Kiera Suffel '19

02/02/16

Kiera Suffel's Experience in Costa Rica

This past summer, freshman cross country runner Kiera Suffel got to experience life in Costa Rica as she went there on a trip with a Spanish club. The trip included going to San Jose, Sarapiqui, and various places around the country. While this was her first time going to Costa Rica, this hasn’t been the first time she has traveled overseas.

Because her high school allows the club to go to different places around the globe every two years, Suffel traveled with the same group to Europe. In that trip, they had gone to London, Paris, Madrid, and Barcelona which are some iconic landmarks in the area.

While in Costa Rica this year, Suffel and her group had discovered so many activities to do while they were down there.

“I really liked whitewater rafting in the river,” said Suffel. “It was my first time doing it so it was pretty cool that I got to do that in Costa Rica. Snorkeling was pretty awesome too since I’ve never done that before.”

Along with the whitewater rafting and snorkeling, the group also went shopping at markets, and went to some historical sites. While those were some fun activities to do, one of the best experiences Suffel experienced was going to visit a poorer school while on the trip.

“We got to play with them and hang out with them,” Suffel recalled. “It was a really fun experience.”

The trip was planned a year and a half in advance and it gave students a chance to experience Spanish or foreign culture, and to speak a little Spanish while doing so.

“I really do love to travel and I’m really open to anything,” said Suffel. “There were times on the trip where we were up hiking and it would start down pouring, so you would have to learn to deal with it. Learning to be patient at times, especially when you’re in the airport, is something that I found important.”

The nine day trip is one that Suffel won’t forget, but it won’t be her last one. She already plans on going to the Dominican next summer for a mission trip, which greatly represents the university’s core value of service.

Kiera Suffel

There were times on the trip where we were up hiking and it would start down pouring, so you would have to learn to deal with it. Learning to be patient at times, especially when you’re in the airport, is something that I found important.”
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