Nicaragua and Costa Rica Blog - 2016
As we travel through Nicaragua and Costa Rica this spring break teachers and students will post blogs on this site. Check back frequently to read about our experiences.
Mr. Thornton's Photos
I want to share a link to my personal blog with some of my photos from the trip. A lot of the photos have not been shared on this site so they are new! www.athorntonphoto.com/blog
I've also included some screen shots of our trip based on the GPS on my camera. I think these are always so fun to look at.
Instagram Photo Contest
During the trip we encouraged students to use the #sierratravel on all of their Instagram posts, and told them we would have a little prize for the best photo that used the hashtag. The plan was to announce the winner during our layover in Dallas, but we did not have enough time. It was a tough decision, but the winners are Fiona and Orion. Their photos do a great job of capturing the two different parts of the trip - Urban and Jungle. An honorable mention goes to Melia for her photo of Managua from the airplane. These three students can stop by my room this week to pick up their prize.
I have also included a gallery of all of the finalist.
Mr. Thornton
Day 8 - San Jose
All of us students and chaperones are sad to see the trip come to an end. It has been an amazing trip. Today was one of my favorite days of the trip. We visited a Poás volcano and also got to taste freshly grown strawberries that were grown locally on the side of the volcano. I love strawberries! At home I even have my own little strawberry garden. We had the opportunity to purchase a cup of strawberries with either chocolate or sweetened condensed milk poured on top. At lunch we were treated to strawberry milk shakes! The crater on top of the Poás volcano was amazing too and such a fun place to take pictures.
The afternoon was spent at the Britt Coffee Plantation. Our guides were hilarious and should be on Saturday Night Live. Almost every student took videos of them on their cell phone. Besides being funny they taught us the entire process of making coffee from seed to drink. Students also loved tasting the different coffees.
Tonight in San Jose we walked a few blocks from our hotel and witnessed a Good Friday procession. I overheard students saying that it may have been the highlight of the trip.
After dinner we had a special time reflecting and bringing our trip to a conclusion. It will be hard to say good bye to this experience, Antonio our guide, Super Mario our bus driver, and the countries of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Students have said that for dinner when they get home they would like to have chicken with rice and beans. :)
We look forward to seeing families at DIA
Adam Thornton
As we get ready to head back to the United States, we wanted to give parents and families a list of starter questions to ask your student. We know that middle school students aren't always full of information. It is our hope that these questions can be used at dinner over the next few days to help you learn more about what your child learned and took in on the trip.
- Tell me about the weather in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
- What were your hotels like? Room size, AC, pools, etc.
- What is the most important thing you learned about Nicaragua and Costa Rica?
- Describe how the two countries of Nicaragua and Costa Rica are different.
- What was the process like crossing the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica?
- How has traveling to Nicaragua and Costa Rica changed your world view?
- How did you use your Spanish on the trip? Was there a time when the language barrier was difficult?
- What food items did you eat the most often for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
- Describe where you ate your meals.
- Who is one person from the trip that you got to know on the trip that you didn't really know at the start of the week?
- How did your perceptions of other students change while we were on the trip?
- What did you learn about yourself?
- What challenged or pushed you the most during the trip?
- Who were Jorge, Antonio, and Mario?
- What activity in Costa Rica was your favorite? Why this one over all the other actives?
- What confidence have you gained as a World Traveler from this trip?
- How will this experience help you in the future?
- If you could take your family back to one placel region from the trip what would it be?
- How do landscapes and climate compare to what we have in Colorado?
- What were the coolest animal (s) that you encountered on the trip?
- If you lived in Nicaragua or Costa Rica, what would you miss the most about your life in Colorado?
- Describe one native person that really impressed you.
- What did you spend your money on each day?
- How would your life be different if you grew up in Nicaragua or Costa Rica?
- Did you overcome any fears? If so, how were you able to do this?
- What was a benefit of not having internet or phone service available to you all of the time?
- What new foods did you get to try?
- What foods and drinks did you buy at the supermarket?
