Visitation Students Soak Up Sun, Spanish and Culture in Costa Rica

Two week in Costa Rica wasn't enough for most of the nine students from the Convent of the Visitation School who took a guided excursion to the Latin American nation last month.

The students got a whirlwind tour of Costa Rica, saw spectacular scenery, worked on their Spanish and got a crash course in Costa Rican culture. The $2,800 trip was through Intercultural Student Experiences (ISE), which sends student groups to 14 countries on guided programs.

"The trip was tremendously spectacular and the students had
an unforgettable and life changing experience," said teacher and group leader Amanda Rosas.

"Usually we do Spain and I was tired of that European focus," said Rosas. "I wanted to do Latin America so they could have exposure to a different culture."

The Visitation students who went on the trip were: Maeve Adam, Becky Zahr, Lauren Petronak, Emily Westerback, Emily Heimerman, Abby Casagrande, Katy Newell, Maggie Dalsen and Mary Sicoli.

In Costa Rica the Visitation students toured a coffee plantation and processing plant, saw volcanoes, waterfalls, hot springs, rain and cloud forests, lots of wildlife and beaches on nature hikes, worked on a reforestation project at an agricultural high school, and met and stayed with local students.

"We went to a hotel and there were like 30 or 40 monkeys that were just swinging around above our heads," said Emily Heimerman. "I got pooped on by a monkey. That was one of the highlights of my trip. They were very close and very comfortable with humans."

The trip took many of the students out of their comfort zones, said Rosas.

"I don't often take a two-and-a-half hour hike in the rain on volcanic rock uphill," said Rosas. "For me it was a very challenging thing. So I think the students can come away from it a bit more confident to try new things."

The students stayed in hotels the first week, the second was with host families.

"At first I was like really, really nervous about it," said Abby Casagrande. "But they were all really nice to me and very welcoming. They were always trying to accommodate me. It really did feel like a second home."

The students also got a look at a different educational system than the one they are used to.

"I really like the schools," said Katy Newell. "It was a different setup than how we have it. It's much more low key, not as high strung and 'focus, focus, focus.' If you had a question you raised your hand, they answered it and went back to their lecture.

"I was actually able to help my host sister with some of her homework, and some of her friends," Newell added. "I was able to use my Spanish, which was a lot of fun."

Various Visitation student groups have also traveled to Kenya, China, France and Italy recently.