La Vida en Costa Rica

EL FIN!!!

2008-06-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that a month has already passed...I'm not ready to leave this awesome country! It makes me feel better knowing that Sam, Emily, and I will return to live with the Rastafarians in Puerto Viejo someday :) Today was our last day of schoolwork- we had our final exam, presentations, and our paper was due. Everything is done and it's such a relief... not that it was overwhelmingly strenuous or anything. Tomorrow morning, we are all going to Poas Volcano and Waterfalls. Then on Friday morning, 9 of us are going BUNGEE JUMPING!!! Friday the 13th... wish me luck. I don't know why everyone isn't going, so lame. Provided that we survive, Sam and I are going shopping with Cecilia in the afternoon. She's so precious, I am going to miss her and Franklin. Then fancy group farewell dinner Friday night and home on Saturday!

La Selva Biological Station

2008-06-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

Before heading to the Caribbean Coast, we spent a night at La Selva Biological Station. It is not only the premier ecology research station in Costa Rica, but also one of the most important in the tropics worldwide. It is owned and operated by the Organization for Tropical Studies and serves as its primary field station. La Selva includes a nature reserve that protects almost 6 square miles of primary tropical rainforest, and it connects to the huge Braulio Carrillo National Park via a biological corridor. This corridor connects La Selva to much higher elevations, thus fostering habitats of extreme variance. The station is currently buying and developing tiny parcels of land from individuals and Chiquita Brands International to connect multiple old growths and support smaller animal migration.

The habitat is Caribbean lowland wet forest and marshland, and it abounds with flora and fauna. There are nearly 2000 species of vascular plants (plants that have lignified tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant). Large animals include the Jaguar, Collared Peccary, Howler Monkey, Spider Monkey, and Bushmaster Snake. Around 400 species of birds have been recorded, and the area is also very rich in arthropods (insects, arachnids, and crustaceans).

La Selva is a hub for tropical ecology research and education. Nearly 250 scientific papers are published yearly from research conducted at the station - during our nature walks, we could see the areas that were flagged for research purposes. There are facilities for about 100 researchers at the station, and hundreds of students from CR and other countries often spend part of their studies at the station.

Corcovado National Park

2008-06-10T14:02:00.000-07:00

During our trip to the Osa Peninsula we visited Corcovado National Park, which is part of the Osa Conservation Area. It was established in October 1975 and encompasses an area of 263 square miles. It is widely revered as Costa Rica's best in the extensive system of national parks and biological reserves spread throughout the country. National Geographic has even called it "the most biologically intense place on Earth." Its ability to impress tropical ecologists and simple tourists alike (due to its abundance of wildlife) has made it incredibly versatile and popular for all types of visitors.

The park conserves the largest primary forest on the American Pacific coastline and one of the few remaining considerable areas of lowland tropical rainforests in the world. The majority of lowland tropical rainforests have been rapidly decreasing in size due to the logging industry, which causes an obvious disruption that continues to diminish biodiversity in these areas. Unfortunately this means that even tourism, the economic incentive for Costa Rica to preserve and protect parks such as Corcovado, actually threatens the long-term biodiversity of the park.

Corcovado is home to a sizable population of the endangered Baird's Tapir and even a small population of the critically endangered Harpy Eagle. The park's rivers and lagoons are home to large populations of both the American crocodile and Spectacled Caiman, along with Bull sharks. Corcovado is also one of the final habitats for the Jaguar within Central America – we were lucky enough to see a Jaguar footprint during our nature walk. Several primates are very common within the park, including the endangered Central American Squirrel Monkey, White-faced Capuchin, Mantled Howler, and Geoffrey's Spider Monkey. Other mammals present include Two-toed and Three-toed Sloth, Northern Tamandua, and Silky Anteater. Poison Dart frogs and several species of snake (including the venomous Fer-de-Lance and Bushmaster) are also common within the park.

The abundance in wildlife can partially be explained by the variety of vegetation types. There are at least 13 types, including montane forest (more than half the park), cloud forest, jolillo forest, prairie forest, alluvial plains forest, swamp forest, freshwater herbaceous swamp, and mangrove. These different types combined hold over 500 tree species. Another reason for the diversity (as with all of Costa Rica) is that it lies on a north-south corridor for flora and fauna; part of the "land bridge" and wildlife corridor that links the large continents of North America and South America.

Due to the remoteness of the peninsula (we had to take a boat to get there), logging started in the1960s, but by 1975 there were plans for a major international logging operation. Researchers petitioned President Daniel Oduber to protect the area, which he did by making it a National Park. Unfortunately, some illegal gold mining still occurs using more destructive modern mining methods. Illegal logging is also a threat; although it is not frequent, the trees that are removed are scarce and essential to the ecosystem. Increased tourism has led to an increased presence of humans in the park, which may threaten the long-term survival of the park's larger mammals. To help combat the threat of over-exposure, many agencies and other groups have come together to provide aide to the conservation cause.

Chiquita & The Rainforest Alliance

2008-06-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

On Friday, we visited the Chiquita plantation in Tortuguero. Two brand representatives discussed the company's efforts to become more sustainable with a specific focus on the recent collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance. In November of 2000, Chiquita Brands International, Inc. announced its decision to transform its farming practices in order to become a more environmentally friendly company. There was no better way to legitimize this claim than to have support from the Rainforest Alliance, whose organizational objective is to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices, and consumer behavior. The Rainforest Alliance monitors and verifies that Chiquita's farms meet the set environmental and social standards. By meeting these standards, Chiquita has improved water quality, instituted programs for recycling and safe waste disposal, dramatically decreased agrichemical use, and improved the quality of life for workers on all its company-owned farms in Latin America.

