Our First Post

We'd like to introduce ourselves, the CHS Costa Rica Trip 2009 participants!!!

We've taken a minute to introduce ourselves, explain the reasons why we want to go to Costa Rica, the experiences we hope to gain while abroad, and tell you about our plans for the future.



Julia Johnson, Age 16
Reason: I rarely get to travel and see new places, so I’m really looking forward to a chance to learn and see in a completely different environment. Also, I believe travelling opens your mind to a lot of different ideas, and that is something I value greatly.

What I hope to gain: I love politics, so going to a Latin American country will be a great way to collect different views on the relationship between the US government and the rest of the world.

Returning plans: Because of my interest in politics, this trip to Costa Rica might make me more passionate about politics. This trip could completely change my plans of going to school for Astronomy when I graduate. Also, I want to be more fluent in Spanish and become more involved in my community.



Carly Silvio, Age: 17
My reason for going to Costa Rica is because it will be a trip of lifetime, and it will be exciting to see how other people live.

I hope to gain a cultural experience that I will never forget.

When I return I hope to return with lots of pictures to show my family and friends and lots of stories to share everyone. Also I hope to see the world differently when I come home.



Allison Peters, 16
Reason for going on the trip:I wanted to go on the Costa Rica trip because I thought it would be an experience of a lifetime. I’ve always wanted to travel, and Costa Rica is so different from where I live so I’ll be able to experience the polar opposite of what I’m used to. I more or less wanted to go to experience a different culture and life, and get a better understanding of the world beyond Pittsburgh.

What do you hope to gain?I hope to gain a better perspective on the world. I want to be able to come home and understand how everything is connected and how similar every person really is beneath the first glance. I hope to accomplish things I never thought possible and learn how to live life for every moment and forget about my fears.

Plans for when we return?I think when I get I’m just going to want to eat and sleep for a while. I’ll probably just spend time with my family and share experiences as well as celebrate my mom’s birthday (April 16th!) Then after a couple days I’ll probably start going over all of the film and photographs and start to work on my graduation project.



Valerie Lofink, 17
I want to go to Costa Rica for many different reasons. I feel like this would be a great opportunity for me to gain experience by traveling and experiencing a completely different culture.

I want to gain a sense of adventure in some way, to be able to do something I don't have the chance to do everyday, and I want to be able to brag that I could go on a trip to Costa Rica, and I got to help build trails or whatever else we are going to do there.

When we return, it wil almost be time for me to graduate and I will be attending college in the fall, and hopefully I will have the chance to do something like this while I am in college



Griffin Sumrok, 18
The reason why I am going on the trip is to broaden my horizons. This is a very good opportunity to travel to another continent and experience a different way of living. I like traveling and going to Costa Rica is a very good way for me to open my mind to a new place and enjoy all it has to be offer.

I hope to gain a different view on life and to be able to think and look at things in a new view.

When I return I plan on resting and relaxing for a few days and enjoy the rest of my school break. I alsp plan to reflect on how Costa Rica was and to tell my family all about it.



Eric Peter Feher, 16
Reason for going on the trip: I first signed up for the trip simply because it looked like a good time, and a once in a life time opportunity that I did not want to pass up. After learning more about the trip I became interested in the politics of Costa Rica as well as the wildlife.

What I hope to gain: I am by no means the most environmentally friendly individual, mainly because I haven’t found a concrete reason to be. After seeing the rainforest, the effects of the industrial world, and what can be learned from it I hope to become more conscious of the environment.

Plans for when I return: When we return I hope to have a better idea of the affects of climate changes. Also, I would like to have a presentation for the students who are interested in going in 2010, to give them an idea about what to expect.



Julian Payne, Age 17
I wanted to take the opportunity of going to Costa Rica to get a better understanding of how people in other parts of the world live. I feel it would be a life changing trip because it will help me appreciate life a little more.

I hope to gain a positive experience that I can carry with me throughout my life that has taught me that material things aren’t everything.

When we return I want to share with my family what I learned and reflect on how I can implement those things in my life.



Callan Kerley, Age 17
Reason for going on the trip
I really like to travel and experience the different cultures of places. I have only traveled throughout the northeast part of the country and I would really like to someday see the world. This trip is not only just to see Costa Rica its to experience Costa Rica as a country and to live like a Tico. I want to see another country’s day-to-day life and experience the country as they do everyday.

