I wish I could say that the experience of studying abroad changed me forever; I am now smarter, more confident, more politically aware, and I know what I want to do with my life. Not true. But the experience has indeed changed me. I’ve learned that I am never alone because wherever I go I will be able to make friends. Speaking the same language and being familiar with the same cultural mores are not requirements for getting to know others. There is something powerfully human that stretches beyond race, religion, and creed.

I also learned about the powerful heartache of leaving behind dear ones. When you study abroad you miss your home but when you return home you miss the family that you established while in your host country. There are people who I grew to love while abroad who I will never see again. And there is not really anybody to talk about this with because I don’t want to be that girl who starts every conversation with “And one time in Costa Rica…” Jokes aren’t as funny and stories aren’t as meaningful to those who don’t share your experience. So instead my memories live inside me and in the words and images of this blog. Though my Costa Rica experience will probably not color the rest of my life it emerges as smiles in my daydreams and lessons learned expressed through my choices.

To quote my study abroad advisor Brian Souders, “When you get back from studying abroad people want to hear 3 words: It was great!” My profs in CR even recommended coming up with a 30 second speal to share. It’s hard to do! I often find myself tongue tied trying to explain it all.

As far as reverse culture shock goes I had three big surprises. I forgot how clean the US is! The city streets in Washington D.C., New York, and Baltimore have hardly any trash compared to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. In addition the asphalt is so smooth and well maintained. At first DC didn’t look real because the wide flat streets were perfect; I can imagine how excited someone flying into Reagan or Dulles for the first time from another country must feel. As an American I tend to be very critical but we are so lucky for our civil liberties and access to resources.

Another shock, which I was expecting was the materialism and wastefulness of our culture. I visited my friends as they were moving out at the end of the year and we found computers, lazy boy chairs, desks, wrapped cigars, new stuffed animals with labels, and other perfectly good items in the dumpster. College students should be smart enough to realize their connection to the earth and that it is better to reuse or give something away than send it to sit in a landfill. Needless to say I kept many nice items from dumpster diving. After move out, I stayed with my boyfriend and his family at the beach and I was shocked at the amount of packaging and how much food was wasted.

My third big surprise was the diversity of the United States. Besides the Caribbean, I had not really seen any black people in CR. It’s so cool that in any random 7-11 on the East Coast you are likely to find people who are Catholic, Jewish, Pacific Islanders, Irish, African American, Indian…this list goes on. I love UMBC because of its student body’s diversity in background, thought, and color.

Something that has kept me from pining away for Costa Rica is keeping busy. Like I promised I spent time in Gettysburg with my brother and Grandma. I traveled to New York to get ideas for my Costa Rica photography exhibit in September. Most weekends I still headed out to the beach; Sandy Point State Park, Flag Ponds, Ocean City, Cape Henelopen and more. I have also gone salsa and swing dancing. Life is not as exotic now but it still deserves to be lived with full zest. I got an REU grant to study the effectiveness of stream restoration on reducing Nitrogen inputs into the Cheasapeake Bay thus reducing Dead Zones. And I have been hard at work organizing for the next year as president of UMBC’s Students for Environmental Awareness. Being abroad and seeing the rainforests and their inhabitants has increased my commitment to doing my part to help protect our planet.

I emphatically recommend studying abroad to anyone who has the chance because it helps broaden your perspective so that you understand a little bit more of the home you share with Earth’s ~6.5 billion other citizens. Plus you’ll have good stories for when you grow old.

My last view of the valley of Atenas, “the best climate in the world.”

For me Costa Rica has been the sweet, sticky flavor of Valencia orange juice that I suck off my fingers after using my teeth to peel the warm fruit that I pulled from the tree using a six foot wooden pole with a green net at the end.

Like myself, the orange and mango trees are not native but we thrive in this land of warm people. I leave the seeds and peel in the dirt as I ascend to class with a trickle of shiny orange juice drying to the inside of my knee. Beside me hangs a string of colorful sarongs drying in the sun.

