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Check out a few short videos of fun moments from our trip:

Culture Sounds

Birds in the City (listen to the sounds)

Toros (bulls)

Animals

Mapache

White-Faced Capuchin

Pacific Ocean

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Alex: Today I got to meet a person who is very important to my mother. This man was a teacher to my mother since before I was born. This is the first time he has seen me since I was one, so this is my first memory of him. He is old now and sits in a wheelchair. He isn’t frail, but his body looks worn. But he is as young as ever in the mind. That is the way he put it, that you must never grow old in the brain, for if you do that, you die.

Alfonso Chase is an incredibly smart man. He is a writer, and to me, he is the definition of an intellect. He is a renaissance man. His walls are lined with books and artwork and cds and more books and records and more art. The man has treasures from all over the word, and he could tell you in explicit detail about every single one of them – where he got it, when, why, everything.

We got the privilege to interview him and ask him whatever we wanted. I wanted to know a little more about his profession, so I asked about what he wrote. We stayed awhile as we talked about the world and Costa Rica. He was such a joy to listen to. All I did was learn – I listened and learned. Every word that came out of his mouth was a learning opportunity. I really wish we could have spent more time talking to him. I would have never tired of listening to what he had to say. I hope to be able to meet him again and spend more time with him. He is also such a generous person. Not only did he give us intelligence, but he also gave us each a statue of a soldier, a record that was passed down to him by his father and a signed book.

Part I of our interview with him … in Spanish:

Katie: Alfonso Chase is one of the most interesting men I have ever met in my life. Not only was he intelligent beyond compare, but he was also extraordinarily intuitive and perceptive. Every time he looked at you it felt as though he was reading your life story … as if it was written across your face, body and clothes. It felt as though in those minutes, he was listening to every secret you have never told. With every meeting of your eyes, he was agreeing with every opinion you have ever had or answering every question you dared not to ask.

At one point in the conversation, Alfonso mentioned family lineage and knowing your ancestors. I wanted to interject and impulsively mention my relation to the McCulloch Castle in Scotland and my distant relative, Miles Standish. I never got the chance to. Although, just before we were about to leave he gave each of us gifts … one record from his personal collection (given to him by his father), a metal solider from his collection and one of his books. Of course the literature, which caught my eye, was a collection of fables. As I watched over his shoulder, he addressed a note to me, on the inside cover. I hadn’t the time to read anything more than the misspelling of my name, before he had finished and snapped the book closed. Once in the “turismo” van, I snuck a peak at what this brilliant man had written. “Mil anos en la sangre fuerte, Alfonso”. Like I had mentioned, I had only the desire to tell him my heritage, I did NOT actually get the chance to say what I had wanted. #awestruck&stunned

One particular comment he made I know will stick with me. He said (paraphrasing here) all young (aka naïve and inexperienced) poets write about love, and that only time will evolve their minds to write about actual issues. If I had the opportunity to talk with him again, I would disagree. I believe yes, all young poets may begin with love and the desire to obtain it, but as they mature and go through life, their ideas and beliefs change. They tend to focus more on different aspects such as loss of love, long-lasting love, variations of love, necessity of love for partners, people, countries, environment, etc. I would appreciate and respect a person who writes poems of war and politics and other topics of that nature, but I disagree Alfonso. Love is not merely a topic for the green to write about, but an ever-changing experience.

Part II of our interview with him … in Spanish:

Collin: He was quite generous and gave us a record of our choice, a small figurine and a publication of his to choose from. I enjoyed the time relaxing with him.

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Day 9

Collin: Today is the second-to-last day. I hate saying it like that because it means this trip is coming to a close, but I couldn’t have had a better day. We have gone to many parques nacionales y la naturaleza on the trip and it has become better and better each time, parece.

Today was no exception as we visited the park ranked fifth best en todo el mundo! It was stunning and probably one of the most beautiful places that I’ve ever seen. I was a bit skeptical at first, but when we got to the beach, the water was the clearest, bluest and most pleasant that I’ve ever experienced. It is serene in every possible sense of the word. The sand was white and clean and a pleasant breeze accented the already beautiful day. I couldn’t have asked for more.

Katie: Miguel Antonio National Park was a rainforest which overlapped with some costal areas, creating beaches within. The beauty was surreal, and evoked an ideal of a hidden escape where time is limitless.

As we were about to leave, Emmanuel walked us over to the far end of the beach, where a family of white-faced capuchin monkeys had been spotted. We all stared in amazement at how accustomed to people they had become — they were within arm’s reach.

A white-faced capuchin.

