Rather than just taking a bus out of Monteverde to San Jose, we hiked through primary forest from Monteverde to Arenal.  We spent the night at a very pretty hotel where we all felt like grimy kids who shouldn’t be allowed, but they had waterslides and a pool bar so we managed to deal.

The next day we took a bus from Arenal to San Jose for the last night.  We had a great Italian dinner and then went to a club called Vyrus (but with a backwards “R”) where an 80’s band was playing.  Like I said, that probably sounds like a lie. But we had drinks and talked and danced, smoked some Cubans, reminisced and whatnot.  By the time the band finished around 1 in the morning, everyone was crying.  A few of us held out for a while, but anyone who left the bar with a dry eye must have been dead inside.  The next morning at breakfast was just as bad.  Everybody had only gotten a few hours of sleep and a few had already left for the airport.  Saying goodbye is the worst.

My friend from Whitman on the program, Rachelle, has a heart of steel and wasn’t crying when it was time to leave.  She, Katie, Kristin and I were headed to Liberia for a night and on to Nicaragua the next day, so Rachelle guided us to the bus station.   We were all sniffling and wearing sunglasses and probably looked really funny/pathetic.

Nicaragua was great.  We stayed in a hostel on the island of Ometepe.  The hostel was super cool with comfortable beds and a nice shower right on the shore of Lake Nicaragua.  We went horseback riding and hiking.  I saw a boa constrictor, which none of us had seen in Costa Rica, so that was awesome.

A couple days later we took a TicaBus back to San Jose and I met up with my parents.  On the bus they played Bad Boys 1 and 2 in Spanish.

And that was my semester.  Solo bueno.

Thanks for reading!  Vaya con Dios!

So, we backpacked from Monteverde to Penas Blancas, about 15km East-ish.  Penas Blancas was super remote, we stayed at Eladio’s Place, which is a pretty primitive biological station in the middle of magnificent nowhere.  Eladio and his wife (Anais) were there to cook for us, but Eladio is also probably the neatest man alive, a phenomenal pancake-maker, and also a biologist.  Penas was beautiful.  There was no electricity and the place was full of mosquitoes and horse flies, but the forest was essentially untouched.  And I turned 21!!!  On my bday, our morning assignment was to spend 2 hours alone in the forest, just appreciating it and thinking of questions to base our research projects around.  It was a fantastic morning.  I found a little spot and listened to birds and a river and swatted mosquitoes.  It was pretty much the first time we were told to go into the forest and not be in pairs or a group.  Oh, and we had pancakes for breakfast (hi Mom!).  The rest of the day was pretty chill with some species reports and some hiking and after dinner (grilled cheese and tomato soup), my professors and TAs gave me some chocolate, a little bottle guaro, and a hostess cupcake with a candle in it.  It was the nicest thing!  Then we partied.

Okay, after Penas Blancas we backpacked to Pocosol, which was only 13km but much steeper.  I hiked a lot of it alone and had probably my best one person sing along ever.  The hike was gorgeous and muddy and slippery and rainy, but one of the most fun experiences of the field trip.  A deer almost ran into me and then we did the awkward which way are you going back and forth thing that always happens with strangers on the street.  But then the deer ran away and the singing continued.  The station in Pocosol was gorgeous.  It was built last year, I think, and is like a cabin-mansion.  We had huge showers and nice beds and cotton towels!  And we didn’t even need bug nets!  It was great.  We only spent a couple of nights there, but we did a lot of bird watching and electricity appreciating.

The journey continued on to La Selva, which is one of the two largest biological stations in the tropics.  The rooming situation was nice, but overall I wasn’t that into La Selva.   All of the trails in the forest are paved and it just felt sort of crowded with people.  We did see a lot of animals, did more bird watching, and learned about frogs.  We went on a really cool night hike, too.