This rainbow collection that has grown together over the past 90 days will split and fly away tomorrow with their respective owners. More than bright cloths; memories of gallo pinto, bumpy roads, slow sunsets, and lush forests will color our lives.

Over the next couple decades our new knowledge will be manifested in action from Vermont to Vietnam to Vegas, Cali and the Chesapeake, Japan, Michigan, El Salvador and beyond. May we always act locally for global change.

Everyone leaving from our last academic excersize, a presentation of our research to the MINAE, the Costa Rican ministry of the environment.

Sunset from standing on the rocks as the tide rose at Playa Esterillo.

La Presa, Rio Tarcoles, y Playa Esterillo

This past week I’ve been:

Dancing in the rain,

Sunbathing on the rocks,

Laughing with stray dogs,

Chasing little crabs,

Running up mountain tops,

Picking trash up off the beach,

And singing under the stars.

I’m falling in love again with each new day!

Tidal pools at Playa Esterillo on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

Environmental Science is not always learned best in a classroom and luxury hotels are not always the nicest way to travel. Take for example, the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis. Fall term, sophomore year I took Dr. Swan’s Ecology class and had to memorize and be able to interpret a graph with a convex curve; disturbance level was on the “x” axis and biodiversity was on “y” axis. I explained the chart and aced my exam but I never truly understood the concept until yesterday.

Laura from Hawaii stands in front of our tent site in Margarita’s front yard a few meters from the Pacific Ocean.

As you might have read in my last entry, Karen’s host mom Hilda’s brother Beto, has a friend Minor, whose mother Margarita has a place at Playa Esterillos. To get there we walked southwest along the beach until we came upon a house with a boat in front of it. Though I was a little nervious, it was easy to find. Our hosts were lovely, Margarita is an excellent chef—great gallo pinto! And we got to camp out for free!

Starbuck uses a coconut shell to display some cowry shells and a purple barnacle she collected off the Esterillo beach.

Starbuck said that this is the way she always travels; She doesn’t pay lots of money for hotel reservations. She only travels places where she knows someone so that they can give her advice on the best sites. I’ve decided I want to travel as much as possible using social network connections. This is so amazing to stay right on the beach and have hot delicious food! It would have cost so much more to stay in a hotel and we would have had to spend time and money for transportation to the beach and restaurants. Pura vida, baby!

A tiny crab the size of my fingernail.

When I went out to walk into the tidal pools I was astonished by the shear quantity and diversity of life surrounding me. One crab, two crab, red crab, blue crab! There were crabs with spots and crabs with dots. Some wore houses; others ran and hid like mouses. Some the size of a meal; others had claws to small for you to feel. Dr. Suess aside, I couldn’t comprehend at first the magnitude of the diversity? Along with the crabs, there were blowfish and little fish that looked like Nemo. I asked myself, “Self, why are there so many different species in this small area and so few on a giant stretch of beach in Ocean City. Then I saw the tide rising and thought about the disturbance level here. Every day these little tidal pools are reburied and uncovered with the tide.

At Playa Esterillo there were crabs of assorted colors, shapes, and sizes. Some hid under rocks others had homes in the sand.

This constant state of change created a variety of niches for different species to fill. Some crabs evolved to tunnel in the sand others to hid in cracks in rocks and hermits found safety in used shells. Because the environment here is constantly changing there is not one species that does best and dominates, therefore, a greater variety can survive together. Magnificent! Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis, thanks Dr. Swan.

Laura hangs out by the mermaid statue above crab land at Playa Esterillo. I just coined the name “crab land” in case you had any doubts.

I loved exploring the land of the crabs. It reminded me of the video game my brother showed me before I left where you roll and giant ball and stuff sticks to it (yeah- I know that was specific J). Where Laura is sitting was underwater about two hours after the shot. In the interim period, I traveled around the rocks exploring nooks and cranies. Sometimes I would hold really still and watch them come out from hiding. I’m glad I don’t have any animal phobias because it was almost scary how many there were. Then as so as I moved they all scurried into hiding. When the water level got too high at sunset (see the top pic), I rejoined my friends. They were more interested in splashing around drinking Imperial than chasing crabs—yeah, I know I’m a dork.

