Camp Balcones Springs - The Official Blog

Altria Retreat: A Surprising Taste of Camp

noreply@blogger.com (poistergeist) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 05:59:00 +0000

The Retreat side of CBS recently had the pleasure of hosting the Altria Distribution Group's Company Retreat, which, although it may not sound like it, was some of the most fun we've seen since summer camp!

During the first day of their stay, Altria guests had many meetings, speakers, and workshops, but at night, things started to look a lot like Rodeo Round-up! Nighttime activities featured a "Cowboy Dance," complete with a mechanical bull, armadillo races, a longhorn photo-op, line dancing (with guest instructors), and a bonfire at our pond with the traditional s'mores and funnel cakes.

The next day, our guests headed into another round of meetings and workshops, but free time in the afternoon came in the form of enjoying our traditional CBS activities--the zip-line, archery, rock-climbing, the Screamer, hiking, fishing, canoeing, paddle-boating, frisbee-golf, basketball, tennis, volleyball, soccer, and football. That night, a fun, yet more low-key, evening ensued, featuring another firepit and s'mores, a movie under the stars, and the "human" version of games like Jenga, foosball, checkers (coming this summer for camp).

We had a great time with Altria, and we can't wait to have an even greater time all summer! Be sure to visit Camp Balcones Springs today and secure your spot!

PS: We're thinking about adding armadillos to the Rodeo Round-up line-up--any thoughts?

Father/Daughter Retreat 2015

noreply@blogger.com (poistergeist) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 05:43:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, the Retreat at Balcones Springs held one of its favorite events of the season -- our annual Father/Daughter Retreat!

Each fall and spring, the Retreat holds Mother/Son and Father/Daughter retreats to give families a chance to bond in the beautiful Texas Hill Country while also getting a taste of what CBS has to offer. With camp just around the corner, it was so fun for us to offer a taste of camp to these guests while we anxiously await summer's arrival!

Visiting dads and daughters arrived Friday night and immediately began the fun with a fishing contest. After dinner, we all enjoyed a traditional camp bonfire (with s'mores of course!) and a viewing of one of the greatest camp movies of all time -- The Parent Trap!

The next morning, daughters enjoyed cartoons and cereal while our visiting dads had their comparable "newspapers and coffee" (though perhaps some of those cartoons as well). After breakfast, the day looked a lot like a typical day at CBS. Dads and daughters climbed the rock wall, took a ride on the Screamer, and played classic camp games like 3Ball and Nuke 'Em (no team affiliations involved, sadly; who do you think would have won? Texas Rangers/Lone Stars or Rough Riders/ Silver Spurs?) before building their own pizza rolls for lunch.

After lunch, Charlotte's Web, the zipline, and the archery ranges were all open for our guests to enjoy. We also had craft-making and cupcake-decorating, horseback riding in the arena, and face-painting.

After dinner was the weekend's highlight--the Glow with the Flow dance! If you were at camp last summer, you should remember this tremendously fun night! Dads and daughters danced the night away at one of the most famous camp dances, complete with light-lasers, disco balls, and of course, lots of glow sticks.

Finally, to close the weekend, after breakfast the next morning, dads and daughters harvested organic vegetables in the camp garden to put into take-home lasagna kits for mom.

If these activities sound like fun to you, or maybe have you thinking about how much fun you had last summer at CBS, make sure you head over to Camp Balcones Springs and sign up for Summer 2015!

Our last full day in Manuel Antonio (Day 8)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 05:48:00 +0000

Dear Future Me,

For the first time in the summer of 2014, you chose to be active voluntarily. Some key factors in this momentous decision include: getting 13 hours of sleep (note, the hours were 8 P.M.-9 A.M.), eating a hearty breakfast, and waking up to “Summer” by Calvin Harris. By having these rare events occur, you were bound for a fantastic day. If you don’t remember, the first thing you did after breakfast was zip-lining. The ride was electric, with you, Cole, and Michael all free-styling in the back of the bus. Upon arriving at the destination, you were greeted by some very optimistic Costa Ricans. The zip lining course was in a very dense rainforest and you began your climb to the top of the mountain with a rare grin followed by a frustrated frown. The hike turned out not to be that bad because you were followed by the paparazzi guy, Jose the Cameraman. Our first zip-line was relaxing and effortless and was greeted at the end by our psycho guide speaking in a demonic Costa Rican voice. The best way to describe this…person… would be that he is a mix between Smeagle and The Joker. You made your way through numerous other runs including a free fall drop and a Tarzan swing. At the end of the course you ate some all you can eat rice and chicken. Jose the Cameraman was showing his pictures throughout the meal and I have to admit, you were looking pretty good. As soon as we got back to the casa, you and the crew decided to go for a swim in the Ocean. You enjoyed the gnarly waves and the great views of the playa. Following the beach we came back to our bungalows for a brief hour and then headed out to La Luna for a gourmet dinner accompanied by live music—the singer sounded like a Costa Rican Adam Levine (Note to self: Always get the beef tenderloin, followed by the Chocolate Lava Cake, as it was fantastic). After the fabulous meal, we headed back to the bungalows to hang out and play games.

