Final Days Soaking up the Sun!
July 21, 2024
When we left off, we were preparing to go into the El Brujo community for the second part of our community service project. So, when the day arrived, we were so excited to finally get to visit the town. After waking up and eating breakfast, we began the good hike to El Brujo. On the walk, everyone talked their heads off; conversations about past Moondance trips, life at home, and movies could probably be heard from way down the valley. Thanks to the good conversations, we were soon arriving in El Brujo, ready to tackle the work that lay before us. Our guide, Gabi, split us into three groups: one would be painting the bleachers, one would be repainting the soccer field’s bathrooms, and one would be assisting in the community garden. After working for a bit, we sat down for a snack break before heading to the soccer field for an intra-group match! Our match, however, had some unique rules, thanks to the lack of a referee. Kick the ball down the hill? Cartwheels for one minute! Fall to the ground thanks to what may or may not be your own fault? Penalty kick! So, when the game came to a close, no one was quite sure who won. During the game, however, everyone was impressed by Reese’s soccer skills and her ability to always find herself rolling in the dirt (and, consequently, kicking PKs). After finishing up the game and eating lunch, we began the walk back to Buenaventura. On the hike, we stumbled across a natural watering hole, so we decided to take a dip!! Playing in the pool was so refreshing which was much needed considering how hot and sunny it was. Ironically, right after we got out of the water, it began to POUR. But, already wet from swimming, we took our time walking back, enjoying the fresh shower. Once we returned, we showered off before having a little down time. Before too long, however, we began our next activity: a cooking class! That night, we would be cooking the classic Salvadoran dish of papusas. They were super easy to make, but tasted SO GOOD. Houston, during the process, made the biggest papusa out of everyone, almost taking up half the pan! After eating, we headed to Moonup before calling it a night.
The next day was one of mystery as every student was a little unclear as to what they day may hold. But, on Moondance, that’s called living in the moment. So, after eating breakfast, we announced that we would be going on a special waterfall hike. Tracing our way up a mountain and through the jungle, we found ourselves at the bottom of a beautiful waterfall. Our guide explained that we would be hanging out here and would have the opportunity to cover ourselves in special blue clay that has a ton of benefits. Before we started rubbing the clay on ourselves, however, Graydon and Thomas announced to the group that they had found two massive pieces of the stuff just below the water, holding them up for everyone to see. After being covered in a thick blue layer, we were able to add orange clay on top, creating fun designs on each other! After rinsing off in the waterfall, we hiked back down the mountain before heading out of Buenaventura for the last time. Once we arrived back to the bus, we said hello to Carlos before heading out of the mountains and towards the beach for our next activity. After a surprisingly quick drive, we were arriving in the charming beach town of Uvita, where we would be learning how to surf. After a quick lesson on land, we ran to the waves, excited to try our hand. While some took a bit to stand up, Reid impressed everyone with his sneaky skills, immediately popping up and riding the waves all the way in. Before too long, however,it began to rain. And then rain some more. Until, eventually it was pouring!! Catching waves in the rain was so fun, however, as it felt like you were flying through a cloud when you got up on your board. Lizzie shared with the group that, in Hawaii, rain while surfing is actually a good omen because it shows that the ocean is so thankful for you that she just wants to engulf you entirely in water, which is why it begins to rain! Unfortunately, our surfing had to be cut a little early when a thunderstorm rolled in. However, to make up for it, we decided that we all deserved a little treat before dinner. So, we headed to get ice cream!! After picking out our favorite flavors, we savored our dessert before heading to dinner. After eating dinner, we hung out at the table for a bit before Georgia suggested that we gallop home. With this group, the answer was obviously a yes, so we lined up and galloped away into the night back to the hotel. Once we arrived, we conquered a Moonup which, thanks to James’ energy as LOD, was great and led to some amazing conversations. After Moonup we sat around and chatted, giving Lauren the time to share a scary story with the group, which was one of our personal favorites from the entire trip! After chatting away, we slowly called it a night and headed to bed.
