Category Archives: Costa Rica

Rollerblading

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We decided to go rollerblading after class on Tuesday of this week. We took a bus to the roller rink and it was only like $5 to get in and use inline skates. It was just like the roller rinks that we had in the states as kids and it was similar music as well. They played a lot of 90s music, some Latin music, disco, and some modern pop including Gangnam style. They would occasionally turn out the lights and use strobe lights instead. There were games every once in a while where you would have to make a chain and if you fell or broke the chain, you were out. They also had specific times for people who wanted to go really fast or race. There were some people that were really good and could do jumps or dance… some of them could even do partner dancing like salsa and merengue on skates. Afterwards some of us went and just hung out and told riddles at Burger King.      KorynImage

Back to Manuel Antonio

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I went back to Manuel Antonio with some friends who hadnt been there yet. We got a really good deal so we were able to stay in a suite for $14 a night. It had a Jacuzzi, pool table, and a kitchen. The first day we went to the public beach where we swam and surfed. However, there were really bad rip tides all along the beach and the waves were terrible so we had to be really careful. Later that night we went out dancing which was a lot of fun. The next day we went to the National Park where our lunch was stolen by raccoons. We swam and hiked a little and went to the other side of the beach. The beach was shut down by the end of the day because there was a crocodile in the water. We were able to see a bunch of different monkeys this time and the weather was fantastic. By the time we got back to town we were starving so we grabbed an early dinner. We stayed in that evening and got some much needed sleep. The next day we took the bus home. I had a great time with awesome people!     Koryn

Talamanca Indian Reservation

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For our Alternative Health class, we went to the Talamanca Indian Reservation which is on the Caribbean side near Puerto Viejo. It was about a 4 hour drive and then we hiked up into the mountain where the indian reservation is since their arent roads up there. There was an abundance of flora, the main thing was the cocoa trees.. we were able to try fresh cocoa fruit. Once you break it open you take out the seeds and suck on the them. The membrane is very sweet, however you spit out the actual seed because it is very bitter. We also were asked to chew on some leaves from a tree called hombre grande. These leaves prevent malaria and are a natural mosquito repellent. The natives grow up drinking tea made of this and just chewing on it… it tastes horrible though. We had a wonderful lunch with chicken, rice, and beans made Caribbean style (which generally means they use a lot of coconut). There was a watch tower that we hiked more to get to that you could see everything from. We were able to see Panama, the ocean, and the mountains along with some toucans. We went back down to town at Punta Uva and had dinner and went into Puerto Viejo in the evening where we went salsa dancing. Afterwards some people went to the ocean and went star gazing and played in the water. In the morning, we went back to the beach and did a martial arts form called chi gun on the beach. Chi gun is kind of like yoga and creates movement that is supposed to redirect chi flow. Once we got back we had lunch and returned to San Jose. The water in the area we were at was not potable and, even though we didnt drink it, all but 2 people in the class got sick. Despite that, it was a great trip.       Koryn

Thanksgiving in Costa Rica

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For Thanksgiving, we went to a dinner provided by the school since it was included in our program. It was only ok and there wasnt any stuffing. They also used squash instead of pumpkin to make pumpkin mousse rather than pumpkin pie. I guess turkey is very expensive here in Costa Rica. It was nice to have an opportunity for my roommate and I to dress up though and there was also dancing afterwards. Koryn

Marine Bio Field Trip

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Marine Bio Field Trip

We went on a marine bio field trip to Cahuita which is close to Puerto Viejo on the South Caribbean side. The weather was not as nice as we thought so it rained in the evening which made the water level higher and the visibility was low for snorkeling. The first activity we had was exploring in hopes of finding marine organisms. We waded a little and found sea cocroaches, urchins, sea anemones, and brittle stars. Since the water level was a little high we were not able to explore all of the areas that we were going to. We also saw an almond tree and an estruary. An estruary is where a river pools before running into the ocean. The one that we saw was dark due to the royal palms which secrete tennins into the water which are used to dye wood. Estruaries are very important to the marine ecosystem because they house marine birds, crocodiles, and serve as fish hatcheries. The next day we went snorkeling and saw many organisms. Some of the more interesting ones that we saw were lion fish, a nurse shark, and a sting ray. We were given boards to take under the water to write notes which were really cool. We were dropped off at a beach afterwards and then we walked to another beach called Punta Uva, where a friend and I practiced lifts for our dance class.. super fun! Koryn

Underwater Panama

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Underwater Panama

So I went to Panama and it was one of my favorite places. It was quite a trip to get there and renew our visas but it was worth it! We took a bus down to the border, walked the border, took a taxi into Bocas del Toro, and then a taxi boat to the island that our hostel was on. Our first day we went on a dolphin tour where we saw many dolphins. We couldnt swim with them do to giant swarms of jellyfish everywhere though. After that, we went to a different area and went snorkeling. This pic was taken by a friends underwater camera! The marine life here was fantastic and what made it even more cool was the fact that I am currently taking Marine Bio so we were able to identify species or take pics to ask our prof later. We saw brittle stars, starfish, sea squirts, sea sponges, corals, and much more. We then went to a beautiful beach where we spent the rest of the day relaxing and soaking up the extremely intense sun. Panama is essentially on the equator so it is really, really hot and humid. The next day we hung out at a place called the Aqua Lounge which had swings into the ocean and a trampoline set up to jump in as well. It also had cut outs in the deck that were kind of like swimming pools. The water fleas were a nuissance and I got my foot stuck in the deck which was painful. But overall it was a lot of fun. We thoroughly enjoyed small things like having a kitchen available as well.. we formed groups and made meals. The trip was so much fun even though it was required for our visas.

Week 6- Arenal

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This weekend I went to Arenal which is a volcano in Central Costa Rica. We visited the Baldi Hot Springs which were incredible. They had made saunas out of the rock and used the hotspring to heat it and they had 3 waterslides going into the hotsprings. We also went to the festival in La Fortuna where there was food, games and dancing. The last day that I was there we went to the La Fortuna waterfall. It was beautiful, however due to the heavy rains the night before the water was brown and muddy and it was unsafe to swim. It was a beautiful view none the less though. ~Koryn