I would describe my time here in Costa Rica as a mosaic of sensory experiences. Early on, I realized that I have primarily relied on my sense of sight so far on this trip, as well as when I’m back home. I cannot completely blame myself for this – people are very visual creatures, and I find myself to be more of a visual learner anyhow. But it was during a night hike that I fully grasped how much I focused only on what I could see in the forest, and used very little of my other senses. I turned my flashlight off for a second, and at first I felt panicked that I wouldn’t be able to see a tarantula if it was right in front of me, but I soon realized that I could “see” more if I used my ears. I heard so many different kinds of insects, a few birds, and a couple of frogs coming from different directions. Although I couldn’t identify a single species I was listening to, I was impressed that I could picture each animal sitting on a branch or even hiding under a leaf a few feet away from me.
I’ve previously thought of myself as an observant person, but here in the forest, I’ve found it quite overwhelming at times to be fully aware of my surroundings. I’ve caught myself feeling frustrated a few times when I just couldn’t find something “cool” when my classmates seemed to do so so easily (Don’t get me wrong. I’m impressed by their mad skills). However, like most times, I feel overwhelmed, I try to take things one thing at a time. I’ve begun to focus on one of my senses at a time when walking through the forest, and I’ve been able to take in more elements of this complex ecosystem than if I had tried to sense it all at once. The rainforest is not only a symphony of beautiful things to see, but to also feel, listen, smell, and taste (if you get special permission. Don’t eat anything from the forest, even if it looks really yummy!)
With that said, in the past two weeks, I have developed a deep appreciation for the guides who have taken us on tours. In this short amount of time, I’ve become more aware of my surroundings, but I can’t even wrap my head around how tuned in with the forest the professionals are. The years of hearing the same calls and observing the same behaviors must take an immense amount of practice and patience. Besides being star-struck how someone could find a bird or frog in seconds after hearing its call/ribbit just once, I have been most impressed by some people’s imitation of animal calls. A couple times, I thought I was hearing a howler monkey quite close by, only to find out it was the person behind me. I’m simply not on that level, and not sure if I will be. One of my big takeaways from this past week is that I have only grazed the surface of being familiar with the rainforest and understanding its complicated ways.
The second part of our trip began with a tour of an organic pineapple farm and a cultural banana tour, both not far from Puerto Viejo. On our way to the different locations, we passed large-scale monocrop farms owned mostly by Dole, one of the big three fruit companies that dominate the industry. It was interesting to hear how both farms were reducing their use of chemicals and closing the loop of food production waste on larger and smaller scales. The pineapple farm would cover the ground with plastic to limit weed growth instead of using herbicides, and create dried pineapple out of the ones that were too “ugly” to sell. I was surprised that the farm still sprayed a few chemicals, like ethylene, on their crops because certified organic includes certain ones within their definition. This new knowledge has made me rethink what “organic” really means to me. By far, my favorite part of this tour was quality control. TASTIEST PINEAPPLE EVER. I also learned that we have all been picking the best pineapple at the supermarket wrong… rats. I’ll definitely consider the organic status and size of the fruits on the pineapple when I go grocery shopping back home.
At the banana farm, we learned that they don’t spray pesticides, and the by-products of the banana flour she makes are used as fertilizer and cow feed. Not only was it cool seeing where the bananas and plantains were grown, but processed and tasted them all in the same place! I’m excited to try the chocolate chip mix when I get back home. The owner recently began growing a plant to replace the xanthan gum in her pre-made banana flour mixes that she hopes to soon sell internationally. I found her ambition and creativity inspiring, and it was refreshing to see someone working hard to make a positive difference in the world and in their local community.
Two of my classmates then prepared green plantains to be fried and eaten by the rest of the class (thanks guys!). The owner prepared us coffee in a chorreador, a traditional way to make drip coffee in Costa Rica. The flavors were so rich, and the drink paired great with the warm patacones and refried beans that were just cooked in front of us. The warm and cozy smells, the light splash of drip coffee, and the sound of plantains frying in oil will remain with me for a long time.
The trip to La Fortuna was much cooler and cloudier than expected, but I still had an incredible experience. Walking down the oh so many steps and hearing the faint roar of the waterfall before actually seeing it, made me so giddy. I had been dying to swim after a long week of sweating in the heat, and I would describe the water as refreshing. But, I will say that my teeth were in fact chattering and I was shaking by the time I began my ascent to the top. All of this to say I had a great time soaking up the beauty of the waterfall, staring at the vines hanging from the rocks above (that reminded me of Avatar), and slipping on the slimy rocks.
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