The next day started with a wake up to “Surfin’ USA” as we were poised to head back to the ocean for one final surf session. As we headed to the beach, everyone was super excited to try surfing again, especially after our time got cut short the day before. Soon enough, we were hopping in the waves and hanging 10!! After surfing for a bit, everyone was exhausted, except for Eliza who kept riding every wave she could catch! Finally, we were calling it a day and heading back in. We then headed back to the hotel before a quick shower and breakfast. After breakfast, we decided that we needed to make a special stop. Earlier, we saw a smoothie stand right by the beach that everyone wanted to try so bad. So, with some time to kill, we decided to hit up the stand before we hit the road! Mangos, strawberries, bananas, and pineapples began to be thrown around until we were all enjoying 13 smoothies! Refreshed from our post-breakfast treat, we hopped on the bus and began the drive to our final activity for the trip: ziplining!! After a few pit stops, we finally arrived at the adventure park where we would be able to zip through the air. We then grabbed our gear before heading up the mountain. Soon, we were flying down the ten lines that would take us down the mountain. As we soared through the sky, we were able to take in views of the jungles and the ocean down below. It was truly beautiful. Once we all made it safely back to the bottom of the mountain, we grabbed some lunch before hopping back into the bus and heading to San José. As we drove to our final stop, we all began reflecting on how special this trip had been and how great of friends we had all made. Once we arrived, we got checked in before one final moment of fun. For banquet, we all agreed, we would be dressing up as each other. While all the duos were hilarious, Josie and Thomas made everyone laugh the most, especially due to Thomas’ impersonations of his partner and Josie’s witty responses. After dinner, we all changed back into our own clothes before heading to our final Moonup. It was a great, thoughtful Moonup that allowed everyone to share their favorite parts of the trip and what life will look like post-Moondance. After Moonup, we had a little midnight snack before heading to bed (kinda).
On our final day together, we woke up before the sun and headed to the airport. Once we arrived, we got everyone checked in and sent them on their way. Now, as we sit and write this, everything seems a little too quiet. We are going to miss this group so much and are so incredibly grateful that our final group was so helpful, kind, thoughtful, and easy-going.
To our kids, we hope that the bonds you have made on this trip will be with you for a while. Know that we will always be there for you. Also, SEND US FIRST DAY OF HIGH SCHOOL PHOTOS!! We know y’all are going to kill it.
With Love,
Lizzie, Reid, and Harrison
Seeing Central America!
July 19, 2024
Yoo-hoo!! It’s us, your emcees for these marvelous trip updates! While it hasn’t been long since we last wrote, SO much has happened! When we last saw the characters of the Chronicles of the Horses, we were sitting in the Guatemala City airport awaiting our lovely steed: Volaris flight Q6 4069 to San José. Between the time we wrote our first update and our flight, our group found plenty of ways to stay entertained, including watching Lauren, Lizzie, and Reese learn the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ dance to “Thunderstruck.” After hours of sitting around the airport… the delirium set in. Cat noises, horse races, and uncontrollable laughs took over our group until we finally, magically found ourselves sitting in front of a MASSIVE dinner at McDonald’s. After eating, we headed to the gate for an early-ish Moonup before we boarded the plane. After a quick flight, we touched down in Costa Rica, marking our third country of the day. We soon worked our way through customs and grabbed our bags before making it outside to meet our bus driver, Carlos! Carlos is an absolute LEGEND in the BCR community, known for his kindness, humor, and fun-loving spirit, so we were super pumped to find out that we would be spending our week in Costa Rica with him. When we got to our hotel for the night, we headed straight to bed, exhausted from a long day.
The next day started nice and early as we had a good drive to the put-in spot for our next activity: white water rafting! When we arrived at the beautiful Pacuare River, we divided ourselves into three groups before hitting the water. The Pacuare River is widely regarded as one of the best places to raft in the entire world, so the fact that we were able to take on its rapids was such a blessing. After a morning of rafting class II and III rapids, we arrived at our lodge, which consisted of a series of cabins built into the side of the mountains that surround the river. The lodge can only be reached by the river and offers a stunning view up the valley. We set up our hammocks on one of the lodge’s balconies, allowing us to relax while taking in the scenic landscape that looked like a true Bob Ross painting. After eating lunch, we all headed back to the balcony where we slowly fell asleep. For nearly three hours, everyone napped like their life depended on it. That is, everyone except Eliza. Eliza made the most of the quiet time to conquer her book, impressing everyone with her energy to stay awake throughout the afternoon. Once everyone woke up, we passed the time by reading, making friendship bracelets, and having meaningful conversations. Soon enough, we were being called for dinner. After dinner, we all headed back to the balcony for Moonup in the hammocks. After a great Moonup about self-image, we decided that we still had energy for the night (thanks to the three-hour nap!!) so we went to one of the bunk rooms for an impromptu talent show. Each random pair had ten minutes to come up with a talent that they would then perform for the entire group. While some acts were hilarious, Georgia and Graydon ultimately took it home with their rap about the trip thus far. Soon after, we called it a night, excited for the next day of rafting!
