My research blog post

While in Costa Rica there was a day that we were going to fish with King. Ultimately the water was too rough and we were unable to go. However, when I stopped to think about it I realized that that we were going to go out without fishing licenses. Later I asked Ludrick and he informed me that in Costa Rica fishing licences were not required. I started to think that this would be a good topic for research. Using Google Scholar I started looking into if research had been done on this subject. Perhaps I wasn't searching correctly or using the right key words (because I am certain people have researched this), but I couldn't find any articles related to the topic of fishing license vs no fishing license on anything less than commercial. I want to know if  the everyday sport fisherman or fishing by the locals has any affect on the fish populations in a country where you were not required to have a license. Since I couldn't find anything on the topic I started to think of ways I could research this. I don't have much research experience but if I were to research this topic I would find another country that had similar fish species but that required licenses. Another country in South America or another country with the same latitude would likely have similar species. In finding a country that requires fishing licenses I could compare fish populations to that of Costa Rica. I would chose 4-5 fish species that Costa Rica and the other country had in common. Using multiple species would help eliminate the chance that the results are coincidence and help better establish any trends. By using local fisherman I could find the "honey holes" (as us fishermen call it) of each species in both countries and study the numbers and sizes found. Modern equipment, like GPS and fish finders, would certainly also be necessary. I think it would also be important to note average sizes of the catches in each species as this would help determine average ages of the fish being studied. By knowing the average ages we could determine if regulations help or hurt how many sexually mature fish are staying in the habitat to successfully breed. By studying all of these elements we could determine and compare the numbers of the two countries and see which country has a better population of each species. It would be interesting to see if the requirement of fishing license ultimately helps or hurts the populations. I think mostly this would be nice to research because I would get to fish for research. What fisherman (or fisher-woman) wouldn't like to have a job where they get to fish all day?

Pura Vida!

To sum it all up this was a life changing experience. I can never say enough about my incredible journey. My goal was to challenge myself to do things I never dreamed of doing. 3 years and 50 pounds ago I would have never imagined myself in Costa Rica taking surfing lessons, hiking, zip lining, looking down from a conopy walkway high up in a forest and not being afraid, looking at a volcano from my hostel balcony, standing on a beach where that volcano had erupted, jumping into pools fed by waterfalls, eating termites and drinking from flowers, tasting food made by someone I could barely talk to,and in general traveling around a country in which I only know a hand full of people. I realized that every decision I have ever made has led me to this point in my life and all the bad times and heartache were worth it. The first thing we learned about Costa Rica was that the unofficial national saying is "Pura Vida". You say it when you say come in or when you leave or whenever you feel like it. It means "pure life" and we were taught just what that is all about. Its about adventure and discovery and challenging yourself. Its about accomplishing more than you dreamed you could do. Its about getting outside of you comfort zone and daring to try new things. Even if you fail at least you can say you tried. Pura Vida means loving the environment and loving people. Saying "hola" and smiling to complete strangers as you pass by. Its about treating everyday as a new adventure and waking up ready to conquer the day. Pura Vida is apart of me now and has forever changed me. Costa Rica has become an incredible part of my story and Pura Vida will forever be in my soul. I will live my life as if everyday is a new adventure and never take anything for granted.

I will never forget Costa Rica and Pura Vida!!!

The day we didn't want to come

Saturday morning we were awoken at 3:30 to get ready to leave for the airport. There wasn't as much talk on the bus like usual. Mainly because it was 4 am but also because we knew it was time to leave. We arrived at the airport and once paying our exit tax said goodbye to Christian and Ludrick. I was proud of myself for not crying. These two men had become like family in the very short time we spent together and I realized again how much travel can bond complete strangers and make life long memories. We made it through every security point and were finally on the plane to Houston. Once in Houston we realized we had to say goodbye to Brittney.

Again I teared up because this girl had become a best friend in a very short amount of time and I wasnt ready to say goodbye. We said our sad goodbyes and headed to our gate. We knew we were home when we spotted the Whataburger and the Panda Express on the way. We ate a quick lunch and were back on the tiny plane to OKC. When we arrived our goodbyes were not as heartbreaking as I had imagined they would be but I still fought back tears when I said my goodbyes before baggage claim. I never imagined that I would become as close to the other travelers as I did. What started out as simply traveling together turned into friendship and an adventure that none of us will ever forget.

