we were given two options: pasta with a cheese sauce, and meatballs, plantanes, rice, and beans. I chose the pasta because i knew that it wouldnt be the same in America so I wanted to give it a shot. It turned out pretty good. I dont think I would get it again, but it was a good experience and it expanded my horizen on this cutlure.
The other thing I enjoyed about today was drinking delicous coffee while walking through the national parks. The coffee was obviously amazing. Our group stopped at a local coffee shop and got a few drinks that were delicous. i especially enjoyed walking through the parks becauase I saw trees that i have never seen and the way the the parks were made and formed had a unique and very interesting style to them. That is why i loved the parks so much, because I havent seen anything like them before and i happen to end up loving them.
Today was a long first full day in Costa Rica but it was definately a good one.I'm excited to keep trying new things. I can't wait to see whats in store for the next week and 1/2.
Today, I found several things interesting. One being that we ate at a local restaurant which was an interesting experience. Our group came to the restaurant and we were given two options: pasta with a cheese sauce, and meatballs, plantanes, rice, and beans. I chose the pasta because i knew that it wouldnt be the same in America so I wanted to give it a shot. It turned out pretty good. I dont think I would get it again, but it was a good experience and it expanded my horizen on this cutlure.
The other thing I enjoyed about today was drinking delicous coffee while walking through the national parks. The coffee was obviously amazing. Our group stopped at a local coffee shop and got a few drinks that were delicous. i especially enjoyed walking through the parks becauase I saw trees that i have never seen and the way the the parks were made and formed had a unique and very interesting style to them. That is why i loved the parks so much, because I havent seen anything like them before and i happen to end up loving them.
Today was a long first full day in Costa Rica but it was definately a good one.I'm excited to keep trying new things. I can't wait to see whats in store for the next week and 1/2.
My Experience Thus Far
Written by Joshua Brown
The first day was a very long day. We were on the plane for a long time, and the second plane ride I was stuck between some random guy from Costa Rica, and some lady who only wanted to talk about how she was going to Costa Rica to build some wall. Between the two both going to sleep, arguing on occasion, and the man speaking little to no English, my flight was rather long.
Upon arrival we were treated with a very traditional dinner of rice, beef, and beans. We also got to experience a strange guava juice, which tasted like a weakened version of pineapple juice. What really upset us the most, however, was that we had to be up the next morning at 6:30 am. My room has 6 people in it, which includes both Mikes, Neal, Nick, and Dray. We were up rather late cracking jokes, and Mike Vaughn was cracking the bed and making pieces of the board on the bunk bed fall on Mike Pittek's head.
This morning we were greeted to the sound of Alex's voice, as he accidentally woke us all up at 5:30, instead of 6:30. This made my room rather upset with him, and we are sure we will get him back. Today was a pretty cool day though nonetheless. We got a chance to walk around San Jose with our tour guide, Alfredo. Not the sauce, I promise. In addition, we met with Epsy Campbell, a member of the Citizen's Action Party for an interview this morning before we left for the day. She talked about the hardships of being a black woman in Costa Rica, and how it has effected her political career.
The worst parts of the day were that we couldn't meet with the high school, and that it has been raining for the past hour or so like there is no tomorrow. Instead of visiting the high school we went to the museum of natural history, which was an awesome place, I just was geeked to play some soccer with the locals. As for the rain, well you can tell me how it would feel to be in a scorching hot room with 5 other guys trying to locate flashlights while we rotate turns in the shower. There was no power until just as we ate dinner, and now we are stuck inside doing whatever we can think of to keep us entertained. The dinner was delicious as well, and I must admit I love plantains.
That is all for tonight. I am sure that I have left out some stuff, but surely someone else will post about those things. With our wakeup time being 5:30 tomorrow, I am getting off for the night. Goodbye to all, and I hope you all enjoy the blog!
-Joshua Brown
The first day was a very long day. We were on the plane for a long time, and the second plane ride I was stuck between some random guy from Costa Rica, and some lady who only wanted to talk about how she was going to Costa Rica to build some wall. Between the two both going to sleep, arguing on occasion, and the man speaking little to no English, my flight was rather long.
Upon arrival we were treated with a very traditional dinner of rice, beef, and beans. We also got to experience a strange guava juice, which tasted like a weakened version of pineapple juice. What really upset us the most, however, was that we had to be up the next morning at 6:30 am. My room has 6 people in it, which includes both Mikes, Neal, Nick, and Dray. We were up rather late cracking jokes, and Mike Vaughn was cracking the bed and making pieces of the board on the bunk bed fall on Mike Pittek's head.
This morning we were greeted to the sound of Alex's voice, as he accidentally woke us all up at 5:30, instead of 6:30. This made my room rather upset with him, and we are sure we will get him back. Today was a pretty cool day though nonetheless. We got a chance to walk around San Jose with our tour guide, Alfredo. Not the sauce, I promise. In addition, we met with Epsy Campbell, a member of the Citizen's Action Party for an interview this morning before we left for the day. She talked about the hardships of being a black woman in Costa Rica, and how it has effected her political career.
