Today, Friday, I got the chance to go kayaking and snorkeling for the first time! We started are day with an early wake up at 7:15 am and went down to the hotel’s restaurant for some breakfast. Once everyone was done, we ventured on in our tour bus to the kayak place just down the street.
When we arrived there, we all got to try on fins and a snorkeling mask, and we then picked out a kayak and a partner. After a brief tutorial on how to paddle a kayak, my partner, Sydney, and I were on our way out into the ocean! We had an easy trip out since we moved down the shore where the ocean was calmer. Others who didn’t got completely wiped out by the waves!
We kayaked for about 5-10 minutes out from the shore, then we kayaked another 30 minutes parallel to the shore, to our snorkeling destination, a coral reef. Once we arrived, we put on our snorkel gear and jumped into the ocean. It was hard to see because of all the sand floating around, but I was able to make out the reef and all of the fish swimming around just fine. All of the waves made the experience kind of annoying since they kept filling our snorkels with water!
After everyone was finished snorkeling, we got back into our kayaks and set off back to where we started originally. This was the most fun part of the day for me. We had to paddle our way back to shore, and since the ocean was pretty ruff, everyone was crashing! Sydney and I caught a huge wave that completely demolished us, practically turning our kayak inside out! It wasn’t over at this point, unfortunately, as another huge wave smashed into us, sending us crashing back to the shore along with our kayak.
The entire experience was amazing for me, as I have never kayaked before, or even gone out and sailed anywhere in the ocean. It’s something I’ll never forget! So far, this day has been my favorite!
*Please Note* We have photos of snorkeling & kayaking, but not not my camera (which has been the source of many of these photos). I will post the photos when I get them off of the student camera M.H.
Today we got the opportunity to go to an indigenous village. On the ride there we got a great view of the rainforest, which drooped over the river. When we got there we got to see the school buildings, which were like shacks. We even got to meet the science teacher. After that we got to taste and make chocolate. It turned out to be amazing. With our chocolate we had monkey tail, heart of the palm, and chicken. Everything tasted really good, especially the fruit drink we had. The village was really unique and it would be great to get the opportunity live there for a couple days.
Today in Costa Rica we visited the Bribri tribe living in Yorkin. To get there, we traveled on our lovely tour bus for an hour or so; then we ventured out onto a river in long, wooden canoes. After a short boat ride, we reached the tribe’s town, which included schools for different ages, a lot of cocoa trees, and the large huts with thatched roofs that served as homes. During our time there, we toured the village with a native guide, cooled off in a beautiful river after a short hike through the dense Costa Rican rain forest, and made chocolate straight from a cocoa fruit. When the day was over, we left the way we came and enjoyed another canoe ride.
             Alright, so today was pretty long. Waking up at 5:30 in the summer really isn't my cup of tea, but today I had to make an exception. A three hour bus ride was made manageable due to the wonderful game of Egyptian Rat Screw. When we weren't playing intense card games, we were looking out the windows at the breathtaking views of misty mountain tops and deep canyons. After the long bus ride, we finally arrived at our destination. The preserve was really cool, full of monkeys and fruity looking birds. One owl seemed to have a burning hatred for everyone... Three toed sloths and two toed sloths were a real treat to see. At the end of our visit, we got to give a Green Sea Turtle a shot. I had the privilege of holding the turtle up. It was really heavy! Today was pretty awesome, except the presentation on the turtles was a bit hot, due to the lack of fans. Also, it's kind of hard to type while on a bumpy bus, but I'm not complaining. Trying to type on a bumpy bus in Costa Rica is better then just typing anything back in the states.
Today we woke up at 5:30 and went to get breakfast and the butter smelled like cheese. Then we left to go to the reserve and it was 3 hours away. It was pretty cool, there were monkeys, sloths, birds, turtle, etc. We ate lunch there, we had beans, white rice, lettuce stuff and pork. It was good I thought except for the lettuce stuff. It was very hot and humid outside. Some people held a monkey and a sloth. Tonight we are going to stay in a new hotel for 2 nights which will be nice.
