Day 4- Daniela Escobar and Tate Watson

Things done today: final visit to school, cultural dance at center, tourism and shopping at la fortuna

Today we had the opportunity to all come together and pay a final visit to the school. Working with elementary, middle, and high school students, we were all given the opportunity to each give a small leggo gift to each of the students.
I personally played soccer with barefoot students in a muddy field down the road. Not only were they incredible, but we each unfortunately fell, covered in mud, attempting to keep up.
The kids were absolutely adorable and full of life. While some of the older kids played soccer I was able to hang out with some of the younger kids. It's incredible to see how they can begin the day so timid and by the end of the day they won't let go of your leg. One boy throughout the day would run up behind me and tap my shoulder and run off, but by the end of the day he would tackle me with hugs and tickle me. I absolutely adore the joy in these children.
Tourism in la foturna was filled with tourists from all parts. I personally ran into a fellow Aggie who was also a freshman visiting Costa Rica on another service trip. The shops were filled with all sorts of gifts and amazing treats that we are looking forward to bringing back to our families in the states. When we rode back to the tamu center we were greeted by several elementary school students who presented us with a cultural Costa Rican dance. While we sat back and watched their intriguing dance, we also did our part in teaching them the classic Texas country two step and the copper head road line dance. Needless to say they showed immediate interest and made wonderful progress within a few attempts. Afterwards we enjoyed getting to know them as we shared dinner and several conversations. We cannot wait to see more of Costa Rica and partake in our final adventures in the rainforest tomorrow!

Day 4- By Will Hughes

Today was definitely one of the best days of the trip. This morning all of us went down to the school to be with the kids. As we walked down the road and approached the school, all of the kids were lined up against the fence waiting for us to get there. That was really awesome and made us all feel great that they were excited to be with us.
While we were at the school, I was with a group that went to play soccer with some of the older boys. They were extremely good at soccer, and since we split into teams of the Costa Rican students versus the Aggies, the game was pretty one sided. Even though I have no soccer skills, this was one of my favorite times of the trip so far. It was really cool to see the kids having so much fun with us, and even though we were speaking different languages, we could still communicate with each other. I took a lot from that soccer game besides just having a fun time. It is an amazing experience to be in a situation where there is a language barrier, but despite that fact you are able to clearly understand and connect with another person. This showed me how even though we may come from different countries and cultures, we are all similar in a lot of ways.
The more time I spend here and the more I interact with the Costa Rican people, my understanding of "pura vida" seems to become clearer. The people here live such passionate lives. They are connected to the natural world around them, and have deep respect for the rainforest and its wildlife. Everyone that I have talked to has seemed genuinely engaged in our conversation, and not once have I felt like they had better things to do or that what I was saying was not important. I feel that it is a lifestyle as much as it is a phrase, and it is a mindset I hope to adopt and take back home with me.

Day 4- By Emily Seymour

After four days in Costa Rica, it’s hard to believe that today was our last full day at the Center. Even though it has only been a few short days, I feel like I have been here for such a long time. Everything we have done so far has been so incredible, so I am not looking forward to having to leave.

Today we started off the day by going to visit the school as a large group. We were all looking forward to this because we had such a great time with the kids when we went as groups. As we walked up to the school, all of the kids waved to us. It was such a special moment because they all seemed to be genuinely excited to see us return. Once we all were gathered around, half of us went and helped in the greenhouse area while the rest hung out with the kids. Because my Spanish skills are terrible, I decided that my service was best to be used for helping with the greenhouse. Once we got to that area, we were asked to make a second set of stairs leading down a hill. Our group of four grabbed the shovels and hoes and began working on this. Unlike the other set of stairs we had made at the school, this hill was a shorter and wider area. Once we dug out all the steps and packed all the clay down, we all felt that we could do more, so we gathered rocks and a piece of bamboo and lined the stairs. At the end, we were all extremely proud of the work we had done. Then, we decided that the stairs made on the Monday also needed to be lined with rocks to help prevent erosion. We set off to gather rocks from the ditches surrounding the road in front of the school and lined the whole path. After a few more small projects, all of us rejoined the others and took a group picture with the kids. It was amazing to see how much energy was with the group. In the short amount of time, so many were able to form connections with different kids.