What does it mean to be Rainforest Alliance certified? Farms are awarded certification only after trained inspectors visit each farm and verify that changes are being made in accordance with the program's standards. As of the fall of 2000, the Rainforest Alliance has certified 100% of the farms owned by Chiquita in Latin America in addition to numerous independent producers who sell fruit to the company. 2/3 of Chiquita bananas sold on the US market come from farms that have been certified by the Rainforest Alliance as meeting its standards for rainforest conservation, wildlife protection, soil conservation, waste management, and worker benefits.

Chiquita has been at the forefront of banana farm innovation since 1992 when it became involved with the program. Chiquita has invested tens of millions of dollars in a very serious effort to become a more sustainable company. Some of the specific changes that have been made are implementing recycling programs and reforestation projects, modernizing warehouses, protecting rivers by setting up water filtration systems, designing safer and more comfortable packing plants, and instituting soil conservation measures. The company has also devoted a considerable amount of time and money to worker training, housing, schools, day care, and health and safety programs for employees and their children. Through all of Chiquita's efforts, the company has clearly demonstrated the value of conservation and the growing view that nature is an ally in crop production.

CARIBBEAN!!!

2008-06-09T16:44:00.000-07:00

The weekend was amazing and it was finally sunny for our beach days! Sam, Emily, and I plan on moving to Puerto Viejo for a few years after we graduate because it is that awesome. Thursday we stayed at La Selva Research Station. We did a night hike and a morning hike (surprise surprise). Thank goodness we are done with hikes... pretty sure I have seen all of the same animals and trees 30 times by now. G-unit and Saul just love them so much. I was able to see a lot of red and blue poison dart frogs - they're really cute, too bad they're so deadly. Some random middle-aged hippie researchers invited us to a 'party' across the bridge. Needless to say, it was not much of a party and we ended up going to bed relatively early. Friday morning we went to the Chiquita plantation. We saw some more banana plants and learned about Chiquita's efforts to become a more sustainable company. During our walk through the botanical gardens, I stepped on a fire ant hill. There were about 20 fire ants biting my left foot... it actually felt like my foot was on fire. So now I have some more bug bites to add to the collection from the Osa... sweet life.

We finally arrived in Puerto Viejo (my future home) Friday evening. We walked around a bit before dinner and checked out the town. The smell of marijuana is present at all times throughout the entire town, I am convinced. The people were all very friendly and I did a bit of shopping - definitely some great jewelry. It was Emily's birthday and her mom met us at the hotel! Her and her friend stayed with us for 2 days before returning to the Marriott. Friday night we all went to the hotel bar for some karaoke. We sang some classic ballads (Alanis Morissette, The Beatles, Donna Summers, etc.) and then headed to Stanford's. We were actually trying to find a bar called Johnny's Place, but we could hear blaring base from across the bay so we had to follow it. Thank goodness we did because Stanford's was SO MUCH FUN! Right on the beach, tables and chairs in the sand, awesome music, strobe lights, fog machine, hot guys, another skanky lingerie show (must be a CR thing)... one of the most fun nights in CR so far.

Saturday morning we went snorkeling in Cahuita. It was the worst snorkeling I have ever experienced - I saw a manta ray and a few not very cool fish. There wasn't even much of a visible coral reef. I heard from Laura, one of the Veritas tour guides, that it was a great place to snorkel. Maybe the fish were sleeping or something, I don't really know. Sam and I had a great time regardless. We connected our life vests and just floated around in the Caribbean for an hour, trying to catch some rays through the clouds. After 'snorkeling' we all went to a nearby island for some pineapple, laying out, and wildlife watching. We finally saw a snake! It was bright yellow and apparently really poisonous. There were white-faced Capuchin monkeys all over the island - they were so cute and not afraid of people at all. They are notorious for stealing things from people - the guides kept trying to get rid of them so they wouldn't steal the fruit.

We took the bus from Cahuita to Monzanillo, where we stayed Saturday and Sunday night. The hotel was probably the nicest one we have stayed in so far - right on the beach, swimming pool, awesome food. Despite this, I wish we would have stayed in Puerto Viejo the whole weekend because there was NOTHING to do in Monzanillo. Sam and I tried to convince people to take the 30 minute cab ride to Puerto Viejo both nights, but everyone was lame and no one would go. We thought going alone would guarantee getting raped (or mugged at the very least) so we hung out at the hotel. Drinking on the beach is not as fun as it sounds and definitely gets old quick. Some of the guys tried to make a bonfire on the beach last night... it was more of a campfire and it was fun for about 10 minutes. I went to bed before midnight both nights... what a bust. I did have the opportunity to see G-unit get pretty rowdy last night. He was downing shots all over the place... love it. Saturday morning was beautiful and sunny so we laid out for a solid 3 hours. I applied SPF 15 once, which was probably not the best idea, and I forgot to flip over so my front side is pretty sunburnt. Hopefully it will turn into tan asap because it is a bit painful. I'm just happy I was able to lay out on a beach without rain!