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 After a day-long trip journey which included seven hours in the air and the navigation of two hectic airports, we have arrived in San Jose! I am happy to report that everything ran smoothly after we left the Galleria lot. A big THANK YOU goes out to Shawn, Shannon and Barb for provding transport to the airport. We arrived at BWI with time to spare. A few students had a very "interesting" time trying to check their own bags, and proved that airport workers are underpaid. We then met up with Sydney and Rebecca before heading on to Miami where we met Lexi and continued on to Costa Rica. While in the air, we witnessed a few lighting bolts off in the distance ( at least ten miles away). While lighting is impressive at ground level, it is truly amazing to witness from the sky. The day was hectic, but the students were very cooperative and were instrumental in helping things run smoothly. Upon touching down in San Jose (around 10:00 est), we grabbed our luggage and were met by our in-country expert "Mayer" who will be with us during our entire trip. We really lucked out, Mayer was our guide when I was down in Feb for training, he is great. We then took a minute for our first of many photos. I will encourage a student to round-out the day when we arrive at the hotel for check-in and a light meal. I am writing this from the motor coach, many students are busy writing in their journals, so you will have something more to read when they get home. Our adventure has barely begun and I am already fielding multiple science questions which shows genuine interest and ensures me that this is going to be a great trip! MH
   
Our day started off with a visit to a local family organic Pineapple farm. Students learned about the pineapples, got to help plant their own pineapples, and enjoyed the freshest of fresh pineapple. The next activity was to take a trek through the rainforest making stops along the way to learn about different plants and animals. They even got to try a plant that is like novocaine which they thought was great! The halfway mark of our trek was at a waterfall. The kids had a blast swimming underneath and around the waterfall. (It was VERY hot and humid so the water was perfect!)
After we got back, we took a short ride down the hilly Costa Rican roads to a local family farm to see how cheese is made. Students helped feed cows, and got to take turns milking a cow. It's not as easy as it looks! :) After lunch with the local family, we made our way to hot springs that are heated by the nearby volcano for a few hours. Kids were relaxing and playing in a number of dfferent pools (each a different temperature). After a late dinner, most of the kids were tired and ready for bed.
The kids are all bonding with one another so well and I'm thinking it will be hard for them to say goodbye after tomorrow. I can't believe there's only one more day of adventures before we head home!!!
 Here we are in Arenal. We are at the top of the mountain ready to zip line down. We all completed the 8 zip lines and one of them is more than a half mile long and we were traveling at 50 mph. What a thrill. I even saw a small howler monkey.
Elizabeth Benno Lovejoy ISD Fairview, Texas
   Today's big adventure was ziplining. Some students were excited, others were nervous and took some persuading to go. In the end, EVERY student went and did the zip-lining and had a blast! The resort we are staying at today is absolutely gorgeous. We have individual bungalows that are seated at the base of the Arenal volcano. It is absolutely amazing. Here are some pictures from today.
Jennifer Matejka Minnetonka, MN Teacher
Discovery provided everything for our Costa Rica trip. They even gave us a list of what to pack. On the first day we have already gone to an animal sanctuary. The animals in the sanctuary were sloths, butterflies, turtles, monkeys, and lots more. Then I had to wash off my arms because the sloths couldn't have insect repellant on them after I got to hold one!!! Her name was Priscilla. She was the coolest sloth ever. When everyone was done holding the sloths we went into the gift shop and then back onto the bus. We had a lot of fun today!
Alexis student, Lovejoy ISD Fairview, Texas
Day 1 The first day of Costa Rica was nothing compared to the second day of our trip. The first day was just flying on two airplanes and going to the hotel and sleeping. The second day was the thing that I was looking forward to the most. The first thing we did was ride 3 and a half hours . We stopped 2 times, at a fruit stand and at a super market/ At the fruit stand they had bananas that were 3 inches long. The super market had food and drinks. I bought a diet coke (coca cola light) it was amazing!!! At both of the stops none of the people spoke English. I gave the person $10.00 and they gave me back 4000 colones in change. Ok.. I haven't told you about my day yet! So when we got their we saw a three toed sloth and he was eating a leaf. And the best part I got to hold a sloth!!!!!!!!
