Written by Brittany Stone
The third day in the rain forest was a very complicated day. While we were doing service work; which was building a wall, was difficult. Though the work itself was not complicated, the group was temperamental and was not able to work together. Nevertheless, we worked threw it. Then we played a refreshing game of soccer with local children and adults. It was a wonderful work out. Then we got to go to the waterfall to cool off. This waterfall was different than the first one. In the, we were able to dive into. It was really deep. I just wish that the people we played with were able to come with us. We finished this day off with a round-table talk of all of the funniest moments that happened in Costa Rica.
Last Day in the Rain Forest was a very long day. IN order to leave we had to go on a two hour hike to the other side of the mountain. During this walk I realized that hiking the mountains had gotten immensely better/easier. The first couple of days, the small hikes to our working area took a lot of energy and caused us to sweat bullets. The funny part is, our other destinations were always past the previous destination we had. Therefore, when you reach the first and second destination your thinking "Wow, that as easier than yesterday and the day before." It is a great feeling. After our hike, we were picked up by vans and taken to a zip-line area. This is something I was really looking forward to. When you get all geared up you feel invincible until you reach that zip-line area and see that you are about to fly above trees and rivers! The feeling was amazing. While we were zip-lining , it began to pour down rain. It was scary! When you are zip-lining, your break works because you pull down applying friction. When it is raining, there is little to no friction. So when you approach the next base you are pulling for your life! On top of that, you in in the air, on a metal wire, it is raining, thundering, and lightening. Your just thinking, "Please, God, don't let lightening hit this line!" Everyone was soaked. When we finished the course we were able to turn our shoes upside down and pour the water out of them. It was gross. Then on the ride to the next hotel we had to pass/drive through some rivers. May I remind you, it was pouring down. Therefore, the rivers were overflowing with water and we were getting stuck. Eventually, we got onto the road. The hotel we stayed at was right off the beach and was very pretty.
Now that I am back home, I realize that there is much here to be appreciated. I like the fact that we can flush our toilet paper the toilet, we have paved roads, and out police are one phone call away for the simplest of problems. The one thing that I miss a lot about Costa Rica is the kindness the vast majority of the people exemplified. I know that I were to have the opportunity to do, I would most definitely go again. Costa Rica is a grand place and I feel like more people should go.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Beach & Final Thoughts
Written by Jozelyn Burke:
The last few days were pretty relaxing but fun at the same time. On Wednesday we went & checked into our new rooms which were at a beautiful hotel along the beach! After checking in and getting out of our very wet clothes, if you wanted you were able to check out some of the shops along the beach. Then we had dinner and were pretty much in for the evening. The next morning we had breakfast and went to the Manuel Antonio National Park. We walked through to get to the beach and were able to see some animals we would not see on a daily basis in the states. After that we enjoyed some fun in the sun at a beautiful beach! We did run into some squirrel monkeys that came on the beach as well. After the beach we went back to pack up and head back to San Jose. We then packed all items and went to bed kind of early because of the early flight the next day. The final day consisted of traveling home, laughs, flight delays, eating American fast foods, and some final photos together.
This trip I could not describe or give in detail enough by just writing, it is something you would have to do for yourself. It was truely a once in a life time experience that I would never forget. I made a bond with people I never thought I would become close with, had silly jokes over things that no one outside of the trip would understand, and experience things I have never experienced before. This trip also was an eye opener to me. I seen some people who appreciate some of the smallest things in life, while some of us in America including myself, complain over things that are not as big deal of deal as we make them. I seen people happy with so little, while back home I see some that have so much but are unhappy! I think to myself why are things this way? Are we so spoiled that we forget what really matters? Not the money, not the type of phone you have, or the $200 shoes on your feet, but family and enjoying things that are a passion to you and not what society expects from you. I'm back in the U.S and wish that I could go back to Costa Rica just one more time to do it all again! :)
No Fun in the Sun
Written By: Neal Niedecker
So our first full day in the rain forest was a rough one. We only worked for four hours but I'm guessing that for me (and possibly others) it was the most physically demanding thing I've ever done. I wrestled when I was younger and I'm a frequent visitor to the gym so I'm no stranger to physical effort but this was different.
Our task was simple repair a weather worn dirt road. Much easier said than done. Most students started off in one of two jobs. One was taking a sack of dirt from a hillside to a section of road about 500 feet or so away. The other was spreading the dirt that had been brought in evenly across the road. I had a different job however. Our tour guide and I filled wheel barrows full of large rocks and dumped the rocks into the larger divots along the road. I was filling the wheel barrow until it was nearly impossible to push up the hill, only because I thought I could finish faster that way. I soon figured out however that the holes in the road were so large that there was no point in burning myself out quickly. Still it was hard work and it wore me out after only a little more than an hour. So I traded jobs with another student. Now I was one of the sack carriers. It was a short walk to the other piece of the road where the dirt was going normally, but not with two 30 pound sacks slung over your shoulder.
