- Program
- Surf and Service, Costa Rica
- Traveled
- July 2026
- Hometown
- New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
In this first-person account, Emma Wehr of New Tripoli, Pennsylvania, looks back on Rustic Pathways’ Surf and Service program in Costa Rica in July 2026, with photos from the trip.
Emma describes surfing at Avellanas beach, a catamaran tour and a zipline, and service work planting trees and picking up trash.
Emma’s 8 Days of Surf and Service in Costa Rica
¡Hola! My name is Emma, I went on the 8 day Surf and Service program. Many new memories and friends were made in this trip! From surfing to the catamaran tour and the zipline, everything was so enjoyable. Surfing at Avellanas beach was very exciting, the instructors were very helpful, I had a great time watching others improve as well as myself!
Planting Trees and Clearing Trash in Costa Rica
For service we had helped plant trees, pick up trash, move boards across the beach to create new paths, and maintain newly planted trees by clearing up the area surrounding it. Costa Rica is a beautiful country and doing what I can to help maintain such a great place means a lot. This trip helped me improve my social skills, gain independence, and gain open-mindedness to new experiences.
What Emma Took Home From Surf and Service
Thanks to the Program Leaders, surf instructors, Clean Wave leaders, the chefs at the base house for the delicious food, and all others for making this trip even better!!
¡Pura Vida!
Emma describes the new friends and the independence that came home from Costa Rica. The memories concern the July 2026 session, and Emma first shared them on the Rustic Pathways Instagram account on August 6, 2026.
The program still runs as Costa Rica: Surf and Service. It runs 8 days for students ages 14–18, with five days of surf lessons on the Pacific coast and about 12 hours of beach and community service. See the program page for the current itinerary, dates and activities.