The stray dog who adopted us and followed us everywhere without begging. He even slept outside our tent so we named him Gaurdo.

A sweet stray we name Gaurdo had adopted them. He stayed with us after a dinner of gallo pinto, fresh caught fish (for the non-vegetarians), fried plaintains, and a shredded salad with fresh tamarind and papaya smoothies. Once we had eaten our fill, we spread our sarongs out on the beach so that we could sit on them and sing along to Gina’s guitar.

Guardo playing in the tidal pools at sunrise on Playa Esterillo.

Though I myself am not musically talented, (couldn’t you tell by my photos that I’m a visual thinker?) I have a great appreciate and love for musicians. Live music makes me so happy. We made a circle of people using each others bellies as headrests and looked at the clear sky above. This was the night I saw the most shooting stars in my entire life! Brenna, who is the niece of the base player from the Grateful Dead, taught us “Broke down palace” –I think it’s called. I wish I could remember artist and song names but I just remember the tune.

The lesson I learned from watching Guardo, a classic latino player, stand by us and then jump from group to group, is to relish life and those around you and expect nothing in return.

It was so much fun just harmonizing along. I love Gina’s attitude that anyone can sing. It makes jamming really fun. It reminds me of how my mom says anyone can be an artist you just have to express yourself. Once again the tie back to study abroad – going abroad will make you much more likely to travel hours for just a night on the coast. Do it for the beautiful moments!

My posse and I try and catch a bus. We had to stand on the several hour ride home from Jaco to Atenas so we all ended up sitting in a people pile in the aisle and some tourists took our picture because they thought we looked cute.

My most recent pic of Poas Volcano; once again deemed safe to visit!

Pura vida! Today was the first time I was able to sleep through the roosters crowing and stay asleep until 7 AM. We are starting our directed research today. It is a great feeling to have nothing I have to do besides write my blog and focus on the Poás Volcano project. Still wearing my pajamas, Raven’s boxer shorts and Carrie’s navy tank top, I took the long way through the gardens to breakfast. The green beans we planted six weeks ago are now heavily laden with long crisp vegetables. I greedily munched on them and then picked a bunch to share with my friends. But I was sidetracked when I saw Fabian and asked him to see the two week old puppies. There are two baby girl Doberman pinchers, one red like their mom and one black like their dad Binki. Yesterday, the pudgy puppies first opened their eyes. The mom is very gentle and she let me hold them. There a few things as sweet as baby puppies. Period.

I love lazy days! It was a shame that it took me and Karen from 10 AM – 3 PM to format and edit the survey we will be asking 150 people who live outside of Poas Park. But I can’t complain considering the fact that I am in beautiful Costa Rica and there are lots of goodies in the kitchen to snack on like hot, fresh empanadas (pastries stuffed with pineapple and other fruit).

After finishing data entry, I hung out in the pool with Sue and Amy and sewed my white skirt and tank top. We are having trouble dealing with the concept of free time after the first two months which were so intensively micromanaged. But I don’t feel I can possibly get bored. I want to travel but I’m being lazy about organizing a trip. I really want to go Scuba diving before I leave. I feel like I’m the only one who isn’t feeling broke right now. I budgeted to spend $800 and I have only spent $450 so far. Grrr. I want travel buddies with money!

Brenna stands in the wind at the look out point in front of Poas Volcano on the day the park resumed normal hours because it was deemed safe again.

Tonight after making mint icing for Erin’s chocolate cake with mint that Karen and I picked from the herb garden, Starbuck joined me out in the hammocks and read aloud the beginning of a book that I think is called Dog Days. She’s got a clear, even reading voice. The nights have gotten so warm that I no longer need a big sleeping bag instead I just use the sheet Carrie sewed into a bag. I cannot emphasize enough how much I love going to sleep peeking out at the stars and listening to all the night sounds. It’s almost like a religion.

Underside of a “Poor Man’s Umbrella.”

Yoshi and Meg sit by “Poor Man’s Umbrella’s” that have been damaged by acid rain caused by the recent volcanic activity of Poas Volcano.

