CULTURE OF CONSERVATION

Experiencing the biodiversity-rich rainforest and coast of Costa Rica, students will have the opportunity to conduct field investigations and contribute to citizen science projects.  Some of the activities may include touring local organic farms, monitoring wildlife through camera traps, and participating in sea turtle night monitoring. Students studying Spanish will be able to practice and improve their communication skills in this course while doing fieldwork with local research partners. As a culmination of the course, students will identify a problem of their choosing, for example, land conservation, climate change, and Indigenous communities or bridging Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and “Western Science.”  They will use research, their fieldwork in Costa Rica,  and creative problem-solving to present a solution that could potentially apply to their own communities.

Read the student reflections on their travel experience, which will be updated throughout their trip.

October 7, 2025

Student Authors: Anya and Dahlyla

Today was one of our favorite days while being here in Costa Rica. We started the morning at 7:30 a.m. to do yoga with Mag. It was a very relaxing and calming experience. We did yoga for about 40 minutes. After, we went to breakfast. It was delicious; we had bread, pancakes, eggs, fruit, and gallo pinto. Once breakfast was over, we went back to our rooms to get ready for white water rafting! We left around 9:00 a.m. and drove for about 15 minutes.

We got to the river and got suited up in life jackets, helmets, and got paddles. We were in groups of six and listened to a safety briefing before getting in the boats. Next, we had a short practice to learn all the commands before entering the rapids. The first rapid was our favorite because it was the most intense, with the boat taking on a lot of water. We stopped on the side of the river to jump off a mini cliff, and this was an amazing experience.

Then, about halfway through rafting, we stopped on a small beach and enjoyed some fresh fruit and coconut cookies. We also swam in the river for a little while. When everyone was finished, we continued on our journey through the rapids. While in the boat, we went under bridges and trees. The sights were breathtaking. We managed to make it through the rapids with only one person falling out of the boat. Everyone made it to the end safely and had such a fun experience.

We then came back to Chilamate to change and have some lunch. This was our last lunch here in Costa Rica, and we enjoyed some pasta, bread, fruit, and chicken. There was also ice cream for dessert. After we headed back to our rooms to shower, we all met up at 2:00 p.m. to see the crafts that the artisans brought. There was a wide variety of jewelry, sculptures, and stuffed animals. We spent about an hour there and bought some very cool souvenirs. Finally, we headed back to Chilamate to start packing because we are leaving early tomorrow morning. See you back in Farmington soon!

October 6, 2025

Student Authors: Eleanor and Felicity

Today, we had breakfast with everyone, then we split up into our rotation groups.

Felicity went to La Selva. At La Selva she learned about invasive plant species, and dug them out of the ground in two different groups. There was a huge crocodile in the river that they saw from the bridge. Then they went and got ice cream and a shirt in the gift store.

Eleanor went to Bijagual. At Bijagual we went with Paul, the instructor, into the woods to study leaf cutter ants. While in there we chose what question we wanted to answer about the leaf cutter ants, and we chose to study the speed of the leaf cutter ants. We split off into 4 different groups, to get the best data. Then once we found the average we went back to Chilamate, where Felicity and I reunited and had lunch.

After lunch we went to a local chocolate shop, I got stuff for my family, and Felicity was very disappointed that they were all out of free samples. Then we went back to Chilamate and got dressed to go into the river! We were there for a short time because the water was very cold. Then we went back and showered, we had free time for 4 hours. During this time we hung out in the hammocks and played uno.

After that, it was time for a leadership activity. Mag lead us through learning about important topics to help improve the world. After dinner we quickly went through our last ANCHOR, then we went to a nearby hotel and had a dance party led by local dancers. We learned how to salsa, and it was very hot and sweaty. After that we had a free dance party, and listened to songs like Gangnam Style and Macarena. Then we went back to our rooms and went to bed.

It was a fun day and we learned a lot. We grew by stepping out of our comfort zone, and stepping into the challenge zone, and learned more about the community.

October 5, 2025

Student Authors: Ava J. and Nyla V.D.