Kyle, Travis, Stuart

Costa: Day 7

noreply@blogger.com (Teddy) — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 04:56:00 +0000

Buenos Noches from your favorite returning ~~writers~~ journalistic magicians. Another jam-packed day began with an early morning wake-up call at 5:38am courtesy of your chaperons for an "on-the-go" breakfast of cereal, yogurt, and breakfast tacos. Shortly thereafter, we boarded our bus bound for Portalon Esculela to meet up with our newest amigos.

Our first assingment upon arrival had us teaming up with Gato (a man, not a cat) and Gallo (a man, not a side dish) to begin efforts in a reforestation project the school helps support. Madeline rallied the group with her golden shovel to plant over 100(!) trees near the school and in the local plaza near/in the vicinity of/with proximity to/along/close to/within a reasonable distance of the school. Gallo showed us the different trees we were planting that would benefit the area, providing fruit from the guayabana tree and mucha sombra (a lot of shade) from another type of tree of which the name eludes us at the moment. We can't wait to see pictures of these seedlings sprouting up in the next year!

After wrapping up our arboreal adventure, we returned just in time for recess! We played futbol, jump rope, tag, and the Costa Rican version of Simon Says with the kindergartners, first, and second-graders, while the sixth-graders finished their classwork. After wearing the kiddos out (and ourselves--it was really hot), the sixth-graders came out looking for new opponents to play in futbol. We rallied after a brief snack break of jelly-filled empanadas and sweet, sweet papaya nectar. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and we wished our friends a fond farewell with hugs, last-minute photos, and the gratitude of the teachers and principal, both hoping for CBS to return next year.

A fun-filled morning deserved a brief reprieve in the early afternoon, where the group had a few hours at the hotel with the option to catch up on much-needed sleep, cool off in the many pools around the property, or read a book on the beach before our next adventure began. However, while much of the group took the opportunity to relax, Michael used his free time to continue the adventure, by taking one of the kayaks down the coastline to scout out surrounding beaches. He came back with plans to show us the many wonders he saw tomorrow.

Naturally, the CBS Costa Crew does not rest for long, and we were off to our evening river tour guided by Rancho los Tucanes. Our guide pointed out a whole colony of white-faced monkeys on the river banks and let us watch them frolic in the foliage for twenty minutes, much to the glee of the girls who could not stop taking videos and photos of the "soooooo cute" monkeys. Monica may have found her spirit animal! Other highlights of the tour included seeing the pygmy anteater (Madeline's spirit animal), and learning about the mangrove ecosystem. The guide took us and one hapless family, who got stuck on the boat with us crazies, down the river, all the way to the ocean to see what an important part the mangroves play in supporting Costa Rica's ecosystem. We finished off, once again, with the dinner typico of Costa Ricans: rice, beans, and chicken. Believe it or not we're not tired of it yet!

Back at home after another day of adventure, we capped off the big day with an even bigger treat of warm brownies and ice cream--yum! Cole and Kyle experimented with the espresso machine, and will probably be awake until Sunday after trying all of their new recipes. The rest of the decaf crew finished the evening rolling on the ground in laughter telling embarrassing stories, playing Bananagrams, and looking like goofballs during "Heads Up."

We can't believe we're already going into this weekend, but in the meantime, we are living Pura Vida: enjoying every moment as it comes!

This journalistic entertainment has been brought to you courtesy of the dynamic duo/former roomies of 611/brothers from other mothers...so on and so forth...

Teddy & Reed

Sloth Watch 2014 (Its been a roaring success)

Day 7: 1

In total: 4

We met Alin, the sloth, on the beach today hanging out with the other cool cats. He was very itchy and spent much of his time scratching his fur.

Costa Rica Day 6

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 04:29:00 +0000

This morning we woke up with sun and the smell of pancakes filling the room. It was an early wake up call, but we had Nutella and it was all fine. We made a quick drive over to Escuela Portalon where we spent the morning playing with precious Costa Rican chicos. A little timid at first, we introduced ourselves in Spanish and they introduced themselves in English. By the time recess rolled around, chaos ensued. Good chaos. There were soccer games, sack races (Madeline lost to kindergarteners), jump rope, and other exchanges of Costa Rican/American games. When the bell rang for them to go back to class, we said “Hasta manana” to our new amigos. About to go to our next activity, we overheard familiar tunes of our childhood—“The Monkeys on the Bed”. We ran into the classroom of second graders just in time for “If You’re Happy and You Know It” followed by “The Wheels on the Bus”. Little Diego fell out of his chair watching Michael do his best lamb impression on the outset of “Old McDonald”. It was a good note to leave on.