Tirambina was the next stop and it was definitely a highlight.  It was the same forest as La Selva, but in a much more remote location.  We had cabins and hammocks and were on our own again.  While we were in Tirambina we visited a pineapple plantation, learned a lot about bats, and hiked through the forest.  We also had a talent show, which was another high point of the trip.  Everybody busted out something.  A few other girls and I did some acapella Weezer.  No biggie.  The night ended with a dance party in the mud.  It was awesome.

After Tirambina, we continued East until we reached Tortuguero on the Caribbean Coast.  The Caribbean was beautiful, but definitely had a different feel from everywhere else we have been in Costa Rica.  A little more sketch, at least in the town.  We hiked through some forest and went canoeing and saw loads of cool species including a sloth, a caiman, lots of birds, and lots of lizards.  We also went to the beach one night and saw a female Green Turtle laying eggs.  She was huge!  The next morning I got up early to walk along the beach and saw a baby turtle!  I watched it all the way until it got to the ocean.  Pretty damn magical.

And then there was Panama.  Oh, Panama.  We crossed the border and drove through some industrial stuff, but then we got on boats to Bocas del Toro.  We arrived in the evening and pulled up to a beautiful dock, with a little gazebo-thing that had a thatched roof and a hammock.  The water was crystal clear.  We were all in awe.  It was like we walked into a Corona commercial.  We stayed in houses owned by an ecological reserve and ate all of our meals at a sweet little seafood place run by a couple (Juani and Willy—so nice).  In Panama, we had Tropical Marine Diversity Day.  Translation: a day of snorkeling at some of the best locations the islands off of Panama have to offer.  But, I mean, its just school.  We had lunch at a restaurant that was literally on the water.  Again, crystal clear, thatched roves.  Paradise.  We snorkeled in reefs and in mangroves, which were awesome.  Despite heavy sunscreen reapplications every hour (a total of five), I still ended the day with a pretty ferocious sunburn.  But, with the help of loads of aloe, I think it will turn out better than on the first field trip.  Our last night in Panama we celebrated our wonderful program director’s birthday.  Juani and Willy prepared a huge, beautiful seafood buffet complete with lobster, calamari, shrimp, and other island specialties.  It was one of the greatest meals I have ever eaten.  A local Calypso band played, everybody was dancing.  There was cake and a huge fireworks display over the ocean.  Oh man, it was great.

What a life.

We take a bus somewhere tomorrow and will hike 15k to a shack somewhere in the woods.  We we stay in that shack for four nights.  There will be no electricity.  There will be vipers.  We will probably run out of toilet paper.  And I will be turning 21.  Is there any other way?

According to my professors, this shack is a really great place to drink booze.  Everyone has planned accordingly.  For my b-day I splurged on some Gordon’s Gin and tang.  (The Gordon’s is a nod to you, Mom and Dad.)  In Costa Rica, they have all kinds of flavors of Tang!  Maybe they do in the US, too, but Orange and Carrot?  Blackberry?  Fruit Punch?  I love Tang!  Something tells me this is going to be a great field trip.

After the shack, we will hike another 13k to some other place, still in Costa Rica.  Then there are buses and turtles and beaches and then on to Panama and learning about Marine Diversity.  We weren’t really given a “schedule”…  But I think we are spending 5 nights in Panama and then getting our Costa Rican visas renewed when we re-enter the country.

Not to get all sentimental or anything, but a year ago I was completely dreading turning 20.  I thought life would just go downhill from childhood (in my defense, I had a pretty great childhood).  But I was so wrong!  This past year has been maybe my best ever.  So.  Thank you.

I need to pack!  And maybe play scrabble.

Fondly,

Cecily

p.s. I will be incommunicado for about 2 weeks.  So don’t worry about me, Ilona.

We spent a day at a free trade coffee farm the day we learned about agriculture in the tropics.  It was really interesting and also there were samples!  Cafe Monteverde.  Pass it on.