Yesterday we got to play tourist and started the day by traveling to La Fortuna. We went ziplining and saw incredible views. Unfortunately it started pouring mid-ziplining and we were all soaked afterwards, but it was fun overall! After ziplining we went to the “downtown” of La Fortuna where we got to shop around for souvenirs and eat tasty foods. One highlight was buying 65% dark chocolate which was so yummy! We then went to hot springs to decompress, relax, and reflect on our time so far. During this time we realized that our time in Costa Rica was rapidly coming to an end and we needed to savor all of our moments with each other. The trip has been a time for us to make new friends, try new foods, come out of our comfort zone, and connect with the culture. We are excited to continue doing this as we head into our final days and even back in CT. See you soon! <3 

Student Authors: Jihu and Yida

Today, we hiked up to Lapa Verde’s hawk watch tower to learn about how conservationists recorded data of raptors to better understand and protect the biodiversity of the Americas. We admire the conservationists’ dedication to counting the raptors for hours every day. It’s a job that requires such intense focus, and we feel like our attention spans degraded by reels could never handle that level of intensity. We also went to local families for lunch. We were so grateful to be welcomed into the family, and even though we barely knew Spanish, we felt connected because of the delicious food and their enthusiastic attitude to know more about us. Costa Rica gradually helped us to enrich our perspective on not taking our amazing community for granted. We will appreciate this forever. 

October 4, 2025

Student Authors: Lilly B. and Claire

It’s Lilly B. and Claire ready to share about the transformative and fulfilling experiences that we had today! First, we traveled to the Bijagual Ecological Reserve. On the way, we passed by a large pineapple plantation, and learned about its negative influences to nature in the area. With all of the pineapple and banana plantations, Costa Rica is the country with the most used agricultural chemicals per square mile. This was sad to learn about, but it also emphasized the purpose of the work we were going to do today. Once we arrived at the reserve, we met Paul whose goal is to protect the biological corridor with a focus on natural growth. Specifically by measuring the growth of tree species in the area and using the data to increase the biodiversity. This is vital in making the reserve a more sustainable and safe habitat for animals to travel through. We helped with this data collection by measuring the diameter, heights, and other metrics of trees. It felt good to be a part of the research and use our ecotourism for good.

Afterwards, we went to have lunch with members of the Sarapiquí community. We had delicious pasta and enjoyed playing tag, pato pato ganso (duck duck goose), and looking at all of the farm animals in the backyard with the host’s daughter, Valentina. The family was very warm and welcoming! We talked about many things such as our different lifestyles, climates, and communities. One thing that we learned was that Valentina’s entire family lives on the same street, which made us wonder what our lives would have been like if our relatives did not live so far away. And this was all in español!

After a difficult goodbye, we went to an ethnobotany garden where we got to see, smell, feel, and taste many new, organically grown plants. We got temporary tattoos and tried miracle cherries (when you eat the miracle cherry, everything after that, even the plant that Jaime said was the “definition of bitter” tastes sweet)! We now have a better awareness of the benefits of indigenous botany. Overall, we feel so much more connected to nature and we want to make better decisions everyday that will benefit the environment.

Student Author: Selina

Our group went to Lapa Verde in the morning, another natural reserve. During our time there, John, our guide/tutor, gave a comprehensive class about blue jean frogs. We captured them in the jungle trails and brought them back to the classroom to measure the size of the frogs and compared the males and females. To differentiate between the male and female frogs we look at their behavior and appearance. If there’s a black spot under the neck and they are croaking, then it’s a male. Our conclusion was that in general there’s no difference in size between the male and female frogs, since the average is 1.7cm for females and 1.8cm for males. Through this trip, we learned that every small effort we make is meaningful to the Costa Rican community.

In the afternoon, we went to an organic farm in Sarapiquí, named Finca Ecoorgánica, a family run farm. First, we tried the sugarcane juice producing machine. To make the machine function, it requires two people on each side to push the log that will activate the machine and three people in the middle to insert, catch, and receive the sugarcane. An interesting fact was that Gabriel and Irene, the owners, would boil the sugarcane juice in a huge pot that could heat up to 90℃, then they would cool it down and pour it into a mold to create sugarcane sugar. It is richer in taste compared with brown sugar. This taught us the importance of teamwork and embracing each other in this experience.

