Costa Rica Trip

Sophia Cardillo '26  ~  January 2025

The Las Selvas de Costa Rica Wintermission Trip offered immense opportunities and experiences to Nardin students. Many engaging activities from ziplining in the whimsical nature of Santa Elena Cloud Forest to hiking around the Arenal Volcano took place. In exploring the foreign culture, here is an inside view of the excursions we encountered:

Visiting a chocolate factory: We toured a Costa Rican chocolate factory and indulged in the fresh chocolate. In examining the different stages of chocolate production, we tasted the fresh cacao bean from the plant, the ground cacao bean mixed with sugar, and the finished chocolate when mixed with milk. Not only was this experience toothsome, it was informative. We learned about the history of chocolate in Costa Rica, including how the origin of the process of making chocolate and how it has improved over centuries.

Ziplining and Free Falling: We traversed the Santa Elena Cloud Forest on ziplines to embrace the nature of Costa Rica. In exploring the forest and taking in the sights, we experienced riding in a land gondola and freefalling off a ramp. According to Lila Drab ‘26, “Ziplining was a chance to be free and get away from the reality of life.”

Participating in a Costa Rican cooking lesson: We learned about the unique culture Costa Rica acquires, specifically in terms of food. Empanadas are a prominent food in Costa Rica, and we had the luxury of making and eating them with the help of a born and raised Costa Rican family. They taught us their step-by-step recipe of how to make beef and cheese empanadas. Learning about the different cultures of Costa Rica was an eye opening experience and very informative.

Service at a school: We visited a local Costa Rican primary school and provided them with school supplies and various toys to enhance their learning experience. We learned about the differences between schools in the United States and other countries. Realizing how fortunate we are to have a school with air conditioning and supplies left us with a feeling of gratitude. Additionally, we got the opportunity to have conversations in Spanish with the young children which strengthened our understanding of their language, further connecting us with Costa Rican culture.