CIEE College Study Abroad in Monteverde, Costa Rica

Studying tropical ecology and conservation abroad in Costa Rica was without a doubt the best summer of my life and one of my most meaningful experiences. From my highly knowledgeable, supportive, and engaging teachers, to the beautiful native ecology of Costa Rica, to the delicious food we ate and cultural awareness we came away with, this was an incredible experience. I could not think of a better study abroad program than this one--it's focus on learning in the field, rather in the classroom, made this is a truly once in a lifetime experience that I learned so much from.

I woke up to the deep guttural yell from a Howler Monkey in a nearby palm tree. As I unzipped out of my tent, I instantly felt the warm sun greeting me. I stepped out onto a isolated sandy beach, and gazed out watching the ocean waves roll in. As I looked to the other side, nothing but a wall of green- plants of all new varieties to me danced before my eyes. This was only day 5 of what was to be a semester long study abroad experience and I just sat there in a dream state for a moment. I was snapped out of it when I heard "Miguelito! Breakfast, come on!" from my new friend and teaching assistant, and I knew in that instant, that my life would never be the same after this semester.

Memories of moments like these flood me when I recollect on my study abroad experience in Costa Rica through the CIEE - Tropical Ecology and Conservation program. Although based in Monteverde ( a serene cloud forest town high in the mountains near the continental divide), this program took us around the whole country traveling by foot, boat, and bus. From the beautiful tropical forest in Parque Nacional Corcovado (which is where the above described memory occurred) to dry forests in Santa Rosa, to the Caribbean coast watching sea turtles laying their eggs, this program gets you up close and personal with life to the fullest. It is a biologists, ecologists, or any lover of life's dream. Beyond this you learn about the human dimension- culture, farming, coffee, cacao, socioeconomic issues, development, sustainability, food, food and food!

To be quite honest, I had no expectations going into the program. When I reflect on the CIEE- Tropical Ecology and Conservation program I could go on and on about the incredible education, cultural immersion, soul-shaking experience that this semester was but I want to share with you something that sets it apart from the others. And this has to do with the way the program as a whole is structured. Instead of a study abroad experience where you go to a different country maybe get set up with a host family, attend a local university, meet a few new friends nearby, the CIEE TE & C program sets you up with a family. (Yes 1 month is spent living with a Costa Rican host family and it is awesome) What I mean by this, is because the way the program is structured, you are exploring, learning, laughing with the same 30 or some classmates and instructors every single day! Yes there is plenty of space for solo time, but by the end of the semester, the group that began as strangers has formed into a tight- knit family from shared experiences and this family stays. Four years after the program and I am still keeping in touch with my classmates and faculty that now live all over the world and are continuing to be incredible humans and doing awesome things.
If you are on the fence about which study abroad program to consider, I would like to leave you with this. If you are ready to: dive in with your whole being to a life changing experience, ready to learn more in 4 months than many do in 4 years at other universities, excited to wake up every day and experientially learn through place-based learning, and to be apart of a new family then the CIEE - Tropical Ecology and Conservation program is for you!
Please feel free to contact with questions.
Peace,
Michael

Going to Costa Rica with CIEE was one of the best and most challenging things I have ever done. From the moment I arrived, everybody on the trip felt like close friends and we all had so much fun together. The teachers were amazing and aren't afraid to have fun with the students. The first two weeks you travel around the country and go to some of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. You also won't recognize your body because of all the bug bites and blisters you'll get, but it's worth it! The hikes are hard but not impossible, just be prepared for wet feet and long days.

Each trip Alan, the main instructor, has a concert at the local bar and that is the most fun I have ever had at a bar. Two students didn't go my year and said it was one thing they regretted about the trip. Monteverde is a really cute town with hiking easily accessible. There's only two main bars though, so if you're looking to party while you study abroad, this might not be the trip for you. However, the teachers do provide beer and rum at all of our hangouts and we definitely made our own parties at the research station where we stay.

The coursework was hard and felt stressful at times, they're cramming a semesters worth of information into 10 weeks, but it all got done and now I know how many scientific names I can memorize in a week. The research project we design was challenging but one of the most rewarding projects to ever come out of my college career, and now I have something to show people at job interviews.

Overall, this was the most fun summers of my life, and I highly recommend this trip to everybody!

This program is fantastic. From exploring the tropical rainforest to the experiential learning model they use to the fun-loving and open community, everyday there was something new to learn. It’s crazy how many things they packed into three and a half months!

My favorite part of the whole program was the experiential learning model they employed and the fact that were we literally learning about the place we were in. Class time was often spent hiking through absolutely gorgeous forests (fun fact: for some reason we don’t call tropical rainforests “the woods”, everyone says “the forest”). Anytime we saw an animal, plant or anything interesting we would stop and discuss the species, their distribution, what they ate, etc. and relate it to what we were studying at the time. We also did this in our “humans in the tropics” class by going to palm oil plantations and farms. These Costa Rican forests were the most diverse ecosystems I'd ever seen at that point - it was not difficult to see animals at all. I'd see monkeys, frogs, coatis, birds, insects and more on the daily. For me, a student who learns best by vocal, physical and social avenues, this was a fantastic system and I still think about many of the lessons I learned during those classes.

The instructors are another awesome part of the program: they are fun-loving and very open to helping the students. Among the professors and TAs, you’ll have about 5-6 people with a wide breadth of knowledge about Costa Rican ecology and conservation. The classes and independent project are rigorous undertakings but it is definitely do-able with their assistance and support (and so satisfying to complete too!) If I had a question, they would be down the hall or simply an email away.