After breakfast this morning, we headed back to Puerto Viejo and were able to spend 2 hours doing whatever we wanted. Sam, Emily, and I were very successful shoppers (especially jewelry) and even had time to watch the surfers at the world-famous Salsa Brava wave (located directly in front of Standford's... I think it's fate). We stopped at the cutest little restaurant for some ice cream - I had the green tea flavor and it was delicious! We wanted to stay longer and lay out because it was sunny again this morning, but we had to get back on the bus. That's okay though because I plan on living in Puerto Viejo at some point in my life with Sam and Emily... we'll probably sell jewelry and work as bartenders or something. It will be fantastic.

We have our research papers due Wednesday, along with our presentations and final exam... tomorrow will not be a very fun day. I have procrastinated a bit so I am planning on pulling an all-nighter tomorrow night... reminds me of real school, weird. Some of us are going to Cuartel tonight for the last time (so sad). A really awesome reggae band is playing so I'm excited... I should probably be doing schoolwork, but you only live once and Cuartel is the best bar in San Jose. PURA VIDA!

Plantains

2008-06-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

We always eat plantains at our house and at Veritas so I thought I would research them a bit. Plantains tend to be be firmer and lower in sugar content than bananas. Bananas are often eaten raw, while plantains usually require cooking or other forms of processing. Plantains can be used when they are green or under-ripe (and therefore starchy) or brown-spotted and overripe (and therefore sweet). Plantains are a staple in the tropical regions of the world, including Costa Rica, and treated in much the same way as potatoes. They are grown as far north as Florida; other regions include Central America, South America, the Canary Islands, Egypt, Nigeria, and southern Japan or Taiwan.

Plantains can be used for cooking at any stage of ripeness, but only very ripe plantains can be eaten raw. As the plantain ripens, it becomes sweeter and its color changes from green to yellow to black, just like the banana. Green plantains are firm and starchy, and taste somewhat like potatoes. Yellow plantains are softer and starchy, and have a sweet taste. Extremely ripe plantains are softer, deep yellow pulp that is much sweeter than the earlier stages of ripeness. Plantains in the yellow to black stages can be used in sweet dishes. Steam-cooked plantains are considered a nutritious food for infants and the elderly. A ripe plantain is used as food for infants at weaning because it is believed to be more easily digestible than ripe banana.

Another common form that I have seen many times in CR is plantain chips. After removing the skin, unripe fruit can be sliced and deep-fried to produce chips. I have not tried them yet, but I plan on it before leaving CR.

OSA PENINSULA

2008-06-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

White water rafting on Saturday was sooooo much fun! The weather was beautiful and the river was high from all of the rain so it was basically the perfect day. There were 6 people to a boat and 1 guide - mine was definitely the best. It was Sam, Nolan, Jamie, Big John, JP, me, and our guide´s name was NINJA... how sweet is that??? Since our boat was the bomb, none of us fell out... we did jump out to frolick in the river. Saturday night, a lot of us went to Nova, a bar/dance club in San Pedro. There was a dress code so a bunch of the guys couldn´t get in, which reduced our group to 6 people but it was still fun.

Sunday, we all went to the Osa Peninsula. The bus ride took forever and at one point, we all had to get off the bus to avoid a near-death experience. The road we had planned on taking was flooded and the alternate route involved crossing this really narrow and not very sturdy bridge. The bus actually got stuck and all the guys had to push it. The bridge was close to a bar and this hilarious toothless shirtless old drunk guy kept babbling to our group in Spanish... I think he made friends with Paul haha. After the 8 hour bus ride, we took a 1 hour boat ride to Drake Bay. Sam and I sat in the front and had way too much fun with the huge waves. Our lodge was so gorgeous, in the middle of the jungle, and the staff was sooooo nice. They cooked me the most delicious vegetarian food! It was brand new - we were actually the first group to stay there so I think they were trying really hard to impress us.

Monday, we took a boat to Corcovado National Park and did some nature walks. We saw crocodiles, frogs, leaf-cutter ants, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, scarlet macaws (my personal favorite), and lots of crazy trees! We swam in two different waterfalls. I jumped into a shallow part at the first waterfall, jammed my bad knee (it´s sore now), and crushed my toes into a rock. Then, I had to put my bloody toes back into my soaking wet hiking shoes... I kind of felt like I was on Survivor or something. The weather was perfect and I would have liked to stay on the beach and lay out for hours, but we had to go back to the lodge for some unknown reason.

Yesterday was our designated beach day, and it was raining/overcast the whole day (yes, we have sweet luck). We took boats to Canoe Island to do some swimming and snorkeling. There were crabs all over the beach, and Sam and I saw a really sweet purple and orange one... it was crazy. The sky cleared up a bit, but the sun never broke through the clouds, which was depressing. I was changing the bandaids on my crippled toes, and these tiny chigger bugs bit me all over my feet! I was lucky compared to Saul - they got both of his legs. The mosquitos were ruthless too, and I think I have accumulated at least 50 bug bites on my body... itchyyy. Since we were staying in the middle of the jungle, there were not too many nighttime options. We hung out at the lodge every night and played tons of card games... Steve-o and I are definitely the best Kemps duo ever created. The owner, Fernando, was so fun - he bought us all a round of tequila shots and filled the water cooler with some sort of delicious fruity drink. I have now officially drank real jungle juice haha. Fernando told people that our group was coming in so some of the locals came to the bar last night. There was an interesting character named Dave - moved to CR from Miami, FL 5 years ago, claimed he was 21 but looked much older, had a kid a few years ago, broke up with his baby´s mama 2 days ago because she cheated on him, deformed his elbow in a motorcycle accident... he told PJ his whole life story haha.

