Finally the day has come. It began with breakfast at Villas Rio Mar- they had waffles and fruit loops!! Before we left the beautiful resort, we checked out the market for souvenirs. We purchased some gifts for our loving families, although our bargaining skills need some work. We then packed in the van and drove. A lot. 6 hours in total. We took our first stop at the beach, where we all climbed the giant rock. Like it was huge. Kind of like Pride rock in the Lion King. One of us took a tumble. She’s fine we promise! After that, we made our way to the waterfall. It was crazy!! We all got our fair share of pictures and memories. Next was lunch, which was pretty uneventful but necessary. After we left, we had some good karaoke sessions on the bus. We’re not exactly sure if the bus driver and teachers approve! We made it to crocodile land. Nobody got eaten! Well, maybe one. Guess who? Anyways, we eventually made it to San José. We had a delicious dinner where some of us set bets on who could speak the worst Spanish to the waiter without laughing!! Hot sauce was involved, very hot sauce. Next we got to the Hostel, which is NOT even close to being as nice as the Cabinas! Some could say the Hostel made us Hostile. Javier treated us to ice cream so it all worked out in the end.
See you in 19 hours!!! Grace, Maggie C., Lindsey Hey mom and dad it’s grace again. I made it! Thank you for the letters mom, the pictures of the dogs were needed. I hope you had fun even without your amazing daughter! Miss you a lot <3 Hey mom, dad, and Katie. Thanks for the letters, they’ve been keeping me sane. I have so many stories to tell you all. See you very soon. xoxo, mags Hey Zupko fam, Thanks for the letters in my bag! Lol. Can’t wait to see you guys and my doggos again when I get home. Much love for you all :) -Lindsey <3
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Can’t believe we’re almost done with our trip! Today we woke up at 6:15 to leave Cecilia’s Cabinas after eating our last breakfast. We began our drive to Dominical at 8:30. We made a few pit-stops, including the church, la catedral de San Isidro. We got a special tour and were able to take a few photos with the scenic view of the plaza nearby. Fun fact, Señora Madriz used to go to la catedral with her family every Sunday when she was growing up.
We had a delicious lunch at Señora Madriz’s brother’s restaurant/ bakery. We met some more members of Señora Madriz’s family and enjoyed the best chicken empanadas. After lunch we checked in early at the hotel, Villas Río Mar, and quickly headed off to our canopy tour at Hacienda Baru. When we arrived we checked out the souvenir shop and right away we got to see a two-toed sloth hanging from the nearby trees. Once we geared up with all of our harnesses, helmets, and many carabiners, we were off! On our hike up we learned more about the native trees and the cacao plants in two big groups. We were slightly frightened by the screeching howler monkeys. We embarked on our eight level zip line canopy tour. We’re proud to say everyone participated and had a great time, despite some fears. You could hear our singing/ screaming during our zip lines, almost as loud as the howler monkeys! After this adventure we rested in our rooms to recuperate for dinner. The hotel has two beautiful pools, however the night before Javier confused us as to whether or not we were allowed to go swimming (apparently we all didn’t get the joke and missed a perfect pool day). Tearing apart a playground on the way, we had some tasty pizza, almost as good as Jersey. We watched surfing and snowboarding tournaments while eating and chatting. We concluded the day with an ANCHOR session on the bus ride home. Hi fam, I hope you are all enjoying the New Jersey weather, I heard it is pretty bad, I love and miss you guys so much! I am having a great time and I can’t wait to see you all!!! Love Mads Hola ma, pa, saeed, juanito, tianna, cooper, ella, abuela, y abuelo! Hoy me tocó escribir el blog, ojalá todo esté bien en la casa, tengo regalos para todos! Tengo MUCHOS stories para contarles, cuando me despide de mi familia de aquí lloramos;( Los extraño mucho y los quiero mucho. Nos vemos muy pronto. Con mucho amor Ani Hey mom & dad - it’s Leighton again. I know you’re the only ones reading this so tell the boys that I’m coming home soon, so they better buy me gifts. I’ll be home soon, so hang in there without me- love you! Hola familias! Day 6 was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions. It began with an early breakfast of eggs, fruit, and toast at the usual place, before the daily bus ride to the school. I think it’s safe to say, today our bonds with the kids were at their peak. We were able to spend more time than usual playing with the students and having fun. In addition to the fun, we spent time rebuilding planters in the school’s greenhouse and planting cilantro in the beds, as well as flowers in newly finished and decorated tires (used as flower pots).
