In the early morning on March 25, 15 students and 3 adults began their journey to Costa Rica.

This Spanish field trip, led by teacher Phil Deaton, was a huge success. The students were able to see sights such as waterfalls and volcanoes that are native to Costa Rica.

Deaton believed the attractions were exciting for the students to see. “We went hiking, horseback riding, zip lining through a forest, and saw 2 different volcanoes—one of which has a geyser,” he said.

Senior Paige Muttillo was fascinated by what she encountered on the trip. “I’ve never been outside of the United States before and it was really interesting to see what else is out there,” she said.

Senior Nikki Patel enjoyed the new atmosphere as well. “We experienced authentic Costa Rican food and the dominance of Spanish as a language. We also got to see new types of wildlife and nature that we wouldn’t be able to see here in the U.S.,” she said.

Both were impressed by the fun activities they got to participate in. “We went on night hikes, a chocolate tour, and 2 beautiful beaches—one public and one private,” Patel said.

Muttillo thought the chocolate tour was a huge success. “It was the perfect way to show us a little more about Costa Rican culture,” she said.

The students were able to experience different lifestyles and cultures. Muttillo was surprised by a certain aspect of Costa Rican life. “I learned that you don’t flush toilet paper down the toilets; you have to throw it in the trash,” she said.

Despite the different ways of life, the trip was rewarding for the students in many different ways.

Muttillo hopes to travel to more countries because of this trip. “There’s so much more to experience out there in the world. It was such an amazing trip, and I hope to travel more when I’m in college,” she said.

Patel is grateful for the relationships she was able to form and strengthen in the new country. “I got to know new kids that went on the trip that I never really talked to before. I also got a chance to be with my favorite teachers, Mr. Deaton and Mr. Rice,” she said.

She also is grateful for the independence she gained from going on the school trip. “It was the first time leaving the country and staying alone without my parents,” Patel said.

Overall, the trip was a success. “I was so fortunate to experience such a beautiful country,” Patel said.

Muttillo said, “Hopefully this won’t be my only trip to Costa Rica!”