CENTRAL AMERICA
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06/19/2021 to 06/25/2021
Relax and enjoy your scheduled flight from North America (by own arrangements). Our private coach will be waiting to transfer us to Heredia.
Escort to hotelOur International Studies Abroad (ISA) Resident Director will meet us at the airport to escort us to our hotel and will be available to the group throughout the tour.
Daily breakfastsOur accommodation for the next six nights will be in Heredia. Daily breakfast will be included at the hotel.
Heredia ProvinceHeredia is the capital city of the Heredia Province, one of the most beautiful provinces of Costa Rica. Nestled in the foothills of the dormant Barva Volcano, Heredia is surrounded by lush green hills dotted with coffee plantations, tropical forests, and national parks. Heredia offers visitors the ideal location for exploring the region's natural beauty. Only 11 kilometers (less than 7 miles) from San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica, students also have easy access to all the city has to offer.
OrientationWe will participate in an orientation session, covering Health and Safety aspects of the week ahead.
Walking tour of HerediaTake an introductory walking tour of Heredia; a refreshingly pleasant and relaxed Costa Rican city which is a great location for anyone looking for a truly unique Costa Rica experience. The city is emblematic of the Costa Rican lifestyle and makes for a perfect study abroad destination, showcasing pleasant plazas, lush green spaces and parks, and friendly people enjoying their days. Some people say life in Heredia really is la pura vida. This evening, we will enjoy a welcome dinner in a local restaurant.
Daily reflection and group discussionOn every evening of the program, we will set time aside to update our Reflection Journal and share thoughts and impressions that have come to the fore in the course of the day.
"We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John Dewey
We will have use of a private coach and driver, while touring for the next three days.
Land of Lost DogsToday marks the beginning of the service phase of the program and will begin with a short orientation. Our time will be spent at Territorio de Zaguates, also known as the "Land of Lost Dogs." The shelter has been around for over 8 years and has been home to over 700 dogs. The caretakers provide food, shelter, and medication to dogs that would otherwise be homeless.
LunchToday, lunch is included.
PresentationWe will attend a presentation on the importance of spaying and neutering animals (subject to final confirmation).
Dance lessonEnjoy a dance lesson conducted by professional instructors at the Universidad Latina.
DinnerWe will return to continue our work at Territorio de Zaguates. Project opportunities could include feeding the dogs, bathing the dogs, distributing medication, assisting with building or cleaning shelters, or taking dogs out for a hike around the shelter location.
Cook authentic foodsCook Costa Rican style! Create authentic local foods and sit down to savor your delicious creations.
DinnerWe will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.
We will return to continue our work at Territorio de Zaguates. Today, we will help with sorting donations that the organization has received.
LunchToday, lunch is included.
Continued serviceWe will continue our work at Territorio de Zaguates.
DinnerWe will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.
Traditional gamesEnjoy taking part in some 'Juegos Tradicionales', or traditional Costa Rican games.
We will have use of a private coach and driver for our excursion.
Doka Coffee PlantationEnjoy a tour of the Doka Coffee Plantation. Visiting the largest coffee plantation in Costa Rica will allow you to learn everything about the process related to cultivation, processing and good practices, as well as your natural and cultural environment.
LunchToday, lunch is included.
La Paz WaterfallSpend time at La Paz Waterfall, which offers some of the best hiking in Costa Rica. La Paz is also home to an animal sanctuary with over 100 species of animals.
Poas volcanoVisit the Poas Volcano National Park. Poas is an andesitic-basaltic strata-volcano 8,000ft high. It has the biggest geyser in the world and is impressively beautiful.
DinnerWe will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.
We will have use of a private coach and driver while touring for the day.
Zoo AveVisit Zoo Ave where we will view dozens of scarlet macaws, reclusive owls, majestic raptors, several different species of toucans, and a host of brilliantly colored birds from Costa Rica and around the world. Enjoy a stroll along the paths where to get a close look at large iguana, deer, monkeys, and a 12-ft. long crocodile. Zoo Ave houses only injured, donated, or confiscated animals.
Animal hospitalWe will visit the animal hospital at Zoo Ave, where we will be given a guided tour by a caretaker. We will learn about the different reasons that the animal are at the hospital and what is being done to help heal them.
LunchToday, lunch is included.
Toucan Rescue RanchWe will visit the Toucan Rescue Ranch. The Ranch tour is rich with the individual stories of the rescued toucans and other birds and animals, including a large variety of parrots, macaws, owls, two-toed and three-toed sloths, kinkajous, a spider monkey, rainforest porcupines, otters, and a hawk named Prince!
Mercado Nacional de ArtesaniasMercado Nacional de Artesanias is an outlet specifically designed for Costa Rican artisans with a big collection of shops. Visitors to this shopping destination can expect to find an array of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, textiles, leather-work, wood-work, bead-work, jewelry and more, all made in Costa Rica.
DinnerWe will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.
Final reflection and discussion sessionThis evening we make the final entries in our Reflection Journal and share some of the most significant observations and perspectives that have taken shape in the course of our travel experience and how these may be most relevant for us all as we return home.
Our rewarding and enjoyable tour comes to an end as our Program Director accompanies us to the airport on our final day.
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