- What surprised you most about Nicaragua and Costa Rica?
- Was there anything that you didn't want to try or do, but did? How was it?
- What does Pura Vida mean?
- What was it like negotiating the small streets in Nicaragua with the tour bus?
- How was the terrain, plant/animal life different in each of the different areas we visited (Nicaragua, Guanacaste, Arenal, San Jose)?
- What were the houses like that we saw? What building materials were used most often?
- Why were so many Costa Ricans out of school on vacation while we were there?
- How was the souvenir shopping experience different in Costa Rica and Nicaragua?
Thank you for sending your child with us on this adventure. Check back as we post more photos from our trip and look forward to an invitation to the photo sharing site.
Day 7 - Arenal Day 2
In the shadow of Volcan Arenal, shrouded with a crown of mist and rain, we contemplate the end of our journey to Central America. Looking back from whence we have come, we reflect not only on the
differences in culture and opportunity between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, but also between who we were just a short six days ago and who we have become.
We have most certainly grown from the unforgettable experiences, as well as the grace and wisdom of wonderful guides. We have become better persons from the examples of service, gratitude, and
general happiness of the people we have encountered. And we have developed great friendships that otherwise may have never been explored.
We call this land the "New World," and indeed it lives up to that name. One can see Nicaraguans desperately searching for an identity and purpose in an attempt to overcome their recent history of
conflict and poverty. Meanwhile, Costa Ricans present the case that a people and their environment can thrive together amidst the backdrop of an ecosystem that is continually re-creating itself.
All of this reminds us that we are constantly moving forward. At times, change, like the volcano, can be violent and abrupt forcing us to let go of the past. But in the wake of that change, the
entire landscape is re-born into something new, different, and ultimately more beneficial for all.
Mr. Lechuga
Here are a few words from Melinda:
I must say this whole experience has been amazing. Today's trip to the waterfall is something I won't be forgetting soon. We walked about 500 stairs down to the base of the fall. The stairs were
somewhat old but beautiful. They were stone, paths, wood, and in some small sections dirt trails. From there as we looked up we can see the canopy which was full of life. Sense it is much cooler
here that it is in Nicaragua, I wasn't as thankful for the water. Actually it was just straight out cold. Almost like sitting in the snow back home in our swimsuits cold. But, much more scenic
than that. As I stayed longer in the water, the more adjusted I became and I enjoyed it waaay more. Where we were allowed to get into the water the water fall was out of site, but the sound of
the birds, us, and it wrapped everything up. But, it just kept getting better. Just around the bend of the river there were rocks that I thought of as small rapids, but it was way more low key
than that. Just under the "rapids" the water ran extremely quickly just between a few rocks that channeled it all together. The best part of them was that they were just fast enough that if you
swam you could go hard, but still not move. So as we all swam up the currents and climbed up the close rocks, we were side by side with the people we knew and have been getting to know better on
the trip. As not everyone actually got in the water, I think I speak for everyone when I say we all had a wonderful time and experience at the base of the water fall. Over the corse of the speedy
two hours we had spent there there was a rush of excitement and joy as we splashed each other, took pictures, talked, and enjoyed the experience over all today.
Day 6 - Arenal
Excitement and fun may be the words of the day. We traveled to the Arenal region of Costa Rica. The landscape changed dramatically from dry grasses to lush jungle as the day went on. Students were
excited for the activities of the day. We had the opportunity to take a zip line tour and then visit some amazing hot springs. We purchased the photos from the zip line tour for us all to have. They
gave us a few today to post and will share the others with us via Dropbox in a week or so. To see the photos take a look at the photo section. We thought it was best tonight to let a few
students describe these activities. Here are a few quotes from three students.
From Harrison:
"Today was pretty fun. In the morning, we were transported from Guanacaste to the Arenal Region of Costa Rica. When we finally got into the area, our group got the opportunity to zip line through
the rainforest. Personally, my favorite moment was on a longer line. As I went down the wire, I could look to my left and there, in the distance, was what I can only describe as a wall of trees.
