Written By Hannah
Welcome back, friends and family!
It’s bittersweet to say… we’ve officially reached our final week abroad!
We’ve had incredible experiences not just this week, but throughout this entire journey. Last week we were in Mastatal, and this week kicked off with a relaxing day on Playa Dominical. After a long day of travel, we finally got time to unwind on the beach—calling family, hanging with friends, or just enjoying the waves. Later that night, everyone surprised Hannah by joining her for dinner at a Thai restaurant.
The next morning we headed to Osa for our rafting trip: two days and one night on the river! We caught our dinner straight from the water, slept next to cows, and pushed ourselves through a wild mix of thrill, fear, and total freedom. A few sunburns may have joined the group afterward, but those are just battle scars that will heal.
After rafting, we made our way to Uvita, where we stayed at a gorgeous hotel with two pools, a beautiful beach, and some very mischievous monkeys. The next day started with a small hiccup—we accidentally entered the national park the wrong way (oops)—but after finding the ticket booth, the day turned amazing. Some of us relaxed on the beach, while others wandered the town hunting for ice cream. Even with a few sleep issues going around, spirits stayed high.
That night turned into self-care night: avocado-and-honey face masks and Zoolander. Perfect.
Thanksgiving was unforgettable. After a morning of surfing lessons, we held a potluck dinner full of great food and even better laughter. We closed the night by going around and sharing what we love and appreciate about each person.
Then it was off to Quepos! While waiting for the bus, we had a full-on DANCE PARTY, blasting our favorite songs and getting honks of encouragement from passing cars and motorcycles. Our hostel in Quepos was nice (and hot), and we ate dinner out—where Hannah tried to score a free dessert with a fake birthday… sadly, no luck.
The next morning, we held our permaculture debate—complete with costumes, accents, and lots of laughter. We visited the national park the following day and saw sloths, monkeys, and even hermit crabs, before an earlier than expected closing time. While we were relaxing on the sand, we also made personal music playlists for each other—songs that reminded us of one another. It became one of those unexpectedly sweet highlights of the day.
That night Mary and Hannah went dancing, and the next day we had our Passion Class. Hannah taught High Performance and High-Quality CPR, and now everyone is unofficially certified.
Today we had our integration meetings to prepare for heading home, followed by our weekly meeting and a lunch out. Over lunch we played the superlative game—and the group unanimously agreed that the person most likely to sleep through a natural disaster but wake up the moment a snack bag opens is Lucina. 😉
Thank you for following our travels and sharing this adventure with us.
Peace out!
*~ Carpe Diem GuateCosta Fall 2025*
