Eleven eighth-grade students and chaperones from Friends School in Mullica Hill spent spring break in Costa Rica learning about how similar and different the country is from the U.S.
From March 18 to the 22, the students flew to Costa Rica after learning Spanish for eight years at the Quaker school, and had the opportunity to interact with locals and get a feel for what life is like in the Central American country.
“It was a culture shock for some of [the students],” said Patti Sanderson. “They have the same needs as us, but they might not have the same sewage system as us. The students had to throw away their toilet paper in the trash can, which was a big thing for them.”
“You’re more in touch with nature than you are here, you walk around more and see so many diverse things,” said eighth-grader Nathanial Rodwell-Simon.
Noelle Ross, who went on the trip, said she was interested in seeing how different life was like out in the country and had a run-in with a scorpion in her shower, which she admitted was “cool” after it was removed.
“We were driving down the Pan-Am highway, and a man was walking down the street with a machete in hand, and we don’t necessarily see that here, but there they use it to cut various things,” said social studies teacher Peter Manzlemann.
The four said they also participated in a service project while there where they helped plant trees to provide a habitat for an indigenous bird species.
“We planted trees and prepared trees for the soil because there’s deforestation, so there [are] patches,” said Manzlemann. “There [are] corridors that the birds need to travel, and so they’re replanting and reforesting so the birds can make them up. We also planted fig trees for the other animals.”
Sanderson said they made sure to re-plant trees and other plants that are native to the country so they’re able to thrive and re-grow. Manzelmann added they saw how a forest that was created nearly 15 years ago provided a habitat for many native animals.
“Here, we have maybe two or three different types of trees or plants, but there, you could look for hours and keep finding new and different plants and animals,” said Rodwell-Simon.
Ross and Rodwell-Simon said they visited a Quaker school in the country named Monteverde Friends School, and they interacted with the students there, most of whom were from other countries.
“They still learned math, reading and writing, but a lot of the classrooms had big windows that our classrooms don’t really have,” said Rodwell-Simon. “There was a big green space with a garden in a courtyard.”
Rodwell-Simon added he saw people mostly had agricultural jobs and ate the same foods throughout any given day. It was beneficial for him to visit the country as a learner as opposed to a tourist.
“My parents were nervous at first, and it took eight years for me to convince them to go,” said Ross. “They figured that it was a good experience for me. It’s not as dangerous as it seems.”
Sanderson and Manzelmann said, from their perspective, the country wasn’t as dangerous as some may make it out to be, and the people they met were friendly and welcoming to their group.
“It sets the students’ mindset for the future,” said Sanderson. “They can say ‘I went there and I can now go to another place!’ and try to be adventurous.”