San Jose

Once arriving in San Jose on our last day we checked back in to the place where it all started.

I could feel that our collective mood and energy was a bit low. I don't think any of us were ready to leave and it was starting to set in that we were going soon. We dropped off our stuff and headed downtown to purchase souvenirs. We soon realized that none of us thought of San Jose as our favorite. The main square was so crowded you could have mistaken in for Times Square if there weren't a million people selling Costa Rican football paraphernalia. We stopped and ordered our coffee grounds. Since they sell the beans but will grind and package it for you, we left the poor coffee people with our orders to grind. We headed a little farther downtown and saw the national bank and a few other important buildings. A few of us spotted a McDonalds, an ice cream shop and a bakery and went across the street to try any last minute foods we had missed. I got a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone which is nothing new but I wanted to say I ate one in another country. We headed back picked up our coffee and hit up the local souvenir place. It was set up much like craft shows usually are. One roof held many booths with one main walkway down the middle that had no doors at either end. Pretty much every booth had the same kinds of things. Coasters, boxes, key chains, shot glasses, coffee mugs, etc. Some had just t-shirts and tank tops. It was there I started a collection. I bought my first mini flag. Every county I go to I will collect a small flag to hang on a wall wherever I am living. If I have it my was there will be a room just for travel stuff. Backpacking gear, pictures, flags and souvenirs from each country I visit. Once all our souvenirs were bought we headed back to the hostel for one last family meal.

The best waterfall

Our last day to be out and about in Costa Rica some of us hiked to another waterfall. The hike was a bit of a challenge because it wasn't a hard hike down to the waterfall it was just very steep. This waterfall was probably my favorite because you could actually swim in the same location as the waterfall. You could even slide down it if you wanted to hike to the top.

We soon discovered how cold it was but we all jumped in anyway! It was an amazing experience and it was there I realized just how much I had accomplished over the last 2 weeks. It was an amazing finish to an amazing 2 weeks and reality started to sink in that it was coming to end. 

I hope I don't fry!!!

The next morning we packed up, had breakfast and headed to Uvita. We checked into our hostel and headed to the beach at Uvita national park. Its nickname is Whale Tail because when the tide is low part of the beach looks like a whales tail. We were told ahead of time to make sure to wear plenty of sunscreen because there was ZERO shade on this beach. It was then I felt like I was walking right into a second degree burn and I started to nervously layer on the SPF 50. Once we arrived I realized there was no exaggeration in the "no shade" statement. It was a gorgeous beach that looked as if it went on for miles. Dark sand soaked up the sun and made for a warm walk. On the way to our spot we were informed that we had to shuffle once we were in the water to avoid stingray stings. I kinda got excited at the thought of being that close to a stingray but unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) we didn't see any. The water was very warm and we had to wade out a little farther to be in the cooler water but it was very nice. Once we were almost ready to go Ludrick and Christian informed us they had drawn a picture in the sand for us to take pictures by. We took our photos then headed back.

A hike and a surprise

Our second day in Manuel Antonio started with a hike through their National Park. Our guide Leon was very knowledgeable and through he whole hike if we saw a bird he would whistle the different calls of that specific bird. He also taught us that, like cow, sloths chew cud. We also leaned that out of everything on this earth termites produce the most methane! Its amazing that one of the smaller creatures on this planet can have such an impact over the larger ones. On this tour we also saw a few bats sleeping, white face Capuchins being thieves, some really cool plants, and various insects.  The video below is of a plant called the sensitive plant (mimosa pudica). When you touch it it folds up. It is also called the sleepy plant or the touch- me-not. I'm actually thinking of purchasing some seeds online to grow in my apartment.

After our hike Christian had a surprise for us on the beach. When we arrived there was a private beach party arranged for us including food and music. We had sausage, beefsteak, chicken kabobs, bread, and tortillas. There was also an amazing fresh strawberry drink.We ate and swam and danced and had an amazing time! 