Jacob student Lovejoy ISD Fairview, Texas
Day 2 Puerto Viejo We woke up early at our hotel in San Jose and got on the bus for quite a lengthy ride to Puerto Viejo. We stopped at a fruit stand and enjoyed some wonderful fresh fruits with the locals and a super market to get a few snacks or necessities. We went to an animal rescue center where we were able to see sloths and monkeys that were rescued from abusive surroundings or they were injured in the rain forest. They are being nursed back to health and then they will be reintroduced into the rain forest. We were able to hold a sloth - it gave me the similar feeling to holding a young baby. It was the highlight of the day. We also saw Blue Morpho Butterflies that were so big and bright blue that they didn’t seem to be real. We enjoyed lunch at the rescue center - it was a really great day.
Day 3 Yorkin I must tell you that today felt like a dream. We started with a ride to Bambuu where we met up with our hosts from the Bribri tribe. They took us by dugout canoes up the river about an hour to their village. We were going up the river and the river was low - so they guide in the front of the boat guiding us and pushing us away from rocks got quite the workout- he even had to get out and push us one time. As we were in the canoe- Oscar (our fantastic in country host) pointed out Kingfisher birds, bats, toucans, and many amazing plants. When we got to the village - we walked by the elementary and secondary schools. We learned that even though this tribe is small and remote - they value education a great deal. Their classes were large - and I can’t imagine how they concentrate in a room with only a ceiling and a couple of walls and no air conditioning. But they take it very seriously. When we arrived to the main part of the village we were served banana bread and pineapple juice. Talk about fresh food. Then we learned how to make chocolate. I thought it was interesting that they make it primarily for a drink - that I would compare to coffee. We were able to grind the beans and then mixed it with condensed milk to make a smooth mixture. Then we spread it on bananas - yes I tried it even though I still don’t love bananas. We also got to try a hand at shooting a homemade bow and arrow and tying leaves together to make a roof (their roofs last 17 years, made out of palm leaves) They treated us to a fabulous meal of chicken, rice, beans, potatoes, squash, and smashed green bananas. They served all of this on a beautiful big palm leaf on a plate. Then we went for a swim in the Yorkin river where everyone cooled off and had a blast riding the rapids down a small section of the river. We were sad to leave - it was so much fun! Then we rode in the canoes back to Bambuu. As we got in the canoes it started to rain on us - well were are in the rain forest. It rained all they way back, but it was so refreshing. We sat their in awe of our beautiful surroundings - I honestly didn’t want to get out of the canoe. Okay - so lesson from the Bribri tribe - they don’t have a word in their language for friend, they said that they are all considered family.
Day 4 Gandoca Manzanillo - Tirimbina Reserve Okay - today I conquered a huge fear and used muscles that I guess I haven’t used in a while, because I am really sore. We went kayaking to a coral reef area. Jacob and I were partners and both of us are new to it. It took us a while to get it down. We made it though and never even capsized. My favorite part of the kayaking was when we were just sitting out past the waves waiting for everyone. It was really relaxing just sitting out there in the Carribean Sea and visiting. The paddling wasn’t my favorite. Then we went snorkeling around the reef. I was able to see different kinds of fish and lot of beautiful corral. Then we road bikes back to the lodge where we started the day. The wonderful hosts had some great fresh fruit and juice for us as we came back in. It was a great morning. Then we went back to our hotel for quick showers and an “American” lunch of fried chicken, french fries, spaghetti, and ice cream. After lunch we had another long bus ride to our new destination of Tirimbina Reserve. We had a fantastic meal and then went on a night hike through the rain forest. Unfortunately we didn't see much, except for the snake that went under Grant's boot, but we did hear Howler Monkeys, owls, frogs, and lots of insects. We are all exhausted and ready for a good night's sleep - tomorrow we will zip line!