The homestay was something that brought the entire experience into perspective. Monteverde is a very touristy town, but the homestay made us feel like we were part of the community rather than just observers passing through. I got to know local tico(a)s and their stories, I celebrated birthdays with my host family and I even shared my culture by leading an Indian classical dance workshop through this completely serendipitous connection I had with the owner of a local yoga studio. I’d say the best part was bonding with my host mom and getting to learn all the secrets to traditional Costa Rican cooking (I still make gallo pinto at home with a healthy dose of Lizano!)

And lastly this whole experience was just plain FUN. It was definitely a theme running through the whole program. All the new experiences, rigorous classes and backpacking trips created a very intimate environment where you can really bond with the people you’re with. My cohort that year became a sort of family away from home. We’d go on hikes together, go on bungee jumping adventures, help each other with projects and more. This intimate setting was a big part of why I chose this program.

Coming into the program I knew I loved biology but I was headed towards a career in medicine. After going to Costa Rica and learning about tropical species, ecology, and conservation I switched gears and never looked back. I ended up coming back to Costa Rica to do research after I graduated and now I’d call myself a conservation biologist! Even if a career shift isn’t in your future, this program is great opportunity to put the curiosity back into learning and give you another lens through which to view the world. I’d highly recommend this program!!!

Thanks Alan, Kathy, Johel, Bronco, Moncho and Maricela!

I had considered studying abroad for a while when I finally chose this program. You know, been to study abroad fairs and such, and they all seemed awesome. This program stood out because of the amount of field-based learning and intensive biology. So upon arriving I was excited for the adventure that surely awaited me, what I wasn't ready for was to leave with a whole new outlook on life, new confidence, new friends, and a vast amount of new skills and abilities - and I had fun while gaining all those priceless things. The educational experience provided by this program is unparalleled. Lessons in the field combined with classroom learning and lab-type scenarios, including multiple group and individual research projects, create an extraordinary learning experience. The staff of this program create a totally unique atmosphere that encourages questions and learning above grades and standards. Not only were staff helpful with program-related questions or issues but they were some of the best advisors I had ever met. Much better than anyone I'd talked to at my home institution. I came away more educated, more driven, and more confident. I now know what I want to do and how to get there, and I am confident that this program has change my life drastically for the better.

This program really exceeded my expectations. The total of four weeks of travel around the country allowed us to see some really cool places, camp, hike, snorkel, and learn about a variety of ecosystems. Learning is really hands on and includes lectures (usually outdoors or on hikes), group projects, mini-research projects, etc. While living at the station in Monteverde, there are some more traditional classes, but also time to explore the forest and town, take Spanish classes once a week, and go on field trips for the humans in the tropics class. The last month involves living with a homestay family and conducting an independent research project, which is a really unique opportunity and super helpful for anyone wanting to do science in the future. The program is a small group of people (students and staff) who you spend nearly 24/7 with so you get to know everybody very well, which some people really like and some people do not. Compared to other study abroad programs, you will probably learn a lot more, work a lot more, and have considerably less free time. While you don't have weekends free to travel on your own, etc. you get to go to so many different places in the country (plus a week in Panama) and do a ton of fun activities while the classes are going on, so this was a positive thing for most people. You learn as much Spanish as you put into it. Classes are in english and you are spending most of your time with other americans, but if you really want to learn, there is plenty of opportunity and the homestay gives you that chance. If you don't really like learning about ecology, nature, biology, etc. this program is probably not for you, though some people came into the program from non-ecology majors and discovered that they really enjoyed learning something different and loved all the outdoor activities. All in all, I learned more during my semester in Costa Rica than in any semester back home, met some great friends, and had a lot of fun.

The beauty of this program is the diversity of ways in which the curriculum is taught to you. I would say that the entire program is split up into three different parts. The reason this worked so well was that it allowed people to gain information in different ways and seeing as everyone learns differently it has something to offer to anyone who might go.

The three parts were split up into field trips, normal classroom setting, and independent research. There is over four weeks of field trip throughout the program which allows for real hand on learning out in nature. Personally I found this very helpful because I am a very hands on visual learner. Actually hiking through a primary forest and talking about a tree that is right in front of you is much different than sitting in a classroom looking at a picture of it. The classroom setting portion allowed us to talk much more in depth about what we had already seen on the field trips and also learn valuable scientific skills such as reading manuscripts, and working with stats. The last portion, individual research, seemed to be the most unique portion of the program. While I know of many other programs that require their students to do research, I felt that CIEE, in particular, had their students go much more in depth than is usual. For starters, it is a month long portion of your overall studies which allows for real results to be recorded. The professors are helping you every step of the way by advising you in choosing a topic, writing research proposals, setting up trials, and finally writing a finished research paper as if it were to be published. Seeing as it is out of the ordinary for undergraduate students to have research experience this is something that can really help to set you apart in the future.

Overall this is a great program and I would recommend it to anyone that is passionate about ecology and is also ready to be challenged to progress their scientific knowledge at a faster rate than they ever have before.

I chose this program because academic advisors assured me that it would be fun, more intellectually challenging and research-focused than other ecology programs. The faculty and TAs are absolutely wonderful people who are fun, supportive, and have created a program which as physically and mentally exhausting as it is rewarding. I was never that outdoorsy, so a program with this much time in the bush was way outside of my comfort zone. I had the time of my life, met lifelong friends, and know more about plant identification than I likely will ever need to as a microbiologist. I have pushed many friends to considering this program because I really don't think it gets much better than Alan, Johel, and Kathy. Pura vida!