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Day 1: 11 January, 2026
Our journey officially began today as we arrived in San José, ready to trade our suitcases for Spanish textbooks and rainforest trails. The energy is high as we prepare for a week of learning, laughter, and living the Pura Vida lifestyle.
Day 2: 12 January, 2026
We spent a great day discovering historical places, focusing on the stunning architecture and stories inside the National Theater. Afterward, we headed to the Mercado Central to practice our Spanish while checking out all the tuanis things the local vendors had to offer—it was a total éxito!
Day 3: 16 January, 2026
Today was all about trabajo duro as we headed to Escuela 15 de Septiembre to help quitar paredes and improve the school's facilities for the students. We spent the day focused on making the school better, feeling proud to leave a little bit of our esfuerzo behind in San José!
Day 4: 17 January, 2026
We returned to the school today for some diversión, spending the whole morning playing and sharing with the children. It was such a tuanis experience to connect with the students and practice our Spanish in the most heartwarming way possible!
Day 5: 18 January, 2026
We took the transporte up to the beautiful mountains of Monteverde, enjoying the scenic drive before taking some tiempo libre to explore the charming town. It was so tuanis to wander the streets and discover all the small treasures and hidden gems this mountain community has to offer!
Day 6: 19 January, 2026
We headed to Reserva Santa Elena to explore the cloud forest and learn why this unique ecosystem exists. We spent the morning spotting animales and understanding the magic of the forest, then settled in for our very first Spanish class in Costa Rica! It was a day full of learning, both in the classroom and out in nature—¡qué tuanis!
Day 7: 20 January, 2026
We spent the day at LIFE Monteverde, where we got our hands dirty volunteering with planting and joined a charla to learn the secrets of organic decomposition. It was so interesante to see how they care for the earth! Once the sun went down, we headed out for a night tour to see the forest come alive—it was a totally mágico and tuanis experience!
Day 8: 21 January, 2026
We returned to LIFE Monteverde for another round of volunteering, helping with cleaning and more planting to keep the farm looking tuanis. After all that trabajo duro, it was time for some adrenaline! We spent the afternoon flying through the trees on a zipline tour and walking high above the forest on the hanging bridges. We ended the day with a delicious cena while watching a breathtaking atardecer—it was the perfect broche de oro!
Day 9: 22 January, 2026
After spending a great time in the cold and beautiful cloud forest, it was time to head toward the heat of the beach! But before leaving Monteverde, we visited a local private school for a charla to learn about their education structure y demás. It was so interesante to compare systems and hear from the local community. After that, we hit the road and swapped the mountain mist for the warm breeze of the costa—¡qué calor!
Day 10: 23 January, 2026
We visited another private school, this time in Tamarindo, for an eye-opening charla. We had a great talk about Siempre Amigos and the incredible work they do helping small communities—it was truly inspiring to see that espíritu of service in action! Afterward, we headed to the sand to enjoy some well-deserved time at the beach, wrapping up the day by watching a stunning atardecer over the ocean. ¡Fue un día muy tuanis!
Day 11: 24 January, 2026
We spent the day getting active with the local community, playing basketball with the children and picking up brushes to help paint the basketball court. It was a great way to bond and leave something colorful behind for the neighborhood! After finishing the trabajo, we headed back to the beach to relax, enjoy the water, and watch another beautiful atardecer. ¡Fue un día muy tuanis y lleno de energía!
Day 12: 24 January, 2026
After all the hard work, today was all about descanso and enjoying the ocean. We spent the morning at the beach taking a surf class, catching some waves and feeling the pura vida energy. In the afternoon, we hopped on a catamarán to sail the coast and watch the atardecer from the water—it was a truly tuanis way to relax! We ended the day headed back to the hotel to rest up after an incredible adventure.
Day 12: 24 January, 2026
Today marked our last day in this beautiful country. After an incredible journey filled with learning, service, and adventure, it was time to pack our bags and head back home. We left with our hearts full, our Spanish much improved, and memories of the spirit of this land that will stay with us forever. ¡Pura Vida!
