The next morning we awoke to the incessant squaking of Margarita’s parrot. After a quick breakfast, we said our goodbyes and set off to our next location. We bounced along in our bus and marveled at the colorful sights. Upon arrival, we were led down a steep hill to the rooms where we would spend the night. We dropped off our bags and headed to a dinner of rice, beans, and fresh pressed juice. When we looked out the window, we saw the glimmering city lights or San Isidro and fell asleep to the chirping of cicadas.
After a (too) early wake-up, we experienced the most exhilarating part of our journey
yet: ziplining over the birds and trees of Costa Rica. It was fantastic! Not only was the sight breathtaking, our guides were also extremely accommodating. We then hopped on a bus and we were off to our next stop.
The Rainforest Adventure Center was stunning! We were welcomed warmly by Mauricio and his Family, who cooked us hearty meals daily. The experiences and activities further connected us as a group and introduced us to Costa Rica. For example, Doña Rosa, (Mauricio’s mother), shared her culture with us by teaching us how to make tortillas.
We also were introduced to the Temazcal, a special sauna that rejuvenated us after our strenuous activities. Four days later, as our final goodbye, we had a giant feast with Mauricio’s whole family. We bade our final goodbyes (to the parrot especially) and we were off to the final stop before we met our host families.
Overall, orientation week was a blast, and we can’t wait to see what we do next!
