Costa Rica: Wildlife Adventure, Session 2 2025
July 15, 2025
Today we woke up a bit on the later side, tired from our travels yesterday. We had a vibrant cultural breakfast of creamy scrambled eggs, gallo pinto, and fresh cut fruits. We then continued by playing some get-to-know-you games! We played “Bang” and some fun name games. Next, we went out to a local restaurant and got some amazing “rico” lunch. We sat in a long row and played “Up Jinx, Down Jinx,” a cooperative guessing game. After lunch, we headed back to the hotel and had some free time to spare. Most of us jumped into the pool and hot tub, overlooking a beautiful view. A little while later, we met back up for some activities and then dinner, which was chicken, beef, fries, and other yummy veggies and chickpeas. Finally, to finish off the night, we went back into the hot tub to relax.
It was a fun day where we began getting to know each other, and we’re excited to go rafting over the next two days!
By Zoe + Vivi
July 16/17, 2025
Wednesday morning, early rise at 6 and rolled out of bed to the bus. After a 3 hour drive, we got to the rafting home base. We had a classic and delicious Costa Rican breakfast: beans, rice, eggs, and fresh fruit. Loaded back on the bus and headed to the rafts. On the way, we saw our first sloth, what an incredible sight, it was moving! As the adventure continued, we loaded onto a sketchy trailer attached to a massive tractor and got towed all the way down an amazingly scenic, steep road. Rafting, wow what an amazing experience for us all! At first, it felt complicated, how to steer the boat, use teamwork, and hear the guide over the roaring rapids. We made our way down to our campsite. When the group arrived, we all thought we were in an amazing fever dream. The tents were not tents, they were palaces! After lunch, the group took a quick hike to a waterfall. It was so beautiful! After our adventure, we went back to the campsite. The showers were cold, fresh mountain water that came out of the trees and were surrounded by the greenest leaves. We had incredible food the whole time we were at the camp, including an amazing chicken dinner. We played some games, chatted, bonded, and then we got ready for bed and cuddled up in our tents. In the morning, we all woke up with the sun in this insane campsite in the middle of the jungle. We got to chow down on pancakes in the morning, which everyone was thrilled about. By 9, we made our way back into the rafts.The rafting was intense, a wall of greenery surrounded us on all sides. Some of the Jurassic Park scenes were filmed right there! Then suddenly it started pouring rain, it felt amazing and magical. We passed many waterfalls and ended up getting pretty cold and wet, which makes sense because we were on a river…
We stopped for cookies and pineapple, it was so juicy and delicious. When the rafting ended, we ate an amazing lunch and drove about three more hours to our new home for the night.
On the way, we made up stories and talked about the most random things. When we arrived, everyone was in awe of the swimming pool and hot springs. We got into our groups for the night and went into our cabins. At the moment, we (Mavi, Teagan, Dorothy) are sitting where we just had dinner, writing this. We are excited for the days ahead of us and cannot wait to experience even more fun.
By Maverick, Teagan & Dorothy
July 18, 2025
This morning we woke up and ate a delicious breakfast at the beautiful hotel we were staying at. We wolfed down our bacon and eggs and hit the road towards our next destination, the wildlife rehab and rescue center Proyecto Asís. We arrived at the place surrounded by lush wildlife and an adorable front desk. We got a tour and met all of the animals who are not capable of survival in the wild, and learned each of their individual stories, from macaws to coatis and monkeys. After we took our tour we got to prepare their food and help serve it to them!
We then left the reserve to head to the biological reserve where we would be staying for the next two days and working hard to protect. The hotel is so beautiful like a tree house. Then we had dinner and tres leches for dessert which everyone loved. After that, we had a reflective activity where we shared our experience at Proyecto Asís, it turned into a very interesting conversation about how we can care for the planet. First we went over the ethics of rescuing animals and balancing saving animals with not interfering with nature. We talked about small actions we can take at home to protect local wildlife, about how the choices we make when shopping affect the whole world and how to take more sustainable choices. We closed the meeting by talking about how every animal is valuable and how integral they are to the ecosystem.
