DAY 3: Home Away From Home

Following breakfast this morning, we headed to Sitio de Mata, the town in which we will be spending the next two nights and where students get the opportunity to live with a Costa Rican host family. This small town has been a destination for the Ridgefield group since 2010 and it holds a very special place in the Roth family’s heart. 

On the way to the homestays, we made a pitstop at a fruit stand where students had the opportunity to try a variety of different fruits, vegetables, breads and sweets that were all locally sourced.  

After the fruit stand, we drove straight to the homestay town and were greeted by all of the homestay moms and their families at the community center, conveniently located right next to the soccer field. We were greeted with music and open arms, lots of hugs, and bright smiles. In the community center, we introduced all of the moms to their assigned “children” for the next two days and then they headed back to their houses for lunch. 

Despite some nervous energy going into the homestay, many students expressed how excited they were and how great their families were after spending some time with them eating lunch. We met at the soccer field in the mid afternoon and students rotated around three different cooking stations, learning to make arepas, patacones, and torta de cilantro. After our afternoon snacks, we all headed to the soccer field for a friendly game of fútbol. Many kids from the community joined the game and Ridgefield kids, whether they knew how to play soccer or not, joined in the fun. 

The night concluded with dinner at the homestay houses and a good night’s rest as we prepare to head to the orphanage tomorrow! 

Hasta mañana!