CSW Panama Blog
Offered every other year, this trip is a cooperative effort between the language and science departments. Students travel to the neotropics of Latin America for a program of immersion in tropical ecosystems and in Spanish language and culture. In the science component, students travel to various tropical ecosystems and conduct field experiments and projects. The language program consists of homestays with local families, organized field trips and everyday conversational Spanish. Students maintain both science and Spanish journals as they travel.
Keep up with our students in Panama daily!
List of 20 news stories.
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April 22: Back to Boston!
¡Hola!
Today is our final day! We are at Tocumen Airport, heading to Logan soon. Everyone did a great job of packing and being ready to leave the Magnolia Inn at 4:30 a.m.!
We cannot believe this adventure is coming to a close and we are grateful for this intense, challenging, and beautiful module abroad with each of the 18 amazing students.
Thank you for following our journey! ¡Qué xopá, Panamá!
Morgan and Pamela -
April 21: Final Full Day Farewells
Hello everyone!
Today was our last full day in Panama :*(( We were able to explore the city in the morning and get some breakfast and coffee with our friends. We stopped by a souvenir shop with our tour guide, and then spent the day exploring both the old and new city on the tour bus. We drove to an island, where we saw a biological diversity museum, the Smithsonian, and all the boats waiting to enter the Panama Canal. We tried amazing foods and visited the Albrook Mall, which is the largest in Central America! After, we got dinner in the city. We are having an early night to prepare for our early morning flight tomorrow.
Bye,
Ma’ayan '24 and Harvey '25 -
April 20: Flight Back to Panama City
Hi everyone!
Today was our last morning at ITEC! We said goodbye to Pete, Leo, Jogan, and the kitchen staff (and the dog Tippy), and took a boat back to the main part of Bocas del Toro. It was a hot day and the ride was refreshing and fun. When we got there, we walked to the airport (something we’ve never done before!) and checked into our flight. We played cards, listened to music, and ate snacks while we waited for our flight. When we landed in Panama City, we reunited with our tour guide/honorary uncle Roger. We checked into the hotel and got settled before going out into the city for dinner! Today was a packed day but we had lots of fun!!!!
Z ‘25 and Aidan ‘25 -
April 19: Final Day at ITEC
Hello everyone,
This morning, some of us slept in while others woke up early to a wonderful breakfast of pancakes, eggs, oatmeal, and fresh orange juice. We spent the rest of the late morning working on our final lab reports. We had a delicious lunch of chicken fried rice, beans, and salad. Then, we went to the beach for the last time. Some of us swam while others sunbathed or drank smoothies and piña coladas. The beautiful water was turquoise and clear. It was a perfect beach day.
We came back to eat dinner which was chicken curry, rice, beans, and salad. We finished packing for a busy day tomorrow and some of us watched a horror movie. We had both a relaxing and productive day. We have really enjoyed our time at ITEC and are grateful for everyone who made our stay so wonderful. Please follow the next leg of our journey as we travel to Panama City!
Best,
Harvey ‘25, and James ‘24 -
April 18: Beach Day
Hi Everyone!Today we spent time working on our lab reports, making friendship bracelets, and playing cards. It was a hot morning at ITEC, so we were all super excited to head to the beach later in the afternoon. Some of us did research on starfish, while others simply relaxed and swam in the clear water. After another yummy dinner, we had a movie night, where we watched Get Out. It was a great day!Adios,-Nadia '24 and Bali '25 -
April 17: Snorkeling coral reefs
Hola!
Today was our third full day in Bocas del Toro, and our second day of research. ITEC has treated all of us very well so far, and the meals are a big part of it. The french toast for breakfast was excellent. After breakfast we went to the coral reef to continue our research projects, and stayed there until lunch time. Lunch today was noodles with beef! We chilled out for the rest of the day, but some people went back to the water to continue their research. Dinner was chicken and rice. Although it is hot and humid, we all had an amazing time exploring these diverse ecosystems and doing our science work. We will see you tomorrow for another great day!
Adios,
Teddy '24 and Brayden '24 -
April 16: Research Ready!
Hey everyone!