Once we left the school, we hiked back up to the Center, ate lunch, and drove to La Fortuna to shop. Shopping, for me, was not that exciting because it was just for souvenirs and I was tired. We have been so active the past few days that I just wanted to take a nap. Once we were done shopping, we arrived back at to the Center only to be greeted by students from the Arenal school (this is a different school than the one we have been working with). These ten students, ranging in age from second to sixth grade, performed dances for us. It was precious. When they finished, we had the opportunity to teach them the Aggie War Hymn. Who doesn’t want to saw varsity’s horns off? After the War Hymn, we taught all the kids how to dance to Copperhead Road and then how to two step. It was such a blast to be able to dance with the kids. Even though some of us couldn’t communicate, we were still able to laugh and dance together. We then got the chance to eat dinner with the kids and play ping pong and foosball with them. This was one of my favorite parts because even the nonverbal communication was perfect.

Looking back, this trip has been such a positive impact. I have seen myself and others grow even in the short few days. I cannot imagine a more perfect way to spend my freshman year spring break. Even though I am sleep deprived and constantly covered in dirt, I have been genuinely happy about everything we have done. I have learned to love the little things and live in the moment. We don’t know what is to come in our life, but we might as well make the best of what is happening now. We were asked why we were on this trip, and I can’t wait to look back and list all of my reasons.

Day 3- By Corey Smith

Pura Vida. Costa Rica's national saying. You hear it everywhere, in every situation. Coming in from the airport? Pura Vida. Lunch? Pura Vida! Hiking? Pura Vida. Ziplining?! Pura Vida, friend. Translated literally, it means "pure life". Some take it as a tropical "hakuna matata" - promoting a stress-free live for today attitude, or simply a wish for good health.

Today and all this week, my eyes have been opened to the beauty of Costa Rica. This place is truly gorgeous. Amazing rainforests, massive volcanoes, jaw-dropping vistas. The sheer life here is astounding. Standing in this amazing land, spanning vast stretches of raw forest, in this incredible entire ecosystem of living glory, a new awareness unfolds. Whether I'm standing in the heart of a sea of trees, or balancing on river rocks while a spring flows by, or climbing rocky lava flows, or trekking up a shallow waterfall, there is such beauty. There is something special here. Something pure.

And it's not just the natural world. I had the golden opportunity today to travel to a local school to help serve the kids there, to help give back. We worked hard to help set up a greenhouse for the school's future use. It didn't come easy, especially in two different languages, but we we sat back and looked and what we and others had accomplished, it felt good. We laid down a part of our lives for the good of someone else, and that's something human. Something pure.
Despite coming from vastly different cultures, backgrounds, viewpoints and even languages, we were able to form real connections with these wonderful boys and girls. Sure, it wasn't easy, trying to understand each other, but we managed based on shared values. And that's something human. Something pure.

So, in the end, maybe there's something more to this place, more than just pretty trees. Living life to the fullest is great, but maybe we should remember that true beauty comes from inside. These people have such humility and live with their environment so well. Maybe we can learn from them, and share it when we leave. And maybe that, that is Pura Vida.
Thanks and Gig'em.

