Day 1: March 14, 2026
We arrived in Costa Rica, where our CPI guide met us at the airport. We went to lunch and tried a traditional Costa Rican dish: casado, for the first time. It consists of rice and beans, salad, plantains, and a protein—¡Estuvo muy rico! Then we went to our hotel and jumped straight to the pool. We ended our first day ¡con un delicioso pollo asado para la cena!
Day 2: March 15, 2026
After breakfast, we went to ¡un hogar de adultos mayores! We put our gardening gloves on and put into action so they could have their garden area clean and ready for planting. We got to spend time with them and play some games. Our trip continued to Monteverde and met our ¡familia tica! with whom we would spend the entire week.
Day 3: March 16, 2026
We started our week with a short walk through downtown Santa Elena, where we did a little activity— ¡busqueda del tesoro! We also had our first cooking class; hicimos arroz con pollo, ¡estuvo muy rico! Then our first Spanish class began; we were excited to learn new words and phrases and learn a little more about Costa Rican culture. We finish the day ¡con clases de baile de musica Latina!
Day 4: March 17, 2026
Today visitamos la Reserva Santa Elena, a forest home to many species of animals and plants. We ventured in and saw birds, tarantulas, bats, and bees. ¡fue una divertida experiencia! Afterward, we had a delicious lunch and then returned to our Spanish classes.
Day 5: March 18, 2026
Today we took a coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane tour at El Trapiche. We learned how to make these traditional local treats, tasted each one, and enjoyed the coffee during lunch—¡el café estuvo muy rico! We then wrapped up our Spanish class and got to watch the sunset at the end of the day before heading back to our families.
Day 6: March 19, 2026
Today was an exciting day. We got to go do a zip-line adventure; it was full of adrenaline and fun. The weather was unique because there was a lot of fog. We also did the Bungee activity— ¡nunca olvidaré la experiencia! We had some free time in downtown Santa Elena before class, so we took the opportunity ¡para ir de compras!
Day 7: March 20, 2026
We started the day on our way to Finca Life Monteverde, where they showed us how coffee is grown and harvested, explained how they make fertilizers and the different types of coffee, and led us through an activity to help us distinguish between coffee flavors—from the most roasted to the sweetest. ¡Amamos el almuerzo del lugar! Featuring fresh salads from their own garden. It was also our last day of classes; we gave our presentations and held our small graduation ceremony. ¡Fue un día muy movido!
Day 8: March 21, 2026
Today we visited a new place, and we got to swim in the waters of the Fortuna Waterfall. Then we had lunch and went back to our accommodation. We packed our bags to head to the hot springs, went down the slide, and visited all the hot pools. After a day full of fun, we had a buffet dinner— ¡Todo estuvo muy rico!
Day 9: March 22, 2026
Today was our last day in Costa Rica. We’re taking home many adventures, new experiences, and memories, and we hope to return soon to enjoy the natural beauty this country has to offer. ¡Pura Vida, Costa Rica!
