Today we slept and regained a full tank of energy on our
2-hour bus ride to Chilamate Eco Retreat. When we arrived, we had an introduction/meeting
to the area. Our facilitator Jorge Gonzales, brought us to a cacao presentation. We learned all about the
processes of making Costa Rican chocolate. We also learned that it is a drink of the gods when put with
water, and that the hectares of rainforest were being protected and occupied by
monkeys, toucans, poison dart frogs, woodpeckers, and bats. Isaiah Clarry-Sohariakoff will not be
returning because he spilled the drink of the gods and the punishment is
decapitation. Just kidding!
We found an animal representation of our middle school group
in a termite nest. Pigmy big ear bats were nesting inside a huge termite nest.
They burrowed inside and come out to eat large insects. “Our den” at the eco retreat consists of
bunks. The girls are in one large
room and all the boys in another. Tomorrow we will be meeting our host
families. After breakfast we will
hop on the bus and head to the community.
We are looking forward to bonding with them for the rest of the day and
all next week!
(Shared by Alexis and Brock)
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| Are we having fun yet! |
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| Pinto gallo. Yum! |
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| Amazing~Pygmy bats! |
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| Morgan investigates the bats |
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| Learning all about how to make chocolate |
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| A waterfall along the way |
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| More preparation of the cacao bean |
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| Grinding the cacao for chocolate |
