Vashon High School has completed its second student exchange with Liceo Experimental Bilingüe de Pococí in Guápiles, in Costa Rica’s Limón Province — a program designed to promote bilingualism, cultural understanding, and lasting friendships between students in the two communities.

"This trip allowed me to expand both my language and cultural knowledge as well as make important connections with people who live there,” said sophomore Ethan Knudson. “I had a lot of fun being able to experience life in Costa Rica and see how both day-to-day and school life works for those who live there! It was a really immersive experience and I’m glad to have participated and been able to help make this trip happen for us this year."

In January, 12 Costa Rican students and two adult chaperones spent 20 days on Vashon, living with host families and experiencing life on the island.

The visiting students attended classes alongside their hosts at Vashon High School and participated in field trips around the region. They also explored nearby Seattle, visiting landmarks including the Space Needle and the Seattle Aquarium, as well as several museums. On Vashon, the group toured Sawbones Studio, visited the Vashon Heritage Museum, and met the island’s famed roadside attraction, The Bird King.

In return, the visiting students — known locally as Ticos — shared their own culture with their hosts. They cooked traditional Costa Rican meals for their host families and performed traditional dances during a special assembly and dinner at the school.

In February, Vashon students traveled to Costa Rica for the second half of the exchange, staying with the same students who had visited the island.

The group explored several of Costa Rica’s most famous natural sites, including thermal pools beneath Arenal Volcano and hikes around Irazú Volcano. They swam beneath waterfalls and spent a rain-soaked day visiting the Caribbean coast. Students also traveled to San José to shop at the Mercado Central and tour cultural landmarks including the Jade Museum and the historic Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica.

Students also attended classes at their host school, experiencing a different approach to the school day. Vashon High School Spanish teacher Sarah Powell cites her own experience in an exchange program in high school as life changing.

“The most impactful part of my exchange program was the ability to step out of my daily routine and see it from an outside perspective,” said Powell. “I learned so much about myself, about what was important to me, and what I believed. Having the space to consciously determine my place and role in the world, having my assumptions questioned, allowed me to lean into the person that I wanted to be. I went to college with a much better understanding of myself, my ambitions, and my place in the world.”

While the trip included a few challenges along the way, participants overwhelmingly said the experience was worthwhile. Students reported that the exchange helped them build friendships, strengthen language skills and gain confidence.

Said sophomore Sophie Dempster-Guillino: "I learned to understand Spanish more, try new things, practice my anxiety, and I made a bunch of new friends."