The day we got to sleep in

Tuesday was a good day. We got to sleep in til 8!! After breakfast we loaded up and headed to Manuel Antonio...a five hour ride. A couple of hours in we stopped to go to the bathroom at the Rio Tarcoles which is known for its alligators. We saw about 20 alligators laying out on the banks and got to see a few babies. It was here we noticed that not all of Costa Rica is as beautiful as we had thought. It smelled bad and there was trash everywhere. Later as we talked with Dr. Terdal he admitted that unintentionally this was a side of Costa Rica he neglected to show us. It is not all conservation and beauty. It has its citizens who don't care about the environment and choose to liter it with trash. It was something that none of us had really thought about until then. America is the same way. As Dr. Terdal stated it would be like bringing a Costa Rican here and only showing him/her Yellowstone or any other national park but not showing them any other side of our imperfect country. Once we arrived in Manuel Antonio we checked into what was my second favorite hostel. The girls room was equipped with its own bathroom and its own kitchen. It was rainy of course but once it lightened up some of us girls decided we would walk down to the market and grab food for dinner. Once back at the room Brittney made guacamole for an appetizer and we all did our part and cooked some spaghetti.

The market we visited was a mini one so instead of hamburger meat we had some sort of sausage in it. We all agreed it was a bit primitive but it was fun to be in the kitchen with the girls and get to whip up some food in a different country.

Santa Elena

Monday was a very relaxing day. First we went to the Santa Elena reserve for a hike. I have to say it wasn't my favorite activity. I had to buy a poncho because it was raining and to be honest I didn't really see or learn anything that we haven't already learned here. After the hike we just went back to the hostel and relaxed for the rest of the day. We had "family" dinner together which was fun and we all separated to do our own thing.  We didn't do much but it was still a good day.

The day Costa Rica made history

Sunday started out like every other day. Breakfast at 6:30 and we headed to the Monteverde Cloud forest reserve. It was amazing. Many different trails lead up into the clouds and at one point we met at the continental divide for a class lecture. On the way to the divide we saw many plants and crossed a canopy bridge which is a walkway high above the forest floor. Like everything else I found it amazing. On a clear day (which is rare) you can look on one side of the continental divide and see the Pacific Ocean and on the other the Caribbean. We got lucky and caught a small glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. We decided to head to the waterfall and an hour later we arrived.

 Samantha and I had packed stuff for sandwiches and a few of us sat and ate lunch at the waterfall. It was much smaller than La Fortuna but just as beautiful. We saw a little black mouse there and fed him some granola. We headed back and at the entrance we saw a Coati. Coatis are in the raccoon family and he was looking for some food. While we were waiting for the bus we went to visit the hummingbird gallery. 4 feeders hung from a porch and tons of hummingbirds buzzed about feeding. We stood right next to the feeder as they flew about and ate. It was so much fun!

 The real excitement came while we were relaxing and warming up from the hike. We were sitting in the reception/kitchen area of the hostel watching Costa Rica play with the guy from the front desk. We were all watching anxiously as Costa Rica and Greece were tied and in double overtime. It came down to a sudden death situation. 5 goals for each team. Costa Rica and Greece had made all three of their goals so far and it was Greeces turn to kick. He kicked and the Costa Rican goalie denied him his point! We cheered a bit but it wasn't over yet. It was Costa Ricas turn and he made it as did Greece. Costa Rica 4 Greece 4. If Costa Rica made the next goal it would be won! We held our breaths as he walked up to prepare. He kicked and it was good!!!! We erupted in cheer along with the rest of the entire country. Horns honked, people cheered and started to make their way downtown.  We decided then we were headed downtown too. When we arrived there was a parade, people singing and waving flags and riding in the backs of trucks! We were in awe. We were here the day Costa Rica made national history. They have never before been in the quarter finals and we were there to witness it. We got high fives and sang along. We were Costa Rican too that day and we were loving every minute of it.