As the sun came out and the humidity rose it became increasingly harder to work. The sun was burning my pale skin and the humidity is so high in the rain forest you can practically drown from breathing the air. Still finally the end came, it was time for lunch. One of my classmates, Mike, told a teacher he felt as though he was freezing, a pretty bad sign considering how hot it was outside. While everyone walked back towards our cabins, I stayed in the back with the teachers and Mike. I was attempting to guide him back to the cabins , however he was steadily losing consciousness and coordination. Walking with my arm wrapped around him eventually his body turned to dead weight and flopped onto Mr. Z's back in front of him. We managed to get him upright and semi-conscious again. At this point both Mr. Z and I half carried him the rest of the way. We laid him down in bed and the the other students moved in to care for him. They changed his clothes and brought him food and water. Only a hour or two later however Mike was up and okay. He said he couldn't remember any of what happened. I was just glad he was okay.
Every night in the rain forest we played cards. One game in particular Euchre was played by a large part of the group. We played game after game after game. I'd guess that I played on average four games a night. I never knew cards were so much fun. It's a hobby I'm certainly taking back to the States.
So our first full day in the rain forest was a rough one. We only worked for four hours but I'm guessing that for me (and possibly others) it was the most physically demanding thing I've ever done. I wrestled when I was younger and I'm a frequent visitor to the gym so I'm no stranger to physical effort but this was different.
Our task was simple repair a weather worn dirt road. Much easier said than done. Most students started off in one of two jobs. One was taking a sack of dirt from a hillside to a section of road about 500 feet or so away. The other was spreading the dirt that had been brought in evenly across the road. I had a different job however. Our tour guide and I filled wheel barrows full of large rocks and dumped the rocks into the larger divots along the road. I was filling the wheel barrow until it was nearly impossible to push up the hill, only because I thought I could finish faster that way. I soon figured out however that the holes in the road were so large that there was no point in burning myself out quickly. Still it was hard work and it wore me out after only a little more than an hour. So I traded jobs with another student. Now I was one of the sack carriers. It was a short walk to the other piece of the road where the dirt was going normally, but not with two 30 pound sacks slung over your shoulder.
As the sun came out and the humidity rose it became increasingly harder to work. The sun was burning my pale skin and the humidity is so high in the rain forest you can practically drown from breathing the air. Still finally the end came, it was time for lunch. One of my classmates, Mike, told a teacher he felt as though he was freezing, a pretty bad sign considering how hot it was outside. While everyone walked back towards our cabins, I stayed in the back with the teachers and Mike. I was attempting to guide him back to the cabins , however he was steadily losing consciousness and coordination. Walking with my arm wrapped around him eventually his body turned to dead weight and flopped onto Mr. Z's back in front of him. We managed to get him upright and semi-conscious again. At this point both Mr. Z and I half carried him the rest of the way. We laid him down in bed and the the other students moved in to care for him. They changed his clothes and brought him food and water. Only a hour or two later however Mike was up and okay. He said he couldn't remember any of what happened. I was just glad he was okay.
Every night in the rain forest we played cards. One game in particular Euchre was played by a large part of the group. We played game after game after game. I'd guess that I played on average four games a night. I never knew cards were so much fun. It's a hobby I'm certainly taking back to the States.
It's Like I'm in a Movie.
Written By: Neal Niedecker
The hike in was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. The vibrant colors of the distant yet magnificent landscapes. Standing on top of a hill, my mind racing, basking in the sight of this beautiful forest and river. One of my teachers, Ms. Peck, came up beside me and said "It's like something you see in a movie!" To which I responded "That's exactly what I was just thinking, it's like I'm in a movie."
This mutual feeling of being in a movie, shared between my teacher and I. I assume the feeling would've just been forgotten by most. Yet to me it had deeper implications. That maybe I spend a little too much time in front of screen. Be it a computer or television. To the point where seeing something incredible reminds me of a movie. It made me realize that there is a world worth seeing out there, and no matter how incredible what you see on TV may be. It can't compare to the real deal.
Anyway back to the hike. At the start of the hike I was towards the front of the group, however I kept stopping to take pictures of the incredible things I was seeing. So eventually I fell towards the back of the pack. There were several side paths along the way and I started to think I may have gone the wrong way. However the locals who ran a store near where we stayed (a store in the rain forest? Who would have known?) assured me I was headed the right way.