Then, Gabriel took us on a tour. We saw pink dragon fruits, pepper trees, corn and sweet potato plantations, cocoa trees, coffee trees, and cinnamon trees. Other than this, we also fed three sheep, and saw pigs and chickens. The highlight of the day was tasting the coffee and chocolate produced using the harvest of coffee beans and cocoa beans from the farm in an “old style” kitchen. We added sugar and milk, but for me the original flavor was the most unforgettable. Even though both are bitter, they activate my taste buds and leave flavor in my mouth for a long period of time and reminds me of the lovely drink. The moving moment was when Gabriel said “the best hot chocolate was made with love” while gesturing to his mom, and “always remember you have a second home in Costa Rica and you’re part of the family”. Lastly, many of us bought organic coffee beans and vanilla extract produced by the farm. It’s a souvenir but also a way to support local business and bring love and memory to our friends and family who weren’t on the trip. In the end, I’m excited for the ziplining and hot spring tomorrow. Pura Vida!

October 3, 2025

Student Authors: Christina and Ivy

Today was a relaxing day as we traveled from Parismina back to Chilamate. Staying at Parismina for 2 days, we did a village tour with Jerry and got chances to interact with the locals. After the tour, we spliced into two groups: a group picking up the trash from the beach and a group learning how to measure and learn about the turtles. Jerry showed how to dig a hole for the eggs; we needed to dig the hole deep enough to bury the eggs and compact the sand over the hole in different densities. We also got the chance to see Mag and Jerry releasing the baby turtles to the ocean. It was our first time seeing the baby turtles going to the ocean. Jerry told us that the first thing they do when they get into the ocean is drink water because they are really thirsty after coming out of the egg. We all gathered around the baby turtles to cheer them up and celebrate their release. Watching them going into the ocean, it reminded us how important it is to preserve the natural environment.

On the last day in Parismina, we also got a chance to get some free time. We all enjoyed getting into the beach and swimming. After swimming, we went to the smoothie place and got smoothies, which Oscar paid for us. I got a strawberry and blackberry smoothie, which was very good. I already miss the smoothie place. I think it was the most memorable day since we got to see the baby turtles getting released, swim at the beach, enjoying the wind and sunlight, and enjoying the smoothies.

This morning we packed all of our bags and went on a boat tour with our instructor Jerry and Mag. There we saw a variety of species including iguanas, crocodiles, herons, birds, and sloths. During the tour we also discussed the impacts of erosion and climate change and how it influenced the wildlife and river in Parismina. Connecting to Jerry’s speech yesterday, we continued to emphasize the importance of being selfless and preserving our environment.

After the boat tour, we stopped by a local grocery store and there we purchased some local snacks that were very tasty. Immediately after we left for Chilamate and made a stop for lunch at a local restaurant near San Jose. The food was so good, and after lunch we finally arrived back at Chilamate. We are so excited to continue our journey in Costa Rica! We will update you with further more memories and lessons we learned! #PuraVida

Student Authors: Bella and Sami

We just came back from our two-day stay in Parismina where we did a sea turtle conservation program! We released 3 batches of baby sea turtles into the ocean and we helped clean up the environment by having a beach clean up day. On day one we traveled from Chilamate to Parismina and after had a tour of the town. The town consists of only 500 people. After that we did our rotation groups which consisted of either learning about the program and how they manage the turtles or the clean up we mentioned earlier.

Bella and I learned about turtles the first where our tour guide Jerry told us the process of how a mother lays their eggs. We finished off our day with a night walk to try and find a turtle laying eggs, however we didn’t find one that night. 😞

On day two we first went to an organic farm. This is Jerry and Mag’s farm which doesn’t use pesticides and only uses natural soil. We tried a variety of different fruits such as avocados, sugar cane, and a special type of lemon. Then after we did the beach trash pick up and we picked up the most trash. After we had free time where some people went into the ocean or grabbed a smoothie. The smoothies were so good. Bella got the milk blackberry and Sami got the water strawberry. We’re halfway through our trip and were excited to see what’s next!

