April 14
Hola de Monteverde, Costa Rica! We are having the best time. Here’s what we’ve been up to so far:
After a long but, thankfully, uneventful travel day, we made it all the way from chilly Steamboat to warm San Jose. Our guides, Sergio and Josi, picked us up at the airport, and our adventure began! After a restful night at our hotel, we headed north. Due to heavy rain, we had to take a longer route to Sarapiquí, but that afforded us beautiful views. La Selva Biological Station was our home for the next few nights. This station has been an important research center for decades, and we were lucky enough to have expert naturalists take us on a guided hike of the rainforest. This was different from our usual “destination hikes,” as we had to really slow down and observe the small and large jungle creatures, including frogs, snakes, birds, insects, peccaries, and monkeys. Students got creative with botanical illustrations. It has been so fun to see these Colorado kids enjoy the warm rain here. We also got to learn how chocolate is made and do a night tour, the rainforest is so alive after dark! We observed our environment from the river as we rafted and kayaked the Puerto Viejo River. The highlights were seeing sloths and toucans!
On our final morning in Sarapiquí, we visited a local school to do service-learning projects, including painting and cleaning. The students also got to play a friendly game of soccer. They are still recovering from their devastating loss to 8-year-olds. Before we left, we were treated to a homemade lunch that we enjoyed on a covered porch in the pouring rain. It has been so lovely to share so many meals together, and we have been so impressed and pleased with how everyone has tried and enjoyed all the food.
Before we knew it, our time in Sarapiquí was up, and we were on the road again.
We had another long and winding drive, but the rain clouds cleared, and we were met with gorgeous views of Arenal Volcano, Arenal Lake, and a landscape that changed from tropical rainforest to high mountain range to cloud forest. We were able to stop at a supermarket and practice our Spanish and currency conversion. Our drive culminated with the most beautiful sunset over the Pacific and the Gulf of Nicoya here at La Calandria in Monteverde. To shake off the energy, we had a Latin dance class. It was just as awkward as you’d imagine a middle school dance to be, but everyone tried their best!
Our adventures aren’t over yet! We have a packed day today (Tuesday) with butterfly gardens, hummingbird observations, and a visit to a women’s co-op. Students have been absolutely AWESOME, asking great questions, soaking up every experience, and practicing their Spanish as much as they can! We (Andrea and Keri) are so grateful to be with this fun, curious group of travelers. ¡Pura vida!