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.

Lions, and tigers, and bears - oh my, none of these were seen. However . . .

Tonight`s dinner of fish and spaghetti was well received, and final plans were made for the next day`s excursion. "We love this hotel!" is a direct quote from a Deal Viking looking over my shoulder.

On the hikes, we saw endangered frogs and spider monkeys, a "bunch of trees" and lots of mud. Oh, yes, there was quicksand, too, and we ALMOST lost a student in the deep mud - but we managed to get her out and moving again. Students climbed vines, saw pit vipers, leaf cutter ants. Mia Straz ate a termite along with a number of her daring friends, and some kind of potato-thing. This snack did not reduce our appetite for dinner, however.

Tomorrow we leave at 6:45 for the long trip to Sarapiqui and the zip line adventure (11 lines) and a pineapple plantation to boot! Your kids are really appreciating this trip and the nature - and will miss their friends, the howler monkeys, when we leave on our boat. Till tomorrow!

Mid-day update - Day three

Howler monkeys roared at 5am, shortening sleep for most of us - but for a good reason. These screamers came right up to the lodge for about an hour, provoking all kinds of excitement. The students ended up hooting back, of course. After breakfast, we split in two groups - one going on boats for a tour of the Tortuguero canals, the other for a muddy hike. Our boat tour just returned - we saw (and named) five caimans, a host of howler and white-faced capuchin  monkeys, toucans, anhinga, herons and an amazing assortment of emerald basilisks - the lizards that scoot across the water when anxious. We made them anxious, they scooted. And now, a couple of hours till lunch. Blog to you later.

Here are some pictures added a bit later. In the first, we are getting sunburned. In the second, we see a caiman, who sees us from about 10 feet away. In the third (blurry 'cause it was tough to catch) we see an emerald basilisk actually RUNNING on water as he is spooked by our boat. Yes, he is ON TOP OF THE WATER. Extremely cool thing to see.

Wow - what can we say? Day two

I am sitting here at a new keyboard trying to find the right keys - but I will persevere! No pictures with today`s post, because the computer isn`t mine and I am not sure how to load them. We do have PLENTY of pictures, though, and we might open a Shutterfly account to add your children`s pictures as well.

What a day. An early start with a great breakfast saw everyone leave the hotel at 8am, ready for whatever awaited us. Within minutes we were at 5,000 feet at Braulio Carrillo National Park, stopping at an overlook for many hundreds of what can only be the exact same picture - incredibly dense foliage going off into the distance. When the highway came out into the lowlands, we pulled over at a Mega Super (redundacy, perhaps?) and procceeded to use their one cashier for the next 45 minutes. Our students purchased virtually every piece of fruit in the place, and some Instant Ramen Noodles, boxes of cereal, Macaroni and Cheese - apparently feeling we would have no food at our next hotel!

Back in the bus we headed for a Del Monte banana plantation, which proved immensely more engaging that might have been supposed - we could actually see the banana `runners`taking the hundreds of bananas along the `tramway` to the processing plant. At the plant, the entire banana empire was revealed. Of course, the man with the huge stag beetle selling coconut juice was a BIT more interesting to our kids, many of who eagerly guzzled the juice right from coconuts. After another 45 minutes on incredibly rutted roads, we ended up at a small pier - at the edge of Tortuguero National Park. Dividing into four boats, we headed up the canals towards La Baula Hotel. Here, in a nutshell is what was seen from this two hour water journey: crocodile,  three-toed sloth, black river turtles, howler monkeys, wide variety of bird life, lots of vegetation. All of this wildlife waited patiently for us to photograph it, and then took flight or left.

At the Hotel, finally, we ate a huge lunch (albeit a bit late) and then, surprise of surprises, 56 kids hit the pool! I am quite lucky that my chaperone room is just mere feet from the pool`s edge. At 3:30, we gathered again (apparently Deal student`s are well trained in hitting deadlines and showing up) and headed for the little village of Tortuguero across the lagoon. Our guides told us a lot about this end-of-the-world spot, and then let the students free to wander. The incredible highlight was our students challenging a group of Costa Rican high schoolers to a match of the beautiful game on a pitch at the edge of town. There we were, about 10 on the "US" side and 6 on the "Tico" side, with plenty of subs - and we held our own. Very good-natured. Towards the end, little neighborhood kids on the edge of the field taking soccer lessons starting shouting in glee as our kids (I don`t say `"boys" because we were a gender-balanced team) would score, apparently against their older brothers! After a close game, we bid farewell with our honor intact and returned to La Baula for, yes, more swimming in the pool. Now, we await dinner at 7:00, and then a full day in the park tomorrow.

