Category Archives: Here I go!

Here I go!!

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5 months ago I suffered a serious concussion, two weeks ago I could barely look at a screen, and now look at me… all packed and writing a blog! I may not be 100 percent yet, but that’s not going to stop me. It may be a difficult adjustment but challenge is good and leads to personal growth, plus the program director Karen Masters seems to be very accommodating and kind. If there is anything I’ve learned it’s that you cannot stop living even if you are not in perfect condition.

I am so excited to be studying in Monteverde, Costa Rica a cloud forest that hosts 4% of the world’s biodiversity — this girl is going to be living one amongst the monkeys!

Here are some things about my program:

  • I will be living with a homestay family in Monteverde where I will be speaking Spanish. I hope to come back fluent.
  • Monteverde is home to a world renown biological field station that scientist come from all over the world to use and I will have direct access to it!
  • I will be taking 5 classes
    • Sustainability: Environment, Economy, and Society
    • Tropical Conservation Biology and Policy
    • Costa Rican Natural History
    • A Spanish Language Course
    • A Conservation and Sustainability Internship of my choice
  • I will walk 2 miles everyday to the CIEE Center where we will have classes, we will have classes from 7am to 7pm but a lot of this will be outside learning
  • we will take multiple field trips with the program, one of the field trips goes to Panama! This means there will be no outside traveling during the program and classes will be Mon- Sat
  • This is not a traditional university setting, there will be 9 or so students who work and travel around with the CIEE staff and professors. This program is going to be a wonderful opportunity to experience hands on learning

So here I go! Fresh off the boat of recovery and 5 months out of shape, this enthusiastic social butterfly is going to learn to balance her health, studies, and adjustment to a new world! Yes I am nervous, and yes I am so so excited, I have packed an open attitude and my smile and can’t wait to see everything this semester has in store for me!