While we snapped shots of the hypnotizing creatures, Emmanuel mentioned that the local wildlife had become notorious for snatching human items in search of food. No sooner had the words left his mouth than a medium-sized male capuchin leaped off a branch to the beach and began rifling through an abandoned backpack. A man had realized what happened, but it was too late. The monkey had made off with something.

To the left of me I heard a comment … “I think he took your lipstick, wouldn’t it be funny if he started smearing it on his face? Hahaha.” I got upset and snapped, “NO! It would not be funny! He could die!” Professor Zapata overheard me, and peeved as well, repeated my comment to her. Honestly, it made me so happy that she did that for me! I walked away after that.

Getting in the backpack.

I made it halfway across the beach when I saw a pack of five raccoons attempting to steal a backpack, so I treated them like the 5-year olds I worked with. My conversation with the raccoons went something like this: “HEY! Yeah you, get out of there! (The raccoons turned and stared.) You heard me! Now move! (They scattered down the beach, and paused.) I didn’t say stop, keep moving. Go back across the trail!” As they glanced back one more time, I was given the dirtiest look I have ever seen. First of all, I didn’t know raccoons had attitudes, but these guys were aggressive. Second, I was glad they listened to me! Who knew Costa Rican animals can understand English? :P

Alex: After an amazing day at the park and beach, we went to eat hotdogs. You are probably wondering why we wouldn’t get typical Costa Rican food, but  the hotdogs of Costa Rica are very different from the hotdogs you normally think of. These dogs are very long – about seven to nine inches. The thing that sets them apart from American hotdogs is the condiments. In Costa Rica, they dress their dog as if it were a salad or a main meal, with toppings like ground beef, lettuce, relish, pickles, onions, pina sauce, potato chips, beans, ketchup, mustard, honey mustard, barbecue sauce, cheese, mushrooms, mayonnaise, pizza sauce, oregano and cucumbers. This is why I love the hotdogs of Central and South America – they are actually a meal. It was very cool to see the reactions of Katie and Collin, as they had never had one before. I have eaten them before in Colombia.

Eating Costa Rican hot dogs.

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Day 7

Katie: As we started pulling onto an old gravel and dirt road, the ideas of a fresh bed, and the day at the beach slid from my mind. For some reason I spaced during the conversation where it was mentioned we were going on a river tour. Pero no es una problema. Pura Vida … Then I really kept noticing more of the conversation I had missed out on, when finding countless local signs like “PELIGROSO” y “Crocodile Man Ahead.” Apparently this was not merely a river tour of a local delta (where the sea meets a river) on the way to the coast. We were about to tour a river well know for its variety of birds … and crocodiles of course.

On the river tour.

Alex: Today we went on a crocodile safari boat expedition. It was so much fun. Later in the night, we got to go to a local festival here in Jaco where the whole town comes out and sells food and has karaoke and celebrates. That was very fun of course.

Then, there is a very special tradition that we got to see firsthand. They have bull riding and fights. The night we went, they only had bull rides, but gosh was it amazing. People from the community would be around the ring to distract the bull after the rider got off or was thrown off. It was really cool to be a part of the community like that.

Collin: After a four-hour drive to the river tour, we were all a bit worse for wear. But, the moment we began the tour, I perked up and began to have life again. There were birds everywhere!  Sandpipers, egrets, and I can’t believe I saw a scarlet macaw. I had really wanted to see a scarlet macaw and the Lord granted me my wish. Birds aside, we saw crocodiles too. The highlight of the crocodile aspect was when we got within arms length of a huge crocodile, sleeping in the water.  It was a bit scary and I kept wondering, “How close are we going to get?” The scenery was also very beautiful – clear skies, bright sun and beautiful mountains.

The crocodile up close.

Later, Emmanuel and I went to the Catholic Mass. I was a bit scared and/or nervous because not only was the mass in Spanish, not only was I not Catholic, but it was the first time I had ever been to a Catholic mass!

I enjoyed the message and it was funny that I understood so much of what was going on. The scripture readings were from 1 Samuel and 1 Corinthians. The fact that I recognized them is something else in itself. Emmanuel was very kind in allowing me to attend with him. The message was about having a personal experience with God, how he will call you and it is up to you to answer yes or no, and he will respect your decision, and also how we need to make time for him because only going to church isn’t enough. I enjoyed the message and I enjoyed the service as well.

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Day 8

Katie: I can’t accept this moment. I honestly never realized how much I miss la playa. Esto es increible. Pensaba en el coche cuando Emmauel nos llevo a las mansiones. He vivido cerca de la playa toda mi vida. Yo solía decir que pertenezco al mar. Ahora me doy cuenta que esto es todavía verdad.

