FDU in Costa Rica: Day Four

On Saturday, former FDU professors Dan and Rose Twomey invited the team to their home for lunch and conversation. It was a very special opportunity for the group to be able to spend time with the two people who were largely responsible for connecting the FDU and Manzanillo communities.

Melissa, Aubrie and Mrs. Twomey on a walk through the grounds.

The Twomeys suggested Manzanillo as the site for these service learning trips after bringing students down for a class on sustainable business and management. Aside from being such an influential part of the experience here, the Twomeys have truly opened their hearts and home to the team, giving advice and sharing their experiences.

Over pizza and punch, the Twomeys opened a discussion about the group's thoughts and experiences over the first half of the trip. The group members each shared how the visit to Manzanillo had affected them so far, and no two people had the same response. Leslie noted how the experience made her more proud to be bilingual, while Megan discussed how the trip made her see the importance of seizing opportunities rather than letting them pass by. A common sentiment throughout the group, however, was the quick closeness of the group - many of the locals in Manzanillo are surprised to learn that few members of the group knew one another before coming to Costa Rica. Frankly with how close we have gotten in just a few days, it's surprising to us sometimes, too.

On the mile-or-so walk home from the Twomey's, the group picked up trash along the beach and collected green beach almonds to give to the Great Green Macaw preservation center in town. The center breeds, raises and releases these beautiful birds, but does need all the help it can get, as it is mostly run by volunteers and relies heavily on donations - but more on that to come in tomorrow's post. The team picked the green almonds up from the sand, and also from one of the trees that grows along the shoreline. The macaws eat the bitter green almonds, but when they get dark brown and ripe, they are enjoyed by people too. By the end of the afternoon, we were well on our way to our goal of 1,000 almonds.