Everyone knows that first-day-of-summer rush: the irreplaceable feeling of excitement for all the memories soon to be made.

For senior, Jordan Lee, her 2014 summer memories were made in Costa Rica. However, Lee’s trip was not just another average family vacation; instead, it was a National Geographic Society trip with a focus on community service.

Together with a group of students from all over the U.S., Lee traveled for two weeks, from the bright blue-water beaches of Playa Hermosa, to the villages of Poza Azul, to the dense rainforest of Monte Verde. Along the way, they gave their service to local inhabitants and were immersed in the culture of the Costa Rican people.

“At the beginning we stayed by the beach and mostly did beach things like snorkeling and surfing,” Lee said. “I really liked snorkeling because it is nice to be in the water with all of the fish.”

In the water Lee encountered the delicious Dorado (Mahi Mahi), snapper, amberjack, tuna and wahoo, all of which are abundant at Playa Hermosa. Lee said there was no worry of sharks, but instead they had to watch out for the crocodiles.

“The waterfall was also a new experience because there are no waterfalls here [in Orange County],” Lee said.

After their beach adventures at Playa Hermosa, the group traveled to a small town in Poza Azul, where their week of service took place.

Lee’s favorite part of the trip was painting the school and playing with the children. The group also stretched their muscles to build a drainage system in the town. Mixing concrete was hard labor, but for a good cause, as “they are in a drought and when the rain comes it makes flash floods, so we were trying to make a little gutter system,” Lee explained.

Despite the language barrier, Lee was able to make personal connections with the people she helped.

“At the school I was mostly with kindergarteners and there was one girl, Noelia,” Lee said. “I had no idea what she was saying because I basically didn’t speak any Spanish, but she would not stop talking. She was one of the craziest little girls.”

Lee explained that little Noelia did not just want to chat, but was sincerely grateful for her service.

“I was painting a basketball court one time and she came over and started painting with me,” Lee said.

To show her thanks, Noelia made Lee a bracelet before she departed from Poza Azul. Lee was touched by Noelia’s kindness and was opened up to the Costa Rican way of life.

“I learned a lot about how cultures can be so different,” Lee said.

The group dined on the Costa Rican staples of beans and rice with every meal and, as they broke bread with the locals, they were surprised by the openness of the Costa Rican culture.

“They are always together, you can just walk into someone’s house basically,” Lee said. “They would do your laundry and people would offer us showers if we needed them.”

Beyond their hospitality, Costa Ricans live by the belief that money cannot buy happiness.

“Definitely every one there is always happy even though a lot of them have a lot less,” Lee said. “They weren’t necessarily homeless or in poverty, but they just survived with what they need.”

Along with the cultural immersion and service in Poza Azul, the group undertook more adventures in other areas of Costa Rica.

In Monte Verde the group stayed at the Eco Lodge, a farm that made pottery and soap and housed pigs, cows, horses and chicken.

“We hiked, rode horses and kayaked by the volcano,” Lee said. “We also went on a rain forest tour and saw a sloth which was cool.”

Looking back at all her adventures, Lee was glad she attended the National Geographic Society trip.

“It was just a great experience making new friends from the United States but also from Costa Rica,” Lee said.

Sad to leave all of her new friends behind, Lee shed a few tears while departing from the airport in Costa Rica. Along with new memories, she came home from Costa Rica with a greater worldview. Lee was exposed to a culture whose people may not have much money, but were rich with happiness.