As per usual, we ate lunch with our homestay families. They gave us delicious meals, as well as memories that we will cherish forever. Since today was the final day of homestays, we had to say our goodbyes. That was definitely hard for all of us, considering the connection we have built with these strangers over the past four days. After lunch, we returned to the school to join in on a celebration the school threw to show their appreciation for all that we have done. We took many pictures (especially the “magical” polaroids!) with the students and seeing their smiling faces filled with gratitude and love really melted our hearts. The teachers at the school generously provided us all with granizados, a traditional Costa Rican treat similar to a slushie. Then we had to say goodbye to all of the children that have made their way into our hearts. Let’s just say there may or may not have been A LOT of tears. After a much needed break at Cabinas Cecilia, we headed back to the art studio where finished our paintings from yesterday. We are very excited to bring them home and show you these beautiful creations. On the walk back to Cabinas Cecilia, we just had to stop at the local supermarket for some snacks to eat on the long bus ride tomorrow morning. Back at Cabinas Cecilia, we enjoyed some classic American food (burgers and potato chips). We spent the rest of the evening packing since it is our last night here at Cecilia’s. We can’t believe how fast the trip is going and we hope you are all ready for our endless stories when we return! Pura Vida!! Dear Mom, Dad, and Anna (and Lucca), Hola familia! Hope you have been having fun in Spring Lake this past week. I have been enjoying new experiences and (surprisingly) new foods here in Costa Rica. The days are going by so fast and I know that before I know it, I’ll be back in NJ with MANY stories to tell you guys. Miss you all and hope you are taking good care of my baby!! See you soon! Love and hugs, Jackie Dear Mom, Dad, Mike, and Matt (and of course Jackson, Casey, and Mario), Hola muchachos!! I miss you guys endlessly and can’t wait to see you! PSA: I’m forcing you guys to move here because these kids are SO FLIPPING ADORABLE!!! I literally can’t leave them. The food here is amazinggg and I’ve tried it all. You’re going to be tired of hearing my voice after I get home because of all the stories I’ll be telling. Matthew- yay woo yay Costa Rica yay woo. Jackson, Casey, and Mario- woof woof bark woof bark howl. I love and miss you guys! See you soon! Pura vida!! xoxo, Mary <3 Hola families back in America! Day 5 was certainly an exciting one with much to keep us occupied. The day started off with an early wake up call from Mrs. Fairchild, but somehow we still weren’t ready to leave on time. We once again walked to breakfast and ate some delicious pancakes with fruit and coffee. We then rode to the school for our third day of working there. By now many of the children are comfortable with us and we get to play tag and soccer with them on all their breaks (p.s. we tied this time). We also are beginning to learn all of their names, which helps us create a closer bond. We once again rotated our projects and continued to build a ramp to the future gym, painted tires (that will be used for gardening), and planting new crops in the greenhouse. We ended our time at the school today by watching (and then joining in) the first graders perform a dance!
