Lacey Hall

May 26, 2015

Dear future Costa Rican Study Abroad Students,
I am a 23 year old, female student at Salt Lake Community College. I
am currently pushing for a business associates degree and will move on to
my bachelors in hopes of achieving a marketing degree. I picked this course
for several reasons: First, Im attempting to go to an Ivy League institution
for my bachelors degree and doing a study abroad looks great on a college
resume, second, I have always been interested in anthropology, zoology, and
biology, and third, I was interested in joining the Peace Corps. So through
doing a study abroad in Costa Rica, I have given myself more opportunities in
my future education, Ive learned about things that thoroughly interest me,
and I have given myself a very small idea of what it could possibly be like in
the Peace Corps. I expected going to Costa Rica to study monkeys to be both
challenging and rewarding. I was most certainly right. From this experience I
have determined that the Peace Corps may not be for me. However, I have
also learned so much about sustainability, conservation, and primate
behaviors that will forever be with me and have impacted my future
decisions to what I predict to be a heavy degree.

Photo by: Codi Winn at LaSelva Biological Research

Canopy Tower

I always pictured the rainforest to be full of color; with exotic (to me)
animals everywhere you looked and beautiful weather all of the time. It
ended up being far above my expectations in beauty, however, much less
colorful than I had originally pictured it. I feel as though this experience has
forever changed me. I respect my surroundings so much more, not to
mention, Im much more aware of the little things. For example, the first hike
we took into the rainforest was at Cloud Forest in Monte Verde. We didnt see
a single animal. I was frustrated, for some reason, I assumed that
everywhere we looked we would see a new an exciting thing. Over time and
a couple of guided tours, I found that this is true. Everywhere you look there
is new and exciting things. However, its usually something small. Like a
humming birds nest, a tiny dart frog, an exotic and strange looking insect, or
a type of plant that I had never seen before. Granted these types of things
may not be the coolest thing youll see, but they are so important. The
biodiversity within the rainforest is vast to say the least. However, every

species of plant, animal, or insect you see, has a

role in its ecosystem. When you start to pay
attention to the little parts that put the ecosystem
together is when you see the true astonishing
beauty of what the rainforest is. Yes, there are
Jaguars, monkeys, sloths, giant snakes, toucans,
and caimans. However, there are so many tiny
details that are always there. Now, every time I go
into nature, I will be able to recognize the small
creatures and plants that contribute to the
ecosystem and complete the biodiversity of a
region.
Things I wish I would have done differently
include, bringing lighter weight clothing. I brought
almost exclusively long workout pants. Which are
sometimes good, however, it is HOT here. If I were
to do this again I would have packed the following:
shorts, A LOT of bug spray, an umbrella, multiple rite in the rain journals
and pens, and most importantly rubber knee high rain boots. Tips for success
include: know that nothing is truly waterproof, bring a box or two of Ziploc
baggies (it helps keeps things dry), bring the above mentioned items (rain
boots being most important), quickly get over any fear of insects or reptiles,
do research prior to your departure (not only on your subject, but the area,
language, people, etc.), walk as much as you can
Photo by: Lacey Hall at Cloud
prior to coming (we average about 6-10 miles a
Forest
day), pack light (it sucks dragging big bags to your sleeping quarters), and
bring your computer. If I could go back and do something differently prior to
my trip, it would have been to learn Spanish. It isnt needed, but it is
definitely nice to have a decent understanding of the language before
coming here. The few girls that did on my trip ended up making more
connections and understanding more about the culture in their time here
than those of us who didnt.
When it comes to what you will learn, the possibilities are endless. I
learned about myself and how hard I can actually push myself, I am more
capable than I ever knew. I also learned so much about the indigenous
species, mostly about primates, identifying them, some social behaviors,
their ecology, their taxonomy, their characteristics, their vocalizations, their
canopy location, etc. But even about the other species in this area, walking
along at night in the rainforest I can now identify majority of the noises and
calls I hear, I know which insects to avoid, I know which are harmless, I even
now know majority of the names of the common species in the rainforest and
am able to identify them on sight. I have also been thoroughly informed on

conservation and sustainability, including learning about how to be more

sustainable at home, compost, buying local, reducing my carbon footprint,
biodigesters, growing my own food, eating organically, pasture raised
animals, eating the not perfect looking fruit and vegetables, and so much
more. Furthermore, I have expanded upon my knowledge about climate
change and the impacts it is having and could potentially have on our planet.
Lastly, I have had the opportunity to learn about a rich culture and a friendly
people. I have taken so many valuable lessons from this experience that I will
be able to apply in all of my future endeavors. I feel more cultured and have
a broader understanding of what interacting with different cultures is actually
like. I have a new appreciation for the commodities that I have at home such
as air conditioning, a comfortable bed, and privacy; I never knew how much I
took those things for granted. I have gained a new realization of just how
blessed I am in result of this experience. Furthermore, I have expanded my
knowledge and skill set in a fashion that will carry through the rest of my life.
This has been such a rewarding experience and I would recommend it to
anyone interested in this field of study either for a profession or a hobby. I
will forever be able to apply some of these lessons in my own personal life,
becoming more sustainable at home being the first step. Now that I have
actually seen the rainforest, I can truly say with every fiber of my being, it is
worth protecting. In addition
Photo by: Lacey Hall at Could Forest
to this, I have now actually
followed the steps of the
scientific method in real
practice. This is a useful
tool to understand and have
the capability of applying
when necessary. Overall,
Costa Rica has taught me
lessons in life, biology,
zoology, anthropology,
communications, sociology,
and more. I will forever be
grateful of the time I spent
in Costa Rica and it has
inspired me to learn
Spanish before I come
back!
Sincerely,
Lacey Hall
P.S. I hope you love it as
much as I did!