Our own little adventure

Saturday there were two options. Hike the volcano to the Cerro Chato lagoon or hike to the La Fortuna waterfall. Rebecca, Emily and I chose the waterfall. Everyone else left at 6 am and we left at 8:30. We asked reception to call us a taxi and she gave us the money that Christian (the trip director) left us. Until then I had never even taken a cab. The three of us set out on our adventure. It only took about 10 minutes to get to the waterfall and the taxi driver gave us his card so we could call him back. We got our tickets and headed in. Only a few steps in we saw a huge, huge beetle!!

It was a total of 250 stair steps to get to the waterfall but when we finally got there it was amazing. The power of the water was mesmerizing and the height was stunning.

Once we got back to the top we had to call our own taxi back and headed back to the hotel. The three of us agreed it was kinda cool that it was just us without a guide. It was our own little adventure that showed us how other people experience Costa Rica without a large group. Once everyone was back we headed to lake Arenal. We got on a party boat and headed out onto the lake. Our captain (Erick) and crew were three guys from America who moved here about 11 years ago and started the business. I even got to drive the boat!!!

A little while in we stopped on an island and the captain took us ashore to what was once an old cemetery. When the volcano erupted in 1968 it destroyed towns and only part of the cemetary was left. We saw a few headstones and some of the outline of the cemetery walls could still be seen. While we were on the island we took a swim break and some of us floated out on tube floaties for a little bit. The bank was cool because the top layer above the sand was actually black volcanic ash. Once we took our tour of lake Arenal we caught a second boat and met our bus across the lake. The boat ride was about an hour. We were told if we would have taken a bus it was have been a 4 hr ride.  Once we were all on the bus we were headed to our next stop...Monteverde.

The injury

Friday was a day to remember. Rafting. I was a bit apprehensive because like most everything so far I had never done it. The bus ride was fun and I met a couple from  Spring Texas...small world. The bus had pictures of past river rafting experiences so we were getting excited. When we were there we split into rafts of six. I was in a raft with Samantha, Joey, Randy, Brittney, and Ludrick (our Costa Rican guide for the whole trip). We geared up with a life jacket a helmet and a paddle. Once we were in the water it was time to learn commands. Lean in means lean into the middle. Get down means sit in the middle. When it was time to paddle he would say left front or back and right front or back depending on which way he wanted the raft to float. We finally took off and it was like a park ride that you were in control of. We counted rows (1&2) so we could be in sync and gain more momentum. The first set of rapids were class two and three and it was there we lost our first passenger. We hit a big rapid and Britney couldn't hold on anymore and fell out. We all kinda freaked out but another raft picked her up and we collected her once we caught up. Every now and then we would get stuck on top of a rock and have to jump to get off. Then it happened. We hit a big rock and the raft went vertical. One second we were all in and the next second 5 out of the 7 of us were out. One of the 5 was even the guide! Joey caught it all on his go pro camera! In the video he was rowing and the raft went vertical. He looked back and nobody was there...he turned back forward and 4 blue helmets went bobbing down the river. The next thing we know we are being pulled into a raft. I was pulled in and Ludrick was pulled in and placed right on top of me..haha!! We a were all laughing and proud that we made it out alive!! 4 of us were pulled into a raft making a total of 10 people in ONE raft!!! We gathered ourselves and got back into our own raft. My toe was throbbing but I had to shove it back under the part of the raft that helped u stay in. We made a pit stop where we were given some fruit for a snack. It was then that I observed a few new bruises on my shins.

The scratches are from surfing but the shin bruises are all from rafting

 Sally (our unofficial trip nurse) wanted to look at my toe and determined it was jammed. I sat there on the bank and took some deep breaths and then she did it!!! She pulled hard to get it to unjam! It was terrible. She pulled one more time to make sure and the pain instantly eased up and the swelling started to decrease. I was brought my fruit by the guides and they told me I was the princess...haha! We got back into the raft and finished with some class 1&2 rapids. When we reached the end there were bathrooms water and beer waiting. It was an amazing experience that I hope I get to do someday again. Despite jamming my toe (which still hurts 3 days later) it was a blast!!!!

Bruising a few days after I jammed it

The best day ever!

