At long last - a blog from home

Everyone made it. Some happier than others, some more reluctantly, but at 5:00 pm we touched down in DC and bolted for home. A couple of quick notes after being able to catch a little shut-eye in my own castle:

1) The chance to speak one-on-one with students in which both parties are in a sense equals - experiencing something for the first time together, struggling together with a new language, or just in a place where neither needs something (homework, instructions) from the other - provides unbelievable opportunities for communication. At Deal, we try to create these opportunities through clubs, Viking Time, Hemlock field trip, et cetera. Hearing from your kids makes me realize how rich an experience we miss when we don't have take that chance - and we should find ways to make more.

2) One and a half hours is NOT enough time to get through Houston's airport. Well, of course it is because we did it, but I wouldn't make a practice of it. We had to run through each stage of the immigration process - four distinct lines for ICE, luggage, customs, and then rescreening - without dropping a single piece of paper or losing anyone. Since we had been on the road for hours already, I had to tell them that no, they couldn't go to the bathroom till we were sure we would make the gate, or that in 2011 all food on aircraft can only be purchased (credit or debit cards only, please) so we couldn't slow down for food till we were in our gate area. By the time we lined up to get on the plan, I was quite willing to let the flight be delayed a bit while we cleaned out Starbucks. But don't build plans around it all going so smoothly.

3) Waking up at 2:15 am is an inhuman activity. And yet, 56 kids were ready to go by 3:15 (well, 53 by 3:15, and 3 by 3:18) without very little complaint. I guess they really did want to see you!

Thanks for letting me spend the time with your students. I think Ms. Henderson did a tremendous job for what surely was Deal's largest trip EVER, that Ms. Wang, Mr. Miller, Ms. Wilson, Ms. Cruz, and Mr. Roose were great eggs in spending their hard-earned Spring Break with their charges and choosing to be recharged that way, and that Mr. Humes is always a great guy to have around. One last quote from a student: "You know, Mr. Humes seems scary, but he is really just firm, and he is also a cool guy."

Our last photo (courtesy Sean Carroll (who sent not one but TWO great kids on the trip)):

Packing up - getting up

And now, the closing act. Our last night here in Costa Rica, well, really only half of a night. The parts we will play will be tricky. But first things first, what about today?

As with every morning outside of San Jose, howler monkeys woke us up. Granted, here in Playa Panama they gently rapped on our doors rather than hooting outside the window. No, just kidding! Here they were pretty obnoxious. Here on the Nacazcolo compound (our motto: if you can't get lost anywhere, you can get lost here) the howlers gathered in the mango trees right over the rooms - eating fruit and throwing the half-finished ones down on the roof. Bang! They must enjoy it, because they kept doing for a while.

Breakfast went smoothly and then, on the buses to the actual beach. One of the bus drivers got lost, generating a huge amount of phone calls back and forth and some real gnashing of teeth. It is only four kilometers from the hotel to the beach, so it isn't clear where the bus turned off. But lost he got, and sheepishly showed up 5 minutes later. We parked near the Nacazcolo outpost "Beach Club" about 100 yards off the beach. Here were restrooms and a pool and a place to spend money on soda - so we were good.

The beach is a black sand beach (nearby volcano) and has nearly flat water in a huge bay. The Pacific Ocean was visible through the rocks, and small boats went back and forth. A shrimper came through and parked - amazing with its nets up. The students threw down their towels and launched themselves into the water. It was cool and the bottom was flat.

This was a wonderful Costa Rican scene. Families gathered at the edge of the beach, in tents and under tarpaulins. Grandmothers, mothers, children all sat on blankets - with only the children running to the water. As the morning wore on, vendors set up shop nearby, carefully sopping up whatever money the students had left. A slice of pineapple was 200 colones (40 cents) but a whole pineapple was 700 colones ($1.40). Shiskebabs with tortillas perched on the tips; ice cream carts being pushed through the sand (of course, every Deal student had to have an ice cream cone), sodas and water, mangoes, it was all there.

Mr. Humes, Mr. Miller, and your correspondent found no takers for a 10-minute walk to some nearby tidal pools. Small sea urchins, sea slugs, sea worms, brittle stars, crabs, fish - beautiful. A gentleman waited patiently for us to finish poking the rocks before he took his single line and resumed fishing without a pole. Looking back towards our students there was little to no distinction in the beach public from far away - just happy people enjoying a gorgeous day on the water. Within half an hour we had reloaded the buses and returned for lunch.

