As the first week of our study abroad comes to a close, it’s remarkable to think about all that we’ve seen and done so far! From waking up to the calls of the howler monkeys to the everyday, impromptu deluge of rain, it is clear that this is a place where life flourishes. Coming from the corn and soybean ridden Indiana to a country with 5-6% of the world’s biodiversity, you can’t help but be amazed everywhere you look (yes, I did tear up seeing two macaws flying overhead on our first full day at La Selva!).
While we are here now and fully immersed in our classes and activities at La Selva Biological Station, the journey to make it here was NOT as expected.
Getting there
Traveling is never as easy as you want it to be, especially if that travel involves flying. I took off from the Indy airport on March 23rd, and I was excited to meet new friends as we awaited our flight to Miami, FL. We were joined by even more friends before the flight to Costa Rica, and everything was on track for us to arrive in San José by 2pm – the time when we were all supposed to load up on the bus! Key word – supposed to.
The flight to Costa Rica was going great. I chatted with a study abroad student from Ontario, and the first views of the country were beautiful! We were witness to a mountain chain draped in a lush rainforest, the red roofs of San José, and the Pacific Ocean on the country’s west. Our descent began, though it quickly became a descent into madness. The intercom let us know that because the First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, was at the airport, we wouldn’t be able to land! What was supposed to be 15 more minutes turned into 2 more hours!! Come on, Jill…
After an hour of waiting through customs, we were finally with the rest of the group and ready to depart for our first station, La Selva!
Now this is epic!
Even the bus ride to the site was breathtaking, and you could feel the excitement on the bus! People immediately began getting to know each other, and there was a collective sense of awe as we saw what Costa Rica’s landscape was like. Driving through the mountains, we ranked waterfalls on a scale from 1-10 and admired the cloud forests, and we were ravenous by the time we arrived at the station (in the dark) just in time for dinner.
The following days moved at warp speed. Day 2 began at 6am, the time that we usually wake up (on most days… just wait for day 6!). We get 3 delicious meals everyday accompanied by fresh fruit, salad, and a rotating selection of juices – I’m keeping a juice log, so be on the lookout for a full list next week! We had a guided hike, and I was astounded at the variety of wildlife. Coming to Costa Rica, you know that you’re bound to see creatures that you’ve only seen in documentaries or pictures, but seeing them in person is an emotional and exhilarating experience.
The great curaçao, multiple species of brightly colored toucans and macaws, motmot, parrots, poison dart frogs, peccaries, two-toed and three-toed sloths, banana spiders, a family of Honduran white bats, and so many more just on the first day! The great curaçao produces a deep, rumbling call that you can feel in your bones, and that is a sound and feeling that will stay with me long after this trip.
We ended day 2 with a night hike. We all trekked out into the darkness of the vast rainforest with our headlamps and water bottles (hydration is key – see day 5), and we were taught to scan the ground, trees, and sky all around us as we moved along the trails. Learning to scan is essential no matter the time of day, and we quickly learned this. The hike began with a little snake just off the side of the trail – not too much of a concern but certainly not something you want to mess with. Spiders lurk in the shadows and spin their treacherous webs, waiting for an insect or a small bird to come by and get trapped. As we were approaching the end of the hike, our guide received an unsettling, yet exciting, call. The other group had hiked just 10m short of a fer-de-lance, one of the most aggressive and venomous snakes in Costa Rica. The fer-de-lance was camouflaged well… had it not been for the knowledge and experience of our guides, the hike could’ve gone very differently. Though the encounter was quite sobering for our first full day, it was also a reminder that we were walking through a world fueled by evolution and survival.
Getting into a routine and finding my niche
I approached the next few days with excitement, but I found that I was much more focused and observant as I moved through the rainforest. Day 3 of our trip was very focused on biodiversity with a biodiversity/ecology lecture from Dr. Wasserman (during our midday bioblitz, Dylan and I spotted all three species of monkeys in the area), a La Selva lecture from Kenneth (a staff member and guide at La Selva), and another night hike.
This time, we didn’t go out with the guides. As a group of young researchers, health professionals, and friends, we have learned to be careful and embrace all that this place has to offer!
Day 4 started with a bird tour, and I found myself vibing with the variety of tanager species. Watching them is like seeing the evolutionary history of the area! This day really began our thinking about our research projects, and we all got to chat individually with Dr. Libby and Dr. Wasserman to figure out what could be feasible!
The following day, day 5, we had to submit proposal ideas, and I’m very excited to see what I can do during my time here! I’m particularly interested in looking at the vulnerabilities in health here. This country has so much to offer in terms of ecosystem services, and I feel that protecting the integrity of the natural world is directly related with protecting human systems. I’m currently working to understand how various Costa Rican communities are prepared to mitigate the effects of climate change – how human populations are equipped via public health infrastructure to thrive in the face of hazards.
Day 5 also involved finding our field sites for the 30 year howler monkey census! An incredible opportunity to contribute to real research! This project gives us an eye into the population dynamics of the howler monkeys and to see if action needs to be taken in conservation efforts. With Will as my partner, we ventured out to field site 11 – a site deep in the rainforest – with many other student researchers. I expected it to be difficult, the 11k hike, but GOLLY was I exhausted by the end of the day. Muddy and dehydrated, I was beyond happy to take a shower and eat dinner.
An early morning… a very early morning
This was it, the day of the census! I woke up at 1:50am which is just a bit earlier than I normally wake up *insert sarcasm*. I headed out with Will, Tate, and Piper at 2:30am, and we were supposed to be in our spots by 4am. We once again trekked in the dark across bridges (we saw a caiman on the riverbank), through the mud, and around anthills, and we finally arrived at Piper and Tate’s drop off point. After saying our goodbyes, Will and I began the last leg of our journey through unexplored terrain. Because the previous day’s hike was brutal, we took a different route to reach the same point.
We spent the next three hours (4am-7am) listening for the calls of the howlers and making estimations of population size and location. We were just one of at least 25 pairs participating, and it was beautiful to watch the rainforest come to life. The rising sun allowed us to see the living world around us, and the howlers signaled to other creatures that the day had begun.
The majority of the day was full of rest and recovery – much needed after a morning that early! At night, we gave our research proposals to each other, and I ended the night playing card games, in a state of exhausted delirium, in the cafeteria with my new friends.
The adventure continues
This was a week unlike anything I could have ever imagined. Even though my phone isn’t loving the humidity here (thanks a lot Apple), I am loving and cherishing every minute. Through exhaustion, I have found a sense of purpose and a soaring love for the world that gives so much to us. I look forward to the coming week – we have so many tours, move to our next site, and get our research partners! If you made it through this whole post – you’re a real one (and you’re most likely in my family)!
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