Day 4 & 5 Pictures

Here, students build soccer goals out of PVC pipe to help benefit the school playground.


Elementary school students and trip participants pose for one last picture.

A Hercules Beetle (I can see where its name comes from) hangs out close to our living quarters.

Dr. Eugenio Gonzales briefs volunteers on how to press newly collected samples.

Lunch at a soda in La Fortuna consisted of steamed vegetables, chicken, and a Costa Rican edition of French Fries.

A rare clear view of the Arenal Volcano. The wire is a portion of the zipline.

On our night nature hike we discovered one of Costa Rica's trademark, the Red-Eyed Leaf Frog.

Local school students demonstrate traditional Costa Rican dance and encouraged our group to join them.

Jose shows off his newly painted shirt to Matt.

While collecting plant samples in the rainforest, students got a great view of one of several waterfalls.

This is a video of zipline action over the canopy. The Arenal lake and Volcano are visible throughout the ride.

Day 5: Zipping through Costa Rica

We started off our morning at the early hour of 5:30 due to late night hike and schedule changes. We were informed that we couldn't visit the school in the morning due to a visit from administration. After everyone rushed through breakfast, we began to load the bus with school supplies. Luckily we got to see Alberth one last time and he took a picture with us. We then headed off to Sky Trek, the zip lining headquarters near Lake Arenal. Everyone was pretty tense as we got geared up and headed up a steep lift. Upon our steep arrival, our gear was inspected and we were all handed tropical drinks (non-alcoholic seeing as it was 7 am). Everyone completed the two practice zip lines to get acquainted with the posture, which was similar to that of a sloth hanging off a branch. However, our next run was over five times as a long and over 300 feet above ground. We definitely heard some deafening squeals from the girls as they were pushed off the platforms and swinging above the rain forest. Zipping from platform to platform, we saw the most amazing view of Lake and Mt. Arenal. After 6 runs we found ourselves ready for the "Big Daddy," the longest (.5 miles) and fastest zip line. However all good things come to an end. Once we finished the course, we stayed on the balcony of the headquarters taking pictures in front of Mt. Arenal.
We then headed off to La Fourtuna to eat lunch at a "local soda,"La Choza del Laurel. The MSC treated us to a ice-cold soda and a delicious three-course meal consisting of salad, a choice of beef tenderloin, garlic fish, or chicken, and a desert of ice cream and fruit. Lunch took a little longer than we had anticipated, but it was delicious. This was our second meal without rice and beans!
After lunch, we rode on the bus back to the school. Everyone seemed extremely disappointed when we realized the younger kids had already left for the day. It took a while to get things organized, but we finally got it together. Luke, our adviser, awed the students, both Costa Rican and American, with his wonderful magic skills consisting of ropes, cards, sponges, and shoe laces. After the show, the A&M students were broken up into three groups to interact with the different classes of children. We played English-learning games using a soccer ball or hangman. The students we worked with today were the older children. They seem to deal with the some of the same issues as high school students in America. They also seemed extremely receptive to our attempts to help them with their English skills. We even learned a little Spanish along the way! After we had finished with the games, it was time to play soccer in the scorching heat. The people that didn't play soccer went around the school and picked up trash. It was slightly shocking to see the large amount of waste piled up around the school, considering how clean and environmentally friendly Costa Ricans seem to be.
J.J. and Johan had gone to town to get PVC pipes to build soccer goals. They finally arrived around 4:30 and the boys (and Liz) got to work sawing and assembling the goals while the girls cleared off the abundance of rocks scattered across the field. Two of our new friends, Fernando and Andre stayed behind to be the first to use their new gift. A local man even rode up on horseback to check out the action.
All in all, this trip has been an absolutely fantastic experience for all of us. Not only did we gain by experiencing a new culture, but we also gained by giving back to the community we visited. We even plan on keeping contact with some of the local students. One of the greatest gains, however, is the bonds we've made with each other and the wonderful people we've met through hard work and honest service.
After dinner we had reflection time, in which we all shared our favorite part of this wonderful program. We then reviewed travel plans for tomorrow morning and are ready for bed. We can't wait to see everyone again. Until tomorrow, Pura Vida!