By Vivian & Dorothy
July 19, 2025
We woke up in the clouds in our cabin home and had a nutritional breakfast of waffles, pineapples, watermelon and eggs. We then got ready for a long day of trailblazing. We all worked to find the perfect fit for our work boots, then walked down through the mud in the rainforest. After 10 minutes of walking, we reached a BIG LAGOON in the rainforest. It was an old volcano that is now filled with water. We started work immediately by filling bags with medium rocks. We all danced to the music playing over Rebecca’s speaker. Then we filled more bags with sand. We were told to fill the bags that we could carry but didn’t realize we were actually going to carry these bags on a trail… Then we walked to a trail opening in the middle of the amazing forest. We then started to haul EXTREMELY heavy bags of rocks down the trail. Vivi had an amazing idea to make an ant assembly line AND because Connor has PEAKED our interest in ants. We would pass the bags in a line and Teagan lifted our spirits by giving each bag of rocks a funny name and we would spread the name as we passed the bag to each person like the game telephone. We took a short break for a quick protein bar and got right back to work. After we had FINALLY finished with just the bags of rocks it was time for lunch. For lunch we had this really good yellow chicken with rice and beans and the vegetarian option was a very good omelet with extra veggies. We then went back to work, this time because of our assembly line we finished passing the bags of sand in HALF the time, so we were able to have much more free time before dinner. Some of us then went to the lagoon to swim. It started raining while we were swimming which was magical. Then we walked back and the majority of us sat upstairs on benches, talked and played games until dinner. We had a yummy soup dinner and watched the rain evaporate over the trees. After dinner we played the most competitive and funny game of charades EVER. Rebecca and Fabricio created the most creative things to act out. Things such as Beyonce, Santa Claus on the beach, Kung Fu Panda and farting in an elevator. After lots and lots of happy screaming our game ended 11-5 (we won!!) Because the rules were that if you skipped a word, you got -1 point. We are writing this blog and sitting on the porch listening to the crickets and talking passionately about life.
By Giulia and Katerina
July 20, 2025
Yesterday we woke up in the cloud forest once again, greeted by rain. We had a breakfast of eggs, plantains, toast, rice, beans, mystery sausage, coffee, and yoghurt. We then packed up our stuff and cleaned our rooms. We then piled into vans once again and prepared ourselves for an hour car ride. On the way we saw an ANTEATER cross the street!
Once we arrived we settled into our rooms, which are super spacious and nice. There was a lot of relaxation and some dancing to Shakira. We then sat in the outdoor patio to eat a lunch of salad, beans, and rice. Following that we had more free time, and then at 2 we made our way to a park. We played four games in the humidity. We played a super fun game where one person spins in the middle of a circle with their eyes closed and then someone does an impression (such as a chicken, monkey, horse, a drop, a thunder and many others). Some of the impressions were hilarious we couldn’t stop laughing. Then the person in the middle must guess who it is. We played a memory game next where each person adds a food to a long list and has to recall what everyone else said. After that, we played capture the flag and tug of war. We headed back for a quick shower, and a swim in the pool.
We were lucky to be part of Patricia’s birthday party, the owner of the place we are staying. We sang Feliz cumpleaños, and then ran straight to the dance floor and boogied down. We danced both with the members of our group and the people who live and work here. We had a dinner of enyucados, which is like fried cheese with yuca and salad, followed by delicious birthday cake 😋😋😋, and more dancing. Once again we put on our work clothes, LOTS of bug spray, and found boots that fit. We then trekked back to the park and went off into the woods to start our night hike. We saw a huge spider making its web, lots of toads, frogs, we saw the tiniest and the biggest frog from Costa Rica, we saw a stick bug, and of course lots of ants. Part of the trail was deep mud that captured some of our members’ boots. Every boot and person was rescued to our immense relief. We then turned off all our lights to see bioluminescent fungi on pieces of bark; it was magical because there were also fireflies. On the way back we saw a turtle and got stuck in mud once again. As we reached the end of the trail we looked and saw a two-toed sloth hanging RIGHT above our heads, so close!! We were incredibly lucky because she was awake and moving, even though sloths are asleep many hours of the day. We stood there for a long time in awe. It was one, if not the most amazing thing we all had seen. Even our guides were amazed. When we got back, some of us jumped right into the pool, but eventually we all made our way to bed for a wonderful night of sleep.
