Poás volcano

Today after breakfast with the host families we travelled to Parque Nacional Volcan Poás, about an hour away. It is an active volcán but it's last major eruption was in the 1950s.  It's situated in a cloud forest and is a national park. Of Costa Rica's 200 plus volcanos, Poás is one of its 7 active ones.

On the way back, we stopped at a local shop selling strawberries and other treats we snacked on during the ride home.  Students went back to their host families for lunch before returning to El Rancho for our last class.  In each class, students prepared a final presentation for the group after receiving certificates for completing the Spanish course.

Tomorrow will be an early morning as students leave their host families and we travel to the town of La Fortuna.

Buenas noches.

¡Fútbol!

Today started the same as yesterday: breakfast with the families then class at El Rancho.  Since the USA/Germany World Cup game was on, we watched a bit of the game together after the break.  Then we had a brief discussion with the Spanish teachers about soccer, the World Cup and sports in general.

Then students were bused back to their host families for lunch.  After lunch, we did our community service at a local elementary school.  Today's service was to entertain elementary students during their recess period.  Haven students played soccer, jump rope, jacks, Chinese jump rope, duck duck goose, limbo, along with drawing and painting with the Ticos (Costa Ricans).  Students had a chance to practice their Spanish with the kids.

Then it was back to El Rancho for a bit and then back to the host families for dinner.

Nos vemos.

Class and community service

This morning students had breakfast with their host families and then they were picked up by Jon, our tour guide to come back to El Rancho for Spanish classes.  Students were placed in classes of 3-5 students.  Classes are mostly conversational and last three hours with a 15 minute break during which students had fresh fruit juice, coffee and fruit.

After class, students were bused back to their host families for lunch.  Students have said that they have had some delicious meals and have enjoyed mealtime conversations with their families.  After lunch, we went to a guardería (day care) to perform some community service.  Students had a chance to play with a few of the children there while waiting to get the materials.  Students were asked to create a colorful set of sandboxes made out of tires for the kids.  They also decorated the play area with their hand prints and created a rayuela (hopscotch) game for the kids.  Since it's the rainy 

season, we had to seek shelter while painting.  After a few hours of service, we loaded back on the 

bus and students went back to their host families for dinner.  Tomorrow will be similar to today.

Hasta mañana!