Just another beautiful day in Costa Rica

Day four started out equally as early as the past with a breakfast of beans and rice, fresh fruit, and a treat, fresh corn tortillas. Along with a side of fresh squeezed cantaloupe juice we were ready to start our busy day.
The half of us that were at the school yesterday stuck around here today, sending about 9 into the rain forest and leaving 5 to explore the center. We were looking for ferns and mosses, and were instructed to collect 3 samples of each, and write down where we found each plant as well as a detailed description for future identification. Those of us that stuck around the center found 19 different species, including the red fern after climbing down into a ravine to capture the sample. I guess we found out where the red fern grows-Costa Rica! While searching for the plants we also found a camouflaged bug (we thought it was a leaf at first). We appropriately named him Harold. Those who went into the rain forest brought back some of the largest fern specimen we had ever seen, and were even lucky enough to stumble upon two waterfalls! We're going back later tonight for a night hike. Don't worry parents, we've got flashlights! After collecting the samples we all met up in the lab and like our peers did yesterday, pressed the plants and identified them using our notes and pictures. Hopefully our work today will help future researches and make their jobs a little bit easier.

The group that went to the school found out quick that the students were still excited and eager to learn. Starting off, the group and the students circled up and introduced themselves. Then they split up into several small groups playing learning games with Twister, a beach ball, and flashcards. After about thirty minutes of the games it was lunch time for the students. After a quick meal, a game of soccer was played. Not just any game of soccer though, the students had to say the correct answer to a flashcard and if correct they got a chance to take a penalty kick. After the penalty kick game the younger students were able to make custom t-shirts. This was very exciting and the students were very thankful. For the older students, a few were selected to learn a few basic programs on the computer which was very successful. The rest of the older students reviewed flashcards and played a competitive game of soccer.

After lunch all the ladies got dressed up for what officially became known as "cute outfit day", and got ready to go to the local town, La Fortuna. As we were heading down to the buses, a group of girls found a beetle the size of a rhinoceros outside of their door. Needless to say, the rain forest experienced a new kind of sound today- the screams of about 10 disgusted girls. While in La Fortuna we were given the chance to shop around and buy some souveniers to not only remind ourselves of our time in Costa Rica, but also bring back gifts to help our friends and family better understand our experiences. On the way there we really lucked out, when the bus driver spotted a three-toed sloth. He pulled over and allowed all of us to get a good look at it as well as take some pictures. In La Fortuna we got to experience Costa Rican culture first hand as we bartered for items, tried local cuisine, and just enjoyed the beautiful scenery. We all left with many new treasures to show our friends and family.
When we arrived back from La Fortuna we were greeted with a pleasant surprise. The high school aged students that we had been helping at the school came to perform a traditional Costa Rican dance. There were 3 male and 4 female students, all in full costume proudly displaying their culture for us. After the performance, our own students were invited to dance with the performers, a real treat for everyone. It was great for us to have the chance to partake in their culture in such an intimate way. After the final dance, we all headed down for a meal together of hamburgers and french fries, quite the change from the typical beans and rice. After we finished eating, we surprised two of our peers who were celebrating birthdays, Alex and Dustin, the celebration included cake and singing.
The night ended with a night hike. We found all kinds of frogs including the red-eyed tree frog (the "symbol" of the rain forest-or Rainforest Cafe) which is not an animal people typically find, so we were very lucky. Along with the tree frog we found a leopard frog, according to Alberth, our guide, the first recorded one in the area. Although it got away before he could get it to bring back to the lab, we got pictures and have proof we found it. We hiked all the way to the top of a hill where we were able to look out upon the Soltis Center and really appreciate it for all that it was. We stopped on the way up and back multiple times to observe numerous frogs, insects, and even a snake. On the way back we stopped and turned off all of our flashlights and just listened to the rain forest, taking in the sounds of everything we had the chance to see-and everything we hadn't been able to see. With this chance we got to see the lightning bugs, stars, and just take in everything the rain forest had to offer.
We had a busy day today, and have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow complete with zip-lining and heading down to the school again, so its time for us to get some shut eye!

Until tomorrow,
xoxo
Amanda, Chris, Dustin and the whole gang.

Day 3 Fotografia

A hazy view of the Arenal Volcano, the most active volcano in Costa Rica. Don't be worried Moms, we stayed far enough back.

Rachael and Alberth share a great view on the ignious rocks of the Arenal Volcano.

Lake Arenal just below our hiking position on the Volcano. The hydroelectric energy from this lake powers 20% of the country.

This is the group of scientists that entered the rainfores to collect samples of a variety of plants to press and dry for future research at the Soltis Center.

Channing and Dustin cutting a sample from high in the trees.

High School students still study the same Chemistry all over the world. I always hoped no one else would have to deal with moles.

Chris taught several of the older students how to play a new game, mancala.

Day 3 - Braches, Bingo, and Bubbling Lava!

