Well, it was finally time to say goodbye to Monteverde and the Cloud Forest School. We worked our final morning, and it was a tough assignment. Most of us were up at the kiosk. Yesterday we took wood up there - to a spot way up in the mountains at the end of a long trail. We did so again today to start. Then we demolished the rail of the kiosk, as well as some parts connected to the rail, including the edge of the floor. There were also pieces of wood that needed attention with respect to nails and screws. We had to hammer them down or remove them to make them more safe. Then we had to move that wood out of the area, and for some pieces, out of the forest. We were up there most of the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of our time at the school was spent at the goodbye party/lunch. Our host families prepared food and joined us for the meal. We had some time to thank our families for hosting us. Some students prepared some homemade cards for us, too. A few of our students helped set up the tables and even picked fresh flowers for the event. 

 

 

 

 

 

We were told that the kiosk, when finished, will be adorned with a plague that showcases the Mercersburg logo, thanking us for years of service to the school. (This trip was our 11th as a school, dating back nearly 20 years.) 

 

We also presented a check to the school to use for scholarships in the amount of $5000. This money came from banana bread sales back at school since the trip last March. 

 

We arrived in La Fortuna after a three hour or so drive, checked into our hotels, and enjoyed a dinner of typical food nearby. Some went swimming, and others just relaxed. Tomorrow will be the only morning we get to sleep in. This one was a long update, but hopefully there will be a few more posts this weekend. We have three major activities over the next two days before heading home early Monday morning.