Traveling to Costa Rica has definitely taught me a multitude of things. I learned the names of over a hundred bird species. I learned about the history and culture of Costa Rica. I also learned that I am absolutely not cut out for intense hiking. On this trip, I especially…
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emerald toucanet Pygmy King Fisher Agami Heron Spectacled owls Quetzal Umbrella Bird While on the Costa Rica Avian Biology study abroad we saw many fantastic birds. It seemed that even the most common birds were more beautiful than the rarest at home. As we became more experienced birders we…
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Coffee! Coffee! Coffee! Who would have thought that while on an Avian Biology study abroad to Costa Rica I would learn so much about coffee. It isn’t hard to understand why it was so important to Costa Ricans to share their knowledge about coffee with us. We had coffee with…
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Peccary Two toed sloth While in Costa Rica on the Avian Biology study abroad I was amazed by the incredible beauty of my surroundings. I had planned to go on this trip and only see birds, and while I did see a lot of birds, I was surprised to see…
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Going in to this trip I expected to learn a lot about avian species, other wildlife, and birdwatching, however, I did not expect to learn so much about sustainability. After 3 weeks in Costa Rica, I came back to the US with a different perspective on sustainability, and an increased…
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My favorite place we visited while in Costa Rica was Hacienda La Ensenada. La Ensenada is a small lodge on a national wildlife refuge, located right on the Gulf of Nicoya in the province of Puntarenas. La Ensenada has so much to offer! On our way to La Ensenada, it…
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It was just a few weeks before I left for Costa Rica, and I had so many emotions going through my head. I was nervous, stressed, excited, and impatient all at once. On one hand, I could not wait to start an awesome adventure in a foreign country. On the…
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Over halfway through our study abroad trip in Costa Rica we entered my favorite ecosystem I had seen so far: the cloud forest. We stayed at Monteverde, which aptly means Green Mountain. There fog is trapped among the canopy, and despite Costa Rica being a tropical country, the temperature didn’t…
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I’ve hiked for three hours, I’m *almost* at the top of a mountain in the jungle, and I have enough beads of sweat on my forehead to make a necklace – heck, open a jewelry store. How did I get here? Well, I started my morning on a more pleasant…
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In Costa Rica, the environment is perfect for growing many tropical plants that can be farmed for food, timber, and many other products. The perfect mix of warm weather and rainfall all year round makes this rainforest a victim to the growing populations of the world. Many hectares of land…
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