In the morning, I woke up and noticed that a new tree is blooming with yellow blossoms I have never seen before. Glorious! I skip out on running, roll onto my belly, and watch the birds until it’s time to shower (I hate showering without running because the icy water sends pins and needles through your spine and you end up either arching your back so that just your head gets wet or doing a modified Harlem shake because it’s that cold! But if you go running it feels great.) I eat crunchy granola with runny yogurt and pack an unappetizing cheese sandwich for lunch before popping on the 7 AM bus.

A view out our van window of the valley below.

Friday was our first day of surveys in the communities outside of Volcan Poas National Park. Our 12 member directed research project divided into 4 groups to tackle the interview. I worked with the lovely Yoshi from Japan and Karen from El Salvador. Our countries of origin were a great ice breaker for some of the interviews with people who had spent their entire lives in the small neighborhood of Poasito outside Volcan Poas National Park.

One of the many businesses we interviewed to determine the economic impact of the volcanic eruptions.

Oil slick on the parking lot in front of the above souvenir shop. Yes I get carried away taking pictures!

Yoshi, Karen, and I took turns leading our interviews. We always insisted that as a native Spanish speaker, Karen go first so that we could imitate her during the following interviews. I really appreciated how kind and supportive Karen was with our Spanish grammar and pronunciation. I still have trouble with the double “r” sound of the word sujerencias (which means suggestions).

An Easter Week Parade outside of Volan Poas National Park.

The Ticos we interviewed on Friday were very warm and welcoming. Many invited us inside to sit. (I’ve decided that whenever anyone comes to my door for an interview I will invite them in and give them cookies). Most people were completely fine with us playing with their dogs and picking up and coddling their babies. They just laughed if the baby started to cry. There were adorable toddlers and fuzzy puppies in this town of strawberry farmers. Our last two interviews of the day were both at the same house where we talked to an elderly gentleman while his 18 year old granddaughter filled it out. The intergenerational differences were striking in that the older people didn’t seem to grasp the concept of rating the strength of their belief on a scale of 1-5. They offered antidotes as to why they felt the way they did but ranking was a foreign idea. In contrast the younger generation quickly filled out the surveys themselves rather than dictating their answers.

Fresh Produce for sale in Poasito, Costa Rica.

Saturday, we had a strange source of error; competition with Jehovah’s witnesses. Simultaneously as we were conducting our survey Saturday morning, Jehovah’s witnesses were sharing their religious views. Like us these messengers were college aged and dressed nicely, except they carried umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun. All of the houses that had their doors wide open on Friday were locked up with bolted gates. Humorously we knew people were home from the many radios blasting and the chatter that could be heard from the kitchens. But no use. Some of the surveys were conducted by passing the paper through the barred gate to a child who ran it into their parents and then waiting patiently for it to be eventually returned. Though funny, it was rather frustrating. A slogan that Chelsea coined for our T-shirts was, “We are here to save the world…We don’t care about your souls!” Don’t you think everyone would love that? hehe J

Sue, Chelsea, Brenna, and Erin group hug while interviewing in front of a grocery store.

My favorite aspects of conducting these interviews are getting to practice Spanish, meet new people, and try local cuisine like empanadas de papas (similar to a Cornish Pasty) and strawberry milkshakes. Did I mention strawberry milkshakes? Oh, yeah strawberry milkshakes. You know those expensive Costa Rican grown strawberries you get year round in the Food Lion and Safeway? I just got to try some of them fresh off the vine from a local farmer who was late to work but felt bad about denying us a survey. He left for work at 11:15 AM when he was supposed to be there at 11. I love Tico time!

Yoshi and Karen enjoy his gift of fresh picked organic strawberries!

Now I’m going to try and hail a cab to Playa Estarilla which is supposed to have lots of fossils and a giant stone sculture of a couple making love in the surf. I’ve never been there. But Karen’s host Mom’s brother Beto called his friend who runs a fishing boat out there and he said we could camp for free in his backyard. Beto told us to take the second road past Playa Hermosa to the beach, walk along the beach until we find two restaurants. Then I’m supposed to ask the restaurant owner where Minor Mora lives and he should point me to his cabin. None of these people speak English.

