Sunday: Water (River and Rain)

Liana, Delaney, and Sebastian reporting:

Today we swam in the river for the first time. It was very refreshing but a little muddy. There were ticos (Costa Ricans) who were doing flips off the bridge and diving back into the water. They were also flipping off a rope swing into the water and it was really cool. We weren’t allowed to! The current was strong. Javier was in a kayak watching over us.

One of the three groups went zip lining today. We got to go on fourteen different lines, the last ones in the rain so they were really fast. It was amazing and a once-in-a-life opportunity. The very last zip line was about 600 meters and you got to experience this with one other friend.

One of the other groups went exploring in the rain forest. We learned more about animals and plants. About halfway through the hike, it started pouring on us. Everyone one slipped, fell, and got all muddy. Luckily we had boots on, so we had good feet protection.

We drink a lot of water, and every meal we have many selections of fresh squeezed juices. Some of the juices are watermelon, blackberry, zara, tamarindo, and orange juice. Each of the juices has a unique taste and is something you cannot find anywhere else in the world. So far this trip has been super duper awesome. DON’T WORRY ABOUT US, PARENTS!!!!!!

Saturday: Pura Vida!

Kate and Cameron here: Wow. Today was an eventful day.  From eating empanadas to hiking in the forest, we had it all. Today’s theme was nature/biology, so we split into three groups: Snakes, Birds and Plants. The Snake group got to enjoy a very interesting Powerpoint on the effects of venomous snakebites and the way to recognize venomous snakes. Along with the PowerPoint came watching a mouse being eaten by a corn snake. Many people did not want to eat after that!

            Some of us also went bird watching. We saw many birds, including toucans and kingfishers. The toucans had amazing colors. There are too many types of kingfishers to count. We also saw an iguana in a tree, which added to the fun.

            In the plant group, we started out by making prints on our arms with the spores of ferns and progressed to eating a variety of very sour medicinal herbs and plants. By the end, most of our tongues were numb. The numbness was soon remedied by homemade coconut ice cream.

            After the second activity, we all had free time for a few hours. It poured rain for two hours. During that time, many people took showers, talked, and played cards. Because the showers were cold, and because it was raining outside, it felt like we were standing outside in the thunderstorm. After that, we ate dinner, followed by a slideshow of our experiences so far.

Update: Just as we were about to post, the night guard came to tell us there was a big sloth crossing the wires beside the bridge. We all went down to see it, and it looked right back at us.

PS: Internet service can be spotty and has to be disconnected in thunderstorms. We’ll post as often as we can, but don’t worry if we miss a day.

            

Students are enjoying chocolate!

Hello Parents,
I just spoke with our instructor, Javier Cano, who told me that all students are safely settled in the Chilamate Lodge. They had a healthy lunch, had a bit of a rest, and are now out on the tour of a sustainable chocolate facility near the lodge. The adventure has begun! If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call me on (303) 679-3412.
Regards,
Ross Wehner