After with our host families, both of our families began to come out of their shells more. We played some fun games, and although the language barrier was difficult (being two french students) we were still able to have some communication through slime, play-doh, baby dolls, and tennis balls with velcro. We ate some delicious food, and coming from a picky eater (Michaela) I’m definitely trying some new things! It was definitely the hardest good-bye so far, knowing tomorrow will be our last day with them. Then we went back to Cecelia’s and got some well needed rest for an hour before heading off to our coffee tour at Coope Dota. There we learned all about the process of how coffee is harvested and processed and boy is it a long one (maybe just a little longer than 4 years)! The lady who led the tour did both English and Spanish, which was helpful in enhancing our Spanish knowledge! At the end we were able to try some amazing coffee with some bomb cinnamon cookies. After our time at Coope Dota, we had an art lesson led by the previous principal of the school. We will be going tomorrow to finish our masterpieces on pieces of chopped wood! As the sun was setting and it began to rain, we headed back to Cecelia’s for dinner, which was as always delicious! We ended the day thinking about how grateful we are to have experienced so much in such a short amount of time and we can’t believe that we are halfway through our trip! Hi Mom, Dad, other family members, and Archer! I know it’s hard to believe but I am not dead yet! I have definitely eaten a lot of new things and I like some of them! Surprising I know. It’s been challenging here for sure (a lot of walking) but I am having such a great time it doesn’t even matter. I hope everything at home is all good and I hope Mac and Maeve are getting ready for camp. I think Mac would actually love it here. Although I do love it her, I already miss the beach and everyone at home like crazy! Let my friends know I’m alive. Lots of Love, Michaela Hola mi familia! I miss you all and hope you’re not getting used to the house being this quiet without me! Mom, today I finally got the coffee you desperately wanted so much. I made sure it was the best possible (it also was the most expensive) one after the coffee tour. Logan, by the time you’ll be reading this you’ll be 17! By the time I get back I better see your licence or I will be very disappointed, I’m going to need you to drive me so mom and dad will stop complaining about giving me a ride. Dad, I hope you had a good father’s day and finally got a new bike with that gift card. Okay this is now too long but I love you all and tell Kiwi I said hi! -Lauren Can’t believe it’s day 4 already! This was another day filled with LOTS of activities to keep us occupied (and constantly dozing off any time we can). To start off our day, we walked to breakfast at La Soda for the second time to eat delicious toast, eggs, sausage, and watermelon (thankfully, this time we had milk with our coffee). After a filling meal, we hopped on the bus to head to the school. There, we exchanged jobs from the previous day and spent more time helping the community.
Once our host families picked us up from school for lunch, we ate more delicious food. Don’t worry, we still love your cooking and our picky eating habits are becoming less important. Spending more time to bond with our host families was so much fun! We played games, learned more about their culture, and practiced some more Spanish. It was hard saying goodbye to them for the second time, but we are super excited to see them tomorrow! Afterwards, we returned to the school to make some art out of recyclables (yay for saving the planet!). We each created picture frames so you can marvel at our amazing art skills. Although we were pretty drained of energy at this point, we hopped on the bus again to go plant some oak trees (another “yay” for saving the planet). However, because we are on a mountain, we were dropped off at the beginning of a very steep incline to reach our destination. Let’s just say by the time we get home, we are going to have calves of steel! Rafa, the owner of the Casa Parra that facilitates the planting of the trees for the community, was super down to earth and grateful for our help to better the community. As our day came to a close and we walked back to the cabinas, we were given some time to relax and regain some of our energy. We were given another great dinner from Cecilia, which consisted of tortillas with beef, tomatoes, mashed potatoes, egg, and broccoli. Coming from two picky eaters, this meal was delicious! Finishing our day, we had a learning session called “True Colors,” which helped us discover more about ourselves and our own styles of leadership. Guess what Mom and Dad, we are pretty outgoing (as if this was any surprise)! Now off to bed for some (much needed) rest to start another day filled with activities, service, and memories. Hi Mom! I feel like I’m missing you more and more everyday. I’m still mad I didn’t get to celebrate your birthday together, but there are many more years to come! I can’t wait to come home and tell you all about my trip over a sandwich from Brennan’s and a salad from Tovalo! Dad, I’m sure you’ve been crushing it at CrossFit every morning, and I’m sure I’ll hear all about the WODs that I’ve missed when I get home. To Blaire, I know you’re at camp and can’t read this right now, but just know I’m wishing you the best of luck at Stagedoor! Brooke, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I miss the craziness that comes with the “Brooke Experience.” I’m counting down the days until you can give me tons of hugs and tell me all about your hours playing Roblox. Miss you all endlessly,
Hey Mom, Dad, Kayla (kaka), Shane (shaunstein), Patrick (patty boy), and bandit. I miss you all so much (kind of). I hope you know that my lack of contribution to yard work at home is being made up here. I may have to stay, they don’t make me walk. Love you guys so much, don’t cause to much trouble while I’m gone!
