Heading Home...

Well, this will be my last post from this amazing experience in Costa Rica. While I am overwhelmingly excited to return home, the realization that I am now leaving this place, this program and these people is hitting me. The program officially ended last night and people started heading home this morning. It was really hard saying goodbye to these people I have spent nearly every moment with for the past 14.5 weeks! It has been a very emotionally draining day.

After leaving Monteverde, we hiked to the Arenal Volcano. I saw herp #100 of the trip! It was a coral snake mimic (possibly Erythrolampus mimus). The hike was beautiful, and it was a nice way to spend our last days together. We stayed at a nice hotel near Arenal and had stunning views of the volcano. Dan, Gracy and I went out for one final night hike to a nearby lake. We heard thousands of frogs and saw about 4 species. One was new and had two black spines on each hand (yet to be identified). Gracy also spotted a coral snake, which was a different species than the one we saw in La Selva! That brought the total for the trip up to 102 :) We returned to San Jose yesterday and had one final dinner together. I stay one more night and come home tomorrow afternoon.

Everything about this experience has exceeded my expectations...From learning about ecology to finding frogs at night to growing to love orchids, it has all been spectacular :) There is no description I can give to fully explain what I have experienced over the last 16 weeks, but it has certainly been life changing! I can't wait to return here someday (SOON!) and continue this experience where it is leaving off. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.