By Ani and Katerina
July 21, 2025
This morning some of us woke up early to milk a cow, there were lots of baby calfs that everyone thought were adorable. It was a cool experience to know how to squeeze milk out of a cows udders. We then returned to have amazing cereal, gallo pinto and eggs filled breakfast and watched a presentation on how milk is produced and how their business grew and the crisis they faced. Some of us even helped translate some Spanish! We then pressed sugar cane to make a juice and added lime, it was incredible and delicious! Afterwards we split into groups and made cheese. We learned about the process and noticed that they use different methods in Costa Rica to make cheese. Then we got to help role it into balls and try some. It was very good! Then the owner of the farm took us on a walk and talked about the different foods that grow on his property. We got to try some new foods and learned about their different uses. We also got to learn more about farm life and see the pigs and chickens. Then we took a break in our icy cold air conditioned rooms (more Brooklyn 99). Then we ate a nice spaghetti dinner and experienced a beautiful dance performance featuring dances from the local area, it was really cool to see! This text was written by Dorothy and Teagan who will now head off for more free time/sleep, or if Dorothy convinces enough people, more Brooklyn 99.
By Dorothy and Teagan
July 22, 2025
Today we woke up at 7:30, ate some pancakes with bananas and maple syrup as well as juicy pineapple. After breakfast we made our way to the buses to start the one hour drive to go ziplining! Although it was raining, we had so much fun zipping over the rainforest canopy, the view was amazing! At one point it started lightning and thundering, so we stopped and sang and danced along to the music that was playing on the speaker, having fun anyways. After 30 minutes, it was finally time to continue, it was 7 lines that crossed the forest with the most incredible view of the lagoon and the volcano. Even though it was very cloudy, it was an amazing experience. After finishing ziplining, we made our way down to the restaurant for lunch where we had delicious quesadillas and tacos as well as a freshly squeezed fruit juice. Then we walked and shopped for souvenirs. After we came home on the bus we had some free time to watch TV and play volleyball. We saw a snake, it was a baby boa, which was very cool. Dinner was fish, mashed potatoes, and veggies: a scrumptious meal. After dinner we did karaoke and then had dance lessons. We learned salsa, swing criollo, and merengue, both solo and in partners. It was really fun and the music was pretty. After, some people went swimming and we had a chill night. Looking forward to traveling to a new destination tomorrow!
By Audrey and Skylla
June 23, 2025
Today we took a long trip to our new destination. We woke up early morning at the cheese farm to a delicious breakfast, including their amazing home made yogurt, granola, gallo pinto, eggs, and fruits. After indulging in the food, we packed the cars, and hit the road. Everyone was pretty tired and the beginning of the bus ride we all slept. After 3 hours we arrived to lunch, which was a gigantic buffet. We all dug in and soon later went into food comas. Once we regained our abilities to walk, we strolled over to the adorable souvenir shop next to the restaurant. A lot of people bought cute mugs and clothes to give to family members. Then we had to go back on the bus for a five our bus ride to Uvita.
Unfortunately that’s when everyone’s sugar rushes hit, so it was a very energetic bus ride from then on out. When we got to the hotel, we went swimming in the gorgeous pool and talked for a bit before dinner. Dinner was served with fresh cranberry juice and tasty fries. After that, we had some groups activities and then some people went swimming while others went to sleep early. What an amazing day!
By Vivian and Audrey
July 24, 2025
This morning began with a buffet breakfast of rice and beans, waffles, fruit, and eggs. After that, we all loaded onto the bus for a 3 hour drive to the Peninsula de Osa, which is known for being a wildlife hotspot both on land and underwater, imagine that this small piece of land holds 3% of the planet’s biodiversity, which is insane!
When we arrived, we were all melting from the heat and humidity. We got to this beautiful place surrounded by trees, settled into our cabins, and took a short walk to lunch, where we stuffed ourselves with delicious pizza and mango, pineapple, papaya, and guanabana smoothies.
