This April vacation, the Wayland High School science department went on a trip to the beautiful country of Costa Rica. I was one of the lucky eleven students who went on the trip, and it was amazing.

We were there for eight days and seven nights with science teachers Corey Lowen, Heidi Friedlander and Barbara Wolfson. We stayed at hotels, an eco-lodge and with native families who don’t speak English, which was my favorite part.

The first activity we did when we arrived in Costa Rica was visit Don Juan’s organic farm. Juan uses no pesticides on his crops, so everything is 100% natural and organic. We started by pulling weeds for fifteen minutes in an area of land that he had recently purchased. In return, we received a tour of his farm, and he gave us lunch. We also went to two similar farms over the course of the week.

We also participated in non-science-related activities such as zip-lining fifty meters above the forest and snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea. These were some of the highlights of the trip for me because they’re uncommon and something I probably won’t do again.

The most memorable part of traveling to Costa Rica was staying with the native families because it was so eye-opening. The families live with only the things they need and live as sustainably as possible.

Most families wouldn’t just let their kids play with strangers from across the world, but these parents did, which was amazing. They trusted us right when we got there to take care of their children, and we looked out for them just as much as they looked out for us.

When I first heard it was a science trip, I was expecting to have worksheets or a project at the end, but there was none of that. The trip didn’t feel like it had anything to do with school, and it was nice to get to know the teachers in a different setting.

I would recommend going on this trip next year because it will be an unforgettable experience.