Elizabeth Benno Teacher, Lovejoy ISD Fairview, Texas
Hello everyone! Even though we have only been here for a few short days, we have done so much already! Where we are currently staying, internet isn´t easy to access so updates are a little slower and pictures are coming soon! Here´s some messages from some of the students! ADVENTURE DAY 2: Hey guys! I´m having a great time here and I miss you so much! Well anyways today we went to the rehabilitation center and looked at lots of animals. Get this, I even got to hold a sloth! It was so cool. One other thing I´ve tried 7 new things in just one day! We got to learn about sea turtles and how we need to protect their environment. The rainforest is pretty much how I pictured it, you just don´t see tons of wild animals. I miss you lots!!! Love, Madison. Hola! I am having a fabulous time here in Costa Rica! We got to do so many different new and exciting things today! We stopped at a small market and tried several different foods that tasted delicious. Also I got to hold an adorable sloth! The group and I had a good time seeing many other exotic animals as well as learning about sea turtles. I can´t wait to see what´s in store for tomorrow! Lots of love, Nina. HI!!! This trip is so much fun!!! It´s only the 2nd day and I´ve already tried so many new things and tried so many new foods! I tried Blackberry Juice, coconut milk, and two new fruits! Today on the way to the environmental center we stopped at a fruit market and got samples. We also stopped at a Costa Rican supermarket. We saw a ton of animals at the wildlife center and I got to hold an adorable tiny sloth named Elvis!!!! If I had to use one word to describe Costa Rica, that word would be green. IT is so pretty here! I´m so excited for the rest of this trip and I can´t wait! Love, Maren. ADVENTURE DAY 3: Day 3 started off at 7 am with a great breakfast buffet. Soon after, we all piled into 3 vans and made our way toward the Yorkin River to meet the BriBri tribe. When we arrived to the river, we trekked down to the river and climbed in colorful dugout canoes. We rode upstream for about an hour, taking in the beautiful green scenery between Costa Rica and Panama, and made it to the shore where we would meet the BriBri. We learned about their schooling, food, how they build their homes, culture, and some students even learned a few BriBri words. Students got to help make chocolate by hand and enjoyed the fresh chocolate on bananas afterward. This was followed by a miniature archery lesson with a bow and arrow made from local materials. For lunch, we got to eat with BriBri tribe in one of their handmade homes. The food was all grown organically and made right there for us. It was delicious! After lunch, we hiked down to the Yorkin River for a swim and after saying goodbyes, made our way back to the resort. We are all excited to see what other fun adventures this trip will bring! Jennifer Matejka Minnetonka, MN Teacher
I am so excited to read about your experiences on your trip to Costa Rica. What advice do you have for travelers going to Costa Rica later this summer?
Hello everyone! We made it to Costa Rica safe and sound. The kids have already become better friends and have made some new friends from other parts of the United States. We enjoyed dinner by the pool at our hotel and we are heading to bed soon to be ready for a fantastic day tomorrow. We will hope to post pics soon.
Elizabeth Teacher Fairview, Texas
(L) At the MSP airport ready to go! (R) Ready to get on the bus in Costa Rica!
After a long and busy day of traveling, we are here in Costa Rica! We were met by our great Travel Manager, Oscar and took a nice bus to our hotel at the Country Inn and Suites. After a quick dinner at the pool, the kids got to check out their rooms (some of which are like small apartments, how awesome!). Tomorrow we'll be up bright and early to work with scientists and animals at a research/rehabilitation center! (L) Oscar, our travel manager and the kids at the airport.
Minnetonka, MN Teacher
We are in the Atlanta airport getting ready to load. Having fun on this adventure!
Elizabeth Fairview
I can't believe the big day is only 3 days away! I can't wait to see beautiful Costa Rica and experience the adventure of a lifetime. Zip lining, sea turtles, rappelling, amazing food, and Arenal, here we come!!! Jennifer Matejka Minnetonka, MN Teacher
...until we head for beautiful Costa Rica! We're all excited and can't wait to meet up with our Travel Partners! Pura Vida!
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Adventure Details
| Duration |
8 days |
| Destinations |
San Jose
Arenal Volcano
Caribbean Coast |
| Focus |
Ecology/Conservation
Biology
Geology/Volcanology |
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