Hola familias! Today was an adventure! We woke up at 6:45 and walked down to La Soda (a snackbar) for breakfast. We had gallo pinto (rice and beans), eggs, bread, and had some really delicious chipotle tabasco. There were also two adorable little girls there with beautiful blue eyes. After, we took our bus to the school. As soon as we got out of the car all the little children came running and were as eager to practice their English, as we were with our Spanish. Before starting our work, we played tag (anda) with the children. We all split up to work; some of us worked in the garden, some people made stairs, and some went to paint and clean tires. It was sunny but don’t worry, we were all wearing sunscreen and drinking tons of water. We took two breaks where the leader of the school gave us the most delicious pineapple and we played games with the children.
At lunch time, we broke up into groups for lunch. This week groups of two and three are eating with families in the area. At the home-stay, many of us got to learn more about Costa Rican culture and the families we stayed with. After lunch, we walked back to Cecilia’s Cabinas and enjoyed a small period of rest before our “amazing race” experience. The goal was to visit four different locations in Santa Maria and complete different activities. This included making wooden signs, planting coffee, making earrings, and cooking empanadas. We were broken up into four different groups and were challenged to learn more about Santa Maria’s history. The finish line was cafe we visited yesterday. Overall, this was an important introduction to the town and our service projects as a whole. Trekking back to Cabinas Cecila, we were all laughing over the challenges we faced in the amazing race. We had sore feet but made great memories. We walked about 10 miles in total today. We will definitely sleep well tonight. Cecilia made rice, beans, chicken, vegetables, mushrooms, and then made us brownies for dessert. Que Rico!! We are having so much fun, don’t worry too much about us. This is the most amazing experience. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. We have laughed so hard today and can’t wait for tomorrow!! Hey Mom, Dad, Tony, and Aunt Tina (haha)!! I’m having sooo much fun here and eating enough rice and beans for all of us. I learned how to make empanadas today and can’t wait to make some for you guys. This is the most amazing experience and I have laughed so much with my roommates. Don’t worry. It’s so fun! Love and miss you guys so much!! Love, Gia Dad (Pete), Mom (Suzanne), Aunt Mare (MaryAnn), I miss you guys so much. I have so many stories for you guys when we get home. My career in construction is promising. Maggie (McCarthy). We survived another day! The weather is peculiarly and abnormally beautiful and pleasant, sunny and without rain. The locals call it Veranillo de San Juan, and Cecilia says that Javier was our good luck charm. After 11 hours of much needed sleep, Cecilia made us a filling breakfast of gallo pinto (Costa Rican rice and beans), scrambled eggs, papaya, and pineapple. It gave American breakfasts a run for their money!