October 2, 2025

Student Author: Lil

Today was our first full day in Parismina, and we left around 8:00 a.m. for a tour of a walking trail and Las Ranas Rojas, Mag and Jerry’s eco-farm. My group was with Oscar and Mag, and we saw four sloths and all three types of monkeys found in Costa Rica: spider, howler, and capuchin.

At the eco-farm, we saw guanábana, avocado, achiote, papaya, sugarcane, guava, pineapple, coconut, and more plants that Mag and Jerry are growing. My group and I learned a lot about how important it is to farm in a way that will benefit the area’s native wildlife, and I love the idea of supplementing rather than replacing nature! Las Ranas Rojas provides for the Parismina community and sells vanilla beans, the farm’s only “cash crop” as Mag says.

After lunch and free time, everyone met up in the dining hall to talk about the effects of consumerism on Costa Rican wildlife. Then, we set out for a beach cleanup, which was fun and very rewarding. I’m so grateful to be on this trip not only because I’m learning so much, but also because I’m able to leave an impact on Costa Rica and its wildlife. We picked up so much trash, and I’m glad we could help some sea turtles today!

At around 5:30 p.m. we were let out for free time, and most of us ran into the water. The ocean is so clean here!! Halfway through our swim, we helped release baby turtles, and at sunset, we got out of the water and walked over to Olga’s, the best smoothie place in town. My friends and I all got choco fresa smoothies and left for dinner.

I’m excited to go back to Chilamate, but I’ll definitely miss being at the beach. Pura vida!!!

Student Author: Elianna

Two days ago we arrived in Parismina. To get here we took a two hour bus ride and 12 minute boat ride. For the duration of our stay here, we have been immersing ourselves into the culture with a focus on conservation and biodiversity. Although I do not take Spanish, I have been trying my best to learn new phrases and words to interact with the local people. Jerry, who leads a sea turtle conservation project, has taught us not only about how to conserve and help sea turtles, but conservation overall. For example, today, we went to an organic farm called La Rana Roja, which was started to prove that plants and fruits can be produced without using pesticides that would harm the environment and animals. During the farm tour, we saw a sloth and also tried sugarcane and different varieties of coconuts.

We went back to the lodge for lunch and Jerry gave a talk about conservation. For me, personally, this talk was very impactful. I realized that there was a pressing issue of a need for conservation in everyone’s lives. I reflected on my actions and thought about how these actions, which may seem very simple to me, can impact a whole ecosystem and cause damage for groups of people and animals. I knew after this talk, and after I return to the United States from Costa Rica, I will more carefully make decisions and think about the effects they can have. After, my group went with Jerry to learn the sea turtle protocol when the staff finds turtles during night walks. We also went to the beach after to enjoy the water and the sunset. Next, we went to grab smoothies at a local shop. I tried a strawberry smoothie which was very delicious. Overall, I have enjoyed my trip in Parisima and have learned a lot about culture, conservation, and biodiversity. I am so excited for the remainder of this trip!

Student Author: Christina

Today was an eventful day in Parismina. After gathering everyone after breakfast, we visited La Rana Roja, an organic farm founded by instructors Jerry and Mag. We were taught the meaning and importance of giving back to the environment and community locals while fully appreciating the local flowers and tasting the organic fruits. For example, we observed plants including achiote and red-oil leaf, and tasted a selection of fruits including papayas, coconut, lemon, and sugarcane.

Following the farm tour, we went on a trail walk in the forest as we learned more about the native species’ history and background, and the biodiversity in Parismina. After touring for four hours, we headed back to the lodge for lunch around 1:00 p.m. and a speech was given by our instructor Jerry. Throughout his talk, he really emphasized on reflecting on ourselves as a global citizen and recognizing ourselves as part of an interconnected world community and being able to take responsibility for its values and future. Being able to consider whether our actions will have a positive or negative influence on wildlife, and being able to be selfless and sometimes place the environment before ourselves.

