Life-changing experience: Costa Rica Beachside Service

I went on the beachside service adventure program in Costa Rica this summer, and it was an amazing experience. I was assigned to a service project that involved helping a community build a bridge so the children's walk to school would be more than cut in half, as the river we helped build a bridge over swelled up in the rainy season. The trip changed my perspective, and I went without knowing anyone else, so it really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I got to play basketball with local teenagers, go swimming in the ocean at sunset, make new friends, try to make costa Rican style art, visit an animal sanctuary, a natural hot springs, and so much more. Everyone on the staff was so kind, on one of the last nights they all shared personal stories about how they ended up volunteering abroad, and they were all so inspiring.