Thursday (day 6) was pretty much the best day ever!!! We started the day with zip lining! When we were gearing up I have never been so excited and nervous at the same time! I was not as scared as I thought I would be. Miguel was our main guide. He was 100% Malecu (an indigenous tribe) who stood about 5ft and was nothing but pure muscle. It was slightly raining so it was hard to see very far and he told us the rain would make the zip lines faster. It was finally my turn and I had no clue what to expect. Miguel hooked me up and got into position...left hand on the wire behind my head, right hand in the front on my gear, ankles together and knees up. I took off! 

It was the most awesome thing ever!! Flying through the air in the middle of the forest canopy was a feeling I can't describe. It is absolutely the best way to see the forest! There were 9 zip lines total and a few were positioned where u would almost pass the person who had gone after you. When we got to the end Miguel said "last one" and there was a collective group sigh. We all had so much fun! When we were done Miguel took us to a hut to show us some of his culture. The way we said hi was to tap our fists on each other's shoulder and say "capi capi". The Malecu have the best philosophy on life. They believe that all people are the same except for the main difference of gender. We all have 2 eyes 2 ears and a heart and a mind. Everyone around the world is equal. Next was horseback riding. Of course they picked a shorter horse for me and I used a tree root to climb up. One of the horses slipped and one of the girls sorta went down with it but there were no injuries and she jumped back on like a pro. We rode about 30 minutes back to the stables which were across the street from where we started.

 All in all it was my favorite day of the trip so far!  I actually think I may have overcome my fear of heights. I wasn't scared at all walking across the platforms to the next line! This trip is so much more than I could have ever dreamed and I hope to continue to have as much fun as I did on this day.

La Fortuna

Wednesday (day 5) was mostly uneventful. We woke up and grabbed breakfast to go and headed out. It was 5 hrs total from Cahuita to La Fortuna. We were supposed to drop our stuff off and hike to either the waterfall or the volcano (our choice) but it was raining so we picked another activity...the Baldi hot springs! 26 pools all heated by the Arenal volcano.

 They had springs with swim up bars, springs with dance music, and all at varying temps. Overall it was a good day...not too boring but not too tiring.

The second best day

Day 4 (Tuesday) was almost the best day for me so far. We had a choice between a hike or surfing lessons. I chose surfing lessons.  We had been introduced to King the day before and he was taking us black beach. King is not his real name but everyone calls him that because he is the best in the town at catching King fish with only a hand line...no rod or reel. We met up with our surfing instructor, Christian, and started our lessons. I got as far as sitting up on my knees to ride the wave in but it was still a blast!

We rested for a bit after surfing and it was off to see the BriBri people. The BriBri are an indigenous tribe and have their own dialect. They are also known most for their chocolate. First we took a tour on a little trail to learn the different uses for the local plants. We saw what plants they make their makeup, rope, shampoo, jewelry, glue and rubber from. Next we headed to location where they make their chocolate. They fed us dinner in bowls made of banana leaves. There was chicken, yucca, pumpkin, potato (I think) and another type of vegetable I couldn't identify. We also had lime water and we got to drink corn whiskey (also amazing). Next we learned a little bit more about the medicines and then we moved on to the chocolate. We tried the fresh seeds from the fruit they make the chocolate from. The fruit is more like citrus and they boil the seeds to make the chocolate. We tried chocolate with different favors. Salt, butter, pepper, vanilla, strawberry, cinnamon (my fav), almonds, peanuts, jalapeño and a few other favors. Just like everything else it was amazing. We then went out to the little hut where they crush the seeds to make the chocolate. It's basically two large rocks that have been used so much they have become a large mortar and pestle.

 As of Tuesday it was the best day of the trip for me. It only got better tho and the next few days would be more awesome than I could imagine.

The worst day

Day 3 (Monday) was not very fun for me. It was bike riding day. I haven't been on a bike in about 20 years and even then I wasn't good at it. We took a bus to a neighboring town and rented bikes. I got grease on me before we even left because I had a mans bike that was too big for me. Once I got a woman's bike we were ready. We rode on a public street where the people are already used to bike riders. I was terrified of getting hit by one! I'm terrible at steering so it was very stressful for me. Ludrick hung out at the back of the pack with me as my own personal cheerleader. He was very positive and patient. Once we got to our destination, Manzanillo, we ate at a place called Maxi's. I got a sirloin steak with some veggies and salad. It was amazing and cost me about 12 American dollars!