Day 3- By Emily Seymour

It's hard to believe that we have been in Costa Rica for only a few days! It's even harder to believe we are in an area this beautiful. Today started off a little different than most. A small group of us decided to wake up to watch the sunrise at 5:46. Unfortunately it was really cloudy, so we decided to just hike down to a river. Once we got to the river, we decided this was the perfect time to hike up the river. The water wasn't incredibly deep, so I thought I'd be fine wearing rainboots. For the ,let part it was, until I walked through part of the water that reached my knees then it didn't really matter at that point. The group continued climbing over rocks and wading through the water until we reached a fallen log and decided that this would not only be the photo op but also the turn around spot. The eight of us made it back up to the Center just in time for breakfast.
After breakfast, all of us split into the same two groups and switched our project. My group was set to work in the rainforest. Before we even knew what our rainforest project was, we came across a sloth chilling in tree. Since our group was a lot smaller than the other group, we all stuck together and began trekking through the rainforest. Albert told us about the different conservation projects going on around the Center. The hike was steep and slippery. We kept having to step over fallen trees and avoid all the ants that began climbing up our boots. Once we got to a certain location, Albert sent us to form a human chain down a slope as he and two students got plants to bring back to the Center. While they were off doing that, the rest of us tried not to fall down the slope. There was hardly anything to grip onto and proper footing was hard to get. We managed to transport all of the plants, with only a few people falling. After that, we trekked back down the same path and went to try sugar cane. It was delicious!
Following that excursion, we ate an early lunch before heading to the zipline. The zipline spans over the rainforest and has eight separate ziplines. We all were suited up with harnesses then rode a cable car up to the top of the zipline. Once at the top, we were able to overlook the lake and rainforest. The view was, once again, stunning. After taking pictures (can't get enough group pictures), we set off down two practice ziplines before going to the real thing. Once on the ziplines, the view was surreal. We were soaring over the trees with the wind in our face. It was so incredible that I didn't know where to look. I don't think I've ever done something that amazing before. On the final zipline before the "photo zipline," we flew down the cable for half a mile. After completing the whole course, I can definitely saw this was such a remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Today was filled with such adventurous excursions. Costa Rica is an incredible country with such beauty. I can definitely say that I'll miss it once we have to leave. The pace of life is a lot slower and more chill than the United States; it is such a nice break. The people also seem genuinely interested in what you have to say. The conversations don't feel forced. I cannot wait for what tomorrow has in store when we go back to the school. It will surely be awesome!

Day 3 by Alexis Musso

Today has definitely been my favorite day in Costa Rica! In the morning, my group went to the school and played with the kids. The little kids were of course adorable! They loved making bracelets, taking pictures with our cameras, building with Legos, and playing soccer. It was fun speaking Spanish to them! I learned so much in such a short time! In addition, I loved when the high school kids came over. Even though I am by no means fluent in Spanish, I was able to ask my new friend Jimmy some questions in Spanish and explain how to play both Go Fish and Tic Tac Toe! I learned Jimmy is 17, wants to be a lawyer, loves science, loves soccer, and loves arroz con pollo! After lunch, we got to go zip lining! The view was breathtaking and the guides were super nice. Flying through the rainforest was such a unique experience, I really wish I could do it again already! I thought I was going to be scared, but when I met this grandma named Betty who was also zip lining and completely terrified, I forgot all about my fear and instead tried to encourage her. She was such an inspiration! To top it all off, dinner in the town was such a treat. Fruit smoothies, a typical Costa Rican platter with rice, beans, chicken, a plantain, salad, and egg, and ice cream topped with peaches was so delicious, my belly is as full as an oompa loompa! Overall, today, I definitely experienced Pura Vida, pure life, through service at the local school, the amazing nature in the rainforest zip line, and the traditional Costa Rican meal in the outdoor restaurant shared with all the amazing people here on this trip. Tomorrow, another adventure awaits! Adios mis amigos

Day 3- By Michelle Alpar

Last night during reflection, we were asked to write a goal for today. My goal was to experience everything possible-to not miss out on anything. This morning it was too cloudy to watch the sunrise, so we'll have to do that tomorrow. We went to the school and worked with the school children and continued work on the greenhouse. We made bracelets and other crafts with the kids and learned more Spanish. I remember more than I thought I did! Kelsey, Charlie, and I then went down and worked in the greenhouse the other group started yesterday. We separated the roots from the dirt going into the boxes and then planted tomato seeds! It was really cool to know that our work would directly impact the school and be there long after we leave on Friday. After lunch, we went ziplining in the rainforest! It was incredibly nerve wracking, but so worth it! The view was breathtaking and like nothing I'd ever seen. We were thousands of feet (well maybe not thousands, but still a lot! At least 40 meters) above the forest floor and I could see for miles! We could see the entire lake we saw yesterday at the volcano, but from a completely different perspective. It was extremely encouraging to hear everyone cheering each other on before we left each zip line. A lot of us were nervous, but we made it through together! Then we went to a restaurant in La Fortuna and spent time talking to and getting to know each other. As one of the only two ALOT members, I was worried about not knowing anyone or having people to hang out with, but everyone has been so friendly and welcoming and I have loved every minute I've been here! I can't wait for tomorrow and the rest of the week to see what good we will do both at the school and the center and with each other. Pura vida!

