What kind of service projects did you work on? Which was your favorite?

During my trip to Costa Rica (Empowering Rainforest Communities), our group successfully completed several service projects. In the dry forest, our main goal was reforestation. We planted almost 200 trees, cleared the area around other trees so that they would be able to grow, and painted some of the trees with a paste to keep away fungus and insects. Although this work did not generate an immediate effect on the community, it was rewarding to know that it would make an immense long-term difference. Everyone had an amazing time during the service work as we bonded and had fun naming the seedlings we were planting.
In the rainforest, our service work was more people oriented. We tiled the floor in a local school, Gavilan. We also built a garden and a ramp in another school, Buenos Aires. Even though I did enjoy the work in the dry forest, this service was definitely my favorite. We effectively improved the lives of the students and we were given a lot of time to interact with them. During breaks we often played games with the children and even though there was a language barrier, we formed bonds with them. We could definitely feel their appreciation for our work and, in turn, we appreciated them as well. It was amazing to interact with such a genuine and kind community as we helped make a difference.

In Spanish and Service in the Osa we rotated through different projects. We painted the bleachers, helped dig the foundation for a basketball court, organize their library, help to brighten up and plant in their school's garden, and my personal favorite paint a large map of the world (as most of their maps were a little outdated). Not even the overwhelming heat could bring us down we were having so much fun.