We had stopped on our way back from a town called La Fortuna at this restaurant right by Arenal Lake.
Author: Sakura Roberts | Major: Biology
Every morning I woke up to the sound of yet another bird calling. That shrill, sharp chorus of chirps right outside my window at 5 am was just what I was envisioning when I signed up for a study abroad trip. A natural alarm clock, my roommate would say happily, jumping right out of bed. She’s much more of a morning person than I am.
But of course, there would be birds. Surrounded by lush flora and fauna, our campus was nestled in the foothills of the Monteverde Cloud Forest region. It rained almost every day precisely around noon and by the end of the first week, we all had gotten accustomed to bringing a rain jacket everywhere we went. It was a place unique to its own, paired with people who were passionate about our natural world, and it was an experience I would never trade. My name is Sakura Roberts, and I spent the past 2 months in the tropical rainforest trying to become as Bear Grylls as I possibly could.
When looking for study abroad programs last fall, I had one thing on my mind: I wanted to experience a completely new environment. Gone with the cell reception, centralized air conditioning, and comfort of familiarity. So, when I was looking through programs, I stumbled across a pamphlet with a small description about a tropical ecology and conservation program offered in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Immediately piquing my interest, I read more about this program and its courses and excursions. I knew instantly that the classes they were offering were ones I wanted to take: Tropical Biology, Humans in the Tropics, Spanish, and Independent Research. The program was scheduled for 8 weeks with trips to different biological stations and reserves across the country, and I would soon be dropped into what would be a naturalists’ heaven.
It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. Not only were we located right in the middle of the rainforest with access to hiking trails, biodiversity, and waterfalls, but the courses taken there were of some of the most interesting subjects I’ve ever had. My program size was just eleven students, and my professors were local and were wonderful at teaching while we were out in the field looking at different animals, plants, and sustainable designs. We visited local dairy and coffee farms that practiced sustainable agriculture, learned about the ecology of more than sixty different animals and plants in Costa Rica (which still barely covers what all is there), and spent time in the closest town to campus where we could try different foods from local sodas and talk to the people who lived there. The set-up of having class outside during hikes or field trips was very different but exactly what I was wanting. Very occasionally did we have class in a sit-down fashion besides exams and lectures. We took notes in the field and many times had to cover them from getting wet in the rain, our outfits for 8 weeks consisted of quick-dry clothing and hiking boots, and the instructors and staff spoke to us in Spanish and taught us Costa Rican slang (most of the time, clean). I felt as immersed in the tropics and Costa Rica as I could have possibly been.
One of my favorite components to this program was the independent research course. Each student was able to conduct their own research for the last 2 weeks on a subject they found interesting. For me, that was the small-headed tree frog (Dendropsophus microcephalus). My research was looking at how distance between males affected their call frequency, and for five nights I would put on my waders and headlamp, grab my gear, and head out to a small pond in a forest clearing. Was I worried about being eaten by a puma? Somewhat. Did I need data to pass this class? More so. Furthermore, data was collected, arms were bitten by mosquitoes, and a paper was written. By the end of the two weeks, I had successfully done field work, edited my paper, peer reviewed, and presented at a symposium. This was a very rigorous part of the program but made me more comfortable with the whole biological research process.
We spent most of our time based at the CIEE campus in Monteverde. However, during the first four weeks we were taken on multiple trips to biological stations around the region. The first trip we took was to the La Selva Biological Station located in the lowlands of Costa Rica. It was hot, sunny, and humid there compared to cool and cloudy Monteverde, and the change in biodiversity was drastic. Trees and plants were much taller, leaves were bigger, there were more epiphytes and vines and greenery on tree limbs, and the species richness was higher. It felt and looked exactly like what one would think a tropical rainforest would be. One of my favorite memories there was lying in bed and hearing the eerie, almost haunting call of the Howler monkey echoing across the canopy at night. We stayed at La Selva for four days and spent every minute possible wandering the grounds and facilities.
Right after La Selva, we traveled to the Monteverde Biological Station. This was located closer to our main base in Monteverde, but higher in elevation. Even then, there were many subtle differences in the environment. The clouds rolled closely above us, and the temperature was much colder. Even through it looked tropical around us, it felt more like being in the Rocky Mountains than it did the tropics. Our place to stay was peaceful and tucked right into the base of a mountainside. We hiked to waterfalls, learned about the biodiversity there, and randomly got to meet Kenji Nishida, a well-known entomologist and photographer. After another four days there, we headed back to campus and got ready for our next trip to San Gerardo.
San Gerardo Biological Station was the most interesting to get to and was probably my favorite one. It’s hard to choose a favorite when each station is so vastly different and offers a new kind of environment, but San Gerardo stuck with me. The car ride there is only 20 minutes from campus, and when we arrive, it’s about a 2-hour hike to the actual station. This wasn’t necessarily difficult, but we did have to each pack 4 days’ worth of clothes and toiletries into one backpack. When we got there, it was the most spectacular view of the Arenal Volcano and lake. I think what I liked most about it was that there was no service or internet access. We didn’t take our computers and only used our phones for pictures. It was nice to simply enjoy nature and spend time with new friends at this simplistic station, even if the showers only had hypothermic, teeth clenching water. We hiked some more, did a fungi lecture and scavenger hunt, read books, worked on puzzles, and appreciated where we were.
The thing is, anywhere you go, you’re going to encounter things that put you out of your comfort zone. Whether its giant bugs or cultural differences or learning to speak a new language, the process of being in a new place is a challenging one, but nevertheless rewarding. One of my favorite quotes is from Alex Honnold, a renowned rock climber and free soloist: “Nobody achieves anything great because they’re happy and cozy.” Granted, he’s broken world records and risked his life in extreme environments, a lifestyle much different than that of the average college student, but I still think it’s important to have this mentality when experiencing anything new and foreign. It’s nice to stay home and be familiar with the people, places, and culture around you, but a lot personal growth comes from expanding your knowledge on different backgrounds and traditions. Studying abroad is a perfect way of appreciating the world and what it has to offer, and accepting the differences of other countries is the best way to truly appreciate them. If you love nature, if you love to meet new people, and if you love to challenge yourself, not only do I recommend this program, I insist you apply. Costa Rica is a beautiful, tropical country rich in customs and experiences that will shape the way you perceive the world and those around you.
Appreciate every opportunity, enjoy the simple things, and don’t be afraid to push yourself. You may never get another chance like it.