HUDSON — Students in grades 10–12 traveled to Costa Rica over April vacation on an eight-day trip designed to immerse them in Costa Rican culture and provide opportunities for personal growth. The group departed the morning of Feb. 11 and returned the night of Feb. 18, visiting several local destinations throughout the country.
The trip focused on connection with people, culture, and the environment as students were pushed outside their comfort zones to disconnect from everyday stresses and focus on personal growth.
“I really loved being able to talk to everyone,” senior Alessandra Burnett said. “We had great conversations on bus rides, did phone piles during meals so we could stay present, and journaled together at the end of each day.”
This sense of living in the moment was a focus of the entire trip.
“There was a night when all the kids met up at the guys’ villa, and we journaled outside together. We brought the couch outside, and everyone brought chairs. I think that night was a turning point because we truly bonded and from then on our bond kept growing stronger throughout the activities,” said senior Thomas Downin.
These experiences helped students who were once unfamiliar with each other to formgreat friends. But they did not just bond through uncomfortable social interactions, but also through some uncomfortable physical challenges. One of the biggest physical challenges they faced was white water rafting.
“I felt the most out of my comfort zone during whitewater rafting,” Burnett said.“That was my first time… The experience on
the water was so unpredictable, and I had to put so much trust in the other people in my boat to get us down the river safely and to just keep paddling even in the middle of the rapids.”
However, the physical aspects of the trip did not end with whitewater rafting. They were also challenged with learning how to surf, which allowed them to both learn a new skill and also connect with local Costa Rican culture.
“There was a day we learned to surf, and we spent the whole day at the beach from lunch time all the way until sunset. We watched the sunset at the beach with everyone in the water, we had a big day of walking and surfing, and after the long day, we all enjoyed the few moments of the sunset together. That moment sticks out because we tried our best to take it all in,” said Downin.
Costa Rica left students reflecting on the personal growth and perspective changes that came with their experiences there.
“Before the trip I was expecting to have a good time with my friends, but I never expected to change or grow over the trip,” senior Zack Styn reflected, “I was worried about being left out of what was happening at home, but I quickly realized that the only thing that mattered while I was there was the people I was with. This made me focus on the present, appreciate the people around me, and stop worrying about things I couldn’t control.”