Yes, it feels like the tropics, and the rooms have no air-conditioning, but it is beautiful. Wish you were here! But then it would be a bit crowded, wouldn`t it? Till tomorrow, I remain your faithful correspondent.

On the ground in beautiful Costa Rica - Day one

As I type this, I can hear dozens of children outside enjoying the hotel pool in the late afternoon heat. We are resting up before dinner at 7pm (9pm your time) and getting accustomed to the warmth.

Both flights went without incident. Deal students were scattered up and down the plane (on the inside) - even a few first class seats went to the 8th graders! We discovered that we couldn't change seats on crowded airplanes and that bathroom lines are long. Arriving in Houston we had 50 minutes to go from one end to the other - no stops for snacks on the way. Texas did not get our full attention, but we did make it to our gate. The second flight took us over the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, and then in a surprise we passed within sight of Volcan Arenal - where we will be hiking in a few days. It looked amazingly like an angry volcano should look!

We have two buses, and two guides - Chris and Gustavo, both very affable and accommodating. Our bus ride to the hotel was well documented by student photographers, including the excitement of seeing a Central American soccer field. I am sure one or more of your families will get a chance to look at these shots! Once at the hotel we had our room assignments and decided to go en masse to the hamburger joint (Hamburger Factory) 100 feet from the hotel. There really was no other choice - and they weren't really prepared to handle more than 5 dozen of us. Eventually everyone was served, of course, and yes, parents, your students were practicing Spanish left and right.

After this mid-afternoon repast, we winnowed down the plans to one: go back to the hotel and rest or go swimming. Everyone has been on their best behavior since 1am Costa Rica time, so this seemed like a good idea. The zoo closed at 4 and downtown didn't get many takers. So, here we are at and near the pool, enjoying the mild and delicious climate of the Central Plateau.

In the background, behind the student voices at the pool, I can hear the constant roar of cycles and trucks as the work their way through the hills of San Jose. The sun is still up, the students amazingly energetic, and the chaperones glad to be here with these charges.

Countdown! Diez - nueve - ocho - siete - seis - cinco - cuatro - tres - dos - uno - y ya!

Today, Costa Rica-bound students met with Mr. Humes and Mr. Albright to make sure that everyone understood Deal expectations and that any last-minute questions could be answered. A couple of questions from students warrant clarification here: don't overpack! be prepared for variable weather! bring a book, or bring more than one book, hey, bring a bunch of books! bring your EF backpack! have fun! follow the curfew! have fun!

We will see everyone bright and early tomorrow morning at National Airport, ready to alight for Costa Rica at 6am. Be at the airport at or before 4am - yes 4am! It really does take that much time to get checked in, go through the security lines, and get on the plane with enough time to get some shut-eye. See  you there! Hasta la vista!

Go to sleep - stay awake?

With a 6 am departure on Thursday morning, many of us are grappling with that age-old question - stay awake all night before we go or go to sleep early? Like the DC CAS, there is only one correct answer - sleep, sleep, sleep! Go to bed early on Wednesday, hope that the three alarm clocks you set get you up in time, and then get ready to fly! This will be the quietest flight ever - 56 snoring kids at 6:20 am.

There is so much to look forward to - beaches, rivers, mountains, animals, friends. I am REALLY looking forward to Tortuguero - to get there we need to take a boat through the canals for an hour and a half or so (or more) - the only way in to this way off-the-beaten track spot. The town is very isolated, but very tropical. I am hoping we see manatees on the way - the huge sea cows that survive in the canals and were the origins for the mermaid stories in the Caribbean. If you go on the web you can find a little map of the town of Tortuguero and its two little schools. Imagine if the only way to get to Deal from out of town was a two-hour boat ride! Where would the Vikings play their away games?

Weather bug

Here is the weather in San Jose for the first week we are in Costa Rica. San Jose is in the center of the country, so it isn't  a great indicator of how hot or rainy it will be. At the coast, expect a bit warmer and wetter. Isolated storms are typically big and fast, and can easily be mixed with bright, sunny days. Be prepared for mud!

