It’s official! Everyone from the group is either home or on their way home.

It is very interesting to see how a group of 17 strangers can come together and become friends in only two weeks. We have come a long way from the very first days together in Playa Samara where we had our salsa lessons and everyone was shy, to yesterday when the goodbyes in the airport were really emotional.

Every night for the last two weeks, we have done a nightly meeting where we share our highs and lows. On our last night meeting we talked about our highs of the trip and what we learned from it. Many things came up! These are only some of them: not taking our lifestyle for granted, realizing how missing home and family is totally normal and how to turn it around and make it a learning experience while we are away, witnessing other ways of life, immersing in a different culture, learning Spanish, making friends even though there is a language barrier, trying new things,  learning construction techniques, working hard and witnessing the result, relying on friends when we were afraid or feeling blue and feeling brave and empowered after this experience.

We, as co-leaders, couldn’t be happier about the experience we shared with this group! We had a lot of fun, we got to know each and every one of them, and we are really proud of the work they did in Bonanza.

Students! If you are reading this: Make sure to go over the blog with your parents and talk to them about everything, and we mean EVERYTHING! Share moments like whitewater rafting and our crazy guides, zip-lining for the first time, independent projects, watching real life sloths, sleeping in the house and in the shack, Maria Elsie’s and Yesenia’s cooking, the kids from Bonanza, bonding with no cellphones, and last but not least: Max’s jokes!

Big hugs to everyone!

Pura vida,

Sam & Juliana