We went across the street to the school garden, a project by their ecology club. Cost a Ricans put a large emphasis on protecting their environment, integrating topics of ecology into the classroom setting. Here in the garden, the kids are encouraged to get involved by growing plants for their community. In the garden, we helped Gato and Jorge with some garden upkeep. We moved plants, sanded the rust off a shed (to be painted tomorrow), cleaned out and prepared two beds for planting. After two hours of hard work, we put our projects on hold until tomorrow when we return.

Worn out from our busy morning, the beach beckoned us.. Some lounged on the beach while others tumbled in the tide until the sun set on the horizon of the Pacific; a lovely sight that was the best sunset yet. We showered up and headed to dinner in town. One might guess what we had—beans and rice—a favorite here in Costa. We are not complaining. Especially now that we are sitting on our back patio eating Costa Rican chocolate while we watch a thunderstorm light up the night sky. Another delightful day in paradise. Goodnight.

-Annabelle and Hailey

Day 5 and our first adventure in Manuel Antonio

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 04:20:00 +0000

We started off our stay in Manuel Antonio with a bang…and a delicious breakfast. Crafted by Adrienne and Teddy, the meal consisted of: corn tortillas (a Costa Rican classic), chorizo, bacon, eggs, homemade salsa, pickled onions, perfectly roasted tomatoes. After filling our bellies with delicious food we started our trek to the Savangre River. Along the way we saw a palm oil plantation where workers were doing all stages of harvesting. We even had a pit stop to put rocks in the back of our “coach” bus, piloted by Freddy and Andres our new best friends, so the weight was distributed evenly for our downhill drive. Our traverse lasted about an hour driving through the gorgeous Costa Rican cliff side. Upon arriving we got to explore the area and see gorgeous views of the river on a suspension bridge. From there we suited up in our safety gear (helmets, lifejackets, and paddles) and enjoyed a nice protocol speech by our “rescue kayak” guide, Ronny.

We were divided into three groups of five for the trip; Team NaeNae, Dream(ing) team, and AYE AYE AYE AYE. The rapids started immediately and we put our safety speech to use when we hit a rapid sideways that sent Ian tumbling into the water. His flip flops, paddle, and dignity were dispersed throughout the class III rapids. We quickly tag-teamed the rescue by grabbing the floating objects (including Ian). All was well as we continued on our trip down the river. Ian however was not the only swimmer today that went swimming; Xena, Michael, Kyle, Stuart, Travis, Cole, and their guide Ivan all took a tumble on the same rapid. Not to boast or brag but the Dream Team made it through this rapid unscathed.

Just over halfway down the river we had the opportunity to stop at a majestic waterfall and swimming hole. On the wooded path one of our guides hid in a bush and as each of us walked by he rustled the nearby foliage and startled passersby with Javelina noises. Teddy, Annabelle, Cole, and Reed turn tailed and sprinted away which led to many laughs from those not fooled by the guide’s antics. While in the waterfall, Xena and Reed climbed slippery rocks falling victim to the growing algae. After enjoying our time in the waterfall we climbed back in our boats eager to take on upcoming rapids. During our journey we encountered a large Rainbow Boa napping on a branch in order to digest his food for the upcoming week. We got to see the snake up close as Andres guided us underneath and around the snake’s tree.

Upon returning to base camp we enjoyed a Tico Costa Rican meal consisting of rice, beans, chicken, and vegetables. After a long day of adventure we headed back to the hotel to relax on the private beach. Some of us decided that the day of adventure was not over as we boogie boarded and body surfed our way to exhaustion. Our night was capped off by a delicious meal planned by Teddy and executed by a team of sous chefs (Kyle-sauté chef, Madeline-grill master, Hayley, Travis, and Gretchen-prep cooks). It was a great way to end such an awesome day. We are off to enjoy a Pazookie made by Annabelle.

We hope your day was as adventure-filled as ours!

Sloth Watch 2014: Day 5

After getting excited about thinking that we had spotted one on the river, our guide informed us that we were actually seeing a termite nest…..what a disappointment.

Total: 1

-3 of the 5 Dream Team Members: Ian, Adrienne, and Gretchen

(we apologize for not having pictures, but the internet is not cooperating with us. We are all safe and sound and looking quite tan after our day on the water....besides Madeline)

Pura Vida Day 3 & 4

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 04:55:00 +0000

Yesterday in a nutshell = raining, hiking, laughing, PHUN. We began our morning with breakfast, but a another speed bump occurred. Unfortunately, the Safe House was double booked; however, our quick-minded chaperones pulled a “Peyton Manning Omaha!” and devised a “no questions asked” adventure (spoiler alert: questions were asked, and not answered). Ten minutes and 100 “what are we doing?!” questions later, we arrived at Arenal National Park where we would make our 457 step decline to admire the majestic 286 foot waterfall. We had a traditional CBS photo shoot by the waterfall and then explored and swam around the area. When it was time to leave we trekked back up the same 457 stairs, much harder than camp’s Ted Steps of course. Our legs were tired but our spirits were high!