Tonight will be a challenge. Lights out and then before you know it, up again. Breakfast is being brought to us, so we only have time to get up and then get going. We leave for the airport at 3:45 (it is 15 minutes away) and then have three hours to fill out papers and make sure no one has slipped out for one more mango. The students have asked why we have to be at the airport three hours early. I asked them to remember that when we arrived at National Airport only two hours early, did they remember sprinting to the gate from security to join the rest of the passengers who were loading the plane already? Our flight goes through Houston with an hour and a half layover (or dash to the gate) - I desperately hope for a smooth trip through customs and immigration.

When next you hear from us, it should be at the airport! Wish us all safe travels. Pura vida!

The bus and the music man - on the road in Costa Rica

So, a bus day, a long bus day. The challenge in a country as tiny as Costa Rica is to make journeys stretch out forever (or at least it seems that way). Our two tour buses went up, down, over, and back down again before it was all done. And now we are in Nacazcol - pretty undescribable as hotels go (but I will give it a shot)!

We left early in order to make sure the endless curves and hills of the first section still affected us with breakfast inside. The groaning and moaning from the churning was epic - and only ended when we pulled out of the long trip from the hotel and La Fortuna to the main road west. Our first stop was a convenient arts and crafts local (not the artisan shop I had anticipated, but something just as mercenary -  a souvenir stand.  A big one. If any of your children do not present you something from this shop, the merchants there didn't do their job). I must have been offered a basket for my armful of goods three times (just like at Home Depot). The overall quality of merchandise was higher than the Mega Super, so you should be pleased (and forewarned).

None of your children purchased this beautiful oxcart; it was right behind the store and is supposedly reflective of a traditional craft outlet in which the movement of produce is essential. 

Lunch was a brown bag that was given to us immediately after the bus left at 10:20. The students were asked to not eat until midday, but it was clear they didn't hear this message over their rending of the lunch bags and their sandwich chewing. It was just like lunch at Deal: "Anyone want to trade for my apple juice?" Within minutes the students had finished off lunch, and then proceeded to get antsy (the teachers, too).

An hour later, a quick stop was had at another little store, one that featured macaws, deer, and peacocks (not for eating, for viewing). Everyone dutifully lined up for their purchase of a bag of chips or plantains.  This was going to tide us over till the next stop - in the mountains again.

The macaws bid us farewell and we started on the longest, and driest, leg of the trip. Now that we were on the western slope of the continental divide, every ounce of moisture vanished. The vegetation was replaced with a California-like mixture of grasses, tall trees, and dusty scrub. Here and there fields are green, but it is clear that the rain has turned its back on us here in Guanacaste.

Now, each bus has taken on its own personality. I say this in forewarning. I am going to try and link up some of the personality of our bus in this next clip. To preface, our bus leader, Chris, likes to sing a lot. Students like adults to sing a lot. You might guess where this is heading. It only stopped after we had run through the critical musical impact of Disney movie and pop hits from the 1990s.

So, here you have it. Before we knew it, the concert was over, the encores completed, and the band had left the stage. We arrived in Liberia refreshed and turned north towards the Rincon de la Vieja volcanic zone.

The R de la V was a brief "hike" through woods, initially, and then through an open field in which there were gaseous emissions, mud holes, sulfur lakes - all indicators that beneath us a volcano was waiting to express itself. The students were most interested in the blurping mud, and the news that it was carted all over the world to sooth and refresh skin in day spas. Here it is in its natural environment.

After this excursion, we headed straight for the hotel. I know it is near the beach (a few kilometers away) because there is a little shuttle there and we are headed there in the morning. However, it is surrounded by mountains on all sides. It is, as best I can describe it, like a KOA campground for hotel guests. It is huge - it sprawls over many acres. There is a soccer field inside the compound, there is a store next to the teacher's suites, there is a tennis court, sand volleyball court, river, pool, and so on. The students are spread across this complex, with teachers scattered in their midst. It is so big that some kids took a truck to haul their luggage to their rooms!

Dinner is in a few minutes, so this will be the ultimate test. The weather promises to be warm tomorrow and we are hitting the beach in the a.m. Lunch, and then beach town time for all. Everyone is busy asking about flights and when we get home. I think homesickness is starting to settle in - curable only by hugging parents in DC. Of course, sunburns await us tomorrow as well as getting that last little bit of sand in our luggage, so homesickness might take a backseat to just outright misery.

Till tomorrow, then.

