Academic Update
It has been just over two weeks since the students arrived at the Center and have encountered a myriad of new experiences. The first week was a life changing one. After two days of orientation, group dynamics, and classes on the main characteristics of the country, the students were soon immersed in the tropical rain forest of the lush Caribbean lowlands. This three days trip served to illustrate in situ the complexity of a tropical forest ecosystem and its associated rich biodiversity. It also exposed the students to the dichotomy of small-scale agriculture contrasted with large-scale banana monocrop production also taking place in the area. Here, the students conducted their first field exercise on above ground carbon storage in silvopatoril systems.

The second week was academically rigorous and filled with in depth classes on socioeconomics, tropical soils, tourism development, agroecology, forest gap dynamics, origins of tropical biodiversity and the history of Costa Rica. Students also attended the Costa Rican Independence Day parade, worked on planning and execution of community outreach projects, and began with the first of the Language, Culture, and Society coursework. To end the week with a priceless experience, we visited Manual Antonio National Park where we camped in front of the beach amid forest vegetation and howler monkeys. Here, the students completed their second field exercise on the impacts of tourist visitation on the park.

The third week of the program has given the students the opportunity to get involved in outreach projects with local schools and community members. The students are also writing their first field exercise reports, and learning more about climate change issues. Perhaps the most expected activities of the week are the two field trips to Carara and Poas Volcano National Parks. On these trips the students will get to know the dry to wet transitional forest, learn about mangrove ecosystems, discuss pollution issues, and experience the scenery of the most visited national park in Costa Rica.
-Edgardo Arévalo, PhD, Tropical Ecology and Sustainable Development

Student Reflections
After our first full day in Costa Rica, we went into the town of La Presa to play soccer with the local Ticos. We played in a local playground on a small concrete basketball court with goals at each end. SFS split the students into teams of five to play each other and one Tico team. The Tico team had no problem showing us how to play on their home court. They scored goal after goal against us. But we scored one good goal against the Ticos. Unfortunately, I sent the ball into a snake infest area. One Tico told me that if the “terciopelo” bit my hand, my whole arm would go numb. I felt so bad for sending a Tico in to get the ball but he got it out safe. 

The first group of students head back to the center, while the rest of the students and I kept playing the Ticos. We had so much fun playing and practicing our Spanish.When our ride showed up, we asked if we could play longer. And after about ten minutes, we kept yelling, "One more goal, one more goal!" I had so much fun making friends with the locals and hope to play with them more.
-Allison Reinicke, University of San Diego

It has been two weeks since I have been in Costa Rica with the SFS program and have enjoyed every minute of it. The Costa Ricans have been very friendly and tranquil and the program intense and educational. I have been learning the "pura vida" lifestyle although our schedule has been busy with a full days worth of classes. I have been trying to adapt the relaxed, open attitude of the people here. This group of students is a very active, enthusiastic group. I have been very impressed and excited that we all have the same agenda and interests. The second day some of us woke up at six a.m. before breakfast to go running and do yoga. The field trips have been great and have exposed me to a lot of Costa Rica that I have yet to explore (being that it’s my seventh time here) and make me appreciate the country that much more.

This past Monday and Tuesday I was able to participate in the celebrations of Costa Rica’s Independence Day; which was in 1821, and was Central America’s separation from Spain. They soon adopted their first constitution. Monday night there were a group of kids in Atenas that were dressed up in traditional clothing and gave speeches and then danced and sang the national anthem. After that they parade with lanterns which signify back in 1821 when people were walking with lanterns from the capital of Central America in Guatemala to Costa Rica and beyond to spread the news of their independence. They next day is a national holiday and everyone gathers around to watch a parade of kids and some elders that go around in a square and do traditional dances and play drums. It was nice partaking in the country’s independence day especially knowing how peacefully they separated and gained their independence from Spain.
-Elena Neibaur, California State University/Long Beach

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