Thanks!

Desiree Niccoli

It's incredibly hard to believe that only a month ago we were in a totally different country than our own, building roads, digging ditches and playing soccer in a rainforest. In fact the whole trip seemed surreal, like it didn't really happen but was rather something you read out of a book. An adventure story. A fantasy. When the whole group met last Thursday to talk about the experience, it felt like a family reunion, like we hadn't seen each other in a really long time. After coming back to the states and getting so caught up in school and family life, we all have begun to grow apart. We no longer have class together and can only exchange a few words in the hallways between classes. The notion of this is saddening but it is safe to say that we will never forget our experiences in Costa Rica or each other. Although, our experiences in Costa Rica are over (for now, *wink*) the experiences of Costa Rica as a school, for future students, is not. For all those who supported us, prepared us and made this trip possible, we say thank you!

Our Final Day - Pura Vida

Everyone is in their rooms packing and getting ready for our departure. Its hard to believe that 12 days have passed since last we set foot on American soil! Its probably a bit soon to reflect on what we have seen and done during our time in Costa Rica but moments, images, and words keeping coming to mind...

- Sunrise in the rainforest
- Tajah's handshake passed around the world
- Digging ditches in La Carpio
- Jamal loving that it was raining in the rainforest
- The faces of people on their first plane ride
- Allison dropping the camera bag down the hillside (Victor saved it)
- Bandaids, sunblock, and bug spray
- Seeing the Pacific Ocean from the top of the rainforest and then swimming in it
- Megan singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" badly in Spanish
- Julian's smile at the party with Quebrada Arroyo
- Watching the monkeys swing from tree to tree in the rainforest
- Raven playing the cat game
- The kids haggling at the souvenir market
- Oliver yelling "shovel" and "school" at the Ticos during soccer
- The sloth posing for pictures
- Struggling with Spanish
- Bringing the party to the Jazz Cafe
- Griffin pointing out constellations in the rainforest
- Desiree kicking butt at soccer
- Julian's race with the Ticos
- Taking care of each other when someone wasn't feeling well
- Silencio!
- Faith crying across the hanging bridge while the kids cheered her on
- Bugs and lizards
- Shovels and pick axes everywhere we go
- Rice and beans

But I think the best memory is the look of pride and accomplishment on the faces of our students when they finished a job or overcame a personal fear.

In 12 days we built roads and trails, dug sewage ditches, improved a swimming hole, hiked many miles in, out, and around the rainforest, swam in the ocean, and saw an active volcano. Most importantly the kids experienced that there was a bigger world outside the confines of Pittsburgh and even the US. They learned to accept and become a part of different culture and to look for the similarities between themselves and others instead of focusing on the differences. I also believe that they really came to understand the importance of hard work, working together, and being able to count on the entire group when things are difficult.

I said it in an earlier post but it is worth saying again -- I am proud of the students, their hard work, and their willingness to go outside their comfort zones and accomplish truly amazing things!!

- Wilds

A Small World with Many Cultures

Oliver Laniear


So yesterday afternoon we went to a mask making guys house to learn about mask making. He explained to us how he does it and how the different masks that he made meant different things in his culture. After that his kids showed us how they dance with the masks on and what type of music they do it to. Then it was our turn so a couple of students, me included, got up put the costumes on and danced with them and it was kind of fun really, side note: I dont know how they do that for hours for parades because I did it for five minutes and was burning up. So we had fun and the mask Ms. Wilds had on "had a DONK" according to Tajah Russell. Then three students had a chance to make a mask themselves to see who can take one home. And if you won he will use your mask and make a real one to put in his collection.

Faith won.

Did they spike Ms. Wilds' coffee?

Desiree Niccoli

I guess there must be something in Costa Rican coffee that makes you go loco because Ms. Wilds was the only one getting out of her seat on the bus to dance and sing in the aisle to a mixed 80's music CD our bus driver put on. It's unfortunate that most of our group doesn't like the 80's...there were some good natured "boos," but we all got a kick out of the performance. Even people in the buses next to us were amused, smiling and shaking their heads like oh-my-gosh-who-spiked-her-drink? Before Ms. Wilds got up to sing and dance we were slumped in our seats, zoning in and out of reality. It's not that we weren't having a great time because this trip has been one of the most, if not the most, memorable thing we have ever done. It's just that after 11 days in a completely different environment than what we are used to (eating rice and beans with every single meal), we were worn out and really beginning to miss home. However, her little 80's concert on the bus livened us up and was exactly what this trip needed to go out with a bang.

Amazing!