Of course the weather was beautiful and sunny today when we had to be on the bus forever... I do think I got a little bit tanner though. Hopefully, I will be super dark after the weekend in Puerto Viejo. Beach, sun, rastafarians, souvenir shopping... I cannot wait!!! Being on boats the past few days has made me really excited for the chain and Eagle River when I get home, yayy!

Why Organic Coffee?

2008-05-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

Non-organic coffee is the heaviest chemically treated food commodity in the world. The most common chemical used in coffee production is synthetic petroleum based fertilizers, which slowly destroy the soil's fertility and often seep into local water supplies. Coffee trees do not naturally grow in direct sunlight, but under the shade of dense rainforest. To increase productivity, the coffee industry has developed sun-resistant coffee tree hybrids that comprise nearly 70% of the world's coffee production. As a result, rainforest is being cleared at a rapid rate to increase capacity for new, sun-resistant coffee trees.

Organic coffee is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Inspectors rigorously test soil, leaf, and beans for chemical residue before the coffee can be certified organic. Global sales of organic coffee reached 148 million pounds in 2006, a 56% increase from 2003. Organic coffee farms have become a trend due to a strong consumer push for better, safer, and healthier products - a trend that supports sustainability and is predicted to increase in the near future.

Traditional Banana Farming

2008-05-30T14:52:00.001-07:00

Today bananas are cultivated in the Estrella and Matina valleys, lowlands of Santa Clara, in the area of the Sixaola river, and in parts of southwest CR. Two-thirds of all bananas are exported by Del Monte and Dole. The ripening bananas are typically wrapped in blue plastic bags, which are then filled with insecticides. Many of these plastic bags end up in the oceans, where marine animals mistake them for food and choke. A plastic recycling facility has been constructed in CR to address this problem; however, not all banana farmers recycle their bags because it is an inconvenience.

Another major issue surrounding traditional banana farming is the vast amount of fertilizers that are washed out into the ocean. These poisonous chemicals destroy coral reefs and kill a considerable amount of marine life. We touched on this in class when we discussed the dead zones that currently exist in our oceans. Dead zones are low-oxygen areas in the world's oceans that have been drastically increasing over the past few decades. In 2004, the UN Environment Program reported 146 dead zones where marine life could not be supported due to depleted oxygen levels. Chemical fertilizers, like those used with traditional banana farming, are considered to be the prime cause of dead zones around the world. In a previous blog, I explained the major benefits related to green banana farming practices - I strongly feel that CR needs to recognize the devastating effects that traditional banana farming has caused and convert the country to green practices.

Monteverde

2008-05-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

Monteverde has become one of the most popular nature tourism destinations in Latin America due to the extreme amount of biodiversity present in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. We were fortunate enough to stay on the forest preserve and fully immerse ourselves in ecotourism. Monteverde (literal translation: "green mountain") is often revered as a model because it fulfills all of the goals of nature tourism. Monteverde has proven that ecotourism can work for conservation. Through a series of private nature preserves, the community has saved part of the cloud forest that might have been cleared for dairy cattle and coffee farms.

I was worried about the negative effects that so much tourism would have on the fragile environment; however, biologists say that the heavy volume of visitors to the area has a surprisingly low impact. The Quakers founded Monteverde in the 1950s with every intention to preserve its natural beauty. In recent years, the local community has questioned the intention of tourists, wondering if they flock to the forest preserve solely because it's a popular travel destination or because they actually appreciate the immense beauty and diversity. In order to discourage careless tourists, Monteverde residents continue to oppose paving the gravel road that connects from the highway. I definitely agree that anyone seeking a comfortable ride would opt out of the trip to Monteverde, but I think it was well worth it.

ME ENCANTA EL SOL!

2008-05-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

Yayyy the sun finally came out and it's beautiful! I really just want to lay out all day, but we have class (bogus). We are going white water rafting all day tomorrow, which should be pretty extreme. Apparently we are all going to fall in so that should be fun! Our trip to Osa Peninsula has been postponed so we will leave on Sunday and come back to San Jose Wednesday. Then we leave for Puerto Viejo on Thursday... yay for Caribbean beach towns!!! I plan on doing most of my souvenir shopping there :)

PS G-unit used the adjective 'sexy' three times in class today... baller.

MANUEL ANTONIO

2008-05-29T11:47:00.000-07:00

Our profs rearranged the class schedule so we could have 2 free days in a row. They went to Cuba and all of us went to the beach town of Manuel Antonio!!! Unfortunately, the weather was not all that beachy and I am probably lighter now than I was before coming to CR. Since it wasn't a prepaid university trip, we couldn't use our sweet huge bus. The bus was much smaller and definitely not as comfortable, but we did have a cool guide named Colin.

