An incredible adventure with incredible people

If you're into nature, science, biology, the outdoors, or any of the above, I really can't recommend this program too strongly. Spending a semester in one of the most beautiful places in the world with a group of friends (none of whom I knew before the arriving) who share my passion for the natural world was a defining piece of my college experience, and a decision that I am incredibly glad I made.

The whole staff is great--they all know their stuff when it comes to science, but they're also genuinely awesome people to lead you around Costa Rica and be your friends for 3-4 months. The program they have arranged is set up perfectly, with plenty of time spent in beautiful Monteverde, enough to make it feel like a real home, but also enough travel time on the field trips to really explore the country (and Panama, one of my favorite parts of the trip). The workload can be a lot, and is probably more than most study abroad programs require, but the lessons add to the experience, and I walked away feeling like I learned a huge amount about where I was, and biology in general. And how many abroad programs have you take on an independent research project, which may have the potential to be published? One minor criticism might be that since the workload was concentrated in the Monteverde sections (not that I would want to have been working on the field trips), some of us felt like we didn't have as much time as we might have to fully explore the town and the surrounding cloud forest.

There are a million stories I could tell from the trip, from scaling waterfalls and swimming amidst bioluminescent waves, to getting way too close to eyelash vipers and bullet ants for the perfect photo, and partying with friends at Monteverde's very own Bar Amigos. But the most valuable thing I can say is that if you're considering this program, apply today and make your own stories!