Monteverde - Welcome to the Jungle!

We made it to our campus in the mountains of Monteverde!

Once everyone was safely off the plane, the students enjoyed a 3-hour drive through the countryside of Costa Rica. The last hour of our drive was spent riding through the mountains to the University!

After a long day of travel, we arrived at the university around 7 pm and went straight to dinner. The students were jet-lagged after traveling all day and were excited to chill in their bungalows after dinner and unpack. Everyone’s bungalow is nestled right next to the forest, so the students fall asleep to crickets, owls, and the sounds of the jungle!

After a needed night's rest, the students started day two with orientation, a tour of the main campus, icebreakers, and meetings with the biologist and scientist that will teach their classes and excursions.

The STEM students have seen many different species of plants and animals around campus and are excited to learn about them in the upcoming weeks. The local staff helped them navigate the hiking trails around the main campus and pointed out the common animal species, like the coati! The coati is the local Costa Rican version of a raccoon! We have already spotted two coati outside of our bungalows! I can't wait to watch how the students grow and learn about the local ecosystems and culture.

The Monteverde campus is eco-friendly; they collect rainwater, have their own farm, run off solar power, and prepare locally sourced meals. The students familiarized themselves with the sustainable amenities by having a scavenger hunt around campus!

We are excited about the activities planned for the rest of the week. Stay tuned to find out more about our round table discussion with 4 local female scientists, and our hike down to the river to discover macro-invertebrates!