After a 5 hour bus ride Tuesday morning, we made it to the Coco Beach hotel. After settling in a bit and eating lunch, the majority of us frolicked at the beach. It had stopped raining, but it was still cloudy and not conducive for laying out (my #1 goal for the trip). I finally got to see a monkey!!! He was hanging out in a tree by our hotel. Then we all got ready and went to happy hour/dinner at a restaurant in town... 2 for 1 margaritas, daquiris, and pina coladas! I was able to see the Cubs beat the Dodgers ... WOOT WOOT! After a few happy hours there, we all took taxis to a nearby bar/dance club. It was really fun, and I am definitely progressing with my salsa and meringue skills. The drinks were really expensive though - $8 for a soco and lime shot is just ridiculous. My wristlet was misplaced for a solid 30 minutes (it had fallen down to the first floor when I was sitting upstairs). When I finally got it back from a bartender, all my money was gone. I think I had about $30 worth of colones so that was a bummer. It was definitely time to leave the overpriced bar where all of my money was stolen so... some people went back to the hotel and the rest of us went to a really fun dance club in the neighboring town of Santa Elena. We danced A LOT and even got to see a skanky lingerie contest - Chase videotaped the whole thing haha.

We woke up early the next morning in hopes of sunshine, but it was still raining. We all chilled at the hotel until heading back to San Jose around 2PM. According to the newspaper, it is going to be raining for the next 10 days due to tropical storm Alma... so lame. We may or may not go to Osa this weekend depending on the weather. Hopefully Mother Nature will ease up and give us some sun because all of this rain is depressing.

ARENAL & MONTEVERDE

2008-05-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

Our first weekend trip was beyond amazing!!! We took our huge bus to Arenal on Friday afternoon, checked in at our hotel, and went right to the Baldi hot springs. There is a super fancy resort centered around the all-natural Baldi hot springs. There were a bunch of different pools, each one with a different temperature, and many of them with bars you swim up to (so awesome). I think almost the entire group attempted the hottest pool, which is 152 degrees! I went all the way in (with some encouragement from JP)... when else will I have the opportunity to fully submerge myself in scalding natural water? The mojitos were delicious but so expensive so we didn't do too much drinking. Jamie drank the water (idk why) and was sick all day Saturday... tough break.

Saturday morning we went to a hydroelectric plant and got to wear really sweet yellow hard hats. It was relatively boring, but important since hydroelectric power is CR's largest source of electricity. Then, we rode horses to La Fortuna waterfall!!! It was amazing, made me miss riding so much... I cannot wait to ride when I get home. I had a cute grey mare named Selita - she liked to go fast. La Fortuna waterfall is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. We all swam in the pool and were able to stand on the rocks behind the waterfall... well, we weren't actually supposed to go behind the waterfall because it's kind of dangerous, but I am so happy we did. Swimming in the pool was great, but walking back up the 165 stone steps was definitely challenging... so worth it though. Later Saturday afternoon we hiked through the Arenal lava park - I took some awesome pictures of the volcano. It is technically an active volcano, but it hasn't erupted in 40 years. After a chill Friday night, we really wanted to go out Saturday night. We walked up the street a little bit to a discoteqa - it was pretty desolate, I think there were 8 other people there including the bartenders. Matt and I played pool for awhile with these creepy midget ticos, but I couldn't handle the creep factor. The bartenders were really nice and played all the music we requested. One of the creepy midget ticos kept trying to dance with me, so I told him that Evan was my boyfriend. That didn't stop him... we didn't stay there too long.

Sunday we took a boat across Arenal Lake to Monteverde. Three vans took all of us to our lodge on the Monteverde cloud forest reserve. My van was the sweetest because our driver had this awesome mix that compiled the choruses of the most famous 80s songs. G-unit used to work at a record store back in the day so he was naming every artist... pretty impressive. Evan and I did steal his thunder a few times, but he is definitely a certified jam master. Our lodge reminded me a lot of summer camp because we all had bunk beds and there were a lot of bugs. After lunch at the lodge, we all went zip-lining through the cloud forest!!! The whole town is in the clouds, it's pretty crazy. There were 14 different lines and in the middle, we all stopped to do the Tarzan Swing. You're attached to some ropes, you're dropped from a 3 story platform, and you swing back and forth above the canopy. The crazy guide scared me... right as I was about to drop off the platform, he was like "no no no" but apparently that was him being funny. It was raining the whole time, and we all got thoroughly soaked. Sunday night we went on a night hike through the reserve. We saw an orange and black tarantula, a lot of bats, a tree frog, and a furry caterpillar. Our guide told us that nighttime rainy season is the best time to see pumas, but we didn't see any ;(

Monday morning, we went on another hike to do some daytime animal spotting. We saw a lot of really pretty hummingbirds and a male and female quetzal! Apparently, bird enthusiasts wait years to see male quetzals so I guess we lucked out. Good thing we saw that though because otherwise, I probably would have hated on the nature hikes. Emily and I were almost convinced that they planted fake animals throughout the forest to show tourists haha. Upon returning to San Jose, we changed into dry clothes and a bunch of us went to the market. I bought a lot of cool souvenirs because you can get things for really cheap - bartering is so fun!

PS Sam and I named our husky Kimo... he's so cute!

KARAOKE, BUM, HUSKY...

2008-05-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

Last night, about ten of us went to Castros downtown San Jose. It was a weak showing from the group (Sam and I were the only girls), but we still had a great time. We definitely have to start going to dance class because everyone there was dancing salsa and meringue. It was a bit awkward trying to learn amidst the seasoned dancers, so we spent most of the night upstairs at the karaoke bar! We definitely chose some classic ballads - Livin on a Prayer, Sweet Caroline, and Like a Virgin. I don't know if the ticos and ticas enjoyed it, but I thought it was a blast. Sam and I finally tried Cacique, the local liquor that Cecilia told us about, and it was definitely bearable... so much better than the guys and their Jose Cuervo shots (Patron is the only way to go w/tequila).

