2024 Costa Rica: Day 4
Greetings from Punta Leona!
Students were awake bright and early this morning and traveled out of San Jose to meet and learn with students from Zeta Trece school in La Fortuna. It was a colorful, exciting, and wonderful experience for all the students and teachers involved.
Here is an overview of how the day went from two of our students.
Ryan H. '28 reflects on the day:
Today was definitely an early start to the morning for some, but rest assured, nobody was forgotten. We boarded the buses in front of the Crown Plaza Hotel for the last time. Off we went, driving down the windy roads inbound for the Zeta Trece school in La Fortuna. The nearly four-hour drive was definitely worth it because the views were beautiful. The moment we stepped off the bus, the eyes of the students and faculty moved towards us.
The first event we attended was the assembly. As students started to take their seats, many non-Spanish speaking Bullis students started to practice basic words in Spanish so that they could communicate with the local students. The principal entered and welcomed Bullis to their school and Costa Rica. The Costa Rican students stood for a serious prayer and Bullis students followed. After the prayers concluded, we all rose for the Costa Rican National Anthem. The students performed a variety of things, including speeches, singing, and a dance called Tambito. Selected Bullis students from Spanish 2 were called upon to recite a poem.
The last part of the assembly was when the students performed The Battle of Santa Rosa. Next, everybody had recess, and many of us had fun playing soccer together. After recess, we all broke up to go visit classrooms and made collages about what our country is like. Before we left, I made a few friends that wanted me to say "Hi" to the Bullis community on their behalf. So, hello from Santiago, Filipe, and Kenny! After visiting the school, we made a stop at a local grocery store for snacks, because nobody wants to deal with 85 hungry and tired teenagers, let alone one. Back on the road, we made our way to lunch and gift shopping. Lunch had a great selection of food, like fish, salad, rice, and chicken. I can't wait to do so many more fun things this week!
Grace C. '28 writes about her experience:
An alarm was set for 4am but got lost in translation, so my roommate and I scrambled to get ready at 4:37am for our 5am wake-up call. After sleeping on the bus, I woke up, and we were at a fruit market with the cutest dog, who also happened to be blind. It sat quietly while greeting people from time to time, and taught us that you can be content and happy in any situation. We arrived at the school, where we were immediately greeted with smiles and hugs. All the little girls came running up to my friends and me, wanting pictures and to practice their English. After that, there was another bus ride where I once again slept but was woken up by the sound of 50 girls singing the song "Unwritten," and this caused a whole karaoke party. We finally arrived at the hotel and went to dinner at a local restaurant in Punta Leona. Everyone is healthy, content, and excited for the beach tomorrow!
As we settle in to Punta Leona for the night, students are gearing up for a day at the beach and Rainforest Adventures, where they will zip-line, ride an Aerial Tram, and enjoy the Butterfly Garden.
As always, enjoy a few photos from the day.
Pura vida!
Best,
The 8th Grade Team