It makes me cry to think of being landlocked. I see now how similar all costal people are. I see the resemblance between Alex, his mom and me. They are loud, vibrant, vivacious, and I am the same. (Not that Collin is not – we are all just more vocal about it. Like Professor Zapata was saying the morning of Day 3, the Colombians of Barranquilla are wild in a sense that they are visually more carefree and easygoing, while the Colombians of Bogota remain more conservative in their demeanor. They all express the same exuberance for life, just in different ways.) They love life and thrive off they energy it feeds.

Earlier I mentioned to Professor Zapata that I have always wanted my third language to be Hawaiian (natural true original Hawaiian). I can see why – they have the same beliefs and manner. They believe there is a connection to everything around them, “A sense of being one with all of creation, being one with the ocean, being one with the heavens …  there’s a feeling of completeness.” – Anona Napoleon (a famous 60 year old Native surfer)

Alex: We also got to see the mansions of Costa Rica. This area is where all the sport fishing occurs. The houses are very similar to the mansions of the U.S., but with a tropical design to them. We even got to see the mansion of the richest man in Costa Rica – it was on top of a mountain with the best view of the ocean. A helicopter would fly up the mountainside and fly him back down to take him down to lunch. The view is magnificent. The ironic part is that the man is blind.

Collin: Emmanuel took us to a few cliff viewpoints with stunning views. Also, I was blown away when at one viewpoint, there were FOUR scarlet Macaws in one tree.  Two of them were playing upside down, playfully. It was too cute.  It was like an airplane show (Dr. Zapata).

One thing that really encouraged me is that we met a guy from Lakeland, Florida. His name is Charlie Reid and he is a Christ-Follower. As a Christian, I know that when anyone says that, they are a REAL Christian. I prayed with him and it was so awesome to know that no matter where you go in the world, there are believers and there is light in the darkness.

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Day 5

Collin: Day Five has been a good – and busy – day. After breakfast, Emmanuel (our guide) and I walked to a beautiful place that we hadn’t gone before and yet again, he spotted some birds. I love this guy. Later, it turns out that someone from Owensboro was staying at the same hotel as us! What a small world.

A woman from Owensboro was staying at our hotel!

Katie: People here in Costa Rica grow and sell various fruits and vegetable along the side of the street as a source of income. Emmanuel pulled over on our way to the Ecocentro Danaus & Arenal base, maybe it was to stretch our legs or maybe it was because we all need a moment away from feeling like sardines the “turismo” van. Haha. The mango was absolutely delicious, and since my stomach was still not feeling better, Professor Zapata suggested that I drink some Coconut milk … ewwwwww. If I could make a list of foods/beverages I do not like, coconut would be on top … right under pickles.

Collin:  I, on the other hand, enjoyed the coconut water along with Dr. Zapata.

From the roadside fruit stand.

Alex: We then stopped at Ecocenter Daus. This was a piece of land that the farmers preserved and let grow out so that the surrounding animals and vegetation had a refuge.

At the Ecocentro Danaus.

Katie: At the Centro, I got the chance to see this amazing creature that was half pig, half squirrel!!!! A Central American Agouti is its proper name.

A Central American Agouti at the Ecocenter.

Alex: After we moved in to the La Pradera hotel, we went out to a local restaurant downtown and had a good meal with lots of laughs, with ice cream afterwards.

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Day 6

Collin: We had all decided to do the Puentes Colgantes (hanging bridges) porque Katie decided she was okay with crossing them. The bridges, along with trails between them, make one long trail around the Arenal Volcano Park. They are really neat to walk on because they allow you to have the opportunity to see animals and plants that are only seen at high altitudes. We were all impressed that Katie finished them all.

Katie: I am proud of myself. Thanks to Alex – I would have given up and never finished all 15 bridges without his encouraging words, helping hand, and strong-willed patience, but now I can say I did something with my life. I did it!

Alex: I understand why the Costa Ricans have the saying “Pura Vida,” which means pure life. It is the perfect expression for such a beautiful and magnificent place like Costa Rica.

Before we ventured onto the bridges ...

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Day 4

Collin: We walked and walked and walked, endlessly it seemed, but the rewards were great. We saw two birds nested on a branch, a very rare bird from the order of turkeys, many vultures and quite a few insects. Also, we went down by the river and Emmanuel, always with his surprises, showed us how to make “collectibles” from paw prints in the sand. He took flour and water and mixed it together. Then, he placed the mixture on top of the paw print. Later, as it hardened, it took the form of the print, so we were able to see very closely the prints of the certain animal in the region.