Day 2- By Nakul Moolji

On our first official day in the glorious nation of Costa Rica, we were given the amazing opportunity to visit and work with some of the local elementary school children in the neighboring village. After waking up bright and early, and eating a hardy breakfast of fresh papaya and watermelon, we made our way down the road to the school which was conveniently located a short 5 minutes away from the center.

Upon arrival, we found the school to be a one story building consisting of three rooms: a classroom, a cafeteria, and computer lab. The children ranged from ages as young as 6 to as mature as 13, but all shared a common love for learning and of course soccer.

After introducing ourselves to the student and the teacher and faculty, we were split into two groups. Half of us were assigned to interact and socialize with the children with beaded crafts and soccer, while the other half was assigned a plethora of jobs around the school grounds ranging from the carving a makeshift irrigation system to direct rainfall away from their greenhouse to chopping down palm trees in order to obtain the edible parts of its foliage which by far was the best part of the day.

After several hours at the school, we returned to the center briefly to shovel down the usual beans and rice lunch, before once again being whisked away via our bus to the Volcano Arenal National Park, home to historically one of the most active volcanos in the world. Along the way to the park, we were lucky enough to finally see an infamous sloth sleeping comfortably in a tree.

At the park we were subjected to a long hike to the many breathtaking views of the scenery and the volcano. The humidity only made the hike ten times more treacherous, but the scenes were more than worth our exhaustion.

Once we returned to the center after taking hundreds of pictures at the park, we were tired. By the end of the day, we felt that our aching muscles and sweaty bodies were an evident sign that we had productive and fulfilling day.

Day 2- Emily Seymour

After only a day and a half in Costa Rica, I love this place. This morning started off with us breaking into two group: rainforest and school. Today I visited the elementary school. I thought we were just going to be hanging out with the kids, but we were able to help build stairs and an irrigation trench. This was such a great experience! Despite the language barrier (I speak no Spanish), it was so fun to interact with the kids. We were able to make bead bracelets and color pictures with them. Some of the group played soccer and made Lego structures, too. The service part, however, was so great. My group's project was to build stairs on a hillside because the kids often fall walking down it. We had to carve the stairs out then shift through all the dirt for use in the greenhouse. After that a few of us helped chop down three trees, or in some of our cases, just act like we were cutting down the tree. Regardless, this was a blast!
After being at the school, we met back up with the other group at the Center to eat before driving to the volcano. During the ride, my bus played mafia to pass the time. I think I have become a pro at that game. About halfway through the drive, the bus pulled over. I was really confused until they told us there was a sloth in the tree! There goes Albert and his sixth sense of spotting animals again. I freaked out though. I have been waiting months to see a sloth, so this was such a cool thing to see. A little further along the drive, we came across a large group of coatimundi just chilling alongside the road. Once we got to the volcano, we began hiking through the forest. Volcan Arenal was very active until 2009, so we hiked through both forests that were affected and unaffected by the lava. This was really neat because we were able to climb over lava rocks to get to an open area. Once we got to this location, you could look around and see how beautiful the surrounding area was. The volcano in the distance was breathtaking. Looking in the other direction we could see the most stunning sky I have ever seen.
After the hike, we were all pretty tired as we drove back to the Center. Today was filled with such great experiences. Tomorrow the groups are switching so I get to go do service projects in the rainforest! We are also ziplining tomorrow so it is surely going to be a great day!