Today was our first day of field research at the Institute of Tropical Ecology and Conservation (ITEC)! Last night we all picked research questions in groups of one, two, or three people. Our projects are all split into two categories: marine and terrestrial. After a delicious breakfast of pancakes, we split into those two categories and went to our respective locations of research. The marine group took a boat out to two different locations: the beach and the coral reef. We all snorkeled around to collect data for our lab reports! in the rainforest we walked around observing and counting species! After lunch, we spent the rest of the day working on our lab reports, playing games, reading, and making friendship bracelets! We then had a delicious dinner of fried chicken, french fries, patacones (fried plantains), rice, beans, and coleslaw!
Stay tuned for more tomorrow!
Maya ‘24 and Zoe (P) ‘24 -
April 15: Forests and Coral Reefs
Hey!
Today was our first full day in Bocas Del Toro and after a tasty breakfast we were split into two groups, the first group went to the reef first and the second went to the forest! We hiked and snorkeled and learned a lot about the native wildlife here on the island! We came back to the dorms for an amazing lunch before we set back out, this time group one went to the forest and group two went to the water. It was absolutely incredible to see the rich wildlife here and in the reef! We returned for an equally incredible dinner and after we decided what we wanted to study for our research projects! We had so much fun today and can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring!
Hope you enjoyed our journey today as much as we did!
Nolan ‘25 and Sasha ‘24 -
April 14: Boat Ride!!!
Hi guys!!
Today we left the Los Quetzales Ecolodge at 5:30 a.m. and started driving to Bocas del Toro. It was around a 5 hour trip but we took some breaks along the way. We stopped at this restaurant near the docks to get some lunch. We shared some ceviche and pacatones!! Then we helped get all of our luggage on the boats and made our way to an island where we would be staying for the next 7 days. Specifically, we will be staying at ITEC(The Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation) Once we got there we settled into our room and had some dinner. Our lab report was also due tonight so some of us were finishing up. Tomorrow we are gonna do some snorkeling and hiking so stay tuned!
XOXOZoe ‘25 and Mary ‘25 -
April 13: Relaxing Last Day
Hi everyone!
Today was our last day in Cerro Punta, and since it’s Saturday, we got the day off to relax, pack, and work on our science lab reports. We’re sorry that there isn’t much to report today, but we all enjoyed having more time and freedom during meals and a low stress day. Some people went to a really cute cafe across the street for some lunch, and we ended our day by packing up our bags and loading up the bus! Tomorrow is an early morning as we make the long journey to Bocas del Toro!
Adios!
Josh ‘24 and Brayden ‘24 -
April 12: Lake, Coffee, and Karaoke
Hi everyone!Our fourth full day in Cerro Punta started with a delicious breakfast provided by the hotel. We reunited with Jorge, and he led us on a tour around a pond in Volcán, Chiriquí. The pond, according to Jorge, was used as a public swimming pool. The water was crystal clear, and we met some locals washing their clothes and dishes in the pond. After the visit to the pond, Jorge brought us to a coffee place, Janson Coffee Shop. The place, with a garden of flowers and a tree tunnel, was very beautiful. We ordered coffee made from locally grown coffee beans and had a great time tasting them while enjoying the gorgeous views. We then headed to a Panamanian food restaurant and had our lunch. We returned to the hotel after lunch and had a few hours to work on homework and to relax. We met back up for dinner and some of us had dessert (the chocolate cake was so tasty)! Almost immediately after dinner, we met up in the game room by the restaurant for some karaoke. The songs ranged from musicals like Dear Evan Hansen to Carrie Underwoods, When He Cheats. We had lots of fun and we are looking forward to what tomorrow brings us!Signing off,
Sasha ‘24 and Harvey ‘25 -
April 11: Morning Walk and Lab Work
Hola a todos!
Today was our third day in Cerro Punta. We began with a morning walk up to some of the terrace farms. We got to meet a few of the farmers who owned and worked in the field. We saw lots of potatoes, celery, and cabbage. We then got the opportunity to see a cleaning plant that processed and shipped produce to markets all across Panama. Mr Vega, who owned the plant, then allowed us to walk up and onto his farm. The view was spectacular, and we got to try some of the carrots that were being harvested. After our walk we returned to the hotel to relax and eat lunch. Then between 2 and 5 we worked on our individual lab reports. At 5:00 we broke out into small groups to eat dinner in the town or at the hotel. The day concluded with a beautiful rainbow.
