Looking back to our 21-day Spanish Service Adventure high in the cloud forest in Costa Rica, we are filled with fond memories of all the good times our group shared, and of all the challenges that we overcame and learned from. From our first exhausting week of service mastering the art of cement volcanoes as we mixed and poured concrete by hand for the new basketball court for the village of Providencia, to the breath-taking and exhilarating rafting trip down the Pacuare river (where we ate “iguana tails” that tasted like chicken for lunch). From our second week of service fertilizing organic coffee plants on Don Geraldo´s coffee farm, to surfing it up in playa Dominical and spotting sloths (shout-out to Aiden) and rainbow grasshoppers in Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio.
From our final week of service when we stuffed eco-bricks and worked tirelessly to complete the first Bio-garden in Providencia at Juan and Joana’s restaurant, to our final adventures in the EXTREME Forest Park and the beautiful (and steep) waterfall hike. We really did it all, working hard at service and playing hard on our excursions, and yet somehow found the energy for afternoons of Spanish classes, with the beloved families of Providencia, soccer in the plaza, dancing and hanging out with Natalia and the rest of the Young Dreamers, and of course, too many heated and uproarious games of cards (all somehow won by Wyatt). Juan’s famous panqueques, gallo pinto, arroz con pollo, pasta con pesto, and other specialties kept us fueled up throughout all of our activities, as well as the unforgettable cafecito we were treated to every afternoon. Mentor Group meetings with Rachel, Nico, and Luis Diego rounded off the evenings, and Jonathan challenged us and inspired us with his group discussions.
All in all, it was an incredible 3-week experience, and we hope the memories and friendships made will last a lifetime. Pura Vida!
Some special moments from our trip:
– Learning traditional dances during our first encounter with the Young Dreamers
– Celebrating the three special birthdays
– The never-ending search for waffles
– Fending off the pelican at the beach in Manuel Antonio
– Those thrilling rides in the back of Jonathan´s SUPER DUTY
– All those interesting games in the hotel pool at Dominical
– Swimming and jumping into that freezing water at the Poceron
– Solving a lot of never-can-tells and riddles throughout many days
– Stargazing on those last beautiful nights!
-Rachel Pacione
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