For lunch we ate in town at Sol de Visquez and devoured another typical Costa Rican meal—this time it was a buffet. Big Eats (Kyle) once again did his thing…eat A LOT. After lunch we headed back to our hotel and bid adios to our wonderful tour guide, Nuelvin – what guy. Luckily we had just enough time to sneak in a little siesta before our next expedition.

Upon arrival at the Volcan Arenal, we split into two separate groups and hiked the base of the ACTIVE volcano (last eruption was in 2010, don’t worry—we survived). Along the trail, the tour guides pointed out all three of Costa Rica’s venomous snakes and a termite habitat—aka “dis lump of poop”, to quote the guide (yes, their humble abode is their very own poop). We reached the tree line, which was as high as we were permitted to hike, and had another photo shoot just for you lovely parentals! After taking in the views, we were ready for yet ANOTHER phun activity and headed back down the trail. Most walked, but some (some = Monica) slipped down the muddy terrain. The journey back was made much easier through our excitement about what the night had in store: Costa Rica’s classy version of Schlitterbahn.

Our fun-packed day was topped off at Tabacon Hot Springs where we relaxed in pools heated by the volcano. There was lounging, there was slipping, and there was some Home Run Derby watching. We were amazed by the beauty of this natural outdoor sauna. A couple hours later, we again stuffed ourselves silly at dinner with an unexpected Asian buffet. Big Eats outdid himself and our expectations of his stomach capacity by piling his plate high with sushi, lo main, dumplings, fish, vegetables, spring rolls, fried rice, grilled chicken, beef teriyaki, barbeque pork ribs, and garlic bread. He made sure to try each of the mini desserts as well, “it’s okay because they are small, right?” We concluded the night back at the hotel writing this blog entry and reminiscing on our super happy fun fun times at Arenal Springs in La Fortuna.

Today was spent entirely on the road as we headed towards our final destination in Manuel Antonio at the Buena Vistas Resort. We stopped once for lunch and to shop for souvenirs, and again to overlook a river where blood-thirsty crocodiles bathed in the mud. Six hours later, we finally made it to our hotel where we are staying in gorgeous bungalows with views of the beach.

We hoped you enjoyed the innovative, brilliant, and sophisticated voices of M&M (Michael & Monica) + Cole the Carpenter. PURA VIDA BABY!

Sloth Watch: 1!!!!!!!!!!! –we met our dearest Karl on our drive today; he was stereotypically hanging in the trees, just being a classic sloth.

Total: 1

Costa 2014 Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 05:40:00 +0000

After getting some much needed beauty rest, the group headed to Rancho Margot, a self-sustaining ranch. Once there, we toured the ranch which included learning about the plants, compost and water heating, pottery making, livestock handling, and gardening. All aspects of the ranch had a purpose and contributed to the circle of life (cue music). On the tour we had the chance to taste and smell a variety of plants, pet and feed cows, and participate in the pottery crafting process. Following the tour we were treated to a lunch that was made from products of the ranch! From there, one of the ranch’s full time workers took us to educate us in the process of making the organic pesticides that the ranch uses to deter insects and animals from the gardens, as well as to reduce the compost odor. In order to teach us, the guide had us venture up the “Mud Mountain of Death” to collect decomposing foliage. Between sliding down the mud, singing Disney songs as we worked, being made fun of by our guide, and taking numerous wipe outs, we managed to collect enough leaves to begin the process of making the pesticide. We then trekked back down the mountain and back at the ranch we made the mixture of decomposing leaves, rice flour, water, and molasses which we put in a barrel that Monica climbed into to compress the mixture before fermentation. The pesticide making process lasts about three months, but we were able to partake in the first stage. By the end we were all covered in mud but we managed to head over to the restaurant at the ranch to watch part of the final world cup game with some of the natives!

We got back to the hotel mid-afternoon and had a chance to relax and hang out after an exhausting day. Some of us went to the hotel's spring fed pools while others napped or talked in our rooms. Once we had regained some of our energy, we headed into town for dinner. The highlight of the meal was definitely when Gretchen’s meal came out of the kitchen on a flaming platter! We ended the night relaxing in our rooms and on our double decker hammocks. Check back tomorrow for our last day in La Fortuna!

Sloth Watch 2014: Day 2

0.5 (does a billboard count?)

