12-15-17

FIELD DAY

Today was a late start. I didn't get out of bed until ten minutes before breakfast was ready. It was too cold to get out from under the covers. Our hiking day also started a little late, we didn't leave for the jungle until around 8:30. 

Today was not as bad as the last field day, my legs were used to the steep hills today. Today it was just Trent, Pedro and me. We got back just before three, so the day ended earlier than it did earlier this week. 

After we changed SD cards in the cameras and put out more bait, we were able to take a nice long shower and nap for a couple hours before dinner. 

After dinner, Brian and Scott held a little presentation for everyone. Brian showed us some photos he's taken from previous projects and Scott was showing us little videos advertising the summer program that is held at two of the three biological stations in Costa Rica. 

I would love to be able to do a summer program, but I don't think I would be able to be away from my family that long. I also have a lease until December of 2018 and would have to continue to pay for bills while I was away. 

It was really cool to see Brian's "The Plastic Project." Before I saw his photos, I never really thought of comparing the organic and inorganic compounds in an area. It would be awesome to see that project grow and eventually get published. It has a lot of power and could impact a lot of people. 

I am really excited to see the pictures Brian has taken on our trip. 

12-14-17

 FIELD TRIP

Today we went to a local indigenous tribal community, the tribe was the Boruca. They live in Southern Costa Rica and have several different communities that make up their total population. 

Before we left, we were told it was only about an hour to an hour and half long drive... It ended taking us just under three hours to get there. The roads were pretty bad. Going up gravel roads on steep hills was pretty scary, and took a lot longer than expected. Once we got to the community, everyone was instantly regretting what they had put on to wear earlier this morning. The weather here was a little warmer than what it is at the station.

After a brief history lesson and lunch, there were some demonstrations on how to make yarn/thread, how to dye that thread and than how to weave that. I was mesmerized by all the plants and colors. I still can not fathom that a green plant can make a purple or blue dye. My the end of the demonstration, I volunteered to make the last dye because the woman's hands were too dirty to finish. It was so cool, I would love to start making my own dyes out of the native plants in Wisconsin. 

While I was dying the thread, there was some joking about how I could move into the community and work and make dyes for them. "There are lots of eligible young men here." It was an experience that I will never forget. 

After the dying demonstration was done, our eyes moved to the loom and she started to make a table runner. It was like magic. I do not think I could ever weave as well as this lady did. 

This tribe is well known for the masks they carve and paint. We saw a short demonstration on how to paint the masks and then had the opportunity to paint our own. I didn't end up painting mine there and decided to bring it home to paint where I have more color options. But I am excited to see the final outcome. 

There wasn't enough time to do this, but the tribe was going to show us one of their traditional dances. I am super bummed that I didn't get to see it. I would have loved to see more into their culture. 

Trent and I bought some things from them to give to his siblings and mom. I hope they really like what we got them. The currency is starting to make some sense to me, it got some getting used to but I think I am finally understanding it. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed myself so far and can not wait for the days to come. Hopefully my hands will return to their natural color. 

12-13-17

FIELD DAY

This morning I woke up, not sure what I got myself into. Yesterday I had signed up for the group project going to every type of forest setting out trail cameras with bait to see what type of animals they have there. I knew we would be hiking the most out of all of the groups, I just wasn't sure how much more we would be hiking. In total today, I hiked over seven miles. I honestly don't think I've done that since this spring. I am so much more out of shape than I thought. 

Breakfast today was great, I really needed to eat a lot to prepare myself for the field. After I finished some really delicious bacon and fruit I went to the lab to gather all of the equipment. There is a small group of Nove Bugle, an indigenous group from Panama, who are here to do some of the projects with us to hopefully better their conservation efforts. Today, they hiked along with us. They were very helpful pointing out different game trails. I have absolutely no idea what an Armadillo trail looks like and they could point it out 50 feet away. The language barrier is going to be one of the most difficult things for me about being in Costa Rica. I really wish I could but I can't learn a whole language in eight days.  About halfway through, Pedro sent them back so Trent and I could go at a faster pace to finish putting up all of our trail cameras. 

Trent and I have been putting up trail camera's together for four years now and today was just proof. We could find a spot, put the bait out, put all the correct settings on the camera, and set the camera up at a good angle in less than five minutes. Pedro was pretty impressed, but I felt like it was nothing. 

Everything today was just breathtaking. Literally. I was out of breathe from all that hiking. The sights were breathtaking despite my already difficult breathing. I'm exciting for the days to come. I think we put some of the cameras in excellent spots for game, but it's hard to know for sure since I don't have experience in this forest type. 

