2024 Costa Rica: Day 1
Greetings from Costa Rica!
It has been quite a day for our 8th grade students - starting with early morning flights and ending with learning a traditional Costa Rican dance! The trip is off to a great start, and students are enjoying themselves as they settle into San Jose.
Here are two first-hand perspectives from our young world travelers about their day and experiences at Senor y Senora Ese.
Olivia S. '28 reflects:
Hola from Costa Rica! To get here, we boarded very early flights to either Miami or Charlotte, and later, we went on a second flight to our final destination in Costa Rica. Upon arriving, we met our tour guides, boarded two coach buses, and drove through San José, Costa Rica's capital city. On the way to lunch, we learned lots of new facts about San José and the country of Costa Rica. After lunch, we drove back through San José to explore our hotel rooms and settle in. Half an hour later, we traveled to dinner, where we took a deeper dive into Costa Rican cuisine and culture. We learned how to make a dish called empanadas, and we even made our own pastry dough using flour, salt, and water. Afterward, we sliced up different fruits and made our own fruit punch!
Summer A. '28 writes:
Today started off with a 3:00 a.m. wake-up call at the airport. We had a layover in Charlotte and got to roam around the airport while waiting for our second flight. After our long flight, we finally arrived in Costa Rica! On the way to the hotel, we stopped for lunch. For lunch, we got a buffet, which was a mix of Costa Rican and American food. After stopping at the hotel, we went to a cooking class and a traditional dance class/performance. We made empanadas, and I loved kneading the dough and filling it with refried beans. Lastly, I was mesmerized by the intricate traditional dancing. They even taught us a few moves, and while most of us weren't naturals, it was still a lot of fun. Pura vida!
After students get some much-needed rest, tomorrow we will set off for white-water rafting on the Sarapiqui River and complete a hike at the Tirimbina Rainforest Center.
Please enjoy a few photos from the day, and we will continue to keep you updated about our adventures throughout the week.
Pura vida!
Best,
The 8th Grade Team
Ms. Kathryn Rutherford