Cecilia's daughter is having her formal wedding ceremony on Saturday. Sam and I really want to go (Cecilia invited us, she's so precious), but we are leaving on our weekend trip this afternoon. I am looking forward to the much-needed nap on our 4 hour bus ride. So there's this bum that we see every morning when we walk to class. Yesterday he was crouching near a plant and attacking it with a machete - he almost convinced us that he was a gardener, but he looked very bumish again this morning and he didn't have a machete. There is also the most adorable husky tied to a car in someone's garage. He howls every time we stop to visit him... Sam and I are devising a plan to steal him. No blogging for the next 3 days... I will be doing baller things in the rainforest/hot springs/volcano!!! PURA VIDA :)

Cafe Britt & Coffee Production

2008-05-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to Cafe Britt, a multinational coffee corporation that originated in Costa Rica and also has a presence in Peru. It was very commercial and geared towards tourism - definitely a lot different than Daisy's private operation. The tour guides were very entertaining (maybe a little too much), but it was extremely informative. We were able to go inside the production plant and see how the coffee beans are prepared and packaged. Emily volunteered and was able to deeply inhale the coffee - I think everyone was pretty jealous.

I decided to research coffee production a bit further since it is such a critical component of Costa Rica's economy. Coffee production began in 1779 in the Meseta Central, an area with near perfect soil and climate conditions for this type of plantation. A native plant of Ethiopia, the blend introduced to Costa Rica had been first cultivated in Saudi Arabia and is therefore known as the Arabica. Coffee growing soon surpassed cacao, tobacco, and sugar in importance, and by 1829 it had become the major source of foreign revenue. As a nonperishable commodity in an age of slow and costly transport, coffee proved an ideal product and shortly thereafter became the nation’s major export, a position it has maintained until recent years. Exports to neighboring Panama began in the late 1820s. After a load was sent directly to Britain in 1843, the British began investing heavily in the industry, becoming the principal purchaser of Costa Rican coffee until the end of World War II. A major blight struck in 1983. As with any plantation crop, one of the major drawbacks is that the income is subject to price fluctuations. When the world coffee prices plunged 40% after the collapse of the world quota cartel system, Costa Rica joined Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador in 1989 to create a coffee retention plan. Under the plan, their coffee is sold in installments so as to ensure price stability. The export tax on coffee, first initiated in 1955, was abolished in 1994.

The largest growing areas of coffee production are San Jose, Alajuela, Heredia, Puntarenas, and Cartago provinces. Costa Rican coffee is high in both quality and caffeine content, and it is often blended with inferior varieties. Coffee production depends upon cheap, seasonal labor, most of which has come from Nicaraguan immigrants that cross over due to Costa Rica's low unemployment and higher standard of living.

The hand picked berries are sent to processing plants, where they are scrubbed and washed to remove the fruity outer layer and dissolve the gummy substance surrounding the bean. The pulp is returned to the slopes as fertilizer, a recent change due to the enforcement of health laws that halted the dumping of wastes in rivers. The moist beans are then laid out to dry in the sun in the traditional manner. In the case of large corporations like Cafe Britt, there are machines that dry the coffee beans much quicker than the traditional approach. The leather skin of the bean is then removed by machine-rubbing, and the beans are sorted according to size and shape before being vacuum-sealed to retain the fragrance and slight touch of acidity characteristic to quality Costa Rican coffee.

Ecotourism in CR

2008-05-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

Ecotourism is defined as "purposeful travel that creates an understanding of cultural and natural history, while safeguarding the integrity of the ecosystem and producing economic benefits that encourage conservation." Costa Rica has begun to implement ecotourism programs for two primary reasons. First, because tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of CR's economy and accomodates the much needed foreign exchange that is critical for developing countries. Second, ecotourism benefits local inhabitants, the environment, and the economy in general as CR moves toward achieving sustainable development. This type of tourism comes in various forms and has been extremely successful in aiding the decline of deforestation. Along with the advantages of ecotourism, there are also disadvantages that harm the rainforests; thus, ecotourism has become an important issue in CR.

Ecotourism in CR began in the mid-1980s as a solution to the problem of deforestation and a convenient way to stimulate the economy. CR's entire tourism industry has been increasing consistently since its establishment, and one reason for this upsurge is the demand for ecotourism. Tourists flock to CR not only because of its breathtaking sights and tropical climate, but also due to its political stability, economic wealth relative to other Latin American countries, and vibrant econological system. Although CR is relatively small (about the size of West Virginia), there is an enormous variety of topography, climate, and wildlife - more than 2000 plant species and 300 animal species.

Recent developments have been made in CR, including a strong regional effort to combat deforestation. The Paseo Pantera (Path of the Panther) is a five-year, $4 million project dedicated to preserving the biodiversity and enhancing wildlands management in Central America. The Paseo Pantera region is a 1500 mile-long greenbelt stretching the entire length of Central America. All seven Central American countries - Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama - are currently participating in this project. In signing this agreement, all of the countries have consented to cooperate with Wildlife Conservational International and the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, with funding from the US Agency for International Development, to create a development program that works with conservation strategies to achieve sustainable development for all parties involved. The underlying goal of this project is to decrease the focus on national borders when it comes to the environment, and instead concentrate efforts on the region as a whole in order to maximize the benefits of ecotourism and foster environment sustainability simultaneously.