Around 3:15 p.m., Jerry concluded his speech, and our group went to the beach for a quick beach clean up following a free time till 7:00 p.m. Throughout our free time, we spent the majority of our time swimming in the ocean, and my friends and I had smoothies from a local café, Olga. Olga has a selection of food and drinks, and my friends and I ordered a choco fresca and fresca y agua smoothies. As we left the cafe to our lodge, my friends and I unfortunately lost our sense of direction leading us to ask a local for directions. A boy around 20 years old biked on the same path. Speaking Spanish with wrong tenses, pronunciation, and grammar, I was fortunately able to communicate through the location where we were staying. While heading back, we learned his name, age, and profession. Similarly to our instructors, this locals motivation and goal was to help and preserve sea turtles and wildlife conservation. Knowing that we had the same goal allowed us to feel even more connected to Parismina locals.

After successfully arriving back at our lodge, we had dinner at 7:00 p.m. and the leaders of the day, Sophia S. Ivy K. and I, had a meeting with instructors Mag and Tita to go over ANCHOR, our evening reflection routine. After gathering everyone and leading ANCHOR, some of our peers went on an optional night walk and astonishingly found a green sea turtle coming back to shore to hatch the next batch of eggs.

Overall, today was an amazing experience and I can’t wait to continue my Costa Rica journey.

September 30, 2025

Student Author: Sophia

Today my group ventured on a 45-minute drive to Bijagual. The Bijagual Ecological Reserve is dedicated to rain forest conservation and serves as a hands-on classroom and outdoor laboratory. Today was our second day coming to Bijagual and we focused on a different area of conservation. We hiked into the jungle until we found a leaf-cutter ant stomping ground. Our group leader from Bijagual, Paul, explained to us how the leaves feed a massive underground fungi that supports the forest. We then trekked off the path to find where the leaf-cutter ants were coming from, and determined they were traveling down from an alive tree and through a hollowed out dead tree, onto a path cleared out by the ants. I think I’m able to speak for everyone when I say that today was definitely more-so stepping outside of our comfort zone, compared to yesterday’s 2-hour long hike.

After returning from our work at Bijagual and a delicious lunch, we split into groups for an adventure race, similar to the Amazing Race television show. This activity was so much fun because we got to follow a map to different locals’ homes to win points from working together as a team. My favorite stop was when I got to learn salsa and merengue dances. I also got to meet my name twin, or my tocaya, she was so cute! My team definitely stepped outside of our comfort zone when we were at the cow milking stop, but it was for sure an interesting experience. I am so appreciative of everyone welcoming us into their homes and allowing us to practice our Spanish skills.

The food in Costa Rica is so amazing and I will be heartbroken when I can’t eat it anymore. One of our chaperones from Chilamate, Randall, told us that the three steps to becoming a true Costa Rican are: saying “pura vida mae”, eating rice and beans every meal, and getting bit by a bullet ant. I guess that means I will never be a true Tica, because I don’t plan on the third step ever happening.

Student Author: Qingqing

My group went to Lapa Verde Nature Reserve, and today we focused specifically on the blue jeans frogs (strawberry poison dart frogs) and the different bird species there. We wore gloves to catch them and observe them, not only to protect ourselves but also mainly to protect the frogs because they breathe through their skin and we could burn them by touching them. We learned from our guide, John, that to distinguish between a male and a female you have to check for a spot under their throats. At first all we caught were females (without spots), and we learned that it was because males make a sound to attract females so they can stay relatively still, whereas the females have to jump around in search of the sounds.

Then we climbed up to the birdwatch tower with our binoculars. We learned that the organization is working to monitor bird activity every single day, taking in data about the specific species and the number of birds they spot for conservation efforts. From the tower they are also able to see people hunting with dogs and when they spot them from above they will send someone to go over and stop them, really taking the effort to protect the wildlife and the landscape there. I’m a little scared of heights but I’m really glad I decided to climb up, because I saw a black vulture perched on top of a dead tree. 

In the afternoon we had an adventure race. My group was really energetic and I loved doing this activity with them. I’m really grateful for the local people here who were really welcoming and really tried to introduce me to the culture (and for bearing with my Spanish). I milked my first cow today and I was really scared I might hurt her, but the people there were so nice when teaching us the right method. I also loved the river activity where we had to climb onto the raft and topple it over and get back up again. Every day I’m doing something new that is a bit out of my comfort zone but I love that I get to do that here.