Day 2 of rafting, let’s get it. After a super fun night, we woke up tired but excited to conquer the day. Starting our day with hot chocolate and authentic Costa Rican coffee, we prepared ourselves to tackle the class III and IV rapids that lay ahead. Once we were on the river, the rapids came quickly, pushing us rapidly downstream and throwing us side to side in the raft. Soon, we were entering HUGE class IV rapids, which we think were the biggest we’ve seen all summer. In between the rapids, however, we took every chance we could to escape the heat by swimming in the cool waters of the Pacuare. Thomas certainly took the most advantage of this opportunity, always being the first one in and the last one out of the river. After some big splashes and close calls, we soon stopped on the riverbank for lunch before heading back out for the last stretch of the river. In what felt like no time, we were being pulled out of the river for the final time. While we were sad to end one of the most fun activities of the entire trip, it was worth it to get to see Carlos again. After saying goodbye to our guides and hello to Carlos, we loaded onto the bus and headed to the town of Turrialba, where we would be spending the night. Once we arrived in town, we knew we had to make the first ice cream stop of the trip. Reid, to everyone’s surprise, was randomly given a huge milkshake! After dropping our stuff at the bed and breakfast where we would be spending the night, the girls headed to a nearby café for drinks and appetizers (hot chocolates and pastries!!) while the boys walked around town, with a special stop at a candy store. Soon enough, we met up at a new Italian restaurant in Turrialba, where we had the biggest meal ever. As we started walking back to the bed and breakfast, we began to faintly hear music. This triggered an important clause in the Moondance bylaws: “Whenever thou hearst music, thou must follow the source.” So, being the good Moondancers we are, we began to seek out the source. Soon enough, we stumbled upon a drum line, complete with dancers! After walking up, Houston immediately sprang to action, joining the dancers at the front of the line. Everyone died laughing as we watched him try to keep up with the professionals!! After a good bit of dancing, we decided to call it quits and head to Moonup. After a hilarious Moonup, everyone headed to bed, laughing about all the events of the day.
The next day, per usual, started nice and early (do we even need to say that anymore?), as we began our journey to Buenaventura, a beautiful eco-lodge nestled deep in the Savegre River Valley. While most of our morning consisted of us navigating through the rugged mountains of central Costa Rica, we found ways to stay entertained, including our favorite activity: CARPOOL KARAOKEEEEEEE!!! With random pairs and random songs, each group was tasked with entertaining the bus. After some great performances, there was one clear winner: James and Reese for “Shake It Off!” After a lunch stop, we transferred into special 4 x 4 trucks that would be able to finish the journey to Buenaventura. As we sat in the back of the trucks, we couldn’t help but be amazed by the huge mountains and winding rivers that we were driving through. After around an hour, we arrived at Buenaventura, where we got to cross a swinging rope bridge to enter the property. In the afternoon, we began working on the first section of our service work: planting cacao trees in order to help implement a reforestation project in the Savegre Valley. After working for a bit, we showered off and chilled before heading to a chocolate class in which we learned how to properly enjoy and make dark chocolate. After class, we had dinner and Moonup. While we were talking about our upcoming day of service during Moonup, Josie did a FANTASTIC job of explaining what our goals, intentions, and mindset should be going into the next day. It was truly amazing to hear how deeply she had thought about what it means to be doing service work.
Well, that’s all we have for this installment of the Chronicles of the Horses! Didn’t we say a lot could happen in just a few days? Well, we have to go, but stay tuned for the next installment!
Experience New Experiences, Make New Memories, Live in the Moment,
Lizzie, Reid, and Harrison
Belizean Wonders
July 15, 2024
Ladies and gents, this is the moment you’ve waited for… IT’S THE TRIP UPDATES FOR BELIZE AND COSTA RICA 3C!!!! Get ready for three amazing trip updates, written by yours truly, LIZZIE, REID, AND HARRISONNNNNNNN! We’re here to tell the story of this amazing, funny, and thoughtful group as we explore the beaches, jungles, and mountains of Belize and Costa Rica over two weeks. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the Chronicles of the Horses (in book stores near you soon).
