Bullis Blog | Global Studies Trips

Good morning from the San José Airport,  The time has come to say goodbye to Costa Rica. Students are checked in and ready to board their flight. There were many different emotions at our group debrief with Dr. Moreno and our Global Works leaders last night - sadness at the thought of leaving, joy for the memories made, confidence from stepping outside their comfort zone, and an eagerness at the thought of reuniting with families. Students also shared their highlights with the group - Volcano Arenal, white water rafting on the Balsa River, community service in Santa Ana, time spent at Chrisley Cheese Farm, zip-lining through the La Fortuna rainforest, planting trees on the waterfall hike, and surf lessons at Playa Chaman.  Here are two reflections from our students on the trip as a whole.  London D. reflects on the trip:  "Overall, our Discovery Days trip to Costa Rica was amazing! The most challenging moment in the whole trip was making the sidewalk....

Greetings, Bullis families and community!  It is our final evening in Costa Rica, and emotions are bittersweet. Students spent a lovely morning exploring the beach and lounging by the pool in Uvita. Then it was time to travel by bus to San Jose, stopping for souvenir shopping on the way. We ended the evening by celebrating and reflecting on the trip with our Global Works leaders.  Two students reflected on the day.  From the perspective of Addie W.E.: "It’s our last full day in Costa Rica, and it has been a wild ride. This morning we woke up bright and early at 7:00am and started packing for our last hotel of the trip. We then made our way to breakfast. Later, we had the option to go to either the pool or the beach. I chose to go to the beach called Playa Chamán, and it was so much fun! We walked into the water and jumped over all the waves. After enjoying a bit of time at the beach, we made our way back to the hotel for showers and packing. We put our suitcases...

Hello, Bullis community! Students were up early this morning to spend an eventful and fulfilling day exploring beautiful Uvita. Their day comprised of surf lessons on Playa Chaman, tree-planting to support Costa Rica's ecosystem, a waterfall hike, and ended with salsa lessons and karaoke! Everyone had a phenomenal time, and here are two reflections about the day: A few words from Mahlia A.: "Today was amazing! We woke up from our first night in Uvita, bright and early, at 6:30 AM. First, we headed over for breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, our day officially started. My bus group headed to the mountains for a hike. As we ascended the mountain, we stopped along the way to help the Costa Rican forest ecosystem by planting trees. We then headed higher up the mountain and finally reached a beautiful waterfall. As we took a dip in the refreshing water, we played games, had contests, and took photos. We then went to the beach for a surf lesson. After patiently waiting an...

Greetings from Uvita! The time to say goodbye to La Fortuna and Volcano Arenal has come. After spending time reflecting with our Global Works guides about our day of service, students set off for zip-lining and the bus ride to Uvita. Here are a few words from our adventurous students about today's experiences. From the perspective of Maggie F.: "Bye, La Fortuna! It was time to travel to Uvita, but first, we participated in some thrilling zip lines! As my group ascended into the sky, nervous excitement lingered in the air. I approached the practice zip line, making sure to practice the proper technique. I crossed my ankles, grasped the handlebars, and laid back in a sloth-like position. Toward the end of the line, they instructed us to open our legs and shake the handlebar in order to steadily reach the landing platform. The zip lines were the most exhilarating thing ever! I moved at lightning speed across long zip lines as harsh wind blew across my face. My favorite part ...

Hola Bullis Community! Our students have spent another beautiful and action-packed day in La Fortuna! As mentioned yesterday, students were able to switch itineraries today. All of the students were eager to participate in the community service, cheesemaking, and white-water rafting after hearing how wonderful the experiences were from their peers.  Here are two reflections on today's events from our young globe-trotters.  From the perspective of George S.: "Hello from Costa Rica! Today, we went out to a local community to do some service by building new sidewalks. It was hard work, but I felt very accomplished when we finished laying the concrete! It was very fun to be able to collaborate and interact with locals, like the kids who we played soccer with after our work! We also went to a farm to learn about the ins and outs of making cheese, as well as meeting the animals. I can't wait to go home and share everything with my friends and family, but until then, there...