Day 3 started with another Costa Rican breakfast of rice and beans (surprise surprise) at 6:30 a.m. After breakfast we split up into 2 groups: school and rainforest. We ventured through the rain to our first destination of the day.
The rainforest group started off in a classroom with a Tico (Costa Rican) named Eugenio Gonzalez, who knew almost as much as Alberth when it came to plants. He went over everything we were supposed to be doing, which was some real big kid work. He split us up into two groups to explore the rainforest and the land surrounding the Soltis Center to collect flowers, weeds and other types of vegetation to be recorded in a plant registry for research. Between the two groups, we collected about 37 species of plants. While we collected them, we made notes of where they were found. After an hour of work that seemed like pulling weeds, we all met back up to work on the next step of our project: pressing our specimens! After placing one specimen at a time between newspaper and then cardboard, we stacked the ready to be pressed plants and tied them together suuuper tight between two boards. During this process, a (very unlucky) scribe recopied the location and a detailed description of the plant and organized them into a number system. We placed the entire thing in a container that basically drains the moisture from the plants so they can be manipulated easier and kept longer. This work is very important because the forest is ever-changing, scientists need to follow the increase and decline of individual plants. (I know, SUCH exciting work. But keep reading, it gets better!) After all this hard labor, we did a little bit of gardening. We were introduced to some neon colored flowers that will actually regrow if they're picked, fun fact. Some of us were actually brave enough to eat them (before we found out they were harmless). We are such daredevils in MSC Fish.

Within the education group, we split up into smaller groups that were specific to age groups. Half of us worked with the younger kids, and the rest of us worked with the older kids.
In the older age group, we started out by introducing ourselves, telling our age and an interesting fact-- all in Spanish. We had the students do so in Spanish. This was great because it helped them warm up to us and realize that we're learning too, so this really helped loosen the nerves of the language barrier.
Next, we formed a big circle with the kids, and tossed around a beach ball popcorn style and answered get-to-know you questions. We answered in Spanish and the kids answered in English. We were amazed by how well some of the kids read and responded to the questions on the ball. Next, we broke into smaller groups: two of us circled up with about four students to review flashcards. We halved the deck, giving the kids one half so that we could take turns quizzing each other. They enjoyed laughing at our mispronunciations, and it helped both of us learn together. We also played memory cards, taught them how to play Mancala, colored and made bracelets together. One of the most effective and fun activities was Twister! The kids caught on so well and had a blast! It really helped them learn their colors and body parts in a fun and interactive manner. It was incredible to see how open and accepting these kids are. They truly want to teach us and they are eager to learn. We quickly learned that nonverbal communication goes a long way-- a smile and laughter are universal. It was so great to interact, teach and learn from them, as well as to see that people are still people, despite the many differences between us. Overall, these kids completely blew our expectations out of the water-- they are truly amazing people.
In the group with the younger children, we did similar activities. First, we went up to a covered area, circled up and introduced ourselves in Spanish then in English. The small kids were very quiet at first, but soon warmed up to us as we showed that we were just as insecure speaking Spanish as they were speaking English. We made many errors-substuting "huevos"(eggs) for "juegos" (games) and other similar phrases. We played the beach ball game for a while, getting them to practice saying basic English phrases. We then played volleyball, mancala, and dominoes, as well as talked to the kids in basic Spanish to get to know about their lives and families. They ate lunch extremely early, around 9:30, and then came into the classroom. Inside, we colored nametags and made bead bracelets, and had a blast teaching each other the Spanish and English terms for different colors and shapes. Afterward, we played bingo in which a spanish phrase was called out and the kids crossed out the English counterpart on the cards. Each of the children definitely had some personality. They joked with you, were fascinated with Mr. Altendorf's magic tricks, and wanted your full attention. They also loved pictures-seeing old pictures on your camera from America as well as making their own place in the memory card. We were definitely sad to leave at noon, but we are looking forward to seeing them again on Wednesday!
The groups both met back up at the center for lunch before departing for Arenal Volcano. The hour long bus ride was the driest our clothes have been since arriving in Costa Rica. The drive was terrifying, but beautiful as usual amongst the wild roads and lush scenery. Once we arrived at the volcano trails, Alberth led us deep into the rainforest and up onto a lava flow from 1992. It looked just how you would imagine Jurassic Park - huge boulders, thick vegetation, and a beautiful view of a lake. Once at the top, we could hear the faint rumbling of the lava that was obscured by fog. We took many pictures in this exotic location. On the way back to the center, we stopped in La Fortuna for a preview of tomorrow afternoon's activities in town.
We have been very blessed to be able to come on this trip. All of these experiences are incredibly unique - not what a typical tourist might see - we have been able to interact with the rainforest and the Tico culture in an intimate level that none of us could have imagined.

Love,
Cary, Meagan, Allison, and the rest of the gang

Day One and Day Two Pictures!

"In the jungle, the mighty jungle, Alberth shows the way!"

Kevin and Allison stopping to take in the picture perfect scenery.

The leaf cutter ants destroyed this plant leaving only two leaves! It was amazing to see all the critters in action.