After lunch, we all sprinted into the bay for a swim. The water was PERFECT and we were peacefully floating when suddenly, a huge dolphin jumped just a few feet away from us, it was INSANE!!! Many of us had never seen dolphins before, and definitely never that close. After a while, they swam off and we could still see them in the distance.
As we wandered around, there were flocks of colorful macaws everywhere you looked 🦜 We got back to our cabins and had time to shower and relax. Many of us explored the surroundings and spotted incredible wildlife, also we saw a sloth really close.
Later, we listened to a presentation by the head biologist of the Latin American Sea Turtle Organization, which got us ready for the next few days with turtles and mangroves, we’re so excited!
Then we had dinner rice, beans, salad, and chips. After dinner, we played some games, including a (water) drinking game. Now we’re heading to bed early for an early morning with the sea turtles tomorrow.
By Maverick and Ani
July 25, 2025
We woke up bright and early to the majesty of the rising sun and the excited chattering of the parrots. We ate eggs, rice, beans, bread, and bananas for breakfast. After we set out on the boats we went to a beach with mangroves 4 miles away where the turtles come to feed, we threw the nets into the water. We threw one 80 meter and two 60 meter ones. We then divided into groups of five and begun shifts on the boat to watch the nets and be alert for when we caught a turtle. We spent a lot of time on the beach relaxing while waiting for those on the boat to find a turtle in the nets, the tide was very low and the turtles hadn’t entered the mangrove yet to feed. Eventually, the buoys at the end of the 80 meter net began to bob. We pulled a hawksbill sea turtle out of the sea and drove it back to shore. We then began the measuring and recording process of the turtle. It was a female sub-adult, it was about 50 lbs and had a sizable amount of barnacles on it and had been caught by a similar organization in another country and was completely healthy. We then safely released it into the water during a rising tide, it was a super cool experience! We spent a few more hours swimming and having fun before heading back to the boat to return to our hotel, on the way back we got to see a group of whales! Once at the hotel, some of us wanted to relax and shower before dinner and others wanted to go back to the beach in front to do some snorkeling, it was amazing. We saw a couple of turtles swimming around, a stingray, a pufferfish, and many other fish. Today was a great day!
We have been told there is a sloth by the beach so we are going to go look at it, see you tomorrow!
By Connor and John
July 26, 2025
We woke up to the sound of macaws and parrots. I (Maverick) had an extra early rise at 5 a.m and swam as the sun rose with Fabricio and Rebecca. There were vibrant pinks and oranges painting the sky, the experience of swimming in calm, warm waters and watching the sunrise was magical.
It was an early morning breakfast at 6:30. We had pancakes and the typical (rice, beans, and eggs) We got ready and had a presentation about the incredible work we were about to start, Mangroves! 🌊🌳We learned about the two different types of mangroves we would be working with today. Those were the red and the tea mangroves.
We walked to the Research Assistant’s house to get the supplies for the day. We piled shovels and watering cans into the wheelbarrows and pushed them along the coastline until we reached the mangrove nursery, where we would be spending the day. We crossed the river to start collecting mud, sticks, and propagules (mangrove seeds).
As we worked in the hot beating sun, people were feeling the struggle of the heat and hard work but were rewarded by short but nice swimming time and cookies. However, we felt happy and fulfilled to be helping with this amazing and important work.
We filled wheelbarrows full of HEAVY mud and crossed the river once again to dump it out. After hours of hard, tiring work, we got our lunch break. For lunch, we had burritos, which brought the life back to us. Then we went swimming. When we were swimming, we got yelled at and apparently there was an alligator in a nearby river, and the tide was high, so there was a danger it could come out to the sea.
When we got out of the water, everyone safe, we began work again. It was much easier, we were filling bags with mud and planting the propagules. We planted a total of 177. Of those, 125 were tea and 52 were red mangroves. They struggle to make it, they have a 2% chance of survival 🙁
We worked with other volunteers from around the world. We left feeling exhausted but super proud. When we got back, a couple of people swam and snorkeled in the mangrove near the hotel to cool off, and others just rested and played games. Dinner was yummy. We were happy to have pizza and salad. After dinner, we were rejuvenated and played another competitive and super funny game of charades. The winning team was promised ice cream, and the day wrapped up with an early bedtime.