Wed Apr 13		Isolated T-Storms	85°/61°	30 %
Thu Apr 14		Isolated T-Storms	85°/62°	30 %
Fri Apr 15		Isolated T-Storms	85°/62°	30 %
Sat Apr 16		Isolated T-Storms	84°/61°	40 %
Sun Apr 17		Isolated T-Storms	85°/61°	40 %
Mon Apr 18		Scattered T-Storms	86°/62°	60 %
Tue Apr 19		Scattered T-Storms	86°/63°	60 %

Tonight's trip meeting was big!

The last trip meeting tonight was incredibly well attended. Here, Ms. Henderson tells everyone to be sure to fasten their seat belts on the plane. Kidding! Lots of last minute details to go over, including the addition of several new features - a visit to a bat cave, pineapple plantation, and a possible white-water trip.

Preliminary thoughts from some of our travelers.

Giacomo D

I know how to speak Spanish fluently and I have been to both Central and South America so I know how to navigate through Latin American countries. I want to learn something about the culture of Costa Rica and explore the city and especially the jungle.

Dzhoy Z

I cannot wait to go to Costa Rica and zip line there. My neighbor went to Deal and went on the same trip when she was in the eighth grade and she said it was fun. I know how to bargain in Spanish (maybe). I want to learn how to speak Spanish.

Paul V

I can speak Spanish a little bit but I am not great. I aspire to become a great Spanish speaker and have an accent.  I cannot wait to zoom on zip lines and swim in shark-infested waters.  This is going to be a very life-changing experience. I hope to have a great time with my friends and also to increase my Spanish knowledge.

                                                                            

Alex T

I have been to Costa Rica before and I had a great time. I saw a lot of cool places like a cave and a forest full of monkeys. I am looking forward to going there again. But I am scared because I can't speak any Spanish, so if I get lost I would be in a lot of trouble!

Wednesday update - Noticias de Miercoles

Getting excited yet? I have taken Ms. Henderson's very helpful email that has our daily itinerary on it and posted it on a separate page here on the blog. You should be able to find it on the menu bar right above the most recent post. The schedule looks dynamite! I have highlighted some of the places we will visit, and you should feel free to look them up on the 'net. Some of the information is new (the white water rafting trip, for example) and we should talk about that on Friday.

Friday's Meeting - Reunion este Viernes

This Friday (April 8) will be our last get-together as a parent-teacher-student group for the Costa Rica journey. The general meeting starts at 5:30 pm, although we would like the students to get there at 5:00 if possible. We want  the students meet with their teacher/administrator who will be their designated chaperone. Each of the adults will have 6-7 students under their wing for check-ins, support, and general go-to needs.

The plan is to meet in the cafeteria (we may have to move this because of Deal after-care) but there will be signs at the door for any room change. We will be going over last-minute details and questions and collecting the cash for the tipping. We will ask the students to post on this blog to capture some of their feelings right now before we head out. Maybe we can take a group photo as well!

Be sure to check out our accommodations in Costa Rica - and yes, our flight is at 6:00 am from National Airport! Nine more days!

Some added features for our families

To help everyone keep up-to-date on what is happening in Costa Rica news-wise, I have added a couple of feeds, one from the Tico Times and one from the Costa Rica News. Let's hope they aren't too redundant. If I hear of some other interesting feeds that relate directly to our travels, I will add them here. Once I play around with this blog a bit, I will try and add a map and a special picture spot for us. Let me know if there is anything else you want added here to help!

Getting ready for our big trip - first post

Hi! This blog will be a way for parents and friends back at Deal and in Washington, DC, to keep an eye on our travels to Central America. We will post pictures, have some reflective comments from our travelers, and just report back what we find and we are still curious about.

Three years ago, a group of Deal students traveled to Mexico; two years ago Costa Rica was on the itinerary. Last year, 36 students traveled to Spain and back. This year, Costa Rica was picked once again, and we have had more students than ever (56!) sign up and travel. We are so many that we have two buses, two guides, and two administrators (Mr. Humes and Mr. Albright).

We are meeting this Friday, April 8, at Alice Deal at 6:30 5:30. Each team of 6 or 7 students will meet with their leaders, we will finalize paperwork, and check on any last questions.