I’m doubting myself a little, but hey you only live once. Wish me luck.

Luv,

Tammy

Our first April rain drops on the flowers outside our dorm.

We had a group of 4 guys from Lyndon State College in Vermont come and help with a GIS directed research project. I chose to work on the Poás Volcáno project instead of the GIS because I wanted to work on my Spanish by conducting interviews, but I do feel that GIS has many useful applications.

The Vermont guys were friendly, nice people, but one of them shocked me with his attitude. He refused to try the food. Instead of eating fresh, tree-picked mangoes and oranges, he only ate slim jims, Cheez-its, and other pre-packaged junk foods.

The sun peering through the clouds after the rain.

While swinging on the hammocks at the vista with Brenna, I was astonished to hear him complain, “I’m bored! There’s nothing to do around here!” I don’t think I could ever run out of things to do here with the gardens, the library, my friends, art supplies, music, swimming in the pool, (laying by the pool pretending to do homework), and watching the birds. I was a little offended by his comment because for me this place is paradise and it has become like a second home.

My after-rain self-portrait.

This guy was one of the first I’ve met with whom I felt I couldn’t communicate. I told him about the hike to a nearby dam and the Blue-crowned Mot Mot. Having something to search for seemed to entertain and cheer him up.

Chickens roost in the tree tops every night to go to bed.

Maybe being in Costa Rica for a semester has changed me because now I feel more laid back. PURA VIDA! The literal meaning of the saying is pure life. For example, if I asked my host brother, “¿Como estás? How are you?” he answers, “İPura vida!”

Pura vida, is more than just a catchy phrase. Here it is a state of mind. It is being able to sit down and simply enjoy the company and talents of those around you without thinking about your mental to-do list. It’s being happy to do nothing, and not constantly needing a new, flashy toy or source of entertainment.

The moon through the trees above the vista.

Two other major changes have been the absence of my car and cheap cell phone minutes. Their exclusion from my life has required greater organization and time management. Without a car you need to be able to hail a ride/taxi or know the bus schedule.

Karen hanging out in front of the moon.

Also, group travel becomes a must for sharing cab fares, safety, and translating. I’ve actually enjoyed not carrying a cell phone (though one would have been useful at times) because my life and thoughts aren’t constantly being interrupted. Instead I can focus more on the people around me. (This sounds pretty obvious, but I’m the girl who would call her friends while getting my food to ask where they were sitting in the dining hall instead of taking the time to go look.) When I get home I will probably start carrying my cell phone again, but it will stay on vibrate. Also I will make an effort not to answer it while in the library, restaurants, or other places where it is rude. Like I predicted before I came I am not a new person, but I have grown.

The School for Field Studies vista of the valley lights below.

On a side note: tonight I had a peaceful conversation with Miriam about religion and how we felt there were many pathways to the same heaven and that the most important thing is that you are a good person (I know “good” is a gray term). She went to a catholic school, and she recalled how one of her favorite teachers said that someone who has never stepped into a church could be as good of a Christian as a regular churchgoer. This conversation is significant because by birthright I’m Jewish and she Muslim with Kurdish Iraqi parents. The funny thing is that this fact didn’t hit either of us until half-way through the conversation, at which point we were both like, “Cool!” Communication is the key to peace. I do believe the pen can be mightier than the sword.

Yay, culture class! We had two very skilled high schoolers give a presentation of traditional Costa Rican dances. Above they are wearing typical Puntarenas costumes. These costumes are blue to represent the sea because it was traditionally a fishing village. The fact that there was only lace along the bottom symbolizes poverty. Her large skirt moved like ocean waves

After their performance, they asked for volunteers from the audience to give it a try. Yoshi and I stepped up to the plate, and had a great time trying to mimic her swirls and twirls.

After the initial lesson everyone was invited to join it! Lauren, follows Sue, Julia, and our teacher around in a circle.