The worst parts of the day were that we couldn't meet with the high school, and that it has been raining for the past hour or so like there is no tomorrow. Instead of visiting the high school we went to the museum of natural history, which was an awesome place, I just was geeked to play some soccer with the locals. As for the rain, well you can tell me how it would feel to be in a scorching hot room with 5 other guys trying to locate flashlights while we rotate turns in the shower. There was no power until just as we ate dinner, and now we are stuck inside doing whatever we can think of to keep us entertained. The dinner was delicious as well, and I must admit I love plantains.
That is all for tonight. I am sure that I have left out some stuff, but surely someone else will post about those things. With our wakeup time being 5:30 tomorrow, I am getting off for the night. Goodbye to all, and I hope you all enjoy the blog!
-Joshua Brown
Buenas Dias from San Jose
Written by Mr. Zatezalo
Well, we are finally in San Jose. We arrived last evening aroun 8pm without any incident. Since we traveled from the airport to the hotel at night, I am excited to see the kids reaction to the city today. Today we will be visiting with Epsy Campbell an important political figure and political rights activist. We will then take a tour of San Jose, and then we will finish the day visiting high school students.
Starting this evening, there will be daily updates and many photos posted. Please check back for updates from today's activities.
Well, we are finally in San Jose. We arrived last evening aroun 8pm without any incident. Since we traveled from the airport to the hotel at night, I am excited to see the kids reaction to the city today. Today we will be visiting with Epsy Campbell an important political figure and political rights activist. We will then take a tour of San Jose, and then we will finish the day visiting high school students.
Starting this evening, there will be daily updates and many photos posted. Please check back for updates from today's activities.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Excitement and Fears: Dawn Dallmus
One thing that I am excited to do in Costa Rica is everything that we are going to be doing in the Rainforest. I am excited for this because I love nature and seeing things that I have never seen before. I am also excited to go swimming in the waterfalls every day after we are done working. The canopy tour sounds like a lot of fun too! The only way that I can tell people to not be afraid of the canopy tour and zip-lining through the canopy 60 feet above the ground is to tell them to not look down. If you look down, you aren’t going to be able to do it and you will get more scared. I am afraid of heights but I am going to do it because of the amazing experience and thrill that it will bring.
One thing that I am not looking forward to is the working so much because I am not much of a hard working person. I have back problems and I’m afraid that I won’t be able to put forth as much energy as I should. I will, however, work as hard as I can because I know that it is the right thing to do and that is the main reason we are going to be down there.
Excitements and Fears: Neal Niedecker
Judging by the itinerary we will be very busy in Costa Rica. It is shaping up to be an exciting trip. One thing I’m very excited for is getting to meet the Costa Rican teenagers. I’m very interested to see how they act and to meet them. I hope others share my enthusiasm about this activity, however if they don’t they may be in for a pleasant surprise. I am however afraid of any of the activity’s involving manual labor. I don’t mind labor so much but I’m afraid I won’t be strong enough to handle the work. Or I’ll get hurt doing one of the jobs. Hopefully this will not happen. Overall I’m very excited for this trip, but a little scarred of the unknown.
Excitements and Fears: Michael Pittek
We are going to be doing a lot during our time in Costa Rica. There are a few events that I cannot wait to experience. One of the things I am looking forward to is exploring one of Costa Rica’s active volcanoes. The trip up the volcano will be an amazing adventure and a once in a life time experience. Another thing that I am looking forward to is exploring Manuel Antonio National Park. We will be spending a week in the rainforest and it is a truly beautiful place.
There are not many things on the trip that I will be afraid of doing. I did hear about an old wooden bridge we will be crossing that is very high over a river, I will admit that it does sound intimidating. The only things that will be different for me will be the types of food that we will be eating as well as the insects of Costa Rica. I don’t think that there will be anything that I can’t handle on this trip.
There are not many things on the trip that I will be afraid of doing. I did hear about an old wooden bridge we will be crossing that is very high over a river, I will admit that it does sound intimidating. The only things that will be different for me will be the types of food that we will be eating as well as the insects of Costa Rica. I don’t think that there will be anything that I can’t handle on this trip.
Excitements and Fears: Joshua Brown
Looking at the updated itinerary for the trip, I am really excited about being able to zip line. I have only done zip lining once before in the past, and that was just on a much smaller scale. I feel like this will be an exhilarating experience and will be one of the most memorable experiences for me of this trip. I think that I will be able to encourage enthusiasm about this to my classmates by pestering them about it so that they too get excited about doing it.
One thing that I didn’t like about the new itinerary was the fact that we still have to cross the bridge. The bridge is just a scary idea to me because I don’t feel safe walking across a tiny bridge while hanging above a giant valley. I know this is probably crazy as people use this bridge daily, but it just is scary. I think that in order to keep my fears from affecting the trip I am going to just walk around the bridge and make the long hike through the valley instead.