Paseo Pantera is definitely a step in the right direction; however, there are many problems associated with ecotourism as well. CR has struggled in the balance between minimizing the negative environmental impacts and encouraging mulitnational corporations to bring their foreign exchange and clients to CR. Problems with ecotourism will continue to arise, and if not monitored properly, this situation could potentially devastate CR's environment. There is some ambiguity about the impacts of ecotourism because there have not been any comprehensive scientific studies yet, but it is clear that the negative externalities must be considered. As globalization continues at a rapid rate, many more people will be able to experience the wonders of CR, but it is critical to preserve the characteristics that make this culture so unique.

Green Banana Farming

2008-05-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

Banana farming is one of the most profitable industries in Costa Rica, along with coffee farming and tourism. While this agricultural sector greatly stimulates the country´s economy, it has become one of the worst activities for environmental health. Vast acres of rain forest are cut down to create plantations, and then tons of pesticides are sprayed on the disease-prone banana plants to protect against roots, fungi, and pests. Deforestation, air pollution, and unhealthy production processes are major concerns in CR surrounding banana farming. The country struggles to maximize profit and adopt environmentally safe agricultural practices. Subsequently, green banana farming has gained vast industry appeal.

When CR´s EARTH University acquired lands in 1989 that included a sizeable banana plantation, it decided to grow a banana that´s better for the planet. Today EARTH´s 600-acre farm is the oldest working banana plantation in CR. It sells exclusively to the Whole Foods Market chain in the US and the UK. Banana sales provide 7% of the university´s revenue and help pay tuition for underprivileged students. Last year, CR exported more than 113 million boxes of bananas, each containing about 40 pounds of fruit. EARTH only grows a fraction of that total, shipping about half a million boxes of bananas to Whole Foods each year.

The university has definitely started a trend, and the green farming techniques implemented at EARTH are reshaping the global banana industry. For example, standard banana plantations tie plastic bags around bunches to protect the fruit from scarring and to keep out unwanted pests. EARTH began a plastic bag recycling program because discarded bags often end up in rivers and watersheds. Today almost all banana farmers in CR have adopted this recycling program, included the world-renowned Dole Food Company. The university is now working on producing completely organic bananas in the near future. However, this is quite challenging due to the different types of devastating pests and fungus that can only be combated with powerful chemicals. EARTH´s organic farmers have developed fertilizers that include effective microorganisms that minimize disease, and 40% of banana farmers in Central and South America currently use this environmentally friendly technique. In addition to the aforementioned environmental consequences, using pesticides can negatively affect the health of plantation laborers. The overall goal for the banana farming industry should be achieving sustainability - this includes not only reducing chemical use, but also providing good wages and working conditions for the laborers.

Adopting environmentally conscious agricultural practices is of the utmost importance in CR, and the efforts made by EARTH have definitely contributed to this goal.

FELIZ CUMPLEANOS A BOB

2008-05-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

So it was Bob's 20th birthday yesterday and we all partied lots! Tuesday night we went to this bar in San Pedro called Sultans. Sam and I took a taxi there (we were running late as usual), and our driver, Toni, was hilarious. He kept making fun of us for pronouncing the name of the bar wrong. He thought we sounded like Chinese people - I don't even know what that means. I guess we were having issues with the SUL part and we probably said it 50 times in the taxi. The bar was neat - there were little VIP rooms in the corners and hookah all over the place. We were VIP for a while, but they kicked us out because we wouldn't buy a bottle of liquor. Sam and I were invited back to some tico's house... haha yeah kind of creepy. Our guide, Rolo, was there and he bought us a few rounds of shots. Bob kept trying to get me to dance with Rolo, but no one was dancing...awkward. Our taxi driver on the way home got lost we ended up paying $8 - I think he did it on purpose. Saul and G-unit surprised Bob with a chocolate cake during our Spanish lesson yesterday, so cute! Sam and I discovered the WB last night!!! Unfortunately, Gossip Girl was a rerun but I am pumped for the next episode. Last night we went to El Pescadito, the local bar in our neighborhood. I think they are starting to love us there - they made us french fries for free. We leave for our weekend trip tomorrow - I can't wait! Zip lining through the rainforest = baller.

Fair Trade Coffee

2008-05-21T15:46:00.000-07:00

For small coffee farmers like Daisy, it can be difficult to be profitable because they often receive prices less than the costs of production. Fair Trade Coffee (FTC) is a possible solution to this problem. In this case, Fair Trade means an equitable partnership between North American consumers and producers in Latin America (along with other countries of production). This would ensure that the majority of the world's small coffee farmers receives a fair price for their product, and are able to maintain a quality of life above the poverty line.

To become Fair Trade certified, an importer must meet certain international criteria that keeps the small coffee farmer's needs at the forefront. "With world market prices as low as they are right now, we see that a lot of farmers cannot maintain their families and their land anymore. We need Fair Trade now more than ever," says Jerónimo Bollen, Director of Manos Campesinas, a Fair Trade coffee cooperative in Guatemala. Obviously, this has become a critical issue in Costa Rica and all of Latin America due to the deteriorating state of the economy, and it is important to seek an appropriate solution. Importers are taking advantage of small coffee farmers by paying them less for their product, charging the same amount to consumers, and keeping the difference.