The whole gang at the front gate of the Soltis Center.

Chilling on the porch. What a view....

There are bugs everywhere you look. Austin, Megan, and Blair are fascinated by the leaf- mimicking kadydid.

Dr. Doolittle, St. Frances, or Alberth Rojas?

He was having an intense conversation with the hummingbirds.

Albreth in action! He would practically pluck butterflies out of the air!

Observing the croccodile pit!

We crashed on the cold tile floors between events.

FACOW!!

Just one of the beautifully vibrant tropical wild flowers.

At the airport in San Jose! About to load the bus.

Costa Rica 2010-Day 2

Day two started off delicious. We ate a breakfast of arroz (rice), frijoles (beans), juevos (eggs), y frutas (fruits). After our 6:30 breakfast, we walked down the main drive of the Soltis Center and down the road a bit to the school we will be working at the next few days. Before we left, we got Alberth to take a picture of the whole group in front of the Soltis Center Sign. On the way there we stopped and took in many of the sights that we could not see on the way in last night. By the time we had gotten to the bottom of the main drive, we were all amazed by Alberth's seemingly endless knowledge of the rain forest. He could recognize a bird's species by simply listening to the bird's songs. He had conversations with these birds, luring them closer so that he could show all of us the birds he summoned. Alberth's relationship with nature is a mix between Dr. Doolittle and St. Francis. As we walked down the road he continued to tell us about the different trees as we marveled at the beauty of the surrounding flowers. Once we got to the school we all noticed immediately the differences in our schools. The school is a single room classroom, one for elementary, and one for the high school. Both schools share a dirt soccer field that was surrounded by forest. One wrong kick, and that ball is gone. Before we left the school we tried some natural fruit that grew on a tree behind the school. It was called Sour Orange. The name says it all. A couple of us tried it and others decided not to based on our reactions. As we journeyed back to the Soltis Center we began to realize why the locals are in such good shape. The walk back was draining as we ascended back to the top of the hill where the Center is located. As we reached the top, a rejuvenating rain came down on us as we waited for the group to congregate. Back at the Center we rested as we waited for our next plans. After about an hour break we headed into the rain forest behind Alberth where we truly got to take in the beauty of our surroundings. As we made our way through the forest we kept our voices to a minimum while we basked in the freshness of the sights, sounds, and smells of the area. Alberth continued to amaze us with his facts about the forests. The destination of our hike took us to a grassy look out where we had an amazing view of the Center. It is here that we discover the most terrifying ants we had ever seen. He explained to us that the locals used to use these ant's pinchers as staples to sew up cuts when they didn't have other medical equipment to do so. After our trek in the rain forest we broke for lunch for quite possibly the greatest meal we have ever had. We had home grown salad, rice, beans, and breaded chicken. However, it was not normal breaded chicken, this was delicious Costa Rican breaded chicken. To go along with this we had sweet and sour sauce made with plantains that made the chicken that much better. After letting our food settle a bit we headed to the buses to go to the butterfly gardens. The issue that arose here is that one of the buses could not make it up the rocky road leading up to the main drive of the Soltis Center. So half the group ran for the bus that made it up the mountain while the other half of us walked down the road to meet where the other bus had stopped. The butterfly garden is located at the university that Alberth studies at. He first showed us where he takes his classes and even where he hangs out after classes. After seeing this he took us to the butterfly room. Here we saw the life cycles of the butterfly and then went into the garden where the butterflies live. We tried very hard to blend in with the plants, but very few butterflies actually landed on us (much to our dismay). To amaze us even more, Alberth snatched butterflies out of the air, and then would hold them while we all took pictures. After seeing the butterflies he took us to see the crocodiles. Here he explained to us that some of the crocodiles he could reach lengths of over 7 meters. We then got back on the bus and made sure everyone was accounted for. On the way back to the Center, we stopped at a local market to try some Costa Rican snacks. When we got back, the buses dropped us off about a half mile from the Center because of muddy road conditions. So once again we walked back up the hill, but this time we had a steady rain coming down on us the whole way up. Back at the center we rested and cleaned up a bit before dinner. For dinner we once again had the infamous rice and black beans, however this time we had it with pork chops. For desert we had a homemade Costa Rican praline desert with some type of nut in it. After dinner we regrouped and planned for tomorrows activities where we will be splitting up into groups. One going to the school, and the other into the rain forest to help with some research. As we get ready for bed, the rain continues and the birds and bugs continue to sing.

Good Night from Costa Rica,
Love,
Blair, Jared, Tommy, and the whole rest of the gang

p.s. The Costa Rican Diet (beans, rice, and walking. Up Hill. Both Ways.) is the new South Beach