We are currently in San Jose, relaxing during our last evening here in the city. We just got back from an all day white water rafting trip on the Pacuare River. There are too many adjectives to describe today’s adventure- exhilarating, amazing, beautiful, breathtaking, scary, exciting- the list goes on!
We started the morning early with a 6:00 a.m. pick-up at our hotel, and drove through a gorgeous landscape of mountains, volcanoes, and farms. We stopped to enjoy an authentic Costa Rican breakfast: rice, beans, eggs, fresh tropical fruits, juice, and coffee. Then we were on our way to the river!
The group divided into three rafts, and paid careful attention as we learned how to use teamwork, communication, and our physical strength to steer the boats. We shoved off from the shoreline and were off! The four-hour trip included class 2, 3, and 4 rapids, as well as some smooth waters that were great for simply floating. Each boat had its share of wild times, but it only strengthened the excitement and cohesiveness we are finding in this amazing group! We stopped for lunch along the way, and then we were off again.
The group finished up the trip exhausted but thrilled with their jungle adventure. One boat even saw monkeys as we journeyed through Jurassic Park-like scenery. We were all sad to say goodbye to our amazing bilingual guide, Pepe (Paddle Hard!), but were happy to get back to our soft beds and hot showers here at the hotel.
Yesterday was a great day as well, although not nearly as exciting as a rafting trip! Orientation included games, meetings, a photo scavenger hunt, and a delicious dinner in a great local restaurant. We broke down into On-Assignment teams and started to talk about some of our ideas for final projects. Students brought technical expertise and knowledge to the table, and showed tons of enthusiasm for the investigations that are to come. We also practiced and learned common Spanish words and phrases, putting them into action as we journeyed into the center of Escazu, the neighborhood where our hotel is found.
The weather here is very typical of rainy season- hot and sunny in the morning, cool and rainy in the afternoon. The mountains behind our hotel are lush and green from all the rain!
Tomorrow we are off again to another adventure! Early in the morning we head to Tortuguero, a five-hour journey by bus and boat. We are anxiously anticipating the arrival of our National Geographic Expert, Greg Marshall. We will be back here in less than a week and look forward to updating you on our latest adventures!!!
Pura Vida!
Liz and Michael