What you hope to gain
I hope to gain a new perspective on living when I come back to America. We take thing for granted and a lot of us do not get to travel to different countries. I hope that I learn something new and leave with an open mind, so when I do travel somewhere I do not have an ethnocentric mind to a new country.

What I plan to do when I get back
Hopefully, I have overcome some of the fears that I have such as bugs and heights, since we will be encountering both of things there. Then I hope that I remember that experience everywhere I go so in the future I not only have an open mind to different cultures but also different situations and people.



Dominique Dutrieuille, Age 17
Reason for going on the trip?
I want to go on this trip to so that I can experience a different culture, to learn about there way of life, and to explore what else is out there.

What you hope to gain?
I hope to gain knowledge of a culture whose life style and values are completely different from ours and I would like to compare it to our culture and see what types of improvements can be made and maybe have a different perspective.

Plans for when we return?
Finish up my high school senior year at city high and go on vacation before I start college.



Oliver Laniear, Age 16
I want to go to Costa Rica so that I can finally get out of the USA, which I want to do when I get older but will probably won't have the chance to do... Ever since I was young I wanted to go to South America just from what I was hearing about how nice it was. While there I want to build a friendships with people and receive firsthand experience on how life in another country is.

While there I hope knowledge to gain knowledge of different religions and ways of life. To see how much the world can vary from a rich country.

When I get back I plan on to tell people about my time there and all I got to see.




Raven Sams, Age 17 and 3/4
Reason:
I love to travel. This will be another once in a life time opportunity to go to a place many won’t have a chance to visit. Before Costa Rica I was able to travel to France, Italy and Greece. This will be another chance to experience life in another person’s country.

Gain:
A chance to see how other people live their lives the good, bad, and the ugly. Then I can come back and tell friends and family members about my experience.

Plans:
Inform others about my experience. Hopefully find other opportunities to travel around the world. I really want to see as much of the world as I can.



Jamaal Davis, Age 17
My reason for going on the trip to Costa Rica is to see new thing and new peoples. I want to see how do people live in some where else other then the U.S.A . I want to get to test the food they eat and the music they listen two.

What I hope to get out of the trip is to get to see a new culture for myself and just to say I been to Costa Rica how many high school students can say they been to Costa Rica .

When I get black to Pittsburgh I want to go to college.



Desiree Niccoli, Age 16
Even as a young child I dreamed of exploring the world. I feel that this is the trip of a lifetime. It is true that I’ve never considered Costa Rica before as a place to visit but it is still an excellent opportunity to broaden my perspective, meet new people and see new things. I want to learn about a culture other than my own and make a positive difference in a community that needs it.

From this experience I hope to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the Costa Rican culture and perhaps even adapt customs or beliefs I agree with. I also hope to establish friendships that will last and greatly improve my Spanish when this is all said and done.

If it is true that we get Costa Rican pen pals, I would like to keep in touch with him or her after the trip. Depending how this goes down, I think I’ll plan another trip like this one, only in another country. Assuming I’m able to do this, I’ll probably wait until after I graduate so I can enjoy a little fun and adventure before taking on college coursework.



Makayla Lucas-Lipinski, 17
My reason for going on this trip is to experience a different culture. Also to see the rain forest and everything that lives in the rain forest.

From this experience I hop to learn about a different culture and more about the importance of the rain forest, the different animals, and plants living in it.

My plans for when we return is to graduate from high school in a couple months and go off to college to study veterinary medicine to pursue a career as a veterinarian.



Jomel M. Simonson, Age 18
I am excited to go and learn about another culture and be apart of this once in a life time experience.

I hope to gain a better understanding of the typical Costa Rican life style, a good experience, and most importantly a great tan.

When I come back I plan to personally thank Ms. Wilds, Mr. Rucker, and Ms. Arenth for planning and dedicating their time to taking us on such a great service learning trip. I also plan to educate others based on what I saw.



Tajah Russell, Age 16
My reason for going on this trip is to explore a another country and to help out whatever needs to be done.

What I hope to gain is an adventure.

My plans for when we return is to work on my graduation project and get back on school work.



Miles Early, 17
I feel this to be an opportunity that is rare enough for few people like me to participated in, and it would be wrong to pass it up.

I hope that by living in a society different than mine, I may be either be able to have a better respect or ideas for my own.

After the trip I would like to visit other culture either here in America or leaving the country again.