Adventure time! We departed on a 45 minute van ride to our hiking destination, and oh, what a view! We were surrounded with trees, wildlife, puppies, and clouds, yes clouds. We were in the clouds. The trek was a bit slippery and steep, and we got a good laugh from a couple wipeouts. Don’t worry, we’re fine. After about a half hour of hiking, we encountered the waterfall (hope you enjoyed the Father’s Day videos!), where we stopped to take some amazing insta-worthy pictures and a few videos for VSCO ;). After the waterfall, we played a game that Javier set up where we had to find 16 non-natural objects that pollute nature, such as pens and balloons, hidden among the trail. The simple game challenged us to not only preserve our earth but also to recognize the intricate details that make up the world we live in. After the game (Grace and Maddy won, spotting 15 each), we finished the hike with a steep incline and then headed back to the reserve for a delicious family-style lunch. It consisted of different meats and vegetables that were paired with rice, beans, fresh salad, and fried plantains. There was also a smooth and delicious strawberry mousse for dessert. Yum! We ventured back to the cabinas and played a few games for our learning sessions that emphasized the role of leadership, stepping out of our comfort zones, and trusting our gut. We then had time to relax and refresh, with naps and books to read. As a group, we then walked for about 10 minutes into town to the local co-op coffee shop to have some delicious milkshakes and coffee. The ambiance was adorable and the locals were so kind. It was beautiful, straight out of HGTV! They even had live music! On the way back to the cabinas, we stopped at the supermarket and bought some late-night snacks. We then had dinner, courtesy of Cecilia, which was a delicious pasta with a light bolognese sauce. We celebrated Senora Madriz’s birthday with a dulce de leche cake, then concluded our evening with another learning session and ANCHOR-ing. Overall, it was a fun and adventurous day, with lots of laughs because SOMEONE farted really loudly while Javier was speaking. Can’t wait for tomorrow! Hey Mom, Dad, katelyn, Michael and Sean (and Jasper too)! I miss you so so much and I can't wait to share my experience with you all when I get home. Also, a quick shout out to Veronica, Jordan and Hannah!!!! -Ally Hey Mom, Dad, and Ramos gang! I miss you so much! I can’t wait to see you all and tell you the outrageous stories. And Mom, you are going to love the pictures! Soph and Chris, you better be behaving without me to keep you in check. Say hi to the pets for me! Love you! -Caits Don’t worry, we are safe- we made it! Upon arriving at Newark Airport, we were all dying for a coffee or some sleep! After our hunt for airplane snacks, we found Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, fresh bananas (how exotic!) and more. Finally, it was time for takeoff. We all were consolidated in the middle of the plane. The flight went smoothly, other then the snoring stranger that interrupted our much needed sleep. Once we landed, we had the opportunity to fill out our own landing cards and went through customs ON OUR OWN!! We told you we were all grown up mom and dad!
Straight from the airport, we traveled to Kawah, a restaurant owned by Señora Madriz’s brother. There we celebrated her early birthday with homemade potato wedges, sandwiches, and beautifully decorated dulce de leche cake. Yum! Back on the road again, as we headed to Cabinas de Cecilia in Santa Maria de Dota. After 3 hours filled with delirium, card games, and stories, we made it to our destination. The view, facilities, and kind hospitality reminded us of home :). From there, we explored the ‘cabinas’ and settled in for the next six days. Dinner time! Our hunger was satisfied with fresh trout, ‘the best mashed potatoes we’ve ever had’ (sorry mom, they were really good), and veggies. After dinner, we got to know our guide Javier better- did you know he’s left handed? Javier taught us the reflective ANCHOR practice (appreciation, news, concerns, hopes, obscurities, reading) and how to AMP (analyze, manage, plan) as we close the day and prepare for tomorrow’s adventure. Don’t worry too much about us- we’re in great hands. We miss you already! Hi Kelly and Tom! It’s Grace. How are the dogs? I love you and miss you very much! What’s up Jacki and Pat! I hope you had a safe flight Dad, and the boys better be treating you well Mom!! I love you and can’t wait to see you soon! (-Leighton) Hello family and friends of the Trinity Hall program in Costa Rica. The group has safely arrived in Costa Rica and are enjoying their first meal! They will start updating the blog tomorrow. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions - 303-679-3412. Thank you for your trust and support!
Erin Hawk Executive Director |