Student Author: Hannah

Today, my group went to the La Selva station of the Organization of Tropical Studies (OTS) and spent the morning removing invasive species from the site. We specifically focused on taro plants, and diva bananas, which is a banana plant that grows pink, yes pink, bananas. Despite it being very hot, my group and I made sure to put in 110% to help out the OTS staff with clearing out invasive species. All of our hard work ended up paying off, because we got to visit the gift shop! I bought a shirt and a small wooden sloth, and most of the people in my group bought souvenirs as well.

When we got back from La Selva, we all had lunch as a group, and got some free time. Following lunch and free time, we had our adventure race, which I can speak for all of us when I say that it was so much fun. We were divided into teams, and had to complete 6 challenges, 4 of which were with locals around the lodge; we had tortilla making, salsa dancing, a yuka cooking challenge, milking a cow, a masking tape race, and a river challenge. My personal favorite was the river challenge, which was a challenge with a raft. We had to get into the raft, flip it over, stand on it while it was upside-down, flip it over again, and finally stand on the edges of the raft for 10 seconds. Even though it was challenging, it was lots of fun, and needed a lot of teamwork and communication. Another challenge that was definitely memorable was milking the cow. I’m not gonna lie it wasn’t very glamorous, but it was something new that I’m very grateful that I got to try.

We ended our day with a delicious meal, and singing happy birthday to one of our guides, Randall. We of course added a bit of Porter’s flair to it and made him skip around the table! It was so much fun bringing the skipping tradition to Costa Rica. Today brought a lot of challenges where I definitely stepped out of my comfort zone, but I am so glad that I did so, because everything ended up being so much fun. Being in Costa Rica for the past couple days has been so much fun, and I’m so excited for what the following days will bring.

September 29, 2025

Student Author: Celia

Today was a really fun day. We started off by going to breakfast and going on a nature walk in the jungle. I got to see my favorite animals – frogs – and I saw three different species. The strawberry poison dart frog was my personal favorite but I loved the poison dart frog as well. We also saw capuchin monkeys swinging from tree to tree, one of them was carrying a baby monkey. It was really cool to see all the different species of monkeys today. Next we ate lunch and took a bus to La Selva to meet with a biologist and we made traps to further study ant lions and how they trap ants. Halfway through we were interrupted by a family of peccaries and a coati. I have never seen a species quite like it. We drove to a supermarket called Mega Super and purchased many Costa Rican snacks – they were very good. And lastly we came back to the lodge and enjoyed a really good dinner with a super yummy rice pudding for dessert. Can’t wait for tomorrow!

Student Author: Chloe

We have just completed our first day in Costa Rica! This morning we had a delicious breakfast and then went on a nature walk with biologists. We broke into small groups and each had super knowledgeable biologists who were able to spot almost every animal. We saw iguanas, strawberry frogs, howler monkeys, and lizards. In the afternoon, my group went to Bijagual and measured trees. We were walking right in the jungle and we saw bullet ants and lots of spiders. 

On our way back from Bijagual, we stopped at a supermarket and were able to look around the store and buy Costa Rican snacks. My favorite thing we saw today was the howler monkeys. Seeing them through the telescope was really amazing and they were surprisingly large. All the food we have had in our first day and a half has been delicious. My favorite thing I ate today was pineapple. At the end of the day we came back to Chilamate to hang out and have a delicious dinner. I am so excited for the rest of our time here!

Student Author: Rory

Today was really long but also really fun and busy. We started off the day with a delicious breakfast and then we went on our morning nature walk with the local naturalists. We saw capuchin monkeys as well as a boa and a toucan! We also saw so many lizards and blue jean frogs! After our morning hike, we broke into groups and headed out to our projects. My group went to Lapa Verde to set up camera traps. Before we went out to set the traps, we had a quick presentation and activity that had us identify animals based off of photos from the camera and foot prints. After this, we had some delicious slushies!

On our way back from Lapa Verde, we stopped at a supermarket and bought some snacks to bring back to Chilamate. My favorite part of today was learning about all the animals we were seeing on our walk. The naturalist was very knowledgeable and I learned so much more than I expected. My favorite part was seeing the monkeys jumping from tree to tree. Overall, our first day was filled with so many fun activities and animals. I’m so excited for everything else we have planned!