Total:0

Ps: we saw our first monkey today!

Xoxo Madeline and The Warrior Princess (aka Xena)

COSTA 2014 Dia Primero!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 03:32:00 +0000

Hola Parentals,

We may have hit a few speed bumps along the way (literally and figuratively), but we finally made it to the hotel around 2 a.m. After waking from our Dramamine induced comas, we ate a traditional Costa Rican breakfast buffet. Apparently rice and beans is a trademark dish here. Once we finished eating, we boarded our shuttle bus and headed to go canyoning.

Canyoning is a mix of repelling and hiking across multiple terrains including natural rock terrains and rainforests. The first of the repelling obstacles was 168ft down a sheer faced rock wall that had a water fall flowing down it. The next three obstacles were smaller but just as fun due to our encouraging and comedic guides. In between the repels, we hiked through the rainforest with gorgeous views of both flora and fauna of which included a multitude of plantain trees and the most poisonous frog in the world (at a close distance, of course). After the canyoning adventure, we headed back to base camp and had another typical Costa Rican lunch of red beans and rice, chicken, plantains, and a delicious pineapple-papaya drink. Cheers to our awesome tour guides for serving us lunch after guiding us through the rainforest.

After a quick pit-stop at the hotel to dry off and change clothes, we made our way to the Safe House for another brand of adventure. Bringing with us the donated clothing and toys, we spent the afternoon chasing and being chased by twenty of the sweetest kids that we communicated with through hugs, smiles, and broken Spanish. We kicked around the soccer ball, threw Frisbees, gave piggyback rides, and played in the sand for an hour and a half until the kids and the group played ourselves into a well-deserved time of relaxation. We left the kids with smiles and promise that we would return on Monday to continue our game of tag!

We returned to the hotel for a relaxing evening consisting of swimming in the natural hot spring pools that come straight from the volcano bringing along on its journey to the hotel many refreshing and moisturizing minerals. Science is cool. We capped off our evening at the hotel restaurant dining on a wide array of global cuisine. After stuffing ourselves with delicious food, we headed back to the rooms to hang out and talk as a big group.

We are looking forward to tomorrow’s adventure, and we can’t wait to share it with you!

Sloth Watch 2014: Day 1

The group remains devoid of sloth sightings.

Total: 0

- Your favorite chaperone and camper duo/team/squad/pair/pack/junior suite living roomies/one less than a group/ones and onlys/alliance/sloth loving/twosome/platonic couples/buds/pals/friends/allegiance/fraternal twins (not really)/duplet/confidants/play fellow/alter ego/getting to the point where we finish each other’s sentences-sentences…

Teddy and Reed (Repping Room 611)

Day at Camp Groupon Special Event!

noreply@blogger.com (poistergeist) — Thu, 01 May 2014 07:47:00 +0000

Two weeks ago, Camp Balcones Springs launched its Day at Camp special through Groupon! On Friday, April 18, the Retreat at Balcones Springs opened its doors to children and families for a “taste of camp,” previewing our summer programs with a day packed full of camp activities! Our guests zip-lined across Lake Ted and took a dip in its cool waters, flying off of the Blob and down the slide to cool off. Guests also took a shot (or two) at the CBS riflery range, in addition to enjoying family-style camp meals in the Rio Grande dining hall. We were so glad to welcome all of our guests to camp—even if only for a day—and we hope we see more of you this summer! Visit the Camp Balcones Springs’ website to find out more about all of our summer programs, and join in the fun!

Day at Camp was coordinated by Tammy McKinney.

Father/Daughter Weekend at CBS!

noreply@blogger.com (poistergeist) — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 10:39:00 +0000

This past weekend, the Retreat at Balcones Springs held our annual Father/Daughter Weekend! Tons of dads and their lovely little ladies joined us for games, fun, and most importantly—quality time together! Our visiting dads and daughters played volleyball, went fishing, soared up into the air on our Charlotte’s Web trampoline, flew through the sky on the Screamer—a rope’s course “ride” that lets participants securely soar back and forth after dropping from the top of our rock climbing wall--, handmade pizzas together, and finally, got dolled up for a fancy dinner party—very similar to our popular Girls’ Dinner event during summer camp.

Some comments left by our guests include:
“We love it here…it really is a special place.”

“This is my second trip to the Retreat. I am very impressed, Your staff always makes me feel welcome and special.”

“It was a great experience, and I can’t wait to come back.”

We loved hosting the Father/Daughter Retreat, not only because we had the pleasure of meeting so many fabulous dads and daughters, but also because it got us thinking about our summer camp program! Less than two months remain until our gates open for the first term of camp! If this weekend sounds fun to you, prepare to be blown away by how much we have to offer during camp season! Visit our Camp Balcones Springs website to sign up.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 15:50:00 +0000

CBS Feeds the Poor in Austin

On January 31st , CBS high school campers, summer staff, and full time directors gathered in downtown Austin to set up the CBS “Mobile Soup Kitchen” to provide dinner to the hungry and homeless of Austin. CBS alumni set up tables of hot food, drinks, and snacks and served 100 people in fellowship until all of the food had run out.