Our time in Costa Rica was amazing. Here are some final images from today.


Stay posted for more of the students' experiences and reflections. The trip might be coming to a close, but I think they are just starting to figure how to think about and apply their experiences.

-- Arenth

It's Just About Over...

Eric Feher

Today was day 11 of 12, and there is a mixture of emotions throughout the group. Basically, most people are feeling happy to get home and see their family while at the same time sad to leave Costa Rica as well as the people here.

Before the trip I posted a blog and the last line was about making memories of a lifetime. Nothing can be more true. Since the end of our work I have been thinking a lot, and this really was a very unique experience that I feel lucky to have had the oppurtunity to be a part of.

Of course we have all had our good and our bad days, and days where we just want to go crazy on eachother, but in the end we have made many great friendships.

I really hope that this trip doesnt end when we say our goodbyes at the airport. The fellow students and teachers are what made this trip so unforgetable. I hope we stay in touch.

When we get back to school, I want to talk to the students that are interested in going in 2010. I feel that when we were being told about the trip somethings were sugar coated to make them sound better. Also, somethings were made to sound worse than they were. I just want to be compeletly honest about my experience, the good as well as the bad.

I will never forget this experience, thank you everyone!

The Bridge

Faith Henderson

*The second day of the trip on the rainforest was great, until the bridge. It was so high and long. It felt like I was already defeated before I even crossed. All I could hear was the pounding of my heart and the faint shouting of people cheering me on “Come on. You can do it Faith”. I did a quick prayer and then placed my first foot on the bridge as it wobbled back and forth. Each step was a challenge. It felt like I was on that bridge forever, but I made it. I came off that bridge feeling accomplished. I felt like then I could do anything, I was still scared to go back across but it felt better to know that the bridge did not defeat me but has been defeated!


A BRIDGE IS JUST A BRIDGE!

Waterfalls....

Miles Early

The first day after a 4.5 mile hike into the rain forest, the group went down to the waterfalls. The waterfalls were underneath a 1270 meter high ladder bridge, and they were surrounded by dense forest and all sorts of wildlife. The thing that I liked most was that the water was that it was freezing and it was a challenge for everyone to enter the pool. Nothing is ever fun when it goes as planned because surprises and challenges create memories and adventures and going to the waterfalls was a great adventure/memory for me to keep!

Finally a Chance to Relax

Callan Kerley

Today we just kick up our feet and swam in the Pacific Ocean. The San Antonio Beach here is so amazing you have not idea! The water is warmer and sun is nice and bright. We were so happy to just relax and have fun since we put in hard work to benefit others who were in need. The only issue was we starting getting interacting with people who were tourists and our hotel and beach location was in a tourist area. It felt very different to be in tourist area after interacting with Ticos from La Carpio and the rainforest. It didn’t feel the same at all. When we arrived to San Antonio Beach I noticed that there is a difference between visiting Costa Rica and actually visiting the culture of Costa Rica. When you are tourist in a country youre not experiencing the culture you are just looking around at the country, trying different foods and maybe interacting with a Tico who probably knows English. Our trip was different because not only tried different foods but also experience the culture by helping one of the poorest neighborhoods and putting in about five hours worth of blood, sweat, and tears to making the community in the rainforest better. Our Spanish has improved and we made friends with the Ticos in both areas. Even though the beach was such a treat, it was different to be a part of the stereotypical tourist group. We wanted to try so hard not to be like the typical tourist and I think we as a group accomplished it. Seeing the other tourists at the beach makes you realize how this trip made you grow as person, because we weren`t just there to visit Costa Rica and leave, we were there to experience Costa Rica.

The Last Couple of Days

Carly Silvio

When we hiked out of the rainforest it felt like a major accomplishment to have with stood the heat and the bugs. It was of course worthwhile for the people we helped and the days off that finally came. We drove through tourist nation it felt like after the hike. I is like we weren´t in Costa Rica anymore people were speaking English and you could use American money for everything without a problem. It was like a tourist contraption that no Tico would ever came to and after talking to real Ticos and learning about their culture it was just hard to feel like you were still in Costa Rica. But our hotel was nice and the beach was beautiful. We went to Manuel National Park the next day where we saw a baby sloth we went to a more secluded beach than the day before where the currents weren´t as strong. The beaches here are more beautiful than any beach I have ever seen before. The water was so cool and relaxing and the waves just lifted everything off my shoulders. From missing family and friends to the hard work we have done throughout this whole trip, it was just what I needed. but it is nice to be back in San Jose. I love Costa Rica and it´s culture and wouldn´t change it.