By Sam Campbell

Have you ever wanted to come face to face with wild tropical monkeys, or navigate through a beautiful jungle? Last summer, 12 of TPA’s own students did just that.

Dr Salcido and Senor Cardoso, along with nine students and three alumni, traveled to Costa Rica. The nine-day trip took the group from the Atlantic to Pacific oceans. One of the many things the group did was having the opportunity to visit a live volcano!

Senor Cardoso said that his favorite part of the trip was Tortuguero. The hotel the group stayed in at Tortuguero was only accessible by small river boats. The hotel was almost completely surrounded by water and, according to Senor Cardoso, the hotel windows “did not have glass!” There were sections in the walls for windows, but there were only screens. There was no AC, but Senor Cardoso said that it was OK after the “cool breeze came in.” However, the hotel that the group stayed in at the capital, San Jose, was like that of a common hotel in America.

The food the group ate mostly consisted of beans and rice, with variations of beef or chicken. Senor Cardoso said that “it gave the kids an opportunity to practice their Spanish skills and experience a new culture.”

If you missed this amazing opportunity, the Peru trip is coming up this summer. In Peru you get the opportunity to see the capital, Lima, visit the famous Machu Picchu, and experience a wonderful new culture. It is sure to be fun.