Coast to Coast Semester Student Update: October 24th

Coast to Coast Semester Student Update: October 24th

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Our Coast to Coast Expedition semester students are hiking for 24 days.

 

Our Coast to Coast Expedition Semester students are in the thick of their 24-day hike through Costa Rica that will lead them from the Caribbean to Pacific coasts. We have shared their photos on Facebook and are excited to provide more updates here.

At a recent check-in point, our staff joined them for a re-supply of food, basic necessities and letters from home. The students took some time to write and share their thoughts on the course experience thus far.

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Our Coast to Coast Expedition Semester students take a break from the trail during a homestay.

 

Katherine G. of Kentfield, Calif., said her favorite part so far has been “the variety of terrain that we’ve seen in such a short amount of time.”

“One day we’ll be trekking through knee-deep mud in the forest, and the next we’ll be walking through a small town,” she added. “It’s a very cool way to see the diversity of the country.”

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Katherine G. is making new friends on the trail.

 

Aaron W. of Newton, Mass. agreed the hike has been his favorite part, especially the time he spent “eating blackberries on the side of the road after summiting the second highest peak in the country the day before.”

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Aaron W. crosses a bridge in Central Costa Rica.

 

The students also concurred that a favorite part of the course has been learning to push themselves.

“I have learned that I have no limits,” said Spencer B. of Tualatin, Ore. “I can push myself to do anything I put my mind to,” he added.

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Instructor Orlando Zamora shares knowledge of his native country with students.

 

“I am much more mentally tough than I thought I was,” said Jake S. of Needham, Mass. “Many times throughout the hike I felt like I couldn’t keep going but I did.

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Coast to Coast Expedition Semester students are learning to push their limits.

 

The students also expressed overwhelming gratitude toward their families for supporting them on their journey.

“Thank you [to my family] for this amazing opportunity,” wrote Haley K. of Sebastipol, Calif., “Thank you for always pushing me to be the best me.”

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Haley K. gets upclose to a pony during the hike.

 

When asked what she would like to tell her family back home, Becca P. of Needham, Mass. stated,“I cross the amazingly beautiful country of Costa Rica and I wish you could all be here with me to experience it all.”

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Becca P. bonds with local families during a homestay.

 

The students are looking forward to the discoveries the remainder of the course will bring.

“There is a lot about myself that I am still learning everyday,” acknowledged Becca “… the limits of my body and mind, how to live in the moment, how to live with less and to appreciate the little things.”

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The students are looking forward to continuing the rest of their trek.

 

Be sure to check Facebook for more updates and photos of our Coast to Coast Expedition Semester students and more.