During the summer, CBS Leadership Training campers (high schoolers who have completed the eleventh grade) complete a day of service by taking a field trip to Austin and setting up a lunch-time version of this soup kitchen, serving anyone in need until all food runs out. Campers even serve water to any pets that show up!

This night was especially fun, since Austin high school campers were able to reunite with each other, summer staff members, and full time Girls Camp Director, Adrienne Grissom, and share in the experience of giving back to their collective Austin community.

After serving dinner, the CBS crew retired to owner Christine Baskin’s Austin home to celebrate the birthday of Xena Pierce with cupcakes and a hang out. It was great to reunite with summer friends in the spirit of helping those in need!

If you are interested in summer camp or the CBS Mobile Soup Kitchen, please send us an e-mail at info@campbalconessprings.com

noreply@blogger.com (ksweat) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 13:58:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Hi all,

Today was our last full day in Costa Rica and it is a bittersweet ending to the trip. While we are all sad to be leaving, our last day has been so much fun and by far one of the most memorable days as well as my personal favorite. We jump started the day with a 6:45 wake up and were out the door by 7:15. Dressed, packed, prepared to teach, and full of Kelli's yummy pancakes, we were ready to go. The drive to Escuela de Cerros was neat because it took us right through a plantation for the plants that produce palm oil and we got what the ticos call a "free costa rican massage" (aka a bumpy ride down a dirt road). When we pulled up to the school we were met by Karoline, the English teacher for grades 1-6. We paired up with each other and each pair was assigned to a grade. We assisted the teacher in leading each class and then got thirty minutes at the end of every period to conduct our own activities with the kids in each grade level. We played pictionary, charades, and different games to help the kids with their vocabulary. In me and Kelsey's second grade class we even got the chance to teach the kids one of our favorite camp songs, "My Father's House." Some of the kids caught on to the lyrics and hand motions and joined us in the front of the classroom to sing and dance. It was a lot of fun. When we weren't teaching we were painting trashcans and tables or just playing with the kids. We taught them few fun hand games and chants in English and they taught us some Spanish ones in return. We also ran around in their yard playing soccer and held a big boys vs. girls game (girls won of course). The girls were so much fun and even gave us bows. It was an awesome day of hanging out with these kids.
Tonight we went to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant and then just hung out back at the bungalows. We are all very tired from the long day and are headed to bed. Tomorrow we are going to hang out at the beach and then leave for San Jose to spend our last night near the airport.
Buenos Noches! Besos
Love,
Audrey

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 04:21:00 +0000

'Twas a Sunday in Costa Rica

'Twas a Sunday in Costa Rica, when all through the bungalow
Not a creature was stirring, not even a monkey of the jungle-o
The bathing suits were hung in the shower with care
In hopes that they would dry in the Costa Rican air

The children were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of zip lining danced in their heads
And soon they were wakened by pillows and noise
I guess that's what we get for rooming with boys

JAMBO! This is the Wolfpack (Megan, Kaleigh, Brooke) coming to you live from Costa Rica. We hope you are enjoying your last days of peace while we are away. Today was one of our last big adventures. (included in this blog post are Spanish vocab words)

We started off the day as all good days should start off...WITH BACON. Mama Adrienne showed off her domestic side by cooking us a plentiful breakfast in the comfort of our own bungalow cocina (that's kitchen for you Americans... and Canadians). Kaleigh showed Megan and Brooke the ways of work crew while they helped prepare and clean up breakfast.

After breakfast we made our way in an autobus (bus) to the zip lining area in the rainforest. When we got to the zip lining area we were given a tour of a butterfly and snake garden. There were many types of butterflies, but the prettiest ones were a bright azul (blue). We were determined to catch butterflies, but only a few lucky souls were chosen as a landing spot by the mariposas (butterflies). Thankfully, the snakes were in glass cages. The Harry Potter fans of the group tried out their parseltongue, we must not be related to Voldemort because the snakes didn't answer us. Our guides hurried us out of the garden after they realized we were obsessed with getting the butterflies to land on us.

The friendly zip lining crew strapped us in our harnesses, and we were ready to go! We started with a short zip line and then hiked 8.6 miles (more like .5 miles) up the rainforest. Armed with walking sticks, our guides leaded us up steep stairs. By the time we got to the top we smelled of rainforest juice and fear (a.k.a sweat). It was an experience my calves will always remember. The course consisted of 10 zip lines, 2 free fall repels, and a tarzan swing. Rain fell from the Costa Rican clouds and it created a majestic scene in the jungle. As our guides soared through the trees it reminded me of monkeys, and I felt like Jane from Tarzan touring the rainforest from the tree tops. On the final zip line we were allowed to be hooked on to another one of our friends and fly through the trees together back to base.

