2026 Costa Rica: Day 5

Bullis in Costa Rica


Hello Bullis community!

Students were up early this morning to spend an eventful and fulfilling day exploring beautiful Uvita.

One group took surf lessons and enjoyed the sun on Playa Chaman, while the other group participated in tree-planting to support Costa Rica's ecosystem and a refreshing waterfall hike. Both groups came together at night for salsa lessons and karaoke! 

Everyone had a phenomenal time, and here are three reflections about the day:

From the perspective of Sophia L. '30 

Today was a great day! When we woke up, we heard the chirping sounds of multiple animals. On our way to the beach, we saw scarlet macaws! When we got to the beach, we split up into two groups to surf the waves! Surfing was exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. After a little rest in the hotel and lunch, we reconvened for our second beach trip of the day. Then it was time for dinner! After dinner, we learned some Salsa dancing, and I got to sing karaoke! It was a really cool experience to learn salsa dancing, especially because I don’t think I would have learned it on my own! Overall, today was an awesome day, and I am glad I got to try surfing and salsa dancing for the first time!

Ava N. '30 reflects on the day 

Today was a calm day for Group A. Our day began at 7 AM when we walked to our first breakfast in Uvita. After breakfast, we walked down to the beach where we learned how to surf. It was a lot of people’s first time surfing, so we took a mini class on how to mount the board properly and ride a wave. At first, it was a little scary getting on the board for the first time. Lots of people frequently fell off their surfboards until they were finally able to stand up on them. It was a new, unfamiliar, and thrilling experience. After surfing, we had a delicious lunch, just a short minute away from the beach. For the first time, Group A had a siesta due to the harsh sun we had been in all day. Following the siesta, we could either go to the pool or the supermarket. During the evening, we had our last dinner in Uvita, followed by dance lessons with one of our Global Works leaders, Randall. Randall taught us two different types of dancing: Meringue and Salsa. We also were able to karaoke and end the evening with a fun, connecting moment between classmates: both groups came together to sing happy birthday to me and Lexi!

Thoughts from Sai HB. '30

Our day started off early, and both groups came together and ate breakfast at my hotel, El Tecal. We then split, and my group drove to the rainforest for a waterfall hike. Once we arrived at the rainforest, we hiked around five minutes to plant trees, not only to help Costa Rica, but also our planet. We then continued our hike to the waterfall. As we got closer to the waterfall, the beautiful sounds of nature intensified. We arrived at the waterfall and everyone went wild and got so excited to finally jump in the refreshing water after hiking in the hot sun. We splashed, we dunked, and the best part was that Ms. King captured very fun memories for everyone with her camera. After enjoying the cooling water, everyone enjoyed multiple pieces of refreshing watermelon, and then we hopped back on the bus. On the bus ride back, we enjoyed the entertainment of each other by not using our phones. We had lunch back at the hotel, and after we finished eating, we had a “siesta”. The quiet moments were definitely needed: some napped, some showered, and some even decided to hang out with friends. Once everyone was rested and replenished, the two buses met back up and headed to the beach. Although we didn’t get to spend much time there due to high tides, everyone enjoyed themselves. Then, we headed back to our respective hotels and got ready for a much-needed dinner. Randal then taught us all some dances, like Merengue and Salsa. My personal favorite was Salsa. The fast-paced rhythm and quickness of our feet were very fun. Lastly, to close out the night, we got to hear some people’s beautiful singing voices. Singing along to karaoke and having fun was a great way to finish off one of our last nights on our 8th grade trip.

Tomorrow, the groups will switch itineraries and live these experiences from different perspectives. It will also be our last morning in Uvita, as we will travel to San Jose in the afternoon. We will close out the trip by celebrating our final evening with a farewell dinner alongside our incredible Global Works leaders.

As always, please enjoy some photos from the day. 

Pura vida! 

Best, 

The 8th Grade Team











 

Location: Puntarenas Province, Uvita, Costa Rica

Popular posts from this blog

2025 Costa Rica: Day 1

Image
Greetings from Costa Rica! It has been quite a day for our 8th grade students! They started with early morning flights, and ended the night working with our phenomenal Global Works Leaders to create community agreements on how to be inclusive, communicate effectively, and make the most of their time here in Costa Rica. The trip is off to a great start, and students are enjoying themselves as they settle into La Fortuna. Here are two first-hand perspectives from our young world travelers about their day and experiences in Costa Rica. Sienna S. reflects: "Today has definitely been a journey! The turbulence on the flight was a bit rocky at times, but we still made it through and I am excited to be here. We stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch. Even though it was only chicken, rice, and beans, the food was delicious and very flavorful. Seeing all of the oxen and wildlife made me realize that we are definitely in a foreign environment, and I am very excited to see more....
Read more

2025 Florida Keys: Day 1

Image
Hello! We've arrived safely in Key Largo after a looooong day of travel and adventure in the Everglades. Students viewed the wildlife from airboats, on foot, tram, and even by flashlight during an evening walk to spot nighttime predators in hunting action. It was Gator Nation down here in the Sunshine State! Please read below as some students describe their experiences in their own words: Ava N. Our first day in Florida consisted of many activities, including taking a tram tour through the Everglades National Park. Although the sun beat down on our backs, it was incredible to see the crocodiles, birds, and alligators! When we passed by a crocodile so close it could've snapped an arm or leg off, everybody took memorable photos. The fabulous fish in the crystal clear water swam with passion. As we walked up the tower, it felt as though we were on top of the world. Today was only day one, but we are already excited about the upcoming activities on our trip. Mariah R. Wal...
Read more

2025 Outer Banks, NC (OBX): Day 4

Image
Dear Bullis Parents and Community Members, Our four days of discovery, adventure, and learning beyond the classroom ended at our final stop—the historic Chicamacomico Life-saving Station. Standing there, with the wind in our faces and the ocean behind us, it was a perfect moment to reflect on all that the students had experienced. Through the eyes of our student bloggers, this week has been more than just visiting new places. It has been about friendship, collaboration, problem-solving, and moments of wonder that can't always be captured in a photo or blog entry, but will stay with them long after we return. Please enjoy two final reflections through the voices of our 6th-grade bloggers. Alana K. writes: Oh boy, what a week we had! The week started with the Wright Brothers Memorial, Jockey Ridge (sand dunes), and our hotel. We also went fishing at Jennette's Pier and visited the Coastal Studies Institute, where we learned about electricity and ocean health. We all had fu...
Read more