On the second day of Plant Diversity we visited an orchid garden in Santa Elena.  It was really beautiful.  Also, most of the pollination in the garden is natural.  I thought that was pretty neat considering the garden is in the middle of a town, not the forest.

Sunday we went zip-lining!  It was soooooo cool.  There was also a Tarzan swing.  On it, I think I made a face I have never made before that was a mix of grimace, terror and wonder.  Just so you know…

The program is still h’awesome, but everyone is looking forward to our next field trip to Panama.  We’ve been spending a lot of time inside, which is rough considering how phenomenal the weather had been.  But the group is a fun one and everyone is pretty serious about biology, which is really cool.

Since my last update we have also started our Spanish lessons at a language institute at the base of this here tropical mountain.  Spanish class is fun.  We are in groups of four, my professor’s name is Jose.  He is really funny and I think my listening comprehension is getting a whole lot better than it ever was in high school.  So that’s good.

This week we will be learning about livestock and visiting some farms, learning about insects and going on a hike across the continental divide and going on a bird walk guided by some fancy professionals.  We’ve got midterms coming up as well, and then we leave for the Atlantic Coast and back packin’ to Panama.  I’ll keep you posted…

Thanks for reading!

Cecily

Yesterday we hiked up to the top of the obstacle-laden mountain the field station is on, learned about some species, and had a picnic at the top.   Then it started to rain.  This was not entirely unexpected as it is the rainy season in the rain forest, but it was the first real downpour we’ve encountered.  Apparently it is an El Nino year and we have totally lucked out on weather so far.  Anyway, the hike back in the rain was sooooo much fun.  It was muddy and sloppy and I think some people were sort of miserable, but what an adventure.  I love it here.

That night, as a continuation of our orientation, we went to Discotheque de la Unicornia to hear the program director’s band play.  They were awesome and Alan dedicated “Another Brick in the Wall” to us.  Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Weezer, The White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age, Nirvana… just some of the stuff that fueled the madness on the dance floor at the Unicorn Disco.  No biggie.

19 days in Costa Rica and it’s official, I’m sold.  And I am completely positive I picked the right program.  After a few days of orientation in San Jose, we set off on a 16-day field trip exploring the pacific coast of the country.  It really feels like every day has been more incredible than the day before.  We spent the first chunk of time (about 6 nights) camping on a beach in Corcovado on the southern pacific coast, right on the edge of lowland rainforest.  As far as I know, Corcovado is pretty much only accessible by boat.  On the way we saw humpback whales.  And that was just the beginning.  Here are some highlights:

Right after setting up camp in Corcovado, everybody (including professors and TAs) ran into the ocean and swam and watched the sunset.  The water was refreshing, but not too cold.  Studying abroad RULES!!!

A 15 minute hike from camp to a beautiful waterfall.  So amazing.  If you have never bathed in a waterfall, DO IT.

We hiked through nearly untouched lowland tropical rainforest (about 3 hours) to another secluded, beautiful, amazing beach (Playa Llorona, if I’m not mistaken).  Can you tell I think this is awesome?

Snorkeling off of Isla del Cana, hiking on the island, and also having a lecture about biogeography.

After Corcovado, we made our way to Santa Rosa on the northern pacific coast.  I actually liked Santa Rosa more than Corcovado.  It wasn’t as dramatic, but it was less humid and there wasn’t sand everywhere and there was more wildlife.  Not to complain or anything…  Anyways, Santa Rosa highlights:

Hey wow, another hike to a really beautiful beach!  This time through “dry”/deciduous forest.  The hike was about 10k one way, downhill there, uphill back with part of the way in the dark.   My awesome tentmate, Katie, and I were some of the few who did not get a ride on the way back.  What? What?  Anyway, this may have been the prettiest beach.  There were warnings of a rip current, but don’t worry Mom, it wasn’t so bad!  The water was cold and amazing and the waves were incredible.  Have I mentioned how much I like studying abroad?

