Broadreach: Costa Rica & Nicaragua Spanish and Soccer

This program to the magical island of Long Key Belize and the exhilarating adventures in Costa Rica proved to be a once in a lifetime experience. The trip began in Belize as our small group traveled to the small island of Long Key. This island to this day is my favorite spot in the world. We spent a week earning our diving certifications, exploring local islands, and experiencing the Belize culture with our new island friends. Between diving, kayaking, star gazing, and dance parties there was never a moment where we were not having the time of our lives, making leaving so sad. But on we were to our next adventures in Costa Rica where we departed from our relaxing island lifestyle and hiked up mountains, tried exotic fruits and plants, repealed, cliff jumped, build a cement area for local kids to play on, slept under a cave, white water rafted and surfed. This experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and I learned so much more about myself then I ever imagined. I am so honored to have been able to go on this life changing experience and I highly recommend it to any environment loving, adrenaline seeking teenager.

This program was the first Broadreach adventure that I have been on but I do not think it will be the last! It was an incredible experience from start to finish. From the moment I arrived in Belize my two instructors were welcoming, supportive, and hilarious! Our group of 9 was an epic one and I can truly say that I made friends on this trip to last a lifetime. Everyone worked well together and we were constantly making each other laugh. We did everything from making up choreographed dances, to giving each other nicknames, to eating meals while speaking in accents. Not only did this trip give me the opportunity to visit 3 countries in a little over three weeks, I also got to try tons of new activities! For the first week of the trip (in Belize), we went scuba diving...which was AWESOME. I got my PADI certification while on the trip and developed a love for the sport. In Costa Rica we did things like hiking and white water rafting and in Panama we went surfing!!! We were constantly on the go, but I didn't mind. On top of all of the fun new things I got to try, I also got to interact with some locals in the countries that we visited through community service projects. We helped to build a greenhouse for a school in Costa Rica and painted soccer goals for another school on an island in Panama. The service work was extremely rewarding and spending time with the kids was a ton of fun! One of my favorite memories from the trip was when we took a break from building the greenhouse and played a game of soccer with the kids from the school in Costa Rica. I loved every minute of my trip and was very sad to have to leave after only 24 days. I plan on going on another Broadreach trip this summer and am super excited for it!!!!!

I have been going on Broadreach for three summers now, and for a reason. Each trip I go on is a completely different experience, and I learn more useful, fun and extrordinary things about the world, different people, and even myself each time. The Costa Rica, Belize and Panama Adventure included all the amazing experiences I was expecting, and I would go back to the three countries in a nano-second. The group of kids brought together was unique, and we got along like we had known each other for at least three years, not three weeks. The instructors had it all together and were obviously very experienced, and besides them being the funniest, coolest and most relatable people to be lead by, they made the trip serious enough so that we learned new things every day. The amount of traveling on this trip is definitely substantial, but it's definitely a great experience to travel abroad and have to go through customs a lot. Besides, the traveling portions don't matter when you get to spend time side by side with barracudas, rays, reef sharks and turtles, sleep in a natural cavern, rappel down a 90 foot waterfall, swim across white water, launch into class four rapids in the Pacuare River, and learn to stand up on the waves of Panama. In three weeks, you learn tons about the ocean, the rainforest, the river, and the people that live in those environments. The Costa Rica, Belize, and Panama Adventure is full of incomparable and unique experiences that I doubt you can find anywhere else.

Being a small town kentucky girl,i never would have imagined that i would be 50 feet below in the beautiful waters of belize swimmng with rays and reef sharks,ziplining through a rainforest canopy in costa rica,or surfing on the sandy shores of panama.Not only did broadreach give me all of these unforgettable memories and experiences and more,but it brought me back home to the bluegrass state a completly different person.

As a small town kentucky girl,i never thought in all my life that i would be thousands of miles away in a ocean, 40 feet down with reef sharks and rays,nor did i think i would even be close to the edge of a 100 foot cliff better yet propelling down it in costa rica! Aside from offering breathtaking trips and adventures,and awesome leaders to help you,what broadreach ultimately provided for me was courage,the courage I thought id NEVER find in myself.When given the choice to travel to three beautiful countries with people whom i had never met,to say the least i was a little skeptical,as im sure most would be.For this country girl after 21 days i came back to little town with no doubt what so ever and a level set mind,that NOW i could do whatever i wanted and nothing could hold me back,strangers that now felt like family & memories that would last a lifetime.Broadreach changed my life & that is no cliche.