After the Return

So I am now back in the United States after spending three weeks in Costa Rica on the Avian Biology study abroad there. Ever since I have gotten back I have been extraordinarily tired from my journey. Despite this I have travelled back to Athens to continue taking more classes. The transition back is certainly a big one, however. I have found that I am now a very minimalist person in terms of what I require. After eating rice and beans almost every meal and sleeping in cabins with multiple people, I find that I am a truly lucky person where I live and certainly have more than I need. Going to Costa Rica and living in that environment has given me a wonderful perspective on how I should live and spend my time. Instead of reverting back completely to my old ways, I have embraced several new habits. I now wake up much earlier and try to spend at least thirty minutes doing some kind of outdoor activity. I immersed myself in the culture and learning experience that was available to me Costa Rica, and rediscovered my inner passion for the outdoors. I hope to spend more time here hiking and continuing to study birds in the field. Things that I overlooked before now capture my whole attention. I can’t look at a bird without wondering about its biological ancestry and environmental adaptations. I can’t help but think in the next few weeks I will have to invest in a field guide of birds for the southeast United States. I am so grateful that I was able to have such a life-changing experience, and hope that it will not be the last of its kind.