Adventure of a Lifetime!

My two weeks in Costa Rica have impacted me more than any school experience I’ve ever had, and that is not an exaggeration. From the moment I arrived at the airport, I felt a whirl of emotions. All the anticipation and excitement had led to this moment, but what truly awaited me in this new destination of mine? Never would I have imagined I would have seen, felt, and experienced so much beauty through the nature which could only be appreciated without technology. When we arrived at the San Jose airport in Costa Rica, my trip mates began buzzing with conversation, sharing their thoughts and hopes for the trip. The bus ride to the hotel only made our excitement grow as our PCs warmed up to us and talked about how the trip would go. A sense of community was established from that moment, as we all shared the same drive for a new experience. We all shared snacks and stories about our lives back home, not realizing we were making new memories which we would tell once we got back to our usual lives. The simple act of sharing was enough to bring us closer than most people for only two weeks. We shared encouraging words, and showed lots of care through every activity. Learning about the history of a place and its people has a profound impact, much more than simply learning it from your desk in a dimly lit classroom, where most of your peers have their heads down. The CAP project squeezed the energy out of us, but with it came the opportunity to create change, and this change did not only blossom through our work; it reflected itself back to us, with a sensation if accomplishment and a newfound purpose growing in our chests. A fond memory of mine is of when we finished our last CAP day. After walking back home, feeling exhausted and hungry, the PCs and GGLs had no clue that we still had something in us… we all jumped into the pool from our accommodation with our clothes still on! The laughter could be heard from afar, and although the water turned grey from the dust and cement, our experience became golden. By the end of the trip around the last few days, we spent as much time together as possible, bonding over silly little drawings and tubs of ice cream. We shared things that meant a lot to us, and then it was time to say goodbye. We ate our final lunch at the base house, and thanked our chefs for their outstanding meals and love which was present in every bite. We had our final nightly meeting at the hotel and the next day, it was time to say goodbye. We were unfortunately split into two groups for our final flight, and this was the hardest part. Hugs, goodbyes, and thank you’s were exchanged. We couldn’t stop the tears from flowing, but we promised we would see each other again, and we most certainly have. This trip truly has been an adventure of a lifetime, with experiences, memories, and friends that we’ll cherish for as long as we live. Thank you to all the supporters who made this possible, and never miss out on opportunities such as this one, for you too can experience something as great as this.