As our group gathered in the Belize airport, we began with the classic Moondance tradition of the Name Game. What’s the Name Game, you ask? Well, when students begin meeting their new friends – especially in the context of Moondance – everyone loves to find out the shared friends they have. Soon, names of friends, cousins, step-siblings, half-brother’s dog’s nephew’s owner were being exchanged in hopes of finding a connection. As more and more mutuals were discovered, the group grew closer, until we eventually found ourselves at lunch. Sitting outside, we devoured some pizza while watching the seagulls fly overhead. Soon after, we boarded our boat to our home for the next two weeks. Known as Long Caye, this remote island sits two and a half hours away from the Belizean mainland. On our journey to the island, we encountered some rough seas, making the boat ride feel like the world’s craziest roller coaster. In between laughs and screams, we navigated the swells, before finally arriving at Long Caye. When we stepped on shore, we were amazed by how beautiful the island paradise was. After settling in, we had a delicious welcome dinner, cooked by the marvelous Mrs. Marta. A little while after, we conquered our first Moonup of the trip, setting goals and intentions for our two weeks together.
The next day started early as we had an important mission: starting the SCUBA certification process! After eating breakfast and finishing up some paperwork, we headed to the dock to learn how to set up the SCUBA equipment, learn proper procedures when diving, and conquer the required swim test. After lunch we had some free time, but of course this energetic group made the most of it. Lauren and Graydon, who were previously selected as the day’s Leaders of the Day, organized a Spikeball tournament to help pass the time. Split into six groups of two, each team battled it out to win glory and bragging rights. After the greatest comeback of the century, Reese and Reid won the final game! After the Spikeball tournament, Graydon and Lauren organized a game of capture the flag across the entire island. After running back and forth, ducking underneath buildings, and crawling through the sand, Los Fuegos reigned victorious. Exhausted from an afternoon of hard work, we ate dinner before hitting Moonup. After Moonup, we all headed to the lodge’s lookout tower, where a small hammock encampment had been constructed. As we chilled together, we swapped urban legends and scary stories before eventually calling it a night.
On Day 3, everyone woke with excitement as today promised us the ability to put our SCUBA skills to the test underwater. As we ventured out to the reef, we bumped hype-up music so that we could dance away the nerves. Harrison introduced the group to a hilarious horse song, called “My Barn, My Rules.” Houston got the group especially hyped when he sprung up and began dancing along, encouraging others to follow. Soon after, everyone was in the ocean, practicing the skills underwater that we learned on land the day before. Due to being previously certified, James took the opportunity to snorkel around the reef, finding a variety of fish, including a barracuda! After a morning of practice, we had lunch before heading back out. After calling it quits for the day, we came back, relaxed in the hammocks, and then ate dinner. After dinner, we had a great Moonup, before heading to bed early, exhausted from a long day.
Waking up on day 4, we were excited to hear that today would be less skills-based, and more focused on just having fun and exploring the underwater world. As we approached the dive site, everyone began imagining what creatures they might see while underwater. Soon after we arrived, we were in the water and heading down to 40 feet! On our first dive, we saw so many beautiful coral and scenic structures… not to mention the sharks! After thoroughly exploring the reef, we resurfaced and immediately began hooping and hollering about all the cool things we saw. We were so excited that we decided that we couldn’t wait for our second dive. So after changing tanks, we headed to the next dive site! After exploring the new section of the reef for a while, we headed back up and headed to lunch. For lunch, Mrs. Marta served the most delicious empanadas on planet Earth, which we DEVOURED. After hanging out for a little bit, our leaders of the day (Houston and Reese) announced that they had a special surprise. In order to experience it, however, everyone needed to grab a blindfold. Houston and Reese then led the group to the beach, where they instructed everyone to take off their blindfolds. They immediately began galloping in a circle to the group’s favorite song “My Barn, My Rules,” and everyone soon followed them running around the beach. After a thoroughly exhausting beach workout, they then led everyone to the picnic table where paint and a plain, white pillow case were waiting. They explained that, while it may just be a pillow case now, it would soon be our group’s flag. As we each slapped our hand on the flag and scribbled “BCR” above a crescent moon, we watched as our new banner came to life. After mounting the flag to a tree, we headed to dinner before going to Moonup and bed.