They were incredibly high and dense and it was so interesting to see the untouched parts of the world."
From Brian:
"In the Hot springs it was really cool (Pun intended, but a bad one) there were counters that you could order drinks from, to slides that went into the hot spring the hotel was milking those hot
springs (figure of speech) so much that everyone was so tired when we got to the hotel everyone was drained and even coffee and ice cream wasn't helping. So, all in all today was Awesome! See you
all on Saturday Adios Pura Vida!! "
From Sky:
"Today we went zip lining and we went to the hot springs! At zip lining, there's no real "brakes", it's just a glove that rides along behind you that you push and pull on. It's a little nerve
wracking when your glove starts to make strange noises and you drift toward the wire a little, but everyone was okay."
Adam Thornton
Day 5 - Cloud Forest and Snorkeling
It is hard to believe we are more than halfway through our trip. It sure has gone by quickly. Day 5 was a lot of fun for students even though the stomach bug continues to affect some of us on the
trip. The good news is students are bouncing back quickly.
In the morning students traveled to Rincon de la Vieja National Park to see a cloud forest high up in the mountains. There were monkeys and some really cool steam vents from the volcano. Since I
did not make the trip Lindesy was kind enough to share her photos with us. They are located in the photo tab
The afternoon was filled with a snorkeling excursion. Students were able to snorkel and see a wide variety of fish and sea life. There was even an opportunity to play on the beach which was a big
hit with all. All of this fun has exhausted the students many of them even wanted to go to bed before the mandatory lights out. :) Tomorrow we hit the road again. One of my favorite things about
this hotel is the Howler Monkies you can hear in the trees at night.
Don't miss out on the blogs by Sydney and Lindsey below. .
Adam Thornton
Sydney:
I personally love traveling and I have been to a few places around the world with my family, but going on this trip with my school and my friends has been the best trip because I'm able to do
things that many teens are not able to experience. So far, my favorite thing we have done was going snorkeling. I go to the beach every year in Rhode Island and every time I leave, I miss it so
much. So being back in the ocean was so much fun. It was extra awesome because I was with my friends. I have never gone on a vacation with my friends so being with my friends makes snorkeling
even more fun. While we were touring Nicaragua's city lot of thoughts went through my head. One was wanting to get air conditioning but the big thought was how poor the city was\seemed. There
were so many people coming up to us and asking for us to buy things and give them money. And the things that people were selling were also what other people were selling. Like the exact same
things. There were also lots people who had sent up stands and selling food or clothes or pins. But everything's was not that expensive. I hope one day I will be able to come back with my
family so I can show them all the amazing things I have done and learned here.
Lindsey:
So I have traveled a lot over the years especially since my family was in the military. This is the first time I'm super far away though. I loved being in Nicaragua. One thing I want to remember
about that country is how they build around nature instead of through like us in America. It was cool to see part of a forest in the middle of the hotel along with animals like lizards in the
rooms. Costa Rica does that so not much of nature is destroyed. The people here are really cool too. Most of them are extremely nice and helpful. I've experienced so many new things from arguing
with screaming ducks over a pool to finding Dori while snorkeling. And it's amazing to share this experience with so many people that over this short period of time have become great friends.
Most of these people I probably wouldn't ever had talked to if it wasn't for this trip. I am so grateful for this opportunity and would like to thank the chaperones and parents for making this
experience possible for us students. We have been so busy and I'm enjoying this sunshine and warm waters before I have to return to snowy Colorado. This is all going by super fast and it's
amazing to look back every night and think about how I saw something different or experienced something different. The tour guides, Antonio and Jorge, along with our bus driver, Mario, are doing
an awesome job in answering our questions and making sure we have an awesome time. I've gotten a bit homesick though and I can see how lucky I am to have something as simple as a washing machine
or air conditioner. Well I'm goona leave it at this. Pura Vida.
Day 4 - Travel Day
¡Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!
Today we said goodbye to the city of Granada and goodbye to the country of Nicaragua.