By Maverick and Katerina
July 27, 2025
Today, we woke up to a delicious breakfast of eggs, beans, rice, toast, and pineapple jam. We listened to a presentation about the work we were going to do related to recycling and the impact it would have. We headed out for service at 9:00 with our leaders and the research assistant working with us and began picking up trash on our walk to the beach. We walked along the coast and collected plastic, metal, and other trash. We brought it to the local recycling center, where the items we collected will eventually be used to make bags and other recycled products by local artisans to sell. It is the only recycling center on the Osa Peninsula, and they have machines that melt plastic and create new things from it. It was really hot and humid the whole time but the work we were doing felt meaningful and impactful. During our walk, we came across a sloth that was entangled in barbed wire. The research assistant with us freed it and released it into a tree. It was a really depressing and stressful experience but we felt very proud and fulfilled once we knew it was safe. We returned back to camp for lunch, and hung out together for an hour and a half. We headed back out to work on painting some signs to educate locals about the importance of protecting wildlife and keeping the beaches clean. We had a lot of fun and it was a great bonding experience. Some people put paint on their shirts (and arms and legs) and painted each other. We then walked back to camp and took photos of each other making weird faces. Then, some of us decided to go swimming on the beach by our camp. We eventually returned for dinner where we had pasta with a strange combination but it was good… After dinner, we had a group meeting, recapped our experience for the past 3 days working with this organization, and talked about how we felt, how we perceived the impact we’re making, and how much we’ve learned. Tomorrow, we leave for Uvita and we are really excited for yoga and surfing as we finish up the trip, we can’t believe it’s almost over!
By Axel and Abi
July 28, 2025
We awoke to our last morning in Playa de Osa to a good morning from the village strays, whom we had named Stewart, Alfreda, Stacy’s Dad, Cookie, and Oreo/Poopy. As we were driving away on the bus, the dogs were chasing after us, which was very sweet.
After 3 hours on the bus, we finally got to the hotel and had a yummy lunch. Then we went off to the beach!!! We were all playing in the big waves and having the best time.
After the beach, all the girls got dressed up very pretty in dresses and such, and we went to the BEST Mexican restaurant for dinner. I got birria tacos, which were mouthwatering, and everyone else’s food was super yummy as well. Then we went back to the hotel and all hung out until bedtime.
By Giulia
July 29, 2025
What a fun busy day! We woke up and had a delicious breakfast of creamy scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, and of course the traditional Costa Rican meal of Gallo pinto and plantains. Then we quickly changed into bathing suits and got ready to hit the waves with a morning surf session! We started with an on land lesson learning how to paddle out and maneuver our boards safely. After learning the basics, we broke into groups and worked with our amazing instructors in the water. We all caught multiple waves and even stood up on the board! The ocean was beautiful and we surfed and played in the water until it was time for lunch back at the restaurant. After a “muy rico” meal we decided to take a dip in the pool. It started to lightly rain and it was the most gorgeous experience. We then had an evening yoga lesson! It was outside next to a beautiful pool, and we even had a little dog doing the yoga with us! Our instructor was so kind and an amazing teacher. She spoke in both English and Spanish, giving us an understanding of both the physical movements as well as her personal teaching methods. The sun started to set and we headed back for dinner. I had an amazing fish burger. After dinner we met outside to play a game. We first started with picking a slip of paper blindly that had someone’s name on it, then we were told to think of a good memory you had with that person. As we thought about our memories we looked through a sideshow of all the pictures from the blog. It was so fun to connect and remember all the times and memories we’ve made. Then we went around and told our memories/shout outs. It was like a big compliment circle. We actually loved it so much we decided to continue the game and just open it up for shout outs and compliments and love for everyone. Me personally, I’ve made so many amazing connections and it was so magical to express my love for the close friends I’ve made. We ended the night with hugs and tears. I genuinely loved today, it was definitely my favorite day on the trip. ❤️
By Zoe
