Day 10: July 24th

Wow! It's hard to believe it's our last night here in Costa Rica. The time has really flown by, and it feels like we just got here. Before we launch into our blog, we would like to inform you of a few things. First, Mrs. Leland would like everyone to know that it wasn't her mentioned in the previous blog, despite the fact that she is the only female teacher here. Also, we would like to caution the parents about the horrid stench they will encounter once they open their child's suitcase when we return.

Now, what you've all been waiting for, the day's activities. This morning, 6 students sacrificed their morning of sleeping in for the sake of milking cows. It was a new experience for the suburban Plymouth residents. Although some had reservations about grabbing the udder, we all found it to be worthwhile and enjoyable. The less than perfect attendance continued as only those 6 that were already up decided to attend breakfast. The rest of the students decided that they would make up for the lost meal with the snacks they had bought the day before.

The continuous rain (as mentioned in the previous blog) did not dampen the spirits of most of the students, partly due to a long and treacherous ride on the Swactor (Swagging tractor) Number Two (also known as S#2). After spending over an hour on the S#2, we finally reached a cool rainforest trail in hopes that we might glimpse a monkey or two. Alas, they evaded us, but we did manage to see some awesome caterpillars (that had adaptations to make them well camouflaged to look like feces so predators wouldn't eat them), monkey ladder vines, long-nosed bats, and a few exotic birds. A muddy and long S#2 ride later, we were all starving for lunch, which provided us with the nutrients to carry on for the rest of the day.

Everyone had been looking forward to spending time on the gorgeous beach of Playa Cabuyal since we left Finca la Anita. As soon as the bus arrived at the Horizontes Biological Research Station (where we are staying), all the students hurriedly jumped on. We arrived at the beach around 3:00 and spent the rest of the day body surfing, tanning, and collecting hermit crabs. Finally, a day with no deadlines or worksheets! Once the sun started to set, we had a delicious meal of grilled chicken, steak, sausage, and veggies. Many students spent the last minutes before the sun went down taking pictures of the beautiful surroundings and of each other. We were sad to leave the beach, but the fun didn't stop once we left. We had a fantastic sing-along party on the 40 minute bus ride back.

This experience has truly been eye-opening and powerful. We have seen measurable growth in our scientific knowledge and ability. We learned that "real-world" science can be much more challenging than structured science in a classroom, but we found it to be very rewarding, especially when we were successful in solving problems, thinking creatively, and working together. These past 10 days have immersed us in a new culture that we had only seen on TV or read about. Interacting with the locals and seeing how they live has given us a new perspective about the world. This opportunity, and the adventures and friendships that came with it, have been something that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. We would like to close this final blog entry with a thank-you to the parents who have made this possible and supported us throughout this journey.

Signing off for the last time,
Annie and Anna
Adios!