Gaius ‘25 and Jennifer ‘25 -
April 10: Roger Hosts CSW
Hola everyone!
Today was our second full day here in Cerro Punta, and we were very busy! We started our day eating another delicious buffet style breakfast and putting out our dirty laundry to be cleaned, before loading onto the bus and heading out. Our amazing driver and guide, Roger, navigated us down Panama route 43, an incredibly windy road with around 286 curves and gorgeous panoramic views. We took a pit stop at Lago Rio Sereno for some volleyball and chill time. After that, we were surprised to briefly cross over the border into Costa Rica in the town of Rio Sereno to buy some groceries and take some group photos! Following that, we drove through a torrential downpour before arriving at Roger’s family’s home and farm, where we were welcomed with open arms and given a delicious, home-cooked meal. Once the rain dyed down, we had the opportunity to hand out snacks and make friends with some of the children of the community, and get to know Roger’s family. Following, we made the treacherous journey back to Volcan for some restaurant style Mexican food. We then headed back to the hotel for some chill time before heading to bed. We are looking forward to exploring Cerro Punta some more tomorrow!
Josh ‘24 and Z ‘25 -
April 9: First Day in the Clouds
Hello all!
It’s Ma’ayan and Zoe (P)! Today we started our morning with breakfast at the Ecolodge, which was a buffet with tons of fresh fruit and amazing coffee. Then, we headed off to explore La Amistad International Park, which is a UNESCO site spanning between Costa Rica and Panama. While there, our knowledgeable guide Jorge (an old friend of Roger’s) taught us about the flora, fauna, and history of the area. He told us about the symbiotic relationships between moss and plants, the bromeliads growing on trees, and even showed us jaguar scat! The hike was absolutely beautiful, as we were surrounded by untouched rainforest and constantly in the clouds (which made hiking at that altitude very difficult). Next, Jorge took us to Barú Volcano, where we saw beautiful views of Cerro Punta and the surrounding mountains. Finally, we stopped for yummy strawberries and cream, condensed milk, and ice cream. We headed back to the hotel and explored or relaxed for a while, until dinner at the hotel. Then we had a brief meeting about the Spanish and Science coursework, preparing for this week’s mini-lab report. We spent the rest of the night chatting, playing games, making friendship bracelets, and watching Hereditary.See you tomorrow,Ma’ayan ‘24 and Zoe ‘24 -
April 8: On the road!
Hi everyone!
It's Mary and Nolan.Our day started early today as we pulled out of La Hotel Mejorana, in Guarrare. We had gotten into a routine of waking up, grabbing breakfast, heading to our daily activity, and then getting dinner in Las Tablas. Each day was amazing and unique but we were excited to stay in the mountains and learn about the beautiful complex ecosystems. We stopped for a bathroom break, breakfast, and lunch. Each time after getting out of the air-conditioned bus the air felt different due to the elevation. We drove on the Pan-American Highway (The longest highway in the world that spans from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Northern Alaska with a brief 50 mile gap in the unpassable jungle of Panama’s Darien province), and our elevation increased as we left the beautiful Los Santos province that we had been calling home. Looking out of the window we saw the dry savanna turn into the beautiful mountains of Roger’s home province, Chiriquí. The browns and yellows turned into lush green and the dried-up bushes were replaced by beautiful flowers of every color of the rainbow. The temperature dropped by about 30 degrees and for the first time in the past week in a half we turned off the AC and rolled down the windows. It was the most lush forest either of us had ever seen.When we got to The Los Quetzales Ecolodge we checked into our cabins and unloaded the bus. We were amazed by the natural beauty of the area and by our cabins. We had a couple of hours to spare before dinner so some people explored the beautiful property, unpacked, or worked on some Science/Spanish homework. After our delicious dinner, we played some games like ping pong and foosball while some others watched movies by the fire. Overall it was a long and tiring day but, we are all so excited to see what Cerro Punta has to offer us.See you guys later!Mary ‘25 and Nolan ‘25 -
April 7: Birthday Brunch and Bye Bye!