The group boarded the bus by 7:30 this morning and headed south. We drove for a few hours passing along side Lake Nicaragua and saw a few volcanoes as we made our journey to Costa Rica. Unfortunately, we did have a few students and chaperones get sick and that made the drive a little difficult. Most of them are doing much better now and a few chaperones are working through it and hope to be feeling better tomorrow.
The drive to the border took about as long as it took us to pass through customs and actually enter the country of Costa Rica.
The process is actually quite complicated. This is due to a lot of political factors and partly due to the economic differences between the two nations.
Once we finally made it across the border we enjoyed a great meal and headed towards our hotel in the province of Guanacaste.
At our hotel we challenged several of the kids to try to meet new people by having new roommates. Some of the students don't know their roommates as well as they did their last roommates but they're getting a chance to get to know each other and make new friends while they experience this awesome trip.
The hotel pool was definitely the highlight of the night though. After a day of sitting on a bus the pool was the perfect way for students to have some fun and cool down.
We're looking forward to a busy day tomorrow with lots of adventure,
Brent Sheffield
Today we said goodbye to the city of Granada and goodbye to the country of Nicaragua.
The group boarded the bus by 7:30 this morning and headed south. We drove for a few hours passing along side Lake Nicaragua and saw a few volcanoes as we made our journey to Costa Rica. Unfortunately, we did have a few students and chaperones get sick and that made the drive a little difficult. Most of them are doing much better now and a few chaperones are working through it and hope to be feeling better tomorrow.
The drive to the border took about as long as it took us to pass through customs and actually enter the country of Costa Rica.
The process is actually quite complicated. This is due to a lot of political factors and partly due to the economic differences between the two nations.
Once we finally made it across the border we enjoyed a great meal and headed towards our hotel in the province of Guanacaste.
At our hotel we challenged several of the kids to try to meet new people by having new roommates. Some of the students don't know their roommates as well as they did their last roommates but they're getting a chance to get to know each other and make new friends while they experience this awesome trip.
The hotel pool was definitely the highlight of the night though. After a day of sitting on a bus the pool was the perfect way for students to have some fun and cool down.
We're looking forward to a busy day tomorrow with lots of adventure,
Brent Sheffield
Day 3 - Reserva Natural Volcan Mombacho
Today we had a very busy day. Since I have to be up in less than 5 hours I am going to leave you tonight with
two guest blogs from students. I will say that we went to a volcano, a market, and ended the day with a photo stop. The photo I uploaded to the iPad was not the one with all the students
looking....oops. I do have a better one on the camera.
Tomorrow is a travel day to Costa Rica. We've been told it could take up to two hours to clear customs.
Yikes!
Enjoy,
Adam
Natalie's Experience:
When I first entered Nicaragua, I was amazed at the airport. I was expecting a big fancy airport like
the ones in the U.S., so I was surprised to see that you walk off the plane and into the humid air. We went through customs, and then I got my first real look at the country and culture. The
buildings were colorful, and people were friendly as we passed by on the bus. I waved to everyone I saw, and many waves were returned to me. I started to realize what a great place I was in.
I noted that many homes were just hammocks on patios, and how much trash littered the road. Through it all, I couldn't think of a better place to be. The problems of 1st world countries are
nothing compared to the problems of 3rd world countries. And even though the challenges are extreme, they still manage to enjoy their lives and have fun. I watched boys play basketball on the
street, laughing and smiling in their tattered clothes. I smiled as children ran and chased each other, and felt pain for those who sat on the streets depressed. I fell in love with
Nicaragua, and hope to come back someday!