Participant: Neal Niedecker
Hello my name is Neal Barrett Niedecker. I’m a senior in high school at City Charter High school. CCHS is technology based high school, it is located downtown Pittsburgh, PA. We learn regular classes like English and math, while also learning about Microsoft applications, and planning for our futures. Our teachers stay with the students all four years of high school. School goes year round, and students are off for December, April, and August. Let me tell you a little about myself.
I’m interested in a number of interesting things which have sparked my interest. I play guitar and bass guitar, I consider it more akin to fiddling with them. I’ve also been known to toy with the Mandolin and ukulele, although those hobbies are not as steady. I enjoy playing video games, reading, playing disc golf, and going to the gym. I also enjoy watching football and baseball. I used to like watching old movies and funny television shows but now I barely do either. I’ve got four sisters and a brother, its probably the most interesting thing about me.
I am going on this trip because I want to see as much of the world as I can. I’m also very interested in learning about another culture, that’s completely foreign to me. I also want to see the rain forest. I enjoy working and doing things that are manual labor, as well as helping people so I hope I enjoy it very much. I hope I can gain some interesting stories, meet some new people, and become close to both my classmates and teachers. I’m also scarred of getting sun burn as I burn very easily. The possibilities of coming unprepared for what awaits me, or losing my luggage at the airport are scary. I also get bored very easily on airplanes.
I’m interested in a number of interesting things which have sparked my interest. I play guitar and bass guitar, I consider it more akin to fiddling with them. I’ve also been known to toy with the Mandolin and ukulele, although those hobbies are not as steady. I enjoy playing video games, reading, playing disc golf, and going to the gym. I also enjoy watching football and baseball. I used to like watching old movies and funny television shows but now I barely do either. I’ve got four sisters and a brother, its probably the most interesting thing about me.
I am going on this trip because I want to see as much of the world as I can. I’m also very interested in learning about another culture, that’s completely foreign to me. I also want to see the rain forest. I enjoy working and doing things that are manual labor, as well as helping people so I hope I enjoy it very much. I hope I can gain some interesting stories, meet some new people, and become close to both my classmates and teachers. I’m also scarred of getting sun burn as I burn very easily. The possibilities of coming unprepared for what awaits me, or losing my luggage at the airport are scary. I also get bored very easily on airplanes.
Participant: Alex Guy
My name is Alex Guy. I am in 11th grade and I’m 17. I just happen to be a very interesting person. I have a lot of interest and things that I like to do. I don’t currently play any sports. I used to do play sports, but I can’t play a sport and work at the same time. When I was younger I played soccer, basketball for all 3 years of middle school, swam on a swim team my freshmen year, and boxed for my sophomore year.
I love to play video games. I have an Xbox 360 that I have had for a while. For me, video games are a way to relax because I don’t have to worry about anything but saving the world on my screen. It’s really relaxing.
I also love music. Not only do I love to listen to music, but I love to play music as well. I play guitar and bass. I have been playing for my church for a long time and I also play at a gig every once in a while. Music is also something that is relaxing to me. I love to play with other people that are actually good at what they play because I like to sound good at what I do.
My employment history is pretty interesting. My first job was at a Chinese restaurant. It was a very interesting first job. The management was terrible and the food was not that great. One thing I did like about that job was that the employees there were kind of like a family. We all functioned together as one unit. That is why I liked that job, but the pay was terrible and so was the management which is mostly why I left. My second job, which is also my current job, is at the After School Program at Allegheny Center Alliance Church. I was hired at the beginning of the school year to work there. Basically, I work at an after school program as a 4th grade teacher. I’m not technically a teacher, that’s just my title. What I do is I play with the kids for a little while, give them some sort of snack, help them with their homework, and then we do something fun at the end of the day. It is an interesting job but I have had a lot of ups and downs, there are days which are not so fun. But it kept me on my feet because I never knew what was coming next. I am still working there for another two weeks, until June 1 I believe. Then I will start my new job.
My new job, which I currently have part time, is at a small restaurant in the North Side called Bistro-To-Go. It is a nice restaurant where I will be doing all sorts of tasks from preparing food to washing dishes to cleaning bathrooms. I got the job because I won’t be able to work at the After School Program in the summer because there is no school. I still need to make money though so that is why I got a new job. That’s all about my employment history thus far.
The main reason I am going on this trip is because I want to learn about Costa Rica. I want to learn about a different culture, about volcanoes, and how lives are lived in Costa Rica. I just want to find out more besides of what’s in the United States. I don’t prefer to be ethnocentric and only know about the places I’ve been in the U.S. That is the main reason for going, but overall, I want to have a good time.
My biggest concern about this trip is that I think that two weeks is a long time. I think I can handle it but it just seems like a long time to be out of your comfort zone. Another concern I have is that I won’t like all of the food served to us. I am interested to see what kind of food there will be but I don’t want to be hungry.
The most important thing I hope to gain from this trip is knowledge. I want knowledge of what goes on in a completely different world that I’m not used to. I want to come back and be able to tell people how Tico’s live their lives in Costa Rica and I want to tell them all about the geography that we will see. I also would like to come back with a nice tan and some souvenirs but those are a bonus.
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