Quick morning update - the road beckons - Wednesday?

Yesterday afternoon our buses split duty again and my group went kayaking and the other group did the waterfall. The waterfall group really extended their excursion by stopping for sugar cane on the side of the road and drinking coconut juice (again!). I suppose Whole Foods had best stock up on these two essentials of Costa Rican life, because their local demand went up by 50+ customers.

Another pasta-based dinner last night at this hotel (food not a specialty, but the view makes up for that) and then before you could say "remember that curfew is at 9" the students were crawling for their beds and snoring contentedly. This morning's wake up call was at 5:30 - and the trick, of course, is to both see their faces as they sit up and then follow-up with another chaperone visit one minute later. This works remarkably well.

Today, we are enduring our last big bus ride. We leave here in an hour and a half and head towards San Jose and the handicrafts market of Sarchi. This will be the big souvenir trip for most of the kids, although a number have been carefully selecting from the limited array of Costa Rican crafts to bring home prizes for you and their siblings. Costa Rica is not well known for the variety of artisanal crafts, but I am not sure our travelers care that much - it is fun for them to bargain.

Sarchi is followed by a last sojourn on the Pan American Highway towards the northwest. We are stopping at Rincon de la Vieja park, which apparently is Yellowstone in miniature - hot springs, gassy fumaroles, and the like. Since neither I nor the kids even vaguely remembered this stop (I don't even think I put it on the itinerary or researched it at all) it should be an unexpected pleasure. They have enjoyed so much on the road they will surely be surprised and, I hope, delighted with this side trip.

At day's end, we reach the Pacific Coast, having shuttled along the top of Costa Rica. We are staying at the Nacazcol Hotel, and have a full day tomorrow of sunburning and Frisbee-tossing. A few kids have been sunburned in spite of large supplies of sunscreen. A "nurse" someone met somewhere on this trip suggested that vinegar was the best solution for these minor injuries. The restaurant crew has bemusedly handed out cup after cup of vinegar ("vinagre") - its magical properties apparently involve actually extracting the heat from the sunburn! Someone, call Proctor and Gamble and get their staff working on this!

Pura vida!

Lavas Tacotal - as close as you can get to the Volcano without getting scorched

It wasn't clear last night how close our hotel was to this most impressive volcano (Arenal). This couple of pictures should show - one of the view from the rooms and one of sunrise.

Our start was a bit later today, as we have two nights here at Tacotal. The students were ready to go (as always). My group did the waterfall hike first, while Ms. Henderson and Mr. Humes kayaked on the lake. A short bus ride, then a very steep walk down 610 steps led to the La Fortuna waterfall.

Here are some more pictures from this trek. A special note again about our Vikings: EF tours doesn't want kids to swim below the falls. The large picture of the falls shows other students, not ours, breaking that rule. We swam quite contentedly at a small pool immediately to the left. And then, 610 steps back up!

Right before lunch, our group swung back through La Fortuna because, as parents we know, there is nothing like three scoops of ice cream in a large waffle cone to build (or kill) your appetite for lunch.

This last picture shows that one of our teachers is apparently moon-lighting here in La Fortuna. What was disappointing is that none of the students received a discount from the proprietor.

 

And now, some words from our students! My question to them: what surprised you the most about Costa Rica?

Sarah T.: The weather was so much nicer than I had expected. I was expecting super hot days and hot nights, but so far it has been pretty hot and nice at night.

Hazel R-S.: I knew there would be a lot of water activities, but we spend almost all our time swimming -- definitely not a bad thing, though! The hot springs were also a lot more fun than I expected.

Katy B.: I was surprised at the difference in what the standard was for a big city was. What I mean is that San Jose is supposed to be the really big busy city, but it seemed small and more laid-back than what I think when I think "big city," but that's just from me living in America and especially in D.C.

Sarah M.: I was surprised the most about the several different species of plants and animals. Everywhere we went the tour guides would point out yet another type of monkey or another rare flower. These different names and facts we learned really made me appreciate the beauty of the nature in Costa Rica.

"No, the volcano will not be erupting tonight."

And we are back online, after an incredibly long day. Parents, your children should be exhausted. I have no idea what you feed them at home, but I can hardly stand on two legs by now and they are all excited, chatty, and ready for the next adventure. After 14 hours. On the go. But then, I bet you know that already!