Melia's Experiance:
This trip has been one of the most amazing things that has ever happened to me. I have traveled to many
countries before and something that I have learned is that no two places are the same. There are so many new experiences and opportunities that come with traveling. I have already learned so
much from this trip and I cannot wait to learn more. Yesterday was one of the best days that I have had while traveling before. Yesterday we started out by getting ready and going to
breakfast. The breakfast at the hotel is very good, and it is a healthy way to start off the say. It also gives us a great introduction to the Nicaraguan culture. Then we took the bus to this
boat tour. When we got there we saw what looked like stray dogs running around. I noticed that they were females and that they looked like they were giving milk to puppies. Mrs. Lechuga
pointed out that this could represent the strays in the country and how this could lead to more puppies becoming hungry. It is funny how the little conversations that you have can lead to an
eye-opening epiphany. I am an animal-lover and I can understand that this could actually lead to a hard life for an animal. Then we got onto the boat. I learned that there were three-hundred
and sixty-five islands and we got to tour them. This trip is amazing because it not only combines adventure and excitement that I love, but I also can learn. It teaches me to be more thankful
for all that I have in the United States because I am so lucky to go to school and to have food on the table. While we were on the boat, we saw monkeys. They were playing with an old shirt I
think, and I didn't think much of it at the time, but now as I am realizing it, it is amazing. The monkeys were just there like nothing was wrong and no one was bothering them. Maybe the
monkeys are like buffalo to us. Maybe they are common for the locals, but to us, seeing them was amazing. I have seen monkeys before in India, but I was three. I feel like this is one trip
that I will actually be able to remember. So I am glad it is turing out to be a good one. Then we did a walking tour around town. It was so hot that in normal circumstances I could hardly
function. But then I could only focus on the beauty of the streets. The colorful building seemed as if each one had something interesting to say. The local shops sold the same things, but
each one was so different. Then we got a chance to split off and go to this chapel. In this chapel I learned so much about the culture, and I saw so much of Nicaragua. It is such an
amazing place and I recommend it for anyone who wants to travel there.
Day 2 - Granada, Nicaragua
Mrs. Lechuga's words - Today 39 trepedacious teens took to the day starting with a wonderful breakfast provided by Mansion de Chocolate. We knew the day was going to be spent boating, and
none of us knew what to expect. Our bus slithered through the Granada streets and brought us to the Lake Nicaragua where 4 small motor boats and 39 life jackets met our crew. Our trip
was filled with fresh water aquatic life, islands of pirates, princes and paupers, lessons of life and monkeys. The chaperones were happy that not one child tried spontaneously swimming
overboard.
After a lunch of rice and chicken, we tried to evoke the memories of the Spaniards from 1529 at the Mission de San Fransisco and then market square for some sightseeing and souvenir shopping.
We reviewed some safety tips on tourist traveling in any large city, and how to be a smart traveler. About half the group climbed to the top of a cathedral and watched a
spectacular sunset.
We ended the night with a dip in the pool, a bit to eat and some journal writing for posterity. A big thanks to Jorge for helping our group experience this beautiful country and people in
it! Pura Vida!!!
I would also like to say that we have had so many compliments on how great of a group we have this year. As we traveled through the airport yesterday several people came up and spoke nice things to a
chaperone about our group. Jorge, our tour guide, even spoke to the behavior of the group and how much he was enjoying working with our kids. Thank you parents for sending us such great
students.
Adam Thornton
Nicaragua - We Have Arrived!
We made it to Nicaragua, all of us, safe and sound! We are all in good spirits with a little bit of travel
fatigue. They day started early for all of us as we woke up to a snow storm in Colorado. Our world would sure look different by the end of the day with temperatures in the 90's with lots of
humidity.
We had a short delay departing Denver, but we had plenty of time in Dallas to make our connection and grab
a bight to eat before our flight to Managua. After landing in Managua we were treated to an unexpected $10 tourist visa. After meeting up with our tour guide Jorge we drove an additional hour to
Granada.
Dinner was waiting for us when we arrived at our hotel, Mansion de Chocolate. The evening concluded with a
short meating and a quick swim in the pool.
Students and chaperones are definitely excited for the adventures that lay ahead.
Good Night!
Adam Thornton
Brent Sheffield
Nancy Root
Milke and Becky Lechuga
Excitement is Growing
We are now under two weeks to go for our trip to Nicaragua and Costa Rica and the excitement is growing. Students have count downs and love to tell us teachers how many days are left before we depart. Many students have even started packing for their trip!