I am going to be so sore tomorrow, my feet especially. I walked so much today that the soles of my shoes were coming off. Hopefully tomorrow when we go to town I can find a shoe glue of sorts to fix my shoes. I do not want to be hiking that seven miles again in water boots. 

My body feels heavy, and so do my eyelids. I am calling it a night. I wonder what tomorrow will hold. 

12-12-17

PREP DAY 

I again had to be up SUPER early. I am still not used to it. A couple weeks ago I quit having any caffeine so I literally have no way to help me stay awake. Breakfast was great. The food here is really good. Before coming, I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy it. But so far, I like it. 

After breakfast, Rodo gave us a tour of the grounds, and led us into the forest. Telling us information about several different plants along the way. 

My legs hurt today. After our tour of the botanical gardens we walked down into the forest to see where our projects could be, and what we could base our projects off of. After a while, some people wanted to turn back so they could relax before lunch. I decided to go further. The Java river was not too far ahead and I wanted to make it there. Once I made it to the river, I just wanted to duck my whole head into the water. I was so sweaty. The water was pretty warm, a lot warmer than the rivers and streams we have back in Wisconsin. It would be cool to go back to the river and take a little swim. The sound of the water flowing was very relaxing, but at the same time, just made me have to use the restroom even more. We walked back up to the station, and made it there just in time to relax for 20 minutes or so before lunch. When I got to the station, I could not find my phone... I was panicking, what if I dropped my phone in the forest and then I never found it again, or what if there would be some sort of damage that make me have to get a new one? All my worries went away after I arrived at lunch and Jessica had my phone. I am so thankful that she spotted it on the trail. 

After lunch, we had a long meeting about the different possible projects, what we would need for them, and who would be assigned to the project. The project I signed up for will be very tiring. There are 12 different trail cameras that we will have to set up in various areas around the 500 acres of forest. I thought my legs hurt today, tomorrow will be even worse. I'm excited though, hopefully I will see some animals that I have never seen before. 

Dinner was delicious once again, this food will be easy to adjust too. I can't wait for the days to come. 

Being here is an absolute blessing. I have travelled to many states in the U.S. but nothing beyond the borders. Seeing all this green and being in the forest has been humbling. 

12-11-17

TRAVEL DAY

I can not remember the last time I had to be up before 8:30 A.M. I had set my alarm for 6 A.M. so I could have enough time to pack and eat breakfast and be down in the lobby by 8 A.M. Today was another travel day. We gave our luggage to our bus driver and got on the bus. At this point I felt super awkward. I only knew two people on the whole bus and no one really talked to each other. It was pretty quite until we started to make stops. In between the stops, I slept and listened to music and played some more Sudoku and Tetris. The first stop we made was near a bridge to see some American Crocodile that were in the river. 

After the croc stop, we boarded the bus to ride for an hour and a half before we made another stop to look for the Scarlet Macaw. We saw two together perched on a tall branch, there we also saw a Toucan. This stop was right by the coast so I went down the REALLY steep hill to get a good picture of the ocean. The view right on the beach was spectacular, but I am not so sure if it was worth the climb back up the hill. 

I am absolutely terrible at Spanish. I can't understand it or speak it. I took two years in high school, but I don't remember much. When we stopped for lunch I made a complete fool of myself. This is my first time in a new country will a different language and currency. I eventually got my food ordered and paid for. After we ate and took a break it was back on the bus until we arrived at the Las Cruces Biological Station. 

Once at the station, I unpacked and set up my new living area for the next 8 days. 

  

12-10-17

TRAVEL DAY

My travel day started around midnight. Mike Heim, my professor and mentor for this program, picked Trent and I up at our apartment just at 11:30 P.M. on Friday. Our flight was for the next morning at 6:30, we were supposed to be there two and half hours before our flight. So we had to be there by 4:00 A.M. The car ride was super boring, I slept most of the way. We arrived at the airport around three and went through airport security fairly quick. (The airport wasn't too busy since it was 3:30 in the morning.) Our flight was to Toronto, we landed there around 9:30 A.M. and didn't leave the airport again until 4:40 when our flight left for San Jose. At the airport I slept and played sudoku on my phone. Once we arrived in San Jose, we went to The Hampton Inn. We got to the hotel just after 10 P.M. Once I got into my hotel room, I flipped through the TV channels and watched King Kong in Spanish. After the movie finished I went to bed.

Over all, the day was tiring. Who knew that sitting down the whole day could be so tiring? I'm just excited to be in Costa Rica.