Making prints by the river.

Katie: Unbeknownst to us we had spent four hours hiking! I never imagined I could lose track of time so easily, but we quickly got lost in the beauty of the surroundings. As we hiked back towards Tirimbina, something small caught my eye – a tiny movement, which could have merely been a leaf blown off the trail by Emmanuel’s foot. I stopped and stared. No bigger than the size of a quarter, a brown frog had leaped onto a curled brown leaf. ACCOMPLISHMENT! I spotted a tiny frog. *brownie points*

Katie's small brown frog on a leaf -- look closely!

Collin: After our long walk and before dinner, I spent about an hour sitting outside on our porch watching the birds. I saw, and heard, a large amount of Montezuma Oropendolas, a few Golden-hooded Tanagers and another black-throated Trogon. It was so awesome it left me speechless. Sitting on your back porch and watching beautiful birds with a cool breeze is paradise.

Life is good on the back porch.

Alex: Everyday now I see myself thinking more and more about how much importance nature has and how big of a role it plays in the formation of the world. I think that we as Americans – and as humans – need to be more aware and respect our ecosystem a bit more than we do at the moment.

Bonus photo: Headed into the rainforest at night!

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Day 3

Tirimbina Lodge and Biological Reserve

Alex:  Today we moved hotels once again to the Tirimbina Lodge and Biological Reserve. This hotel is inside of the rain forest. There are even more plants and animals than at Hotel Robledal. When we arrived, we got to walk in the rain forest and explore. We got to see birds, porcupines, monkeys, bats, and many different insects. We also got to walk across a suspended hanging bridge.

Katie: TODAY I FACED A FEAR! Not going to lie, when I heard the words “rope bridge” two days ago, I thought they were kidding. Well, turns out I was the one who was wrong. Right after arriving at our second hotel of the trip, Hotel Tirimbina, we dropped off our suitcases and headed out the door.

Hanging Bridge

What did I come face to face with at the head of the trail? A “hanging bridge” – actually, it was made out of nothing but twisted metal wire and rusted laced metal sheets. I decided that I had to go. I had to try, if not for the class and opportunity to retell my experience, then for me, so that I can say that I, Katherine Elizabeth Scheck, walked high above trees and a rushing river.

Collin: Halfway across the bridge, I offered to have us all walk together, and I thought she was going to rip my bicep out, she was holding on so hard. Today I saw that fear is a very real thing, and it is something to be dealt with because you can’t just “get over it.”

The hanging bridge from below ...

Katie: Tomorrow holds in store more adventures in the beautiful escape that is Costa Rica. Buenas noches!

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What We Learned

John Bell: I feel very blessed and appreciative that I embraced this opportunity to take this trip of leadership and teamwork. During this week, I was amazed on how well my leadership skills have sharpened, and how amazing it was to get to know the crew, who will be close friends for the rest of my life! The skills of leadership and teamwork that I learned from this trip has given me the confidence and determination to excel in everything that I do from here on out!

Jordan Gary: This was an amazing opportunity that I am so grateful for. God has blessed my life in ways that words can’t describe. To see another one of God’s amazing creations was such a blessing. Throughout this trip I have seen my leadership skills tested, and in my opinion I rose to each and every challenge. Taking the helm taught me to be in charge, check on everything, make sure the sails are right and be responsible for the crew all at the same time. It was a great character-building experience. This was a great time and I’m really glad I did took advantage of such a rare opportunity.

Jayden Morrison: This week helped me grow as a person. My confidence grew with every day and every task handed to me. I feel like after being on this trip there’s really nothing I can’t do. I’ve hoisted sails, taken the helm, tacked and swum with some crazy creatures. But I think most importantly, the bonds I made on this trip are truly amazing. Each one of these people helped me grow more than I can say, taught me things about myself and helped me realize my full potential. For this I am truly grateful.

Maggie Johansen: This week was unreal. I am so grateful I was able to take advantage of this opportunity. I grew so much as an individual and got to watch my other classmates grow as well. I have done things on this trip that I never thought I would ever do. I learned so much about myself and gained so much confidence during this journey. I learned to never doubt my abilities and to take charge when I need to. I wish every college kid would take this trip to understand the growth I had as an individual and how we grew so close as a team.

