Join Garrett F. on his Ecuadorian quest with the Quito Junior Immersion program

My weekend was quite amazing I must say. On Saturday we left the school at 6:30 am for the Bella Vista cloud forest. After a two hour drive we arrived at a cool little lodge in the forest. We ate breakfast then set off on a hike through the cloud forest. Equipped with a guide and boots on our feet, we took a long hike through paths and rivers as we finally got to the water fall. Afterwards we hiked back to the lodge where we had some scrumptious trout for lunch, then it was off to the small town of Mindo.

After a bumpy drive we arrived at our very cool hotel in Mindo. We stayed in little cabins, 4 people per cabin. Then, after dinner at the hotel, we went on a tour of the city and its wildlife areas with a guide from the hotel. A cool thing I saw was crickets that let off bright lights that you could see throughout the forest. The tour ended with a discotheque where I practiced some of the salsa skills I learned from the lessons. On Sunday we woke up bright and early and headed to the zip lines which were pretty awesome. I very much enjoyed glided across the forest tops across the cables. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel to grab our swimsuits for tubing! Tubing was fun and a very cold. As we bumped off rock and rapids, we were drenched by ice cold water! It was a very fun weekend that ended with a long, sleep-filled van ride home.

As my first complete week has come to an end, I would like to share some things that I have learned and some tips you might want to know. In Ecuadorian culture they do not waste food. Unlike in the United States where we often don´t finish plates and take food for granite, in Ecuador you finish ALL the food on your plate and you only have three meals a day unless you decide to buy your own snacks in between. Although you often have to be careful of pickpockets and petty crime, overall the people in Quito are very kind and the city is vibrant.

Chao!

Garrett

See all of Garrett F.'s blogs from Quito

Learn more about AmeriSpan's Teen Programs Abroad

By La' India S., a Teen Delegate participating in AmeriSpan's Coronado Independent Teen program

My experience in Costa Rica is ending. This is my third week and the opportunity to come to this country was more than words can describe. Today I went to a wonderful cafe with a friend that we adore. The food is great and the service is excellent. I had the best hot chocolate I ever tasted and we shared a dish. I can`t quite remember what the dish was called, but there are no words to described the delicious taste. It was asparragus wrapped in ham with cheese all over the top. On the side there were the best vegetables I ever tasted. A three year old that would not dare touch a piece of broccoli would love them! Afterwards, for dessert, we ordered and shared a strawberry crepe. It had ice cream and whipped topping with fresh strawberries. Again, delicious beyond compare. Here, in Costa Rica, they continue to surprise me with their foods. None of the foods that I have had so far had been what I expected and they are always amazing.We have already made plans to come back to Costa Rica in 3 years. Puerto Viejo and Coronado will be our first stops.

This week I had the opportunity to go on vacation with my host family. We went to Alajuela , a providence of San Jose. They rented a house along with their cousins. The house was beautiful. It had a pool with a jacuzzi, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a ping pong and pool table, and lots of pretty furniture. I was honored to have them invite me.We danced and ate, and I watched and laughed as my host father and the boys played ping pong. I feel so at home with my host family. I am very close to my host brother and host sisters. They treat me like another member of the family. Sometimes I forget that I don`t speak Spanish fluently and that I don`t live here because we communicate so well. We play the wii and uno and always laugh constantly, even at the dinner table. It is a perfect match.

On Saturday I toured Coronado and shopped for last minute souvenirs. It is so easy to get around here. Since Coronado is famous for the church in the center of the town, as long as you know where the church is you can basically find your way anywhere.While shopping, I brought a pair of flip flops that caught my eye. I just had to haved them. Also, the sales woman was great. She did her job perfectly. Always kept a smile and if I didn`t like something or if it was too much, she showed me the alternatives just in case there was something else I liked, but did not see before. I also found to children`s books for my little cousins. The story is in English and Spanish, and it was their favorite characters, Toy Story and Minnie Mouse. On Monday, due to a Costa Rican holiday school was closed. My friend Jessica and I decided to go to San Jose for the day. We had a good time except for the fact we got lost. Since taxis are extremely cheap here we caught one to the bus station that we couldn`t find since we are both bad with directions. We went to two Mercados in San Jose and walked around. I brought a necklace for my brother with a serpent on it and a shot glass for my dad. There was so much to choose from and a great variety. We also ate a typical Costa Rican dish called casado. Casado contains the following: rice and beans(arroz con frijoles), salad(ensalada), and a chose of meat. The meat could be beef(carne), chicken(pollo), fish (pescado), or porkchop (chuleta). We both still can not believe we are here, in COSTA RICA! So far it has been an incredible trip even with school at eight in the morning! Hasta luego

See all of La'India's blogs

Discover AmeriSpan's Coronado Independent Teen program

This summer, guest blogger Niki W. participated in the Junior Immersion program for teens in Heredia and had a blast!  Here is a video she took during a cooking demonstration at her school.

For more information on this program go to Teen Junior Immersion in Heredia, Costa Rica

See Spanish programs in Heredia

See all of Niki's video blogs from Heredia