Day 6:Culture exchange prep/town visit

Today we had a long and tiring day, we woke up very early for breakfeast in order to be able to make it in time to town. We ended up missing the bus but luckily memo clutched up with a bus ride for us and we were able to make it on time. Once we arrived we were able to see all the amazing stores and we headed towards la feria aka the farmers market. We were aall able to purchase amazing fruits such as lychee, strawberries, mango and grapes. As well as beautiful jewelry for our families back home*wink wink*. It was amazing to see the comparisons of seeing a new city and new people and comparing it to other past experiences. One object that touched my heart was the various statues all over the plaza that are native to the lands around here. All the statues looked extremely carefully crafted and as well as a bit old most likely due to the history of how long it has been there. After exploring la feria we headed to a bakery Santo Pan where they have various delicious sweet treats such as empanadas de pollo and chocolate. The trip so far today has allowed me and my peers to realize how well we have collaborated with each other over these past 6 days. And how overtime we have bonded together to become a strong united group. P.S miss you so much love you and chunks-jas

During the second half of the day, after we got back, everyone was exhausted from a long day of traveling and walking around, so most went into their rooms for a quick (hour-long) nap. After the much-needed rest, we came back to the dining hall to watch an informative video on ecotourism and the detriments of tourism that the coastal part of Costa Rica has been facing. Then, we had our nightly meeting, during which we shared our Roses and Thorns of the day, Pluses and Wishes, and multiple people were given “Big Love” on their accomplishments of the day. We also passed on the torch to tomorrow’s Group Leaders and watched as they showed their talents to us. We ended off the day with a delicious dinner from our amazing chefs, chicken salad (with Turrialba cheese) and raspberry juice and then a movie, Mama Mia. P.S I miss you mom and dad – Bella.