Paris Day 2 - the day of churches

Bonjour!!!

Today was our second day in Paris and we are loving every second. As Mrs. Hickey said earlier, today was the day of the churches. We began our day at Saint Chapelle and then ventured to Notre Dame. We stopped by the Chapel of the Miraculous Medals, and St. Sulpice. In between all of that, we had time for a picnic at the Luxembourg Gardens and some shopping! We got to walk around Le Bon Marche, a high end department store. We had time to shop in some more reasonably priced stores and at street vendors as well. 

Around 4 we were sent on our mission to grocery shop for dinner at Josh's. We took our turns ordering at the cheese shop, bakery, butcher, and the fresh fruits/ vegetables market. We dropped the deliveries off to Josh and then took the long trek uphill to see Sacre Coeur. It had the most amazing views of the city and we found a surprise inside. There was a set of stained glass windows dedicated to St. Ursula and St. Angela ! 

After we took in the sights, we went to Josh's for dinner and got to meet some of Josh's and Xavier's friends and family. So far we are having the most amazing time and we can't wait to see more! ( in case anyone was wondering today we totaled 21,000 steps and covered almost 10 miles!!)

-Katie Coviello

Zip lining in the Costa Rican Rainforest

There are very few moments in life when you can experience absolute clarity, but zip lining over a Costa Rican rainforest was definitely one of them. Being harnessed into an elaborate system of pulleys, lines, and platforms expertly woven in between the árboles (trees) was nervewracking to say the least, but it was more than worth it. The whole adventure was about two hours and included 12 zip lines, including a special Tarzan swing! Thankfully, we had an amazing lunch right when we were done, providing us with sustenance after our great workout. 

In the afternoon we visited a primary school and painted their fence and outside roof. Although the kids were not there (school was off for Good Friday), it was still so interesting talking with the local workers in their native language. They were so thankful for our help and presented us with a certificate. As a gift, they gave us the fruit of the cashew that we are trying tonight at dinner. We then went to the town of Fortuna and did a little shopping. We also got to watch their Good Friday procession, which is a special cultural experience! 

- Emma Derr and Elise Cutrona

Making tortillas in Costa Rica

Hola from Costa Rica! 

Today we started our day with a two hour ride to the jungle cruise in Caño Negro. Once we got on the boat, the tour immediately started as we saw caymans, iguanas, monkeys, and various birds. The river, Rio Frio, runs through the boarders of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Lunch was a typical, classic Costa Rican dish with arroz con pollo (for all you non-Spanish speakers, rice and chicken), beans, salad, yucca chips, and pineapple. 

Later in the evening, all of us traveled to a cooking class at an organic farm where we met Antonio, Giselle, and Sergio, who taught us how to prepare and cook tortillas. It's said in Costa Rica that a woman who cannot cook cannot find a husband, and thus does not get married. After making our tortillas (yes we are now marriage material), we ate our dinner consisting of rice, beans, beef, picadillo, salad, and, of course, our tortillas. The night was full of singing, laughing, and delicious food. We finished the night with volcanic mud masks and hot springs. 
Pura vida,
-Maya and Katie C 

Costa Rica - Poas Volcano National Park

Today we started off the day visiting the Doka Coffee Plantation where we learned how coffee beans are picked and prepared to be sold in Costa Rica's oldest wet mill. We then visited Poas Volcano National Park, where although the weather gave us a limited view of the crater, we still managed to be on cloud 9! Lastly, we visited the Waterfall Garden where were saw many animals including those that can only be found in Costa Rica and saw breathtaking views of the amazing waterfalls. 

- Madeleine Taylor

Welcome Home to our New Orleans delegates!

The New Orleans delegation has landed in Philadelphia after an incredible adventure with their sisters in Louisiana! The girls did an incredible job representing themselves, their families, and all of Ursuline Wilmington.  We are so grateful to them and to their incredible chaperones, Ms. Williams and Ms. Williamson, for making this experience incredibly memorable!  

And – we had a Global Education Department first . . . senior delegation member Olivia Hatton was admitted to Tulane University in Louisiana today.   Way to go Olivia!!! 

Buen Viaje a Costa Rica

Our 10 seniors departed for Costa Rica an hour ago for a week of language and cultural immersion.  We cannot wait to hear all about their adventures!

Exploring Ursuline Roots in New Orleans

Wow what an amazing and inspirational day! After starting the day off right with beignets, we journeyed through the French Quarter to the Ursuline convent. We learned about the history of the Ursuline sisters as well as the history of New Orleans.