Courtney, 17

Today marks the day of my long journey to Costa Rica with my new friends! I have always liked to travel and can not wait to experience a new country and culture with my fellow senior class mates, (as well as my new junior friends!) while taking on this once in a life time experience together!

The main reason why I applied to the Costa Rica service learning trip, was mainly due to the fact that I would love to experience something that not every 17 year old american student can say that they've experienced. I also applied because I will be taking part in a project that is beyond myself and just about anything else I have ever completed in my enitre life.

The only thing I can say that I would like to gain from this trip, is a closer bond with mi amigos and being confortable depending on people within my surrounding and working in a team. I have always liked working alone better than in a team, due to the fact that there is a low possibilty of idea confliction and irritation...

Hopefully this trip will be everything I hope, and my classmates and I experience great things far beyond our greatest expectations.

Larry Hailsham, 16

When I heard of the opportunity, I levitated to it! Why you may ask? I want to go on this trip because I really enjoy helping people. It's evident that Costa Rica is far from the US and we'll probably find one of us making the "We're not in Kansas" anymore statement......although we live in Pittsburgh................................................................................................................................................
but that's not the point. This trip means a lot to me. It means I get to leave the country which is a PLUS, it means I get to learn about a country I know completely nothing about which is a DOUBLE PLUS and it means I get to leave the country with knowing I helped out people of an under developed country TRIPLE PLUS! What more could a guy want...........SERIOUSLY?

Alyssa, 17

I have a few reasons why I want to go to Costa Rica. First, I love to travel and I have always wanted to travel somewhere beyond the United States. I think it would be interesting to learn about another country's culture compared to the American customs we are so used to. I also want to be able to help others somewhere other than just here in Pennsylvania. The main thing I hope to gain from this experience is to improve my Spanish skills and be able to have put my current knowledge of the language to good use. Lastly, I just want to have more knowledge of Costa Rica overall, including the culture, traditions, language, and geography.

Melina, 17

I want to go on the Costa Rica service learning trip because I enjoy helping other out in whatever way possible. It will also be pretty neat to learn all about a whole other country aside from our own, and will be cool to be able to experience a totally different culture for a whole twelve days. Interacting with the students/people there will hopefully teach us all a lot and learn to appriciate what we have and the benefits we get. From this trip I hope to gain a better outlook on life, learn new things, achieve the good feeling of helping others. and so much more.

Siena, 17

Siena.

The reason I want to go on this trip is because I have a passion for traveling. I love going to new places and see new people and experiencing how others live their lives. After going on this trip I hope to take away a better understanding of the people in the world and how they are similar and different from us.

Costa Rica!!!

Ashlee, 18

I want to go to Costa Rica because I think it would help me learn more about different cultures and I think that it would be a great experience. I hope to take language skills with me!

Danielle Randazzo, 18
I want to go to Costa Rica because I have never been out of the country and I think it would be a great experience to see what other countries are like. Also I want to help other who are less fortunate. After the trip I think that I will appreciate the things that I have and the life that I live because it could be worse.

Intro

Matyas Feher, 16

I want to go on the Costa Rica trip because I want to see the world and I wouldn't mind helping people in the process.
I would hope to take home with me; some stories that no one else has (besides the others on this trip) and a better feeling about myself, and just an overall character building experience. And hey, a chance to get out of the country to see the world is cool with me as well B )

Emily, 16

I would like to go on this trip, because I'd like to be able to see a lot of places, particularly Latin American countries. I really enjoy helping people in any way possible, and I think this would be a good start to doing that more frequently. Plus this is a reason I want to go, and something to get out of it, I want to be able to handle physical struggle, while still helping others, more easily. I think this will be a life changing experience.

First Blog

LaShai Brown, 16.
I want to go to Costa Rica because I really like to help people. I also thought this would be a nice trip because it would be my first time out of the country and because Costa Rica is a pretty place. The students who went on the trip last year said it was a "life changing" experience and I want to see how I will change after this trip. I know I will gain a lot of things from this trip but I also hope I will lose several things too, such as my fears of heights. What I think I can bring to this trip.....I am a very helpful and easy to talk to and also that I know a little Spanish.

My first post

Hello all,

My name is Nathan Schmidt and I am seventeen years of age. Why do I want to go to Costa Rica? Well I want to go to Costa Rica because I like to volunteer my time by helping people. Also I want to go because I want to experience the world and see how much different it is then living in Pittsburgh. One last reason I want to go is because I want to have a life changing experience. What I hope to take away from this trip is new friendships with people I go with and the locals that I meet. Another thing I want to take away from this trip is to be a better spanish speaker.

Cherie, 17!

Why would I like to go on this trip?!
I would like to be a part of this experience because I feel like that it can not only be a life changing experience where I can find who I truly am and what I want to do/am capable of doing, but also an experience where I can learn a lot about a different culture.

What I hope to gain from this trip?!
I hope to gain a life changing experience and some knowledge on a different culture!

Kiera, 16
The reason I want to go Costa Rica is because I want to experience something different, that not everyone gets to do.
I hope to gain a more open mind to different things, and that it's okay to try new things, without hesitation.