Today was a double-header. Many of us went white-water rafting, about 20 minutes from the hotel. A friendly group of river guides quickly prepped the kids and we were in the Sarapiqui River in minutes. The students were VERY happy that we let them form their own groups - each chaperoned, of course, but all spirited. The river was beautiful, winding through jungle, farmland, and some eco-lodges. The water was extremely low, which makes for a different kind of challenge. Kingfishers and swallows swarmed around us in the early sun, and students intermittently fell into the cool water when it was safe. The company took pictures of each boat at various waterfalls. I am going to post one that happens to have me, your faithful correspondent in it, but only because it is the only one I have so far!

After rafting we headed straight for lunch. Well, the road was relatively straight, but in this land of few highways, a two-car pile-up locked up the road for 45 minutes. Lunch was served in the shadow of Arenal Volcano. The non-rafting group had some time in town and really enjoyed it, then left ahead of the second group for a quick stop at the very pretty hotel. Our rooms are all open to the view of the volcano, which is only a few miles away and very impressive up close. There are two pools, huge beds, and jacuzzi bathtubs. And two other EF tour groups!!

The next amazing place we went after we had settled in was a visit to Baldi Spa - a series of semi-connected spring-fed pools that extends for half a kilometer up the edge of the volcano. For three hours, students swam in pool after pool, ordered virgin pina coladas by the bucketful, and just had a great time. Each pool was a bit different, some sizzling hot, some relatively cool, and all full - a very popular spot indeed. I had some delightful, extended conversations with some of your students, and I saw that so many were just glad to be relaxing and chatting about whatever 8th graders chatter about. We raced back to the hotel in time for an 8pm dinner and then curfew reminders and off to bed!

Tomorrow we split into two groups, one going to the La Fortuna water fall and one to lake kayaking. After lunch, we reverse the two, and then get our second night here in La Fortuna/Arenal. Should be yet ANOTHER action-packed day. Till then!

Moving inland and over water

Today, your students woke up a bit early (5am) and then ate a huge breakfast. Monkeys and toucans again joined us for breakfast. The kids know the drill by now. Line-up, fill your plate, get ready to go. Here is a sample plate (to prove that they are getting well fed (lots of fruits for sure)).

We loaded up the boats for the farewell drive through the Tortuguero canals. In my little boat some of the Vikings curled up on the floor of the skiff for some additional shut-eye - a position I can never think of being restful. Towards the end of the journey, the boat I was on developed rudder problems and we switched to another nearby. Your students expressed great concern that the pilot was being left behind to fend for himself. I pointed out that his co-workers would be back in a couple of minutes after they dropped us off. Here he is, hopefully waiting, adrift.

We split into two groups for the next activity - again a bus ride, but this time heading towards the canopy tour and the zip wire. By this time the excitement was palpable - most of the students had decided to do this excursion. After a couple of hours by bus, traveling dusty back roads and waving at countless children, we pulled into the zip line company facility. Within minutes we were riding in another caravan of hay wagons and minibuses up the hill to the launching pad, fully garbed and feeling taken care of. There are many zip line companies in this area (apparently an area attractive for such activities because of a profusion of high-tension wires mysteriously strung through the forest) and our crew seemed very professional.

There were a total of nine zip lines. The initial line was quite long, but once we were started the company moved us right along, so there was little to delay. The forest was beautiful (and wet, as a storm really pelted us) and although we went through a lot of it is was a bit hard to see. Our concentration was on "right hand for brake, left hand to hold the rope, lift legs up, bend the knees, watch the woman or man catching you at the far end" so the trees passed in a bit of a blur. I am proud to say that our Deal students definitely learned from the Hemlock zip line last year, as no one was unable to go through it all. The lines were long and really quite fun.

The last zip line took us over the Sarapiqui River and dropped us in the company's operations area - a tidy little wrap-up. Here is a shot of an unnamed chaperone on the last leg of the zip line to give you a sense of its length.

We wrapped up the day by checking in to our new hotel, El Bambu. Definitely not exciting from the street front (and it is directly on the street) the hotel was a surprise, with rooms extending back into the woods on a series of elevated walkways, surrounding a nice pool and opening into the woods. Classic Latin America - a little concealed at the front, with beauty within. Dinner tonight is at 8, and then we are off again in the morning. 

One last note. Both the bat tour and the pineapple plantation tour didn't pan out. Of course, this being the Sunday before Holy Week in Costa Rica means that it is a lot harder to make those types of activities worthwhile. Only a few students had been interested, anyway, so we will save their money for whatever they want. 

Signing off, your faithful correspondent.