day 4: Visiting turrialba downtown

¡Hola chicos y chicas! These are your leaders from August 14—Norman Sorokin and Izabel Maruzzelli—checking in! Today was FANTASTICO. We had such an amazing experience ranging from getting our peers settled for breakfast to exploring downtown Turrialba. We were the second leaders to receive the torch on this trip and we are so pumped to share our packed itinerary…

We woke up bright and early at 6:30 am. Norman woke up the boys and Izabel scoured the entire house for all of the girls. We were greeted by our king, Diego, who is actually our amazing chef—he was accompanied by his wife, our queen, Nena. He cooked us up some delicious French toast and we had a choice between plain and scallion omelettes. An array of fresh and vibrant fruits, such as papaya, naners, and watermelon greeted. Diego was so thoughtful he even included more gallo pinto! To wash it all down we drank amazing jugos and rich Costa Rican coffee. We devoured and licked our plates clean per usual. Let us move on to our big adventure!

We had a mental warm up activity where the leaders returned to their theatric roots with a game of ‘Zip Zap Zop’ and ‘Soup Soup, Soap Soap’. Everyone’s face lit up as the games went on. We concluded with no one left standing and a great attitude to start the day.

Everyone sprinted to get their belongings to venture up the hill and towards the bus stop—the autobus would arrive at 9:30a and we had to be prompt. As leaders, we made sure everyone was drinking water and staying hydrated from the intense Costa Rican heat. Unfortunately, not everyone was staying in a single file line, and Cami with her hiking stick, paved the way to restablish our authority and maintain the safety of our peers. Flash forward, we boarded the autobus and greeted the bus driver. Off to downtown Turriabla we went…

Everyones mood drastically shifted to a positive outlook as we rolled into the bus terminal, smelling the freshly baked goods and vendors’ street food. We marched towards the city square, anticipating exploration, but first we grouped around the Turriabla sign for a quick ‘flic’—memorializing this moment.

The vendor’s stands surrounded us, the only way out was through. The smells of churros, chicharron, and a variety of barbecued meats wafted toward our nostrils. We were determined to try everything just as Shakira said but first we exchanged our US dollars into colonés to bring home goods for y’all! We landed upon the local Copo truck and ordered delectable treats made up of shaved ice, condensed milk, and a sugary syrup of our choosing—we chose strawberry cola. MMMMMM!

After our sugar rush, we spent colonés on matching turtle bracelets. #Savetheturtles. The local artisan was warm and welcoming to our tourismo. He presented us with a dazzling display of hand-made goods which Glimpsers picked out for their loved ones. The intense heat led everyone to a pastelaria to cool of off with boba, smoothies, and (virgin) piña coladas.

Vamanos, it was time for us to splurge at the tiendas. We split the group and traveled down the steep pavement to a jewelry store; others stopped at a second-hand thrift store, in preparation for our Community Action Project (CAP).

Woah! We were having such a blast that we lost all track of time. We sped walked to our final destination, a locally sourced souvenir shop. We indugled our bags with stickers, keychains, and chocolatés.

In a hurry, we dashed to the bus terminal just in time to beat the rain and catch our bus home—our tummies full, smiles on our faces, and empty pockets. Upon arrival, Diego greeted us with open arms and fried fish with veggies on the side.

Quickly digesting, we ran to the gathering space on the second floor of our base house to have our second CAP seminar. We planned out recourses and steps we will need to take in order to guarantee a smooth and efficient community work day.

Cami quickly shifted gears to a preparation for our cultural exchange project. The Glimpsers broke up into smaller groups and took charge of three different aspects to enrich the local students: Language, Sports, and Arts & Crafts.

Language involved playing games such as “Heads Up” which helps us practice our Spanish, while exchanging new English vocabulary. Sports is mobility focused, which we brainstormed ideas such as “Four Corners” or “Red Light, Green Light” incorporating movement with practice of learning colors and directions in English. Lastly, arts and crafts brings our the creative side of students alike, enriching them with practice of exploring creativity and linguistics in order to cultivate the world.

After, the mood became sentimental as everyone called back home to their loved ones. The leaders became DJs upstairs, lightening the mood for those who had to wipe their tears.

Diego summoned us for the final time to munch on a hamburguesas con queso y chips. It was MUY DELICIOUSO!

Lastly, in our community space, we went over our day, shared our Roses and Thorns, and finally, a plus and a wish. It was so heartwarming and wholesome to see the group bonding and embracing our great leadership skills.

Muchas Gracias!

-Norman Sorokin & Izabel Maruzzelli

Note from GG staff:

Comments submitted on this blog are reviewed by the Global Glimpse team before appearing publicly. Approved comments will be visible on the website within 24 hours. Thank you for your patience and for supporting your student’s journey!

Los comentarios enviados en este blog son revisados por el equipo de Global Glimpse antes de ser publicados. Los comentarios aprobados serán visibles en el sitio web dentro de las 24 horas. ¡Gracias por su paciencia y por apoyar el viaje de su estudiante!