The Adventures are Coming to an End!
While Group B has been working hard completing their community service portion of the trip in Agua Azul, Group A has had a chance to explore the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. On Tuesday, we set out for a morning of water sports, including sea kayaking and banana boating. Afterwards, we all enjoyed a typical American lunch at a local cafe. Students competed in a "Top Chef" cooking competition in the afternoon, making Arroz Con Leche with a secret ingredient. On Wednesday, the students created a photo story board around town and then set out for another snorkeling expedition. This time the students saw many more colorful fish, including a manta ray, and even managed to avoid getting stung by jellyfish! At night we treated ourselves to a spa night making refreshing face masks and soothing foot scrubs. Yesterday, the group headed south to Playa Grande and Tamarindo for surf lessons. In the afternoon, we did some souvenir shopping and then came back to the villa for a restful evening at the movies.

This morning we are learning how some different masage techniques, while we anxiously await the arrival of Group B for lunch. During the afternoon, after the game "Web of Life", our students will have some time in the afternoon to catch up on all our adventures.

Putney Foundations 2009 is sadly coming to an end, but it has been an action packed three weeks filled with adventures, hard work, and unforgettable experiences abroad!

Safe and Sound in Playa Hermosa and Agua Azul!

After being out in Costa Rica nature for eight days, Community Service Group A has returned to Playa Hermosa, while Community Service Group B begins their service in Agua Azul. Both groups visited the Biological Reserve Lomas Barbudal, outside of Liberia in one of Costa Rica’s few remaining and protected Tropical Dry Rain Forests. There, the students planted trees, learned about the Capuchin Monkey Research project conducted by UCLA, visited with local kids from a nearby village, and went on several hikes through the forest looking for wildlife. Our most interesting encounters were with a coral snake, scorpion, tarantula, and monkeys, not to mention numerous spiders.

After Lomas, we had a Foundation reunion in Rancho Margot, a self-sufficient organic ranch. Both groups were excited to see each other and share their adventures. Everybody appreciated the delicious organic buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Students toured the ranch, chilled at the café, went horseback riding, did a canopy tour through a rain forest with a tarazan swing, and visited a natural hot spring at night. Most of us were also able to see the only active volcano in Central America, Volcano Arenal, spit out red hot lava at night. The three days together went by all too fast and the two groups parted their separate ways again, on Saturday morning.

All is well with Community Service Group B who has started their service project in Agua Azul. After stopping in Lomas Barbudal and finishing up planting trees, Group A is back at the villa in Playa Hermosa, ready to go to the beach (and do their laundry!)

As we are all discovering, Costa Rica is Pura Vida!

Community Service Photos

Community Service Group A is hard at work in Agua Azul!

A la Aventura - Let The Adventures Continue!!

Yesterday we celebrated the 4^th of July eating typical American food for dinner followed by a night on the town to the movies. Earlier in the day, we had a surf lesson an hour south of Playa Hermosa, at Playa Grande. Most of us got up at least once or twice and some of us were just naturals! We’ve been soakin’ up the sun in Costa Rica for the past three days sea kayaking, doing an “Eco-walk” on the beach, and playing soccer with the local Ticos. Our night activities have included friendship bracelets, art projects, and spa night have been a hit. We pampered our skin with banana masks, chocolate soothing facials, and refreshed our feet with a natural foot scrub.

Community Service Group A has been enjoying themselves in Agua Azul and getting quite a good reputation for their painting skills. So far they have painted the community center, and various classrooms in the local library. Tomorrow Group B heads out to a local nature reserve called Lomas Barbudal. Both groups will meet up at Rancho Margot at the foot of one of the world’s most active volcanoes, Arenal, on July 8^th for 3 days of outdoor adventures including night hikes, horseback riding, and a canopy tour. As the Ticos say, Pura Vida!!

Fun at the Beach!
This morning we said good-bye to community service Group A, who left bright and early for Agua Azul to start their service project in the village. For the past couple of days, the students have been getting to know each other better and enjoying a wide variety of activities. On Wednesday, we went on a group boat trip, giving us a chance to sea fish and snorkel. Later on, in the afternoon, the students divided up into groups and went out on a scavenger hunt. They explored Playa Hermosa, talked to locals, and tried to dig up a buried treasure that the tide had apparently washed away! Oops!! Yesterday, we went down to the beach for a morning of games, including a sandcastle contest, with a Michael Jackson theme. We also practiced Yoga in Spanish. In the afternoon, we did mini-lessons in Spanish, helping students learn useful vocabulary for their trip, finishing off with a soccer match with local Costa Rican children. Both nights, our students have enjoyed night swimming and card games. After our sea kayaking adventure this morning, we will have a “Top Chef” competition, cooking some typical Costa Rican dishes. Bon Appetit Foundations!

Our First Full Day

We had an action packed first day here in Playa Hermosa with our student orientation. All 28 students participated in activities gearing them up for their 3 week stay in Costa Rica talking about their health and safety, being a traveler, and not a tourist, preparing them for the community service project in Agua Azul, and taking a Spanish test and swim test among other things. We finished off the afternoon at the beach, playing soccer, red rover, and swimming. We also played some great ice breakers such as "Birdie on a Perch," featured in this post's pictures. Above, we managed to get a photo of the entire group. Tomorrow we will set off bright and early boating, fishing, and snorkeling!

Rest assured that although there is some political unrest in Honduras, all is calm in Costa Rica!

The Foundations Staff Awaits You!

Here is the Foundations 2009 staff (left to right): Sky, Lauren, Melissa, Charlie, and Scott

Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Welcome!
Welcome to Costa Rica! The Putney Foundation Staff has been in Playa Hermosa for a week now, preparing the program. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our students this evening.