In the predawn light, a cluster of backpacks and suitcases steadily\u00a0grew in the JFK Airport. \u00a0Anticipation, expectation, trepidation and\u00a0excitement mingled in a flow of introductions and farewells… Parents\u00a0said their final goodbyes and we set off for Costa Rica; eagerly\u00a0exchanging greetings…<\/p>\n
The plane descended through the clouds revealing azul waters and\u00a0pointed peaks of green – Costa Rica was entering clear resolution.<\/p>\n
Upon passing through customs, the group was met by a brilliant day and\u00a0a smiling Annie and don Gerardo who lead us to the vans which would\u00a0carry us to the mountain village of San Gerardo where orientation\u00a0could commence proper. \u00a0Spirits were high as we entered the open road…<\/p>\n
Despite a long drive after a significant flight, the group was met by\u00a0don Francisco who owned and operated Hotel Descanso (don Francisco,\u00a0now in his early 60s and lithe and fit as ever, has lived in San\u00a0Gerardo his entire life and shared his wealth of knowledge). \u00a0After a\u00a0traditional meal of gallo pinto pollo y frutas, the group happily took\u00a0reprieve in their rooms…<\/p>\n
The group cheerfully arose to sweeping mountain vistas and inviting\u00a0food. \u00a0The group took to their leaders orientation games with\u00a0alacrity; forsaking hesitation for engagement…<\/p>\n
We set out with don Francisco to visit his shade-grown coffee farm on\u00a0land that he inherited from his father. \u00a0The farm flowed up and into\u00a0indigenous forest containing trees upwards of 1000 anos de edad. \u00a0We\u00a0continued climbing until we reached the submit overlooking the valleys\u00a0below and beyond. \u00a0We paused at the peak, taking in the view and\u00a0planting sapplings that stemmed from a donation by the Global Routes\u00a0participants….<\/p>\n
We returned for lunch…<\/p>\n
We braved the afternoon rain, hiking up to natural hot springs where\u00a0we soaked away the fatigue and jet lag…<\/p>\n
Upon arrival to our host community, San Salvador de Baru, the group\u00a0was met by our host families who were ready with potluck style snacks\u00a0and delicious juices. \u00a0Students met their host families then students,\u00a0host parents and kids played a ferocious game of blob tag. \u00a0Soon\u00a0students parted ways and set off in pairs with their host families for\u00a0their first night in the home stay.<\/p>\n
After settling in with our host families, everyone headed to bed in\u00a0preparation for their first day on the work project. \u00a0Bright and early\u00a0at 7:30am, the group met at the San Salvador elementary school. \u00a0After
a game and debrief of the first night, we dug the trenches for the\u00a0project foundation and learned to build “tico style”, making a rebar\u00a0frame. \u00a0Day two at the work site consisted of moving concrete blocks
in preparation for mixing and pouring cement tomorrow! \u00a0After work,\u00a0some students attended a women’s soccer game with their host moms\u00a0while others explored a local swimming hole.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the predawn light, a cluster of backpacks and suitcases steadily\u00a0grew in the JFK Airport. \u00a0Anticipation, expectation, trepidation and\u00a0excitement mingled in a flow of introductions and farewells… Parents\u00a0said their final goodbyes and we set off for Costa Rica; eagerly\u00a0exchanging greetings… The plane descended through the clouds revealing azul waters and\u00a0pointed peaks of green – Costa […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-costa-rica-7312"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalroutes.org\/staging\/8011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalroutes.org\/staging\/8011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalroutes.org\/staging\/8011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalroutes.org\/staging\/8011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalroutes.org\/staging\/8011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2668"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalroutes.org\/staging\/8011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2668\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalroutes.org\/staging\/8011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalroutes.org\/staging\/8011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalroutes.org\/staging\/8011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}