Day 5 started as usual: breakfast, sunscreen application, and chugging water before heading to the boat. While today was the last day of SCUBA diving, it was almost certainly the best. That day we would be diving off the coast of Half Moon Caye, one of Belize’s national marine parks. The area surrounding the island hosts some of the most pristine, untouched reefs in the world, allowing for amazing diving. When we drove up to the dive site, we were immediately greeted by sharks circling below. Unafraid of any challenge (and because we had become one with the sharks at that point), we all eagerly hopped into the water before heading down. As we headed down, only one word came to mind: “Wow.” Fish, sting rays, sharks, crabs, conch, and endless coral surrounded us. During the dive, we were fortunate enough to swim off the reef, floating along the reef’s wall in the open ocean. As we chugged alongside the wall, we began seeing something odd in the abyss below us. But what was it? Another shark? A big fish? A sting ray? No! It was a huge SPOTTED EAGLE RAY!!! As it flew below us, we felt honored to be able to see such a beautiful and graceful creature. But, being Half Moon Caye, the ocean didn’t stop there. As we turned around to watch the ray, we were greeted by more sharks and a sting ray! It was truly epic. When we resurfaced we were all super psyched to share what we had seen. As we talked, we headed to the actual island of Half Moon Caye, where Mrs. Marta had prepared a special barbecue lunch. After devouring our meal, the girls headed to the beach while the boys walked down the island to the old lighthouse that had collapsed into the water. Soon after, we headed back to the reef for our final dive of the trip. This dive proved to be just as amazing as the first, rewarding us with sea turtles and more sharks for all the work that we put in over the past 5 days. In what felt like no time, we sadly headed back to the surface for the last time. When we got back to Long Caye, we quickly ate dinner before going to an interesting and insightful Moonup.
For our final day on Long Caye, Mr. Reeves (the guardian of our lodge) took us on an amazing fishing trip in the waters surrounding our beloved island. In the morning session, the group went out to see what we could catch. While it took a while to get our first bite, the fish soon came flying in the boat! The afternoon session was when the fish really started coming. Josie proved to be the resident fisher extraordinaire, reeling in a ton of fish, including a MASSIVE jack fish. When the second group returned, they were excited to share the stories of the sharks (thanks, James!) and the wonderful fish they caught. After showering off, we headed out for one final walk around Long Caye. As we all hung out on the dock, reflecting on how important Long Caye was to all of us, Thomas ran and jumped into the ocean, causing many people to follow! It was such a fun final act of spontaneity that reminded us to always live in the moment. After swimming, we headed to a special final dinner, which was actually an early birthday surprise for Reid! Lizzie directed the party planning committee to help create a happy birthday sign, a cake cooked by Mrs. Marta, and special birthday hats. Thanks to Eliza’s handiwork, when Reid arrived upstairs for dinner, everyone was wearing a party hat and celebrating his big day. Reid was also given with a special paper crown that said “Birtday Boy” (yes, “Birtday Boy”) crafted by Georgia! After dinner, we headed to the porch for our final Moonup and a search for crocodiles around the island!
Today, day 7, has been a long travel day, filled with boat rides, car rides, and plane rides! Now, we’re sitting in the airport in Guatemala City, waiting for our flight to San José where there’s more fun to be had. To all the folks at home reading this, thank you for sending these 10 amazing kids on this adventure! While that’s all we have for now, stay tuned for the next installment of the Chronicles of the Horses in Costa Rica, it’s sure to be exciting!
Our Barn, Our Rules, Lizzie, Reid, and Harrison
Shout-Outs:
Josie: Hi Mom and Dad I’m having the best time in Belize we just finished scuba diving and I got to go 60 feet our group is so fun and we’re having so much fun! Miss you guys pass this message on to Sam
Lauren: Hey mom dad and kaki! I miss y’all so so much! Tell Gigi and Duke hi! The trip is amazing and I’m scuba certified! Saw the coolest animals and hit 80 feet. see y’all soon love y’all!
Reese: Hi mom and dad and Macy! I miss you guys a lot but I’m having so much fun! We are leaving Belize today and scuba diving was so fun we saw a lot of sharks! Love you guys!
Eliza: Hey mom dad and Robert! I miss y’all and I’m having so much fun! We just finished scuba diving and it was super fun! Love you!
Georgia: hey guys I’m having the best time here and scuba diving was so much fun. I got to swim close to sharks. I miss and love you guys see you in a week
James: Hey Mom and Dad! Right now I’m in the airport in Guatemala and about to fly to Costa Rica for my second half of the trip. Scuba diving was amazing and I caught a nurse shark while fishing. Thank y’all so much for letting me come here and I’m excited to see you in a week! Love y’all!
Houston: I am having a blast. I got to see a crocodile. Thank you so much. Love you
Graydon: Hey y’all, I am having a blast and I am so thankful for your generosity of sending me on this trip. I love you guys!
Thomas: Can I go for three weeks? Also I need more money on my green light. Love y’all
Reid: Hey mom and dad! I’m having so much fun on this trip. I swam with a shark while scuba diving! Love you.
Safe Arrival in Belize!
July 8, 2024
Hello Belize + Costa Rica Families!
All students have landed safely in Belize and the group is headed to their first activity! The trip is off to a great start and we can’t wait to share more updates from their adventure.
-Moondance HQ
