out of the classroom. They spent a week in Costa Rica living with local families and attending local schools. Keith Caesar reports on what they found.

Students from Dellwood Middle School recently travelled to the South American country of Costa Rica as part of an immersion exercise.

Dellwood Middle School's Spanish teacher, Glindon Welch, explained the trip as being an "immersion with Spanish culture''.

He added that the objective of the trip was for "stimulations and interaction in a foreign culture'' as well as "developing a need for communication''.

Eight adults, including principal Carol Bassett, accompanied the 37 students to the South American country. They left on May 16 and returned on May 23.

The Costa Rican Language Academy hosted the group and Mr. Welch thanked coordinator Laura Cardero for arranging the educational aspect from Costa Rica.

Students stayed with host families and also attended school while in Costa Rica.

Living with the Spanish families presented a minor problem, student Deshante Tuckett said: "After the first day you didn't understand, but after a while you started to get it.'' Deshante said she enjoyed the fact that her host family "took us different places, like skating''.

Mr. Welch explained that many of the students bonded with their host parents and after their arrival back to the Island they called to thank them.

Two of the notable experiences on the trip were when the students visited the Braulio Carrillo rainforest in which they rode an aerial tram 100 feet above the forest.

Another was the Poas Volcano -- an active volcano of which the students traveled near to the crater and witnessed some activity.

What also pleased them was the fact that they were 1,000 feet in the air and had the experience of walking through the clouds and eventually being above some clouds.

Student Tahmeaka Thomas was thrilled by this.

She said: "We got to try new and different things like going in clouds on the top of a volcano.'' Costa Rica was chosen for its "political stability'', Mr. Welch explained.

"Costa Rica is economically stable.'' Mrs. Bassett went on to explain: "Costa Rica does not have an army. "There is one Policeman for every 400 residents who fence in their property and monitor it.'' She added Costa Rica is experiencing an influx of Nicaraguans.

Student Sean Degraff said: "Everything was a little scary, but after the first night it was all right.'' Deneca Zuill added: "I liked how they treated people. It was a very nice experience, with different types of food.'' Teacher Kelly Burgess said she was impressed with the schools.

"The many different cultural classes that the Costa Rican schools provided were impressive,'' she said. "It was a valuable experience both academically and socially.'' The students thanked their sponsors The Dellwood PTA, the Bermuda Industrial Union Gas station, Metro Mineral Water, Bermuda Gas, ACE Bermuda Ltd., Butterfield and Vallis, Bermuda Import and Export, Dunkley's Dairy and the Bermuda Public Service Association.

Mr. Welch noted that at the completion of the trip the "kids were able to appreciate something different. Most were sad to leave.'' Mrs. Bassett added: "The trip is worth repeating because of the Spanish culture that we experienced. And the rainforest aspect related directly to our school's research study on the rainforest.''