Fair Trade certified coffee is the first product being introduced in the US. It is just a proposition at this point in time, and a strong movement is necessary to make FTC a requirement. This is more than just an issue of human treatment, it is an environmental issue as well. Small farmers use more environmentally friendly farming techniques; thus, supporting FTC also means taking an environmentalist approach. Fair Trade farmers do not have the resources to use chemical fertilizers or clear out entire forests. They generally grow small plots of mixed-crop, shade grown coffee organically - this of course being the best for the environment.

This is an important proposition for Costa Rica specifically because coffee accounts for 11% of export revenues and employs 5% of the nation's labor force, which represents 20% of the rural workforce. CR accounts for 20% of Central American coffee production and 2.6% of world production. One extremely proactive entity is COOCAFE, the Consortium of Coffee Cooperatives of Guanacaste and Montes de Oro. It is a coalition of nine small producer cooperatives working in the Fair Trade market. Its objective is to improve standards of living and provide resources for crop diversification, rainforest reforestation, women's development and educational programs. It has been in operation since 1988 and more than $5 million has been invested in environmental protection and development programs. Its environmental projects include: converting mills to 'clean technology,' the development of hydroelectricity programs, conversion to shade grown and organic farming techniques, and the development of coffee dryers using renewable resources. Although Costa Rica has made steps toward FTC and claims a more intensive focus on small farmers than other Latin American countries, concentration of land in hands of the few continues to disadvantage small producers.

Del Cafe... Tal

2008-05-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

Today we were supposed to go to Montecristo, but they told us it was too muddy for a group tour. Instead we went to Daisy Rodriguez's coffee plantation in Naranjo in the province of Alajuela. She was actually just in the newspaper last Friday because her brand of coffee, Del Cafe... Tal, has been rated the #1 brand in the country and #2 in all of Latin America. She sells the coffee in various forms (ground, roasted, whole grain, etc.) to companies in Japan, Europe, and the United States. She will actually be at a coffee convention in Minnesota in July. There are 7 full-time employees, and as many as 70 during the picking season. They go through each field and pick the coffee beans off each plant by hand - I can't believe this, I figured they would have a machine to do such tedious work. Total processing time after the bean has been picked is two weeks; however, it usually takes 3 months for the coffee plant to grow completely. She has tried organic coffee farming in the past, but traditional methods are more profitable. We were able to sample the coffee, which may have been delicious if I liked coffee. She told us a little about her family as well - she has 3 children and they are all doctors, her daughter actually went to Northwestern University right outside Chicago. Tomorrow we are going to see a larger and more commercial coffee plantation, Cafe Britt.

PS Sam sucked on her first coffee bean today! Yessss

POST NUMERO UNO

2008-05-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

I love Costa Rica! My first impression was a bit shocking - the locals plastered against the windows when we walked out of the airport, holding signs for their American visitors. I have learned in the short time I have been here how welcoming and hospitable the Costa Rican people are, especially towards exchange students. All of us travel around in this huge bus (ironic since we are learning about environmental sustainability). I have mixed feelings about the bus - I like that it has air conditioning and comfortable seats; however, I have sustained multiple head injuries from the ridiculous televisions that protrude from the ceiling. I am amazed that our bus driver makes the turns that he does and doesn't sideswipe every car that lines the narrow streets.

My host family is adorable and I love them already. Cecilia and Franklin are a cute married couple, about 60 years old. They have three children, but they are all older and do not live in the house. I met their youngest daughter yesterday and her husband - she is 29 and just got married last weekend. They have two sons as well, both married with children. Cecilia prepares our breakfast and dinner each night (we are usually not at home for lunch). Everything thus far has been delicious, especially the pineapple, avocado, and plantains. They don't speak any English (but one night, Franklin was watching tv in English so Sam and I are skeptical). But it has helped me practice my Spanish and learn more. I could not imagine not knowing any Spanish like some of the other students... tough break. Franklin loves sports, especially soccer, basketball, and baseball. He roots for the Yankees (typical).

We have gone out the past two nights. Sunday night, almost everyone braved the torrential downpours and met at Cabale. Apparently, it is one of the only bars open on Sundays. Our bartender's name was Raphael (Raphy for short)... he was awesome. Every time we cheered, all of the bartenders whistled. Last night, we all met at El Pescadito (the little fish). It's the closest bar to our house - very small, seems like a locals hang out. About 10 of us left and went to Cuartel, which is the bar everyone goes to on Monday nights. It was huge - 2 bars, a stage, and a dance floor. There was a live band that played a mix of Spanish and English songs. It was definitely fun... maybe too much fun for a few people ;) The Tuesday night bar is Sultans and its known for the 300 colones beers (less than $1!!!). Hopefully, everyone will go out again tonight although we do have a pretty lengthy reading assignment for class tomorrow. G-unit (Glenn) brought up a very important motto in class today that I hope everyone practices while in CR - 'Work hard. Play hard."

Yesterday, we did one of our business visits to Cinde. It is a non-profit marketing company that seeks out opportunities for foreign investment. It advertises and promotes the attractiveness of Costa Rica to companies looking to expand into other countries, with its primary focus on the United States. A Cinde representative delivered a very informative powerpoint presentation about the company's goals and objectives. Did you know that Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948? We have heard this fact about 3 times, that's an average of once a day... I will continue to act surprised for the sake of not offending the lovely Costa Ricans.

I cannot wait for our weekend trip to Monteverde! Yay Costa Rica... PURA VIDA!