We rested and headed back. The entire bike ride was about 18 miles and it was raining.  Close to the end we stopped at an outdoor bar. The floors were gravel and they had giant swings.

Overall I did not enjoy bike day (the worst day) but I enjoyed the fact that I challenged myself and succeeded at something I was unsure I would be able to do.

Welcome to Costa Rica

It's day 6 and I'm having a blast!! We landed in San Jose about 8 and spent one night there. It was there that we had our first traditional Costa Rican meal of Cassado which is beans, rice, salad and a meat. The next morning we got up at 5 and headed for Cahuita. Cahuita is a small town on the Caribbean ocean where our guide Ludrick is from. We stayed at Spencer's seaside lodge which is literally feet from the beach. They had a hammock on every tree and even on the downstairs and upstairs porches.

The first thing we did was head down to a local restaurant and grab lunch...more Cassado. I got mine with chuleta (pork). It was amazing!

Day 2 was a hike down a nature trail where we saw our first sloth..or as Ludrick calls it...a slooth.  We also saw a crab raccoon a lizard and some leaf cutter ants. I also got to eat a termite and drink water from a plant. It's in the ginger family so the water was very sweet.

 That night we went to a local beach very close to the Panama border to patrol for sea turtles and got to eat dinner with locals. Patrolling the beach was not a pleasant stroll. We had to be off the beach by midnight so we were in a bit of a rush. That was also the first night we got rained on. We spent at least 20 minutes under a tree...bonding. Our first two days in Costa Rica were a whirlwind but we were already having so much fun.

Birds of the cloud forest

I was reading my textbook today and came across the section on cloud forests and it specifically mentioned the Monteverde in Costa Rica (pictured below) and some of the species within it. The book only mentions plant species found, however, I thought since my focus for this trip was birds and we will be visiting this very cloud forest I would write about a few species of birds I might come across in the cloud forest. 

The resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) pictured below is one species.

You can tell by the long tail feathers that the above picture is a male. Their diet consists of fruits, insects, lizards and other small creatures. Also known as the Guatemalan quetzal it is the symbol of Guatemala and their trade currency is named after it.  On doing some research about this bird one of the more interesting things I learned is that the quetzal is considered to be a symbol of freedom because if confined to a cage it will die. 


Four species of Mountain Toucan are also found. 

They are mostly frugivores, fruit eating, (a word I learned today from my textbook) but are also oportunistic omnivores. They will eat small insects and will also raid the nests of smaller birds and eat the eggs and even nestlings. Because they are the most abundant frugivore the toucans are extremely important for seed dispersal.


Many species of hummingbirds also inhabit the cloud forest. Below is the Magenta-throated Woodstar (Calliphlox bryantae).

The male Woodstar weighs approximately 3.5 grams and is about 9 cm long! Only the males have the magenta throats and females have a gray color on the throat. Like all hummingbirds they feed of the nectar of flowers.

I am excited to get see the cloud forest and possibly all the different types of birds in it. Hopefully I can spot and correctly identify at least these three species!

Short video on Costa Rica

I found the above video and wanted to share it. Two places specifically mentioned in the video that I will be going to are the cloud forest and Cahuita. The more I research the more excited I get!

I'm going on an adventure!

My journey begins by creating this blog. Not only for class but so that my friends and family can see what I'm up to on my first trip abroad. I plan to do everything that I can possibly do! I might even get to go on a fishing trip!! I also cant wait to learn about another biome first hand other than my own! One of my dreams in life has been to see a species of animal that nobody else in my family or circle of friends has seen in person. This is my chance do to that! My only apprehension is that I will burn when I first get there and be miserable the whole trip. However, my sunscreen is already bought and I plan on taking plenty. One of our assignments is to pick either plants or birds to study while we are there. I chose to study birds. All the bright colors and strange behaviors (like mating dances and nest building) have always interested me. I included a map of Costa Rica for my friends and family. I will be in San Jose, Alajuela, Uvita (and another place close to that), and Cahuita (where I get to fish). I cant wait to share my adventure with everyone and make life long memories in the first country to be stamped on my passport!