Uncategorized

This last week in Costa Rica has been something else. Bouncing from Torteguero to Arenal to Palo Verde and then to Monteverde felt crazy after spending so much time at La Selva, and seeing so many different things in such a short window was both exhilarating and exhausting, especially being that we had to finish… Read more »

As I was researching study abroad programs offered by IU, a trip to Costa Rica stuck out to me because of my love for warmer climates and I knew that in Costa Rica you spend a lot of time outdoors, which is another favorite of mine. I knew this program was going to be the… Read more »

During this last week of our trip, we got the opportunity to visit multiple ecotourism spots in different parts of Costa Rica. We visited Tortuguero, Arenal, Palo Verde, and Monteverde. Palo Verde was another research station so I won’t really be focusing on it in this blog post, and instead will be focusing on the… Read more »

     Since the beginning of this trip, one phrase I learned very quickly was “Pura Vida” which directly translates to “pure life” in Spanish. My original understanding of this phrase symbolizes enjoying the beauty and life around you. But in the Costa Rican culture, Pura Vida means so much more than pure life. Natives… Read more »

The final part of our trip was completed outside of La Selva. After about two weeks there, it felt good to leave and see more of Costa Rica. The first stop we went to was Tortuguero. We took a 2 hour bus ride to get to a boat dock, then took a 2 hour boat… Read more »

     I came to Costa Rica expecting to learn a lot in a short period of time. I surely learned a lot about tropical biology, entomology, conservation, and climate change. These aren’t my areas of academic or professional interest, but I was excited to learn about them nonetheless. At the same time, I unexpectedly learned and… Read more »

Introduction: Costa Rica, known for its stunning natural landscapes and commitment to eco-tourism, has long been a popular destination for travelers seeking an immersive experience in nature. However, a recent debate has emerged surrounding the impact of tourism on the country’s delicate ecosystems. Critics argue that certain tourist accommodations, such as Lomas El Volcan Hotel,… Read more »

As our time in Costa Rica is coming to an end, I have been reflecting and thinking about how traveling in seven provinces, staying in five ecotourism lodges, and learning about climate change through various methods of study has changed me as an individual and a student. In my previous blog I talked about how… Read more »

When I first crossed the dangling high bridge at La Selva nearly three weeks ago, I was immediately swarmed by mosquitos, bugs, and other annoying pests. Standing outside of our bus, I couldn’t help but think about how I would deal with all these pestering bugs for three weeks. Now, following my trip to Palo… Read more »

Unlike many of my peers, I spent very little of this past week venturing into the forest. With a background in political science and statistics, genuine scientific field research was a daunting task I knew very little about. Rather, I have always been more appreciative of the social sciences, which is part of the reason… Read more »

Tuesday marks the first day that I have ever collected my own data for a field research project. Years of research papers and reading research studies has given me some idea of the fundamentals of systematic data collection, but nothing compares to the real world experience my research partner Miyako and I conducted this past… Read more »

Expectations are preconceived ideas you hold about something you have yet to experience, based on others’ experiences or your own in a similar territory. Coming into Costa Rica, I certainly had a number of expectations, all of which came from information online and stories from people I knew. I had never experienced the tropical forest,… Read more »

This past week was our second and last at La Selva. A majority of the time was spent doing our research projects, however we went to the cacao plantation on Monday. We got to watch the process of turning cacao seeds into chocolate and we got to try the result of each of the steps… Read more »

It’s so weird to think that there’s only one more week left of this class. Not to cliche, but time really does fly when you’re having fun! This week was all about our research projects, and I couldn’t be happier with what Julia and I are working on. Going into town to conduct our social… Read more »

In the best way, being in the forest has reminded me just how small I am, and just how vast the universe is. This past Friday, on our last day in La Selva, a group of us – Kieran, Trin, Miyako, Roarke, Kayla, Edwin, and Biz – got together to take one more hike through… Read more »

If you’ve been around the ecological world you’ve probably heard the title of this presentation many times, I mean, the first thing you ever learn about when you take AP environmental science or your first Environment and Society-type class in college is the concept of biomes and how they are defined. On the most basic… Read more »

Welcome to the heart of the Costa Rican jungle, where the wildlife is diverse, the foliage is lush, and the game of euchre reigns supreme. At the La Selva research station, amidst lectures on biodiversity and agriculture, both organic and corporate, we have discovered an unexpected connection between this beloved card game and our course… Read more »

<span;>Research has been a very important part of my life for the past couple of years, and if everything goes to plan, many years to come. I am currently studying to become a physics and math major and hope to attend grad school after that. I started with an internship in a physics lab my… Read more »

This week was research week! Our goal for the research is to investigate a possible correlation between bird abundance and the abundance of an invasive plant, the pink banana. Marin and I set out our study across four days. Every morning we would be on a new trail in a different part of the forest…. Read more »

This past week I’ve spent countless hours in the rainforest, walking or biking, and I’ve come to truly appreciate it (I didn’t think I could do more than I already did). I’ve developed a newfound respect for the tropical rainforest ecosystems and everything it contributes to. These ecosystems have endless functions and home thousands of… Read more »

As I continue my journey through Costa Rica, I keep returning to the idea of purification. The rainforests that stretch as far as the eye can see hold the key to two essential forms of purification: cleansing the air we breathe and rejuvenating our soul and connection to nature. In this blog post, I will… Read more »

It is crazy to think it has already been a full two weeks here in Costa Rica. Reflecting on my time, I have grown significantly as a student, observer, and traveler. Within the past few years, I have always told myself to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I firmly believe that we must force ourselves… Read more »

June 4-6, 2023 Hi Besties™, Once again been so so busy with everything I forgot to catch up with y’all! How’re you doing? Hope this has been as cool for you guys as it has been for me! Anyways! For those who don’t know, two days ago we went to a banana plantation run by… Read more »

This study abroad experience so far has been exciting, new, and entertaining. While I have had fun times each and every day, I have also been introduced to brand new challenges that I have had to learn to overcome. Traveling internationally by myself was the first one I experienced, and it was something that I… Read more »

It’s funny the news you get while you’re traveling. Whether you’re exploring a new city, relaxing on the beach, or going through a crash course in conducting field research in the rainforests of Costa Rica, you tend to disconnect from your regular news intake. Still, some news comes through. One piece of news that I… Read more »

     In March and April, before we began our travels to Costa Rica, all students attended two required meetings to review the general layout, syllabus, and class expectations. This was an opportunity for all students to get to know one another and get an introduction to our professors. After each meeting, I remember being… Read more »

While this experience has definitely revealed a lot about our great group of students on this trip, one thing in particular has stuck out to me. It is incredible how quickly I saw our entire class so quickly adapt to an environment that could not be anymore foreign to any of us. Surrounded by strangers… Read more »

Most of my life (and, I assume, others’) has consisted of long periods of regularity. Doing things like school or work at the same time every day for weeks with little tangible change. During these stretches, time moves fast, but life seems to move slow. People only change if the things around them are in… Read more »

Hello Friends! I’ve decided to format my blogposts as amalgamations of the open letters I have been journaling to the people with me on this trip, and those supporting me from home too. The inspiration is from Charlie’s letters in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” It’s been helping the writing process, so I’ll take… Read more »

     Where do I begin? In a week’s time I feel like I’ve already experienced, learned, and changed so much here in La Selva. There is so much to unpack, so much I can mention, and I hope I can provide an accurate record of how transformative it has truly been.      … Read more »