Tatum McMahon: I had the time of my life this week. I have learned so much regarding initiative and leadership. After the last seven days, I can say that I am comfortable being a leader. Before, I was unsure of myself and always let others take the lead. This is an impeccably important quality to life and because of this trip I am more confident in my work ethic and more comfortable in my decisions.

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Day 7 started moored off Norman Island, where we had a nice southern breakfast of bacon, eggs and English muffins. We quickly set sail for open waters towards the straits between the British and U.S. Virgin Islands. To our left was the U.S. island of St. John, and to our right was the British Island of Tortola. Also, at one point we passed the most southeastern portion of the United States — Flanigans Island.

As we pushed through the straights, we all took turns operating the boat as the helmsman, maneuvering the boat within 1,000 yards of shore. About mid-morning we finished a complete circle of our adventure sailing the seas as the pirates did.

After sailing with only the power of the never-ending winds, we approached the lost city of Cruz Bay, a place which Captain Ayers said seems to be lost in the 1960′s because of the hippies and the “peace & love” feel of the era.

After lunch, we checked-in to the U.S. side of customs. We all successfully got back into the U.S., after which Captain Ayers gave us a two-hour liberty to explore the lost city. We enjoyed smoothies, explored shops and walked along the beach shore where the waters were as clear as crystal.

We headed back to the boat, lifted anchor from the ocean floor and set sail through the treacherous shipping channel of ferry boats, sailboats and water taxis that fly at nearly top speed to get from St.Thomas to St.John. The leadership skills we embraced and learned throughout this week allowed us to navigate the treacherous channel with precision and mastery skill.

Once we reach the east end of St. Thomas, we sailed under the jib towards our last destination of Buck Island. We quickly got our snorkel gear on for the last time and jumped into the bay and explored the calm waters with beautiful fish and even a sunken ship. This snorkel was exceptionally special due the bonding of friendships we created and the epic teamwork we kindled. We all handled a white sea urchin, as it gripped and tickled our hands, and dove down to touch the Christmas tree worm in which it disappears quickly when you touch it (kind of like a “touch-me-not” plant).

We returned to the boat to eat our last dinner made by Chef Ayers — grilled pork-chops, greens, sweet potatoes and blueberry muffins. As he prepared dinner, we watched as a close family an emotional picture slide show with music of our entire adventure in Virgin Islands. Once we laughed and reminisced about the trip, we finished our top-notch dinner.

Next time: what we all took from the week …

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Clunk … Clunk … Clunk … As the generator abruptly comes to a screeching seizure of operation at o-dark-thirty (4:30 a.m.), Captain Ayers and the boys jumped into action to see why the boat had become exhaustingly hot and uncomfortable (the girls remained in bed…unbothered). Captain Ayers coached John to grab the flashlight to look over the stern of the boat to see if we were extracting water from the generator; as the Captain suspected, a propeller was broken inside the generator. The Captain told the crew to turn on our fans to stay cool, go back to bed and we would fix it in the morning.

After the generator problem was solved, we headed east to the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Under sail we traveled a total of 22 nautical miles. The Captain allowed each of the crew to take the helm (the driver’s seat). Once you take control of the helm, everybody’s life is in your hands! Your decisions at the helm must be quick and logical.

While we took turns at the helm, Captain taught us many lessons, from being able to read the wind to holding our heading. When the wind is at 90 degrees to your beam (directly at your side), that is the fastest point in sailing.

We learned a lesson in life today — if we had taken the easy heading at 090 degrees, we would have sailed back and forth and never made headway. This is much like many in life who go to and through, but never get anywhere. As they grow old they realize they are as they have always been and have never received from life what they were capable of achieving. We learned we must take a heading that, at the end of the day, will get us to our destination.

Once arriving at the Indians snorkel area, we swam with hundreds of fish around the protruding rocks. It was definitely one of the better snorkel adventures we have experienced. We swam to the three gigantic, dark and spooky caves. Adventures like these have transformed us into pros at self-timed photos with our waterproof digital camera. Thankfully none of us were attacked by the ravenous sea urchins and barracudas.

We celebrated our snorkel with a delicious dinner of salmon, cheese grits, cornbread and cole slaw, finished off with the best key lime pie we have ever tasted. Captain Ayers is definitely a top-notch chef. After dishes were cleaned up, we began our lesson on tying knots. We watched the captain’s demonstration and tried our hardest to do exactly what he had done.

Tonight we are at the far southern end of the British Virgin islands at Norman Island. Tomorrow we head back to the US. We will finish off the night with a little bit of a jam session, which includes blasting our music and dancing the night away. We will hit the hay with our eyes on the prize — another twenty miles!

Goodnight!

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