After a lunch of pollo and rice we took an autobus back to our bungalows where we changed out of our now wet clothes and dispersed to do different activities. Kelli took a group of us to the market to get snacks and food for dinner and the rest of us went to the beach. The beach sits in a little cove and the waves were huge. We spent the time boogie boarding in the rain and the Kaleigh was magically turned into a sand mermaid.

It started to get late and a car came and picked us up and took us back to the bungalows so we could begin to get ready for dinner. We stayed in tonight and Kelli made us a beautiful dinner of burgers and chips. Megan dropped her phone 4 stories from the top of the bungalow but don't worry it survived... barely. We finished the night off with an M&M pazookie and we all made lessons plans for tomorrow to help teach children english.We are all looking forward to spending the day with the students. Buenos Noches

The Wolfpack

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 06:47:00 +0000

Today we had fun.
Rafting, waves, beach, God, and stuff.
Fun for all, costa.

Food, we eat that stuff.

Chicken lunch, chicken dinner.
Costa Rican Treats

Cold water splashing
white water flowing quickly
giving joy to all

Sunscreen on people
vamos a la playa, yup
waves, boogies, kayaks

hope you enjoyed these poetic visuals...haikus

Love,
Charlie
Mitchell
@whowesjones

Saturday Outline

morning

breakfast early
bus ride to white water rafting headquarters, then bus to white water rapids on the river up in the hills
white water rafting class 3 and 4 rapids and waterfall hangout
lunch at headquarters

afternoon

private beach at the villas. bungalos. casas. hotel. "our headquarters".
kayaking, boogie boarding, body surfing, laying on beach

night

dinner at el avion restaurant
played what are the odds game..wes lost

Detailed Highlights
Today, after enjoying a delicious breakfast we sert out on an adventure to the mountains. After stopping many times for pictures and sight seeing we finally made it to the top. Quickly, we learned the commands and rules for the water. It did not take long for the first people to fall victim to the rapids; as the wolf pack (Kaleigh, Brooke, and Megan), Sheridan, and Adrienne fell in. For our break, we stopped at a waterfall. After a few pictures, swimming, and watching Wes and Charlie jump from the rocks under the waterfall we made our way back to the river. A few more rapids passed as more and more people fell victim to the river. One of the teams, Team Fern (Wes, Mitchell, Annie, Maddie, and Charlie) *name given because of ferns poking from helmets*, found a boa high in the trees. Their guide pointed out the boa and said it had been there for a day or two. After the rapids, the gang chowed down on pineapple and watermelon, while the guides packed up. Lunch shortly after was chicken and rice.
Once returning to the villas, many people ventured to the beach for fun in the sun. People kayaked, swam, and played in the waves. The most popular thing was boogie boarding on the huge waves, or as we call them, tsunamis. Then, back to the villas to shower and get ready for dinner.
Although there was a wait for dinner, Wes managed to entertain people with his stories, telling of an adventure between Mitchell and Charlie as they ventured for food. (The story had a few celebrity appearances, like 50 cent and Audrey) Then, it was time to eat. Meals varied from chicken to seafood to tenderloin, and anything in between. After dinner Wes lost a game of "what are the odds" to Mitchell and was forced to sit in the cockpit of the restaurant's plane and sing "bad day" by David Powter. Briefly after the show, we set out for a walk back to the hotel. Once back, a few people listened to a story from Sheridan from the book Love Does and then everyone went to bed. Luckily Charlie, Mitchell, and Wes stayed up to fill y'all in.

PURA VIDA

noreply@blogger.com (ksweat) — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 04:52:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (ksweat) — Sat, 13 Jul 2013 03:55:00 +0000

Hello CBS family! All is well in Costa Rica. We did a lot of traveling today. We made it to Manuel Antonio with several stops along the way for souvenirs, to see some crocodiles and lunch. We were sad to part ways our guides Jairo and Manrrique...we could not have asked for better people to show us around their beautiful country! Once we got settled in our bungalows we enjoyed some time at the beach.

No new pictures for the day, but here are some more from the last several days!