Hi everyone!
It’s Josh and Teddy! Today was our last day in Guararé and Las Tablas. We started our day by attending morning mass at the church in Guararé, followed by a surprise birthday brunch for Brayden! Happy 18th!! After enjoying some McDonalds brunch and birthday cake, we had a relaxing afternoon in the hotel to start packing. In the evening, we returned to Las Tablas one last time to walk around and grab food. We headed back the hotel to finish packing and head to bed early, because tomorrow is a very early morning!
Buenas noches!!Teddy and Josh -
April 6: Farm and the Movies
Hello everyone!This morning, some people woke up to get breakfast like fresh mangoes while others slept in. We then drove to the town of Pedales and picked up our tour guide from the farm, Héctor. We embarked on a short hike down the Pilón River. In Pedales, the legend of the river is that there was a beautiful indigenous princess who had hair made of gold. She would bathe in the river and brush her hair. Everyone who saw her fell in love with her but they were never able to get her. In the 1500s, the Spaniards arrived and became particularly interested in trying to catch her. They were never able to catch her. Today, the water at the river was beautiful and mountains surrounded it. We never saw the woman. We left the river to go to Héctor’s farm. At the farm, we met a pregnant horse, a pony, and two dogs. A few people even rode the horse! After meeting the animals, we talked with Héctor and observed the sugar cane juice as it cooked. We then drove to a restaurant call Va y Ven for lunch. After going to the hotel to shower, we drove to Mall Paseo Central in the town of Chitré. We walked around the stores, played video games, and even held one month old puppies. We then went to the movie theater and some of us watched a horror movie while others watched an action movie. Finally, we drove back to Las Tablas, met up with a friend from the CADI school, and had dinner.See you tomorrow,Nadia and James -
April 5: Baila!
Hi everyone!
We started the day early. After grabbing a quick breakfast at a local shop we headed to dance class. We learned three Cumbia Panameña dances. It was hot but super fun! We returned to the hotel to cool off and eat lunch. Later in the afternoon, we learned more about Cumbia - this time by watching a local dance performance. We also played soccer with some kids living in the area. We ended the day with dinner in Las Tablas, splitting off into trios. We partnered with people we didn’t know prior to the trip. New friends all around!See you tomorrow,Jennifer ‘25 & Maya ‘24 -
April 4: Day in Las Tablas
Hola!
We started out the day at 9 and walked to a local market for breakfast/snacks. Everything is so cheap here! On our walk back to the hotel we made sure to share some of our snacks with some police officers nearby. We ate our breakfast at the hotel, and then we threw all of our dirty laundry into trash bags to bring to the laundromat. While we waited for the laundry to finish, we split up into groups and explored the city of Las Tablas. After a good four hours in the city, we hopped back on the bus and headed to the laundromat. Unfortunately not everyone’s clothes were ready, but this is something we are prepared for. Sharing is caring! For dinner we are at the hotel.
Aidan A. '25 and Brayden B. '24 -
April 3: In the Mountains!
Hola!Today we once again met up with the 12th-grade students from CADI Bilingual School (K-12). After about an hour bus drive we arrived at a mountain. We did some small hikes to viewpoints before a short drive to a house owned by the principal of CADI. We had lots of fun sitting, eating, and chatting with our new friends from CADI. We then searched for monkeys, and after nearly giving up hope, we spotted one! It was very high up in a tree but it was an amazing sight nonetheless! We then went back to the house and shortly after went slightly down the mountain to pick fresh cherry tomatoes (they were delicious!). Everyone then boarded the buses to a close by river, where many of us took a leap of faith into! After some time in the river we reboarded the buses to drop the CADI students off and went to the hotel for a brief period of downtime. We then went back into Las Tablas for dinner! Many of us went to an amazing local restaurant called The Garage! We also returned to the ice cream shop and chatted with the co-owner again! We can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring!XoxoSasha L ’24 and Zoe Z ‘25
Photos from the trip!
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CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.