What happens outside of the country, stays outside of the country.
Students from Spanish and French class went to Costa Rica and France this summer. From waterfalls and beaches to unique food, these students made unforgettable memories.
Hayden Nichols went on the Costa Rica trip and was engulfed by water while whitewater rafting.
“Me and this one girl fell out,” Nichols said. “Then the raft came over me, pushed me under as I was breathing, I then resurfaced, and was coughing. It was really traumatic.”
Nichols didn’t just have troubles in the water, she also had some complications in the sky while ziplining.
“I went flying up, and I’m pretty sure I kicked a guy in a certain spot,” Nichols said. “I hit my head against the metal, and I had a bump on my head.”
Citlali Alarcon from the France trip had her own misfortune when she got lost in the Louvre.
“I got separated from my group,” Alarcon said. “So I put my AirPods in and was trying to find my way out. It was so crazy.”
Alarcon said they explored new kinds of food in France.
“We had this spaghetti type situation,” Alarcon said. “But it was chunks of mystery meat and vegetables, it was really gross.”
Alarcon had an interesting experience with students from other schools that also went on the France trip.
“They were all rude,” Alarcon said. “They lacked manners, but we befriended a couple of the people. And we took notes about them, collecting the lore.”
Nichols also connected with people in Costa Rica, enjoying food from an elderly lady’s house.
“She had a group of EF (Education First) travelers coming that night,” Nichols said. “So she made this whole batch of food, and she shared her story.”
David Zack from the Costa Rica trip said he enjoyed the food and drinks.
“The funnest part about the trip was probably getting to try new things,” Zack said. “I spent like $100 on mainly energy drinks, and the pineapple was so good.”
Hudson Duff, a student from the France trip, said the worst place he dined at was not because of the food, it was because of the prices.
“It was actually really good,” Duff said.“ I got a tiny little chocolate cake thing, that you could probably eat in one bite and it cost around $11. The same place charged us $9 for water and refills weren’t even free.”
Rogers and the other French students did not let Duff feel left out, even though he was the only man on the trip.
“He was like the alpha of our group,” Rogers said. “We were his kittens, I guess. The comedy when we needed him.”
Vanessa Cortes went on the Costa Rica trip and said it was different there, but not only because of the humidity, but because of the sewage system.
“There are a lot of places where you can’t flush toilet paper down the toilet,” Cortes said. “And so you just have to throw it in a bin, which is very different.”
Cortes also said that the economy is different in Costa Rica.
“I think the amount of hustle people have in Costa Rica is a lot different,” Cortes said. “Like, you’ll see people out in the streets, working and hustling for money.”
Alexis Rogers plans to study medical abroad in France.
“Studying medicine across the world is so much better,” Rogers said. “Things are more knowledgeable and more advanced.”
Duff also got to visit the famous Notre-Dame de Paris, which happened to be his favorite.
“Photos really don’t do it justice,” Duff said. “It’s absolutely beautiful there.”
Climbing the Eiffel Tower using the stairs was Duff’s best memory.
“The staircase made the view much more rewarding than taking the elevator,” Duff said.
Maggie Scheck went on the Costa Rica trip and saw beauty in the scenery.
“Me and Danielle went and bought mangoes and ice cream across the street from our hotel,” Scheck said. “It was so refreshing and honestly such a beautiful experience.”
Alarcon had such a good time that she got bad post-trip depression from leaving France.
“I remember calling my mom that day,” Alarcon said. “I was like, ‘Mom I don’t want to go home.’”
