Professor Troy Abel from Huxley College of the Environment and his students share their insights on ecological citizenship, political biogeography, and immersions in one of the most biologically intense places on the planet. Costa Rica is translated as rich coast, a name originating from Spanish conquistadors who mistakenly thought the land was filled with gold. Many now recognize that Costa Rica’s riches are more green than gold with more than 4 percent of the world’s estimated biodiversity. Costa Rica has universal health care, a longer life expectancy than the U.S., and no military. Only by expanding our attention to all of these facets can one begin to see “Ecotopia’s Prism,” or Costa Rica’s intersections of ecology, economy, and culture fostering and inhibiting sustainability.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Primero Blog





Philip Jackson- Blog #1

I arrived to Costa Rica on the 22nd of June, and I am loving every second of it. The first day we stayed in the Hampton Inn near the airport while we waited for everyone to arrive. My first Costa Rican dish, Casado, was amazing. It consists of rice, beans, salad, vegetable, meat and a starch. To this date I have not eaten anything I did not like and assume it will be like that the whole trip. The weather here is like nothing I have ever experienced; the heat begins around 5 am and does not let off till around 10 or 11. By let off I mean a drop in about 5 degrees. The humidity is unreal and unrelenting, I am getting used to sweating almost all day.
After our short stay at the hotel we packed on a bus and drove to San Luis to stay a night at the Universidad de Georgia. A gorgeous extension of the University of Georgia in the states, it is located right at the base of the Monteverde private park. The picture with the red roofed bungalows is the university. The fist day we saw some white-faced capuchins, monkeys, and lots of vultures. There was also a codimundi right outside my bungalow munching on some fallen plantains, got a good picture of him as well. The next day we traveled up to the Monteverde private park and had an amazing tour around the area. Our guide was great, calling to different birds and monkeys and having them respond, he was very informative. After another great lunch of Casado Pollo we got back on the bus and headed to our first place of extended stay, Carara National Park. This place is going to be character builder for all of us. Giant sized bugs are a common occurrence as are toads and frogs. Tarantulas have also been spotted, a small one in the boy’s room and a bigger one that was found in the girl’s room. The greenish building is the one we are all staying in. The rain forest is literally right behind us.
The hikes here are amazing and full of wildlife. The first hike we spotted a woodpecker, poison dart frog, agouti, and lots and lots of insects. Fortunately we have not been caught in any rainstorms yet but they are very common. The rain is warm and it cools off everything, including those of us who elect to take rain showers rather than cold ones, as we have no hot water. Today was the best day so far which included an early morning Tranopy tour with lots of zip lines. Flying high above the canopy on lines as long as three football fields is something I will never forget. Tonight we are headed to a disco to show off our salsa dancing skills that the park rangers here in Carara have helped us learn. We are here for nine days total and then it is off to surf lessons in Dominical. After that we head to Corcovado National Park for a 10 day stay and a 18 km hike. Our field research will start soon as well as our service work. Being part of the Bio geography team it is my job to map out all the points and trail systems we travel on. Mammal identification will follow as well as geo tagging everything we take a picture of. Enjoy the pictures and until next time, Pura Vida!
- Philip Jackson
June 26, 2010

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