4.17.2017
Welcome to our program blog for our Spring Break Sea Turtle Initiative program in Costa Rica. We’ll be updating the blog occasionally when we receive new info from staff in-country.
This group photo was taken just moments ago. The group is off to Parismina within the hour!
4.18.2017
We woke up around 9am for breakfast yesterday, we had eggs, toasts with guava jam, cold iced tea, and watermelon.
After that we got ready for the organic farm tour owned by Jason. We saw many different varieties of fruits, vegetables and plants. We also were lucky enough to see iguanas, spider monkeys, and even a sloth!!!
After the farm tour, we had mentor group meeting, where we talked about how our first impressions about different cultures can be incorrect at times. Next we got to have free time on the beach where tons of pictures where taken and we even had a jam sesion with JP.
Around 5pm, volunteers from ASTOP came to talk to us about the biology of sea turtles and the importance of protecting them. Finally we went night patrolling on the beaches, hoping to protect sea turtle eggs, and after a couple of hours walking the beach with our guides we saw this beautiful Leatherback Turtle coming out of the water! We got to see how she prepared a hole in the sand for the nest, while we had to remain quiet in total silence. After she laid the eggs, we took them to the nursery so they can be protected from poachers until the little hatchlings are born.
-Caroline M., Trinity and Caroline R.
4.19.2017
Today we woke up and it was already scorching hot. We ate our breakfast of delicious fruit and homemade doughnuts and headed out on the ride to town.
In town, we arrived at Olga’s to get our fruit shakes. Troy and Kristina joined us and we drank the refreshing shakes.
Kristina gave the group a tour of Parismina, including the ASTOP Headquarters. After our tour we went to Yolanda’s to bake some coconut cookies with a few local kids. On our ride home, we picked up a few friends (or dogs, we should say) to bring back to home base.
Everybody ate lunch and had a group nap in the hammocks. We woke up and headed out for beach clean up and beach time! But it started to rain so we came home for cards and dinner. After a beautiful sunset and photo shoot, we had a mentor group session on Service and headed to bed.
It was a good day!
4.20.2017
After a long day in the town yesterday, we woke up and ate breakfast around 9am. Following a delicious breakfast of grilled cheese and fruit, we took a boat tour at the mangroves near Home Base.
We were lucky enough to see monkeys, sloths, a cayman and all different types of birds thanks to our boat driver Margarito. Although it was a scorching hot day, the breeze from the boat cooled us down.
After the boat ride, we went back to the Home Base and sat in the hammocks for some time. It was so hot, so before we went to the beach we played cards. Next we spent 1 hour on the beach and some of us sat in the water.
After we went for a walk along the beach to search for trash and clean it up to preserve the natural beach environment. Then we came back to Home Base and had a delicious dinner.
-Hope and Ella
4.22.2017
It’s our final night in Costa Rica!
From Parismina we stopped at a national park to go ziplining. We zipped through the rain forest across 11 different cables, one of which was almost half a mile long!
We then arrived in Alajuela, and sat down to our farewell dinner.
Tomorrow, we all head home, forever grateful to get to help protect Costa Rica’s turtles and meet each other.
It’s been an adventure! Pura Vida!
