Student Blog

  • Snorkeling with whales

    Snorkeling with whales

    Humpback whales are majestic and come to Costa Rica to breed. While on our way to snorkel, we saw some come up to breathe.

  • Chocolate in Sarapiquí

    Chocolate in Sarapiquí

    Chocolate is a treat enjoyed around the globe, not just in the narrow band of tropics where it grows! Our little rag-tag group of ecology students made our way to Costa Rica Best Chocolate in Sarapiquí, Costa Rica on a tour of a small cacao farm.

  • Wind Power in Costa Rica

    Wind Power in Costa Rica

    On way back to campus, we got a chance to get a good look at some of the wind turbines that help power Costa Rica!

  • After the Monteverde Butterfly Garden

    After the Monteverde Butterfly Garden

    After the Monteverde Butterfly Garden, we asked the guide if he could direct us towards town to meet up with everyone else that hiked Bajo del Tigre

  • Leaf-cutter Ants: The Tiny Farmers of Costa Rica

    Leaf-cutter Ants: The Tiny Farmers of Costa Rica

    Walking along the various trail around the CIEE Campus in Monteverde, Costa Rica, you see a wide variety of life forms. All carrying out unique activities as part of their life histories.

  • Horseback riding

    Horseback riding

    On October 25, 2021, we went on an afternoon/evening horseback ride. I was assigned a horse named Bruja (“witch”).

  • Snorkeling in Cuajiniquil

    Snorkeling in Cuajiniquil

    One of our activities on the coast was snorkeling with a guide. Our guides were very knowledgeable about the area and the organisms that we saw.

  • Bird list

    Bird list

    A comprehensive list of birds we have identified during the course in Costa Rica.

  • The Legend of Rincón de la Vieja

    The Legend of Rincón de la Vieja

    Rincón de la Vieja translates to “Old Woman’s Corner” or “Old Woman’s Nook,” a name it very much lived up to.

  • The Battle of Santa Rosa

    The Battle of Santa Rosa

    The heart of the battle of Santa Rosa comes down to one man, William Walker. Walker was an American man from Nashville, who had a passion for colonization.