It started to pour just as I got under the shelter of the cafeteria of the tourist area of Quebrada Arroyo. I'm glad as it could have ruined my camera. Which made me realize my camera's battery was just about dead and I had forgotten my charger in San Jose. A lost opportunity as I may never get to see those sights again, still I'm grateful for the pictures I did take.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Rain forest
Written By Jozelyn Burke:
The rain forest was an experience like no other! We first had to drive a few hours to the rain forest, then once we were there we had to hike in another hour into the rain forest to get to where we would be staying. At first I'm thinking an hour isn't that bad walking, but I guess I forgot about the part when they said "hiking". This included walking up big hills, hot weather, some rain, and sweating like I have never did before. What took an hour seemed like hours! Arriving at our new home felt like a great accomplishment. The next few days we completed service projects for the people in the area. Some of what we did included making the road more even, and filling areas with stones that needed more leveled out. The next day we then built a cement wall to keep water from rising on the road. This was more challenging then what we did in La Carpio because we had to mix the cement by hand. This for me was one of my favorites for some reason, although it was very time consuming and a challenging process, I think thats what made me want to do it both days we worked on the project. We did though have to hike in about 30 minutes to our work area which was a workout before work! The rain forest wasn't all work, some days we also swam in some of the most amazing waterfalls, also played soccer with some of the students in the area as well. The final day that we were in Quebrada Arroyo, we completed the projects we started and also planted some new trees. After working and enjoying some waterfall fun, we all began to get ready to pack up. That night we presented a donation to the community and also talked with some of the leaders of the community. The days spent in the rain forest were some of the most challenging days of my lives but I loved every moment of it! The thought of waking up everyday in the heat, being dirty, and sweaty was a decision I was rethinking but I'm glad I took on! The next morning we said our goodbyes and thank yous and headed to zip lining. My fear for heights was over that day, I'm 5 foot and do not like to be up high but this trip for me was all about trying new things. Once I went on the first line I loved it and was so excited about continuing on. We did end up getting poured on though while we were zip lining and we all were soaking wet, we also had a little bit of a struggle leaving zip lining because the water was up on the road and was pretty high for the vans.
The rain forest was an experience like no other! We first had to drive a few hours to the rain forest, then once we were there we had to hike in another hour into the rain forest to get to where we would be staying. At first I'm thinking an hour isn't that bad walking, but I guess I forgot about the part when they said "hiking". This included walking up big hills, hot weather, some rain, and sweating like I have never did before. What took an hour seemed like hours! Arriving at our new home felt like a great accomplishment. The next few days we completed service projects for the people in the area. Some of what we did included making the road more even, and filling areas with stones that needed more leveled out. The next day we then built a cement wall to keep water from rising on the road. This was more challenging then what we did in La Carpio because we had to mix the cement by hand. This for me was one of my favorites for some reason, although it was very time consuming and a challenging process, I think thats what made me want to do it both days we worked on the project. We did though have to hike in about 30 minutes to our work area which was a workout before work! The rain forest wasn't all work, some days we also swam in some of the most amazing waterfalls, also played soccer with some of the students in the area as well. The final day that we were in Quebrada Arroyo, we completed the projects we started and also planted some new trees. After working and enjoying some waterfall fun, we all began to get ready to pack up. That night we presented a donation to the community and also talked with some of the leaders of the community. The days spent in the rain forest were some of the most challenging days of my lives but I loved every moment of it! The thought of waking up everyday in the heat, being dirty, and sweaty was a decision I was rethinking but I'm glad I took on! The next morning we said our goodbyes and thank yous and headed to zip lining. My fear for heights was over that day, I'm 5 foot and do not like to be up high but this trip for me was all about trying new things. Once I went on the first line I loved it and was so excited about continuing on. We did end up getting poured on though while we were zip lining and we all were soaking wet, we also had a little bit of a struggle leaving zip lining because the water was up on the road and was pretty high for the vans.
A sad goodbye
Written By: Alex Guy
Traveling to the rainforest from San Jose what a good time. At first, everyone was in a bad mood because of the van set up. After we got started, we were all having fun. We stopped several times on the way to take a restroom break and to look at alligators that were about 10-15 feet long. They were amazing especially since I haven’t seen anything like them before.
When we
arrived in the rainforest, the first thing our group had to do was to hike
about an hour or so to our cabin area. That was a rough time because, not only
was most of it up hill but, Mr. Z and I stayed back to walk with Ms. Rob and
Andrea because they were having asthma issues. I didn’t mind staying back with
them but the four of us still had some good laughs. Then, after we thought we
were lost for an hour, we showed up at our cabin area and we met all the other
students.