Day 2- By Bill Becker

This morning came bright and early. My alarm went off at 6am, and it seemed like I had only been asleep for a few minute but the promise of a delicious cup, or 4..., of Costa Rican coffee. Right as I left my dorm I was greeted to the sound of small wings flapping and flying towards me and assuming they were giant bugs, like usual, I freaked out. However they turned out to be a group of erratic hummingbirds, thankfully nobody saw me freak out... Though they know now... As I was nearing the breakfast room I saw a Toucan which was one goals for the trip so as of now there is only one animal that I still want to see, a sloth! Breakfast this morning was similar to home with scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit but there was still the Costa Rican staple of white rice and black beans which I have grown to love, though I'm sure I'll be sick of it by Friday. Following breakfast we split into two groups, one group when to the school while another, the group I was I'm stayed at the Soltis Center for our service project. The half of us who stayed behind then split in half again with half of us went on a rainforest hike while the remaining people helped the center to begin work on a garden. The work on the garden involved intense physical labor, including digging stairs out of the side of the hill from the clay soil as well as digging numerous holes for planting. By the end of it we were covered in mud, exhausted, and counting our blisters. Finally after a short rest we went out on our adventure into the rainforest where we cut out own path through the vegetation and up a waterfall. On the way up we got to see the Costa Rica that everyone imagines, everything was wet and green and life surrounded you. Under every rock or leaf there was a new creature to discover in fact on the way up we found a very feisty freshwater crab who seemed to think that we were trying to take his area of the waterfall. Once we reached the top we looked back and saw how amazing the view was, needless to say there were many photos taken! At the top was the source of the water and being as tempted as I was by how delicious our guide, Albert, made the water out to be I couldn't help myself and I sampled the fresh Costa Rican rainforest water. The deliciousness of the water surpassed any worry of getting sick from drinking it. On the way down Albert spotted many more animals including a tiny gecko about two inches long and a small brown camouflaged in the foliage on the forest floor. How he spotted them I'll never know, in fact I am slightly suspicious that they were plants haha. After getting back to the Soltis Center all of us were back together again, and we had a few minutes to clean up before lunch. Lunch was some amazing fried chicken with the classic beans and rice but the real star of the meal was the dessert, vanilla ice cream. Though it might sound mundane and ordinary the ice cream was like nothing I have ever had before. It was made not with vanilla flavoring or high fructose corn syrup but with real vanilla extract and sugar cane. Needless to say I ate way more than I should have... Ohh well it was completely worth it. Immediately after lunch we all piled into vans and began our 45 minute drive to Arenal Volcano. On the way we played games to pass the time, specifically we played a game called mofia where everyone seemed to think that it was funny to kill me off first. It was still fun though getting to know everyone outside of the rainforest. Along the way, we stopped to view some wild life that appeared along the side of the road including the nest of the Montezuma Oropendola bird, a family of approximately 10 Coatimundi, which are an extremely raccoon style animal that I known to jump in your car in hopes of food, and finally out guide spotted A SLOTH in the top of a tree as we sped by, how he saw it I'll never know, but just to say we got to see a sloth while in Costa Rica is amazing. When we arrived at the volcano we began the hike up the path and we soon realized we were not in fact hiking to the top of the volcano but to the top of a neighboring hill where you had a clear unobstructed view of not only the volcano but a near by lake, as a result of the picturesque scenery around us numerous photos were taken, some serious to make our travel to a major landmark on Costa Rica while most were fun over exaggerated photos which reflect the amount of joy we were having. On the way back to the Soltis Center most of us slept off the exhaustion of the day. When we arrived back we were immediately treated to dinner which consisted of a piece of fish as well as the standard rice and beans, again a delicious and well appreciated meal after the long day. Finally we were given time to rest and get ready because half of the group, who had not gone last night, were about to head out on a night hike. The night hike began at 7:30 and lasted a little over an hour. On the night hike the first thing that we saw was a cat eye snake which was hiding in the trees near a frog pond, then further down by the pond was another snake which was a Yellow Blunt snake which we got to hold! Nearing the end of the lake we say a cluster of things in one group, first we saw the Jesus Christ Lizard which can run across the water, then we say Red Eye Tree Frog eggs which were clustered together on the underside of a leaf, finally we saw a Leaf Praying Mantis which had camouflaged itself on a leaf. We moved on from there and hidden in the foliage on the ground was a common tree frog. Then we saw two of the coolest animals that we had seen all day, a Glass Belly Frog which had until this point never been documented on the Soltis Center grounds, and lastly we saw the extremely poisonous snake the Ferdiland. After this point we headed back to the common area of the Solti Center where we met for our reflections on the day. Our second day in Costa Rica was an amazing one; albeit a long and exhausting one but every minute of exhaustion is worth it ten times over for this once in a life time experience, I can only hope that everyday here is this great!