Day 3 Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (ksweat) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 13:36:00 +0000

Day 2 Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (ksweat) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 13:34:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 03:55:00 +0000

A day of adventure and service. Costa Day 3

Our group woke up this morning and after a hearty breakfast, filled with the correct portions of each of the food groups, we were prepared to seize the day! We traveled along a dusty path for approx 32 minutes and arrived at our destination. Upon arriving we were overwhelmed by the kindness of the Costa Rican tour guides. They dressed us in matching (stylish I might add) blue raincoats and helmets to make us resemble minions. They did this in order to make us seem more like a team and it really brought us together as a group. It's surprising how much closer you get to people when are wearing the same thing! Wow! We began our adventure trekking through the wilderness and braving the rainy elements. At times we could hardly see, but we pressed on with the determination of Spartan warriors. We arrived at the first waterfall and a hush fell over the group. A jaw dropping 164 feet 2.3 inches. Wow what to say. wow. speechlessness is all I can convey to you. My blood ran cold with fear and a tremor began in my left leg. I was second in line behind the fearless Kelli. She proceeded to jump off without blinking an eye. Talk about setting the expectations high. I inched toward the edge with the cautiousness of a newborn bird about to leap from the nest. I lept and slowly repelled down the cliff similar to a jaguar chasing its prey. It was breathtakingly magnificent and I highly recommend the experience. You parental guardians will be pleased to know each of your children are safe after repelling down 4 waterfalls. WOW they take safety in Costa Rica very seriously. Hope all is swell in the U.S. cause Costa Rica is definitely rad. Now I will turn it over to my trusted comrade P $$$$ to explain the wonderful safe house experience.

Hello everyone, Pmoney here. Ready to tell ya'll about our incredible experience at the La Fortuna safe house. We departed for the orphanage at approximately 1:30 from the hotel with our huge bags of Pack for Purpose items. We had no idea to what to expect. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by multiple smiling children of all ages. Everyone then began to spread out and play with all of them. Each person seemed to find their perfect child for the day. We got to play games with them, run around with them and best of all, just get to know them. Leaving the safe house was really hard on us, since we had become so close to the children. In my opinion, this was the best part of our trip thus far. Getting to know these children and knowing that you're making a difference in their life is one of the best feelings I have ever experienced. It really opens your eyes to what the world is really like and makes you realize how blessed we are.

We are excited to see how the rest of the trip unfolds!
L and P

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 04:23:00 +0000

Rancho Margot, Day 2

We started off our day with a delicious breakfast and a lot of coffee. We then piled on a bus and learned that our tour guide owns the company that took the Bachelor Brad and the contestants waterfall rappelling, which is what we will be taking part in tomorrow. We visited this really amazing self-sustainable farm called Rancho Margot. We began our experience with a tour around their facilities and got to learn how they are able to have a negative carbon footprint, we got to see many of their organic crops and plants including banana trees and coffee plants that they grow on their 400 acres. We then took a much needed break and got to experience a really yummy organic lunch buffet that their kitchen prepared for us. After our bellies were full and we refueled on coffee we then broke off into our separate tour groups and took part in some really cool projects that helped out the ranch. Our first group got the opportunity to herd some dairy cows into the barn and actually got to milk one of the cows and some of us were brave enough to try the milk straight from the utter. During this time the second group was preparing a garden bed out of the homemade fertilizer. The first group then planted cucumbers, carrots, and cilantro in the garden that the second group had created. While the first group was planting crops the second group got to feed chickens with worms from the compost and also got to take part in feeding the pigs, and actually kissed the pigs. After a long day at the ranch we returned to our hotel and relaxed in the hotels hot springs until the rain storm hit. We finished off the night with dinner at The Volcano Lounge. Today was definitely a tiring, fun filled day and everyone can’t wait to get a good nights sleep. Until tomorrow…

XOXO Annie and Sheridan

(Pictures coming soon due to slow internet)

noreply@blogger.com (ksweat) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 05:01:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 03:39:00 +0000

Pura Vida!!!
Day 1

Hello America,
Greetings from Costa Rica,
This morning we got to have a very relaxing time. We went to breakfast at 9 and then went into the pools and hot springs at the hotel. Later today we hiked up to the basin of the Arenal Volcano. We saw a bed of lava rocks and took pictures over-looking the Volcano on one side and the Lake Arenal on the other. While hiking to the Volcano we took a detour from the main trail and took a route through the jungle. We saw various trees, some that were over 400 years old. We saw plants that contained an orange liquid that the tour guide painted Kelsey's nails with. Also, we saw plants that monkeys had eaten and thrown the reminisce onto the ground. We didn't actually get to see any monkeys though, hopefully we get to see some soon. We did see a Coati on the way to the volcano and were able to get out of the bus and take up-close pictures of the animal. We also ran into a small yellow snake perched on the tree at the beginning of our hike and luckily didn't run into any others on the trails. After the volcano we went to a Tobacan Hot Springs Resort. It has several naturally fed pools, as well as other man-made pools. We had dinner there as well and ate our body weight in food, going up to the buffet several times. Until tomorrow...

Kelsey and Maddie <3

noreply@blogger.com (ksweat) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 16:18:00 +0000