This summer, I joined the Salida Boys soccer team on our trip to Costa Rica. This was the trip of a lifetime and I am excited to share my experiences traveling abroad with my peers. We connected as friends, became stronger team players and created memories that I will appreciate and remember forever.
This adventure began in the beginning of August and lasted about 8 days. It was the second trip that the boys soccer team has taken to Costa Rica, the last one being in 2023. It was an action packed trip.
It all started one morning at 3am. Around this time I woke up and got on the school bus at 4 o’clock. After the long, sleepy bus ride to the Denver airport, we passed through security and finally boarded our plane to Liberia, Costa Rica. When we arrived, the warm, humid air confirmed we were not in Colorado anymore. After a short bus ride to the team hotel, we unpacked and went straight to the beach. We watched the golden sunset as we swam in the ocean; it was a night I’ll always remember. The next day started off with some more beach time followed by the rest of the day on the bus. We traveled inland to a town called La Fontuna.
During the next couple of days, we had countless adventures. We repelled and jumped off waterfalls, played soccer at the base of a volcano, relaxed in natural hot springs, white water rafted, and explored the town with the team.
The most exciting event was Gravity Falls. This journey led us through the depths of the Costa Rican rain forest. We started off by loading into a special off-road bus. After one of the most beautiful drives of my life, crossing through clouds and mountains, we arrived at the entrance of the canyon. We got suited up and began climbing down into the canyon. The first feature was a big one: a 200 foot repel down the face of a waterfall. This definitely got the adrenaline pumping. After that, we made our way through the canyon, hitting multiple cliff jumps on the way to the grand finale. The last part of the adventure was a 45 foot cliff jump into the bottom of a waterfall. This was an experience that I will never forget.
This trip was, afterall, a soccer trip, so we did have to play a little bit of soccer everyday. The first session we had was the most memorable of the whole trip for me. We got off the bus into a downpour of rain. The field we played on had a perfect view of the volcano. There was a sloth hanging in a tree right next to the perfect turf field. This was definitely a special moment to be able to share with the team. Throughout the rest of the trip we played games against local teams and connected over the beautiful game.
This is only the beginning of all the amazing things that happened on this trip. This trip built a stronger bond between players, gave us the experience of a lifetime, strengthened our soccer skills, and most importantly, was the most fun I’ve ever had. I can’t wait to go back.
