Getting Ready!!
26 grudnia 2022, Stany Zjednoczone ⋅ ⛅ 28 °F
Eleven Longwood students and two faculty members will soon be departing for beautiful Costa Rica to study sustainability, economic development, and tourism in a country that is on the frontier of Czytaj więcej
Getting ready to board!
28 grudnia 2022, Stany Zjednoczone ⋅ 🌙 28 °F
What a good looking group I have. We are getting ready to board the plane for Panama!! I hope you guys follow our journal.
Home for our first night
28 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F
We are in a small community outside of the capital, close to the airport. Miss Laura is a gracious host and we hire her to cook our dinner (chicken fajitas). We have spent the morning g exploring Czytaj więcej
Central market
28 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F
There is nothing I love more than a market. Students were sent on a scavenger hunt in the market to find unusual fruits, vegetables that are not familiar, Costa Rican brands, etc. The people are Czytaj więcej
Quiet reflection
28 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F
We stopped for quiet reflection in Central Park. Students were asked to sit and observe. The noticed multi-generational families together, people eating lunch from the takeaway restaurants, Latin Czytaj więcej
Today’s tasting
29 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F
Real chicharrón (pork rinds) at the market. Super fresh and delicious.
Impromptu stop at church
29 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
We made an impromptu stop at a stunning church and it welcomed visitors. The national religion of the country is Catholic.
Unesco recognized
29 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F
Historically, coffee was carried over the mountains by o carts like the one depicted in the sculpture and wall art.
Mask workshop
29 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F
Here we are at the workshop of Heraldo Montoya, a famous mask maker. He learned from his father and grandfather. These masks are used in celebrations in Costa Rica. The idea is to dance in an Czytaj więcej
Mask competition
29 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F
Mr. Montoya challenged the group to a competition. I see a lot of talent in this group. And the winner gets a prize. Initially, the prize was to stay and work on masks for a year. But we settled for a Czytaj więcej
Another tasting
29 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F
This time it is chicha, alcohol made from fermented corn, ginger, and sugar cane. The students enjoyed it. And then the students were introduced to sugar cane.
In Palmichal
29 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ 🌧 63 °F
We will spend two days in a rural tourism project, exploring the main agricultural product (coffee) and participating in activities with locals. This is our lodge and the 100% clean river that runs Czytaj więcej
Coffee in the mountains
29 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ 🌧 63 °F
Coffee is the main product here and we have been passed by several tucks transporting coffee cherries from the fields.
Pizza with the locals
29 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ 🌧 63 °F
Dinner is homemade pizza, Tico style. It’s nice to be in a local home. Students have been practicing their Spanish.
Latin dancing
29 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F
Students received a great class in Latin dancing…Salsa, Bachata, Cumbia, and Merengue.
Hike up to the farm
30 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
We endured a long hike up to the coffee farm today. But it was beautiful.
Coffee picking
30 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
After a great presentation about coffee, students had to experience the life of a coffee picker. Hard work, especially in sandals.
And this is what makes it worthwhile
30 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F
After our coffee farm experience, we hiked to a scenic look where we can see all of Palmichal. Of course, it is all uphill. But check out this view. There is coffee planted straight up the mountains.
Presentation about this project
30 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F
Out of need to protect the water that fed the houses, a sustainable development organization was born. Farms were contaminating the water with their animal wastes and fertilizers. There are lots of Czytaj więcej
Tortilla class
30 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ 🌧 64 °F
Students learned how to make tortillas without a press. It is a challenge to keep them perfectly round, but our teacher was a pro.
Cooking competition
30 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ 🌧 64 °F
Students are making part of the dinner for tonight by preparing guacamole and pico de gallo. This is a competition, and we will judge on the basis of taste and presentation. Job well done! We also Czytaj więcej
Bonfire time
31 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
We closed out our night with a bonfire and s’mores. Of course, we had to bring the Hershey bars from home, but we enjoy sharing this American tradition with locals.
Farmer breakfast
31 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
We went to my friend, Sergio‘s, family farm for a campesino breakfast. This is what the locals would have packed when they went into the farm years ago to work all day. The dishes wrapped in banana Czytaj więcej
Long days
31 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
Our days are pretty action-packed here in Costa Rica. I don’t waste any time, and there is not much opportunity for naps. Am I wearing these students out?
Passing the Pacific
31 grudnia 2022, Kostaryka ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F
We are en route to Monteverde but we have to pass right next to the Pacific Ocean, which we will play in later. You can almost see the island of San Lucas, which once was a prison (until 1991). Now it Czytaj więcej