The rain
forest amazed me in so many ways. The first evening that we were there, I ate
dinner while sitting at this high table and behind the table was the forest. So
it was kind of like eating dinner while watching TV except the TV was the
forest. It was an amazing view and it was so natural. That was definitely one
of the best views of the trip. After our dinner, we all had a meeting and then
we just relaxed for the night which was definitely a good idea since we were
all exhausted from the day of travel.
The first 3
full days that we were in the rainforest we did service work. One of those days
was to even out a road that had a lot of ditches and low parts in it so our team
carried bags of rocky sand up a huge hill and unloaded the bags where they
needed to be unloaded. That day was particularly difficult because I had
blisters on my feet which made it difficult to walk and also I was sweating a
lot. I think I drank about 5 liters of water that morning and I literally sweat
it all out. My bladder was empty the whole day.
Also, one of
the best things about the whole trip was swimming in the natural waterfalls. I
loved swimming in them and it was just amazing to see the water fall from so
high and hit the clear water below. The water was so clear and so refreshing I
wish I could have just stayed there.
The other few
days we worked on building a retaining wall. We mixed cement on the ground and
we poured it over thick rocks. That also happens to be when I broke my toe from
a huge rock falling on it. It was… an interesting experience. That held me back
a little bit on our 2 and ½ hour hike the next day. I still tried to get there
ASAP because I wanted to stop sweating.
The rest of
that day we traveled to the zip line which was amazing. We got to travel
through the canopy ad see open valleys and what not. Unfortunately, it started
to poor and we all got soaked, the cameras got soaked, and all of our bags on
top of the vans got soaked. That was rough, but I didn’t really care because I had
a dry pair of clothes for the next day so I enjoyed the rain. It felt good. In a
weird way it was very relaxing to just let the rain fall and walk through it. It
was especially cool to go on a zip line that is extremely long and having rain
smack you in the face. It was pretty sweet.
The next day
is the beach day which was also an awesome experience. We went to this
beautiful beach that had white sand a warm water. It was an amazing view. Then we
headed back to our hotel to pack up and go back to San Jose. Once we got back,
we did some shopping and went back to the hotel. Literally when we were all
heading to our rooms for the night, Z called us all for a meeting and told us
we had to wake up at 4 instead of 6. That was rough.
So we woke up
early to go home. The flight process was extremely frustrating. Once we got to
the air port in Dallas, I went straight to Wendey’s to get back on my American
diet. It tasted so good. All that grease and fried chicken, it was so good. Then
we got on the flight back to Pittsburgh and it was good to be home.
The trip was
a experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. I learned so much, even throughout
the bad times. I learned every moment of the trip and enjoyed most of them. If I
were to talk to a student that was thinking about going next year, the first
thing I would tell them is that it is a life changing experience that will
change the way you live and view life. I wish I could go next year it was so
good.
Last Day In The Rain Forest
Written By: Montell Herring
The last few days in the Rain Forrest were fun, but a lot of hard work. First we brought sacks of dirt and rocks up hill. It was a grueling and intense day, one member of the group fainted and had to be carried back to the rooms. I can understand, because that was the hottest day we had worked in and the day with the most brutal work, that was our last day in the Rain Forrest however, luckily the next two days were a lot easier. Michael Vaughn and I helped build a wall to stop land slides from running into the creek. After finishing up with the wall, most of the group planted trees along a path deep in the Rain Forrest. However leaving the Rain Forrest wasn't as hard as people made it seem. It was a very long hike, but most of it was down hill. I really enjoyed my time on this trip and I would defiantly do it again in a heart beat!
Coming back to the U.S I have defiantly gained appreciation for the little things. The experience i had in Costa Rica has defiantly made a huge impact on my life and how I see the world now. If I i could, I'd defiantly do it again in a heartbeat, and I recommend every student to apply for the trip, it is worth every penny!
The last few days in the Rain Forrest were fun, but a lot of hard work. First we brought sacks of dirt and rocks up hill. It was a grueling and intense day, one member of the group fainted and had to be carried back to the rooms. I can understand, because that was the hottest day we had worked in and the day with the most brutal work, that was our last day in the Rain Forrest however, luckily the next two days were a lot easier. Michael Vaughn and I helped build a wall to stop land slides from running into the creek. After finishing up with the wall, most of the group planted trees along a path deep in the Rain Forrest. However leaving the Rain Forrest wasn't as hard as people made it seem. It was a very long hike, but most of it was down hill. I really enjoyed my time on this trip and I would defiantly do it again in a heart beat!
Coming back to the U.S I have defiantly gained appreciation for the little things. The experience i had in Costa Rica has defiantly made a huge impact on my life and how I see the world now. If I i could, I'd defiantly do it again in a heartbeat, and I recommend every student to apply for the trip, it is worth every penny!
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