Our last day in Santa Rosa we drove to Rincon del Vieja (aka “The Volcanoes”) and hiked through dry forest again.  This was super dry though, I felt like I was in Arizona.  Our destination was this beautiful freshwater pool at the base of a waterfall where we swam and had lunch.  Seriously?  Seriously.

Apparently studying abroad means hiking to beaches, swimming, and having professors buy you ice cream and beer.  I could get used to this.  But don’t worry Mom and Dad, I’m learning all sorts of stuff.  On all of our hikes and adventures we do species reports to learn about the plants, fungi and animals in Costa Rica.  Neat things I have seen so far: scarlet macaws, crocodiles, a coral snake, a fer de lance (viper), agouti, coati, Jesus Christ lizard, vampire bats, white faced monkeys, howler monkeys, spider monkeys… I can’t even remember what else.  Wow, this place is neat.

Injuries incurred: 1 bad sunburn (healed fine, no worries), too many bug bites to count, horsefly bites on said sunburn, 3 jelly fish stings, some version of tropical poison ivy, scratches and bruises from climbing through a mangrove forest.  But everything has healed or is healing like a charm.

Several people have asked me specifically about the food.  It is great!  Despite the rugged, adventurous, completely mind-blowing life here in Costa Rica, we have a pretty sweet set up complete with 3 square meals (plus snacks!) prepared by professionals!  For instance, before packing up camp in Santa Rosa, I had french toast, bacon and coffee for breakfast.  For lunch, we usually pack out sandwiches or eat on the road.  Dinner tonight at the field station in Monteverde consisted of pasta and vegetables in delicious white sauce with salad topped off with hot chocolate and coconut ice cream.

I want to study abroad for the rest of my life.

After the orientation we were given the name of a fruit to find in Mercado Central, 4000 colones and instructed to explore the city, have lunch and be back in time for the first lecture.  A group of us walked the six blocks to the market, the weather has been beautiful so far and exploring the city has been fun.  The market, like San Jose, was not what I expected.  It was mostly indoors, sort of like a huge warehouse full of people and vendors.  There were restaurants, people selling leather goods, meat and fish counters, and lots of fruit stands.  My fruit was papaya and it was easy to find, but one girl had fruto de pan which remained elusive after visits to several other markets and a guided tour by a helpful policeman.  We got lunch back at Mercado Central.  I can’t remember the name of what I had, but it was the “mini” plate heaped with chicken, rice, beans, platanos, cabbage (I think?), and some other mysterious vegetables.

The first lectures were on flowers and fruits.  We did a pretty fast review of Semester 1 of Bio 111 and then dissected some flowers and sampled loads of fruit.  Lychee and pineapple were best.

Most of this has been about food, hasn’t it?  Yeahhhh…

Right now I’m really tired.  I got into San Jose around 12:30 pm, I left Anchorage at 7:30 pm the night before and did not get a lot of sleep on the planes.  But I watched “Adventureland,” and it had a good soundtrack.

So far, I like it here and I’m excited about starting the biology program.  Sorry this is such a short post.  I’ll have more to say later, but now I have to go eat dinner.

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

http://cuteoverload.com/tag/hedgehogs/

http://www.cryingwhileeating.com/

http://www.avclub.com/features/taste-test/

Well.  I’m spending the semester in Costa Rica to study tropical ecology and I leave this Saturday.  A blog seemed like a good way to a) stay in touch while I’m out of the country and b) remember what happened once I come back to the country.  Hopefully I’ll be able to figure out how to put photos up as well.

The program gave out a packing list, but it did not mention soap or toothpaste.  These things seem important, I feel like Sir David would bring them… but he is British, so maybe just the soap.  Despite having more fillings than I would like to admit, dental hygiene is a priority in my life.  Does this blog have spellcheck?  Speaking of which, this blog thing seems really complicated.  Sorry if it is poorly managed and sloppy.  I found spellcheck and it does not recognize “blog” as a word.

Oh Spellcheck, you are soooo right.