We’ve been making memories to last a lifetime this week! Our students are exploring the tropical rivers, reefs, and rainforests all over Costa Rica and Panama. They’ve been surfing, cleaning up beaches, tasting local foods, touring historical sites, practicing English with school children, getting scuba certified, and so much more. Most importantly, they’re learning tons about themselves and other cultures. Read on to see what each group has been up to!
Girl Scout Destinations
Service Challenge (Session #2)
From beautiful rivers to historical sites and remote villages, our Service Challenge students have already seen so much of what Costa Rica has to offer! They began their adventure on Monday, visiting Sanatorio Durán and the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles in Cartago. The group continued their cultural immersion back on base by sampling local fruits and trying a “casado,” a traditional Costa Rican meal of rice, beans, plantains, salad, a tortilla, and meat or fish. Fueled up, the students hit the Pejibaye River on Tuesday for whitewater rafting. On Wednesday, they made their way to Alto Katsi in Talamanca, where they met indigenous Bribri community members and settled into their homestay. They completed service projects for their community, including painting a bridge and a new classroom! The group is excited to travel to Panama today to do sea turtle conservation.
Scuba and Sea Turtle Adventure (Session #2)
On Sunday, our Scuba and Sea Turtle Adventure students headed out bright and early for the Panama border and arrived at the indigenous community of San San Pond Sak not long after. They spent time learning about sea turtle conservation before exhuming (cleaning) old nests in the turtle nursery and releasing leatherback babies. The group also went on a manatee boat tour, got their own coconuts down from the trees, and took Spanish classes with a local. They’ve been busy! The girls are now on Isla Solarte and have gotten the chance to practice their Spanish speaking skills whilst helping students at a local school practice English. Their focus for next week will be getting scuba certified — woohoo!
Catching Waves (Session #1)
Our Catching Waves group spent their first morning in Dominicalito at Poza Azul, a waterfall with the most beautiful clear blue water. After some rainy weather at the beginning of the week, things are looking up, with clear skies right now – we’re crossing our fingers it stays that way! If only we could control the weather. 😉 The students have been surfing, playing games during rainy afternoons, and spending time getting to know each other. They also had the opportunity to participate in a beach clean up in Uvita. They have lots more surfing and service ahead of them this week!
Summer Courses 14-18
Service, Hike & Homestay (Session #1) / Surf, Service & CPR (Session #1)
Our Service, Hike & Homestay group met up with the Surf, Service & CPR students in Playa Dominicalito earlier this week! The groups joined forces and spent two nights camping, surfing, and getting to know one another in Uvita. Uvita is a southern beach town, famous for its coastline, which is shaped like a whale tail! The students then traveled to our Manuel Antonio beach base to complete their CPR and First Aid certifications. The group arrived back at our rainforest base on Wednesday and spent Thursday rafting on class III and IV rapids in the Pejibaye River! Today will be another fun-filled day for them — ziplining their way through the canopy and exploring the art, architecture, and culture of San Jose, the capital city.
Caribbean Scuba & Service (Session #1)
After completing their scuba certification, the CSS group began their sea kayaking expedition through the remote, indigenous islands of Bocas del Toro. They’re lucky — very few people have the opportunity to visit this part of the world! The group participated in different service projects along the way, moving concrete and tiles for a new schoolhouse floor in Isla Popa and reading books and playing with students in Isla Solarte. After soaking up the last of their sea kayaking adventure, they made their way to San San Pond Sak in Panama. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the group completed night patrols to monitor mama sea turtles laying their eggs along the beach and released newly hatched baby turtles! Today the students will be zipping through the rainforest at Canopy Carpintera before hitting the streets to tour San Jose.
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