- Program
- Pura Vida Service, Costa Rica
- Traveled
- July 2026
- Hometown
- Alcobendas, Spain
In this first-person account, Gonzalo Perez Romero of Alcobendas, Spain, looks back on Rustic Pathways’ Pura Vida Service program in Costa Rica in July 2026, with photos from the trip.
Gonzalo describes getting out of a comfort zone, becoming more independent, and the friends and Program Leaders who made the trip fun.
Gonzalo’s Trip Out of the Comfort Zone in Costa Rica
Costa Rica was an amazing experience and definitely a trip I’ll never forget.
It helped me get out of my comfort zone, become more independent, and see things from a different perspective. I also met great people and shared some unforgettable moments along the way.
What Gonzalo Took Home From Costa Rica
Big shoutout to all the friends I made and to our Program Leaders for making the trip so much fun!
Gonzalo describes coming home more independent and with a different perspective. The memories concern the July 2026 session, and Gonzalo first shared them on the Rustic Pathways Instagram account on September 27, 2026.
The program still runs as Costa Rica: Pura Vida Service. It runs 8 days for students ages 14–18 from a base house in La Fortuna and includes about 16 hours of community service near Arenal Volcano, improving a local school and maintaining park trails, with ziplining and whitewater rafting. See the program page for the current itinerary, dates and activities.
