Nuestra Communidad Nuevo (Our new community)

This is going to be a very quick update…We made it to our homestay community and all of our students have been *adopted* for the week.  All are enjoying their temporary mothers, father, sisters, brothers, and extended family.  Upon arrival on Tuesday afternoon, we were treated to a recibido (welcoming party) where all of the families were present, and as student names were read aloud, students greeted their new families and departed.  The excitement (and anxiety) was palpable, and all left with big smiles.

Wednesday we began our projects within the community, alongside the community members.  We are pouring a concrete floor for an additional classroom, creating a concreate pathway, and building a retaining wall to protect the school from the heavy rains that are due to arrive any day.  The kids are working very hard, and we are having a wonderful time making a difference in the community. It is hot, and humid, but we are staying hydrated and taking breaks when necessary.

The topics of conversation have been dominated by the heat, and the insects…both of which are very different than southern california:)

Wednesday afternoon we spent a couple hours with the local high school, experiencing different cultural exchanges.  They danced for us, had some activities on the soccer field, then quickly the group broke into a spirited game of soccer (which Sage won!) After the meeting with the high school, we worked for another hour, than took a short hike to the local river, where we were able to swim and relax after a hard days work.

Thursday is another day of work, where we hope to finish all three projects.  Sadly, tomorrow is our last day in the community.  We are going canyoning (climbing waterfalls!) tomorrow morning in the local rain forest, then we will return to the community for our despedida (farewell party).

Saturday morning we head to the beach, where we will have the opportunity to update, and perhaps upload some pictures.

Pura Vida!!!

Mechanical Failures, Tornado warnings, and airport food…Oh my!

Well, we finally made it to San Jose, CR early this morning.  Our first leg of our journey, from LAX to Dallas was seamless.  We made it through security (almost misplaced a passport, and a cell phone, but disaster averted), boarded the plane, and made it to DFW earlier than we anticipated (about 2:00pm local time).

A 3-hour layover was next, followed by a scheduled departure time of 5:25 pm.  We boarded about 4:50, and at about 5:30, the pilot came over the loudspeaker to let us know that a “panel” was missing from the side of the plane, but it is “scarcely used” so the mechanics simply needed to “sign off” on the issue.  There really is something to be said about over-sharing of information while flying, and while people are clamoring for information about delays, I’m not sure we wanted to hear about missing parts to our transcontinental taxi.  To make a long story short, we were on the plane another 2 hours until we deplaned, waiting for further clarification.  While the plane was being fixed, we were also in the midst of a thunderstorm, fraught with tornado warnings.  The airport was grounded, and we continued to wait.   As if that wasn’t enough, our flight crew was at the tail end of their shift, and therefore released.  So we waited. And waited.  Finally the plane was fixed, weather cleared, and we boarded about10:15pm.

We landed in CR at about 1:15, cleared customs, collected all bags, and were to our hotels by 2:30am.  We unloaded at the hotel, selected rooms, and were asleep somewhere between 3:30 and 4:00am.

7:15 came quite early the next morning, and we boarded a bus to head to the river.  The ride was approximately2 hours, but incredibly worth it.  We had an amazing time on the water, rafting 18 miles throughout the rainforest and enjoying the tropical weather.  (We’ll try and post a few pics..)

Once we returned from rafting, we were treated to a wonderful costa rican dinner, salsa lessons, and a great night sleep.  Tomorrow we will head to our respective communities, which is about a 4-hour drive.  There will be a ‘welcoming ceremony,’ once we arrive, than all will go home with their new families to have dinner and present gifts.

Not sure when we might have internet connectivity next, so stay tuned for updates from our homestay community.

Itinerary

SAGE HILL SCHOOL | COSTA RICA PROGRAM| MAY 22-31, 2011

May 22 ~ Arrival in San Jose

The group flies into San Jose, Costa Rica and meets their Global Works leader at the airport. Depending on arrival time, we play in a local soccer game, or participate in a scavenger hunt in San Jose. The evening we will dedicate to language and cultural activities in order to orient ourselves with our new surroundings. Our Bed and Breakfast just outside of San Jose provides lodging, a typical Costa Rican dinner for the entire group, and ample room for group activities. Here, we prepare for our upcoming homestays through role-plays, discussions, and interactive Spanish language activities.

May 23 ~ River Rafting and Orientation

Rafting one of the most beautiful rivers in the world is the perfect way to experience the biodiversity and beauty of Costa Rica. With experienced and knowledgeable guides, we journey through a tropical rainforest on Class II and III rapids. After a full day of adventure, we return again to the Bed and Breakfast. In the evening we have a salsa dance lesson with our professional instructor, Randall.

May 24-27 ~ San Juan Penas Blancas Homestay and Service Projects

Homestays will take place in the rural community of San Juan Penas Blancas. Students, who will stay two per home, will live, eat, and share in the daily lives of the Ticos. The members of the host families do not speak English, so our Spanish language learning curve rises quickly! Upon arrival, we greet our new families and head to the welcome fiesta. The evening includes introductions of students and families, dinner, music, and dancing. During the morning and afternoon, we work alongside community members on meaningful service projects. Previous projects have included building the foundation for a community center, working in cooperative organic gardens, painting schoolrooms, and teaching English at the local elementary school. Meals and nights will be spent with our host families. The project specifics will be determined closer to the trip date.

Activities are not limited to service work and feature afternoons of activities such as soccer games, dances, talent shows, cooking lessons, and other types of intercultural exchange. The group will also have an opportunity for excursions including a zipline canopy tour and visits to nearby sights such as the famous Arenal Volcano or the abundant Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

May 28-29 ~ Pacific Coast Eco-Resort and Surf Lessons

Time to hit the beach! In the morning we depart from our homestay community, promising to stay in touch with our new families and friends. We travel by buseta to the Pacific Coast, famous for it’s unique combination of rainforest and ocean settings. We spend two days boogie boarding, snorkeling, enjoying nature-oriented adventure tours, and viewing wildlife. One of the mornings we challenge ourselves with surf lessons taught by professional instructors. The wave conditions at this beach provide the perfect opportunity for all levels to hang ten!

May 30-31 ~ Reflection and Departure 

T-minus 6 days until take-off!