Day 2- By Taylor Beach

Today was an amazing day for a service and exploration. We all go to start the day off serving others. My group got to dig stairs out of the dirt here at the center for the staff who want to create a garden around the center. We worked hard and shoveled so much dirt that some of us got blisters. It was a great feeling to bring someone's idea of a garden to life. We also went into the rainforest to collect some plants for the garden. One of the staff members lead us on this hike and took us off the trail up this river. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. We climbed here and there, through the water, over a fallen tree and so much more. It was really steep at some points so we had to find ways of getting up. After our service projects, we went to the volcano. On the way we saw a sloth! It was amazing to see a sloth for the first time in its natural habitat. We pulled the bus over and took lots of pictures. We then continued on the volcano where we hiked this amazing trail. It started with a lot of forest coverage and eventually opened up to a beautiful view of the volcano. There were so many rocks that we climbed on top of to take some really cool pictures. Everything was beautiful. You could even have your back to the volcano and be amazed by the view of the lake In between the mountains. This trip has already been amazing and it was only our first full day here. I am really looking forward to going to the local school tomorrow and working with the high school kids. The Costa Rican people seem so open and friendly. Everywhere we drive there are houses with the doors wide open and people walking everywhere. The simplicity of life here is beautiful. I can't wait to see what the rest of the week has in store for all of us. Pura vida!

Day 1: By Emily Seymour

After months of anticipation, we finally arrived in Costa Rica! We were all exhausted but excited once we landed. Our journey wasn't over just then. We had to drive for a few hours more just to get to the Soltis Center. The drive opened our eyes to what poor really means in other parts of the world. While sometimes we complain our house is "too small", these houses were actually very small. Despite this, the people still seemed to have a joy that was very evident all around. Children played soccer with makeshift goals along the side of the road and families gathered around dinner tables while their front door was wide open. Further along the way we drove through the cloud forest. This was exciting and terrifying at the same time. None of us could figure out how the driver was able to see the road because all you could see were clouds and headlights. Somehow he did it perfectly and we finally arrived safely at the Soltis Center!

It is absolutely gorgeous here. The Center is in the middle of the rainforest so there is so much life and activity all around. You can't walk through the halls of the center without seeing an assortment of bugs crawling and flying across the floor and walls. It's gross and cool at the same time. We all were shown our dorms. They are so cool, aside from the fact that if you leave lights on, bugs will come near. After that, we were served a delicious meal of beans, rice, and steak in red sauce. So far the food's pretty good. 

After finishing up our meals, we had our orientation with Albert. He is so smart and knows all about the animals and plants in this rainforest. At the end of the presentation, he told us all about the potentially harmful animals. Yay for venomous snakes! Basically you have to be super careful walking anywhere, especially at night. Regardless, we were all super excited for the night hike! Only half of us got to go on it tonight because 30 people in a rainforest at night with one guide is a little much. Before we even left the sidewalks by our dorms, we came across tons of bugs and a huge toad. On one of the doors there was a moth that was nearly twice the length of an iPhone. Can't find that in College Station. Once we entered the forest, we saw countless bugs and frogs. We were on high alert for snakes, though. A few times Albert would go off and try to find different animals to show us. He is an absolute pro at finding things. For instance, he shined his light on a leaf and realized a caterpillar was on the bottom of it. I'm still trying to figure out how he managed to find that one. About halfway through the hike, we found our first snake high up in the tree. Props to Charley for that one. A minute later Albert found another one in a tree and grabbed it. It was not venomous, I promise! We all got the opportunity to hold it if we wanted, too. Of course almost all of us jumped at the opportunity and posed for some pictures. Too bad the snake smelled terrible and left our hands smelling gross. The price you pay for being adventurous. The rest of the hike was a lot of fun as we made our way deeper into the rainforest. At one point we turned all the lights off and just stood there in complete silence. You could really hear everything without the distractions of your other senses. It was so neat and the hike was such a unique experience. Tomorrow we begin our service projects so I could not be more excited! We had such an adventure for only half a day in the country so I can't wait to see what's to come! Plus I can't wait to see a sloth (hopefully!). It's going to be an exciting and busy next week but we all are stoked to experience Costa Rica!