Monday, March 21, 2016

Student Reflections: Cassandra, Alex (Monday)

We started out the day with our usual breakfast of rice and beans, but aside from that I also enjoyed some homemade delicious pancakes and mangoes. After walking to our destination, which was the Chilamate school, we took part in an activity that involved a lot of communication. Our WLS guide Sarah gave us some bandanas which we used to cover our eyes. I was a little skeptical about the activity at first, but in the end it turned out to be really fun and interesting. When the rain had finally ceased we heard a story about the school. Davis, who runs the Eco-lodge with his wife Megan, told us how the school budget was based on the amount of students they have, which unfortunately means that they can't afford many things like art, music, or other activities. After our talk with Davis, we began to start our work at the school.
- Cassandra 


After a group lunch at the eco-lodge we changed gears and took the tour bus to the white water rafting tours in Sarapiqui. Once we got to the river, we divided up into four groups of five or six people. The aura before the tour was a very nervous vibe because some of us had never rafted before or just didn’t like the idea of falling off of the boat. I was personally nervous because I am hard of hearing and I couldn’t wear my hearing aids in the water, so I wasn’t going to be able to hear the whole time. However, once we got on the rafts on the river, everyone seemed to forget about their fears and got caught up in the constant bouncing against the waves. Also, the singing and rapping gave everyone smiles on their faces. I also felt very supported by my peers and it created a great experience. After, we ate pineapple, watermelon and laughed at the pictures taken of us. It was definitely a highlight of the trip for me and everyone. 
-Alex