This dance imitates a bull fight. One partner waves a flag and the other charges like a bull. Clockwise from left: Gina, Laura, Emily, Erin, and Yoshi.

Swing your partner, round and round, Meredith and Yoshi.

I’m not sure how traditional this dance is, but we ended the night with a limbo stick. (It was a completely different tune from the American Limbo though!) There was a notable amount of Spanish influence in all the dancing. It reminded me of a traditional dance lesson I had taken while studying abroad in Spain for two weeks in high school. All of the motions were very bold, proud and swanky. Though our teacher is an excellent dancer, she told us over dinner afterwards than she plans on studying science in college because it will offer her more career opportunities than dance.

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Side note: Guess what! I just found out that my Costa Rica photography is going to be featured in a two man art exhibit in September at Tuttle Gallery in Owings Mills, Maryland in September with a painter. So I’m going to get to work with a photographer teacher in a dark room and print up large scale photos to display and sell! Joy! Thank you Mrs. Olethea Devane, Head of the McDonogh School Art Department, and of course thank you, Mom!

Note: Not all of the above photos are mine because I set my camera down on a chair and told my friends to take pictures while I was dancing.

Early Morning images from the bus in Nicaragua:
-well fed high school girls in pressed white button down shirts and knee length navy skirts
-tops of walls imbedded with security system of broken glass bottles
-bright colored homes and businesses in teal, pink, yellow, and red with crisp clean lines demarking property boundaries
-mangy dogs with their ribs grossly protruding
-A white haired man hovers over a small girl on a bicycle as he peddles alongside a major highway
-Two doe-eyed oxen pull men on a wooden cart over the paved black four lane expressway
-A woman in a denim skirt balances a two foot tall bag of bread loaves on her head
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So after me sharing Poás, Arenal, and Masaya, I’m sure you want to hear about another volcano. lol. Mombacho Volcano was known by the indigenous people as the “mountain of steep walls.” In 1570 it erupted and destroyed small indigenous settlements and killed around 400 people. For scale, Mombacho (1,345 meters above sea level) is taller than Masaya but not as big as Poás ( 2,700 m) or Arenal ( m). We took a tour on the Puma trail around Volcán Mombacho National Park which is home to 50 species of mammals, 174 birds, 30 reptiles, and 750 vascular plants. We didn’t see any pumas but one was just killed in Irazu, Costa Rica when it wandered down from the mountains into an urban area over the Easter weekend. Authorities tried to tranquilize and then catch it but it didn’t receive enough tranquilizers so it ended up strangling itself trying to get free.

Yours truly, monkeying around on Mombacho Volcano on two rocks that according to my guide split apart during an earthquake.

The tour guide in Nicaragua wasn’t as good as the guides in Costa Rica. He just kinda walked and then would stop and read signs. It made me realize why Costa Rica is the leader in ecotourism because their guides are charming, carry scopes and guidebooks, and share lots of anecdotes about the plants, animals, and geology. If you are a novice ecologist and want an entertaining, educational tour go to Costa Rica. It you want something more rugged without as much explanation where you have to do a bit more of your own exploring go to Nicaragua. If time is your limiting factor I would hit Costa Rica and if money is your limiting factor I would go to Nicaragua. Both are spectacularly beautiful.

My roommate, Megan on the steep Puma trail.

One of the Mombacho volcano’s fumerals, which are holes in the ground that release hot gases.

A wet, shivering Starbuck decides to dive into a warm fumeral.

This is what happens when Starbucks mess with fumerals. (Her idea)
A view of Lake Nicaragua from the top of Mombacho Volcano. Lake Nicaragua is the Spanish name, the native people call it Lake Cocibolca which means “the sweet sea.” From up here I could see my morning running trail.
My classmates standing among the clouds look down into the valley at historical Granada.
Check out the sheer density of life on a single tree! Our guide said there were more species of plants on one tree in the cloud forest than in a entire forest in England.
If you keep your eyes open you can find beautiful wild orchids like this.If you keep your eyes open you can find beautiful wild orchids like this.

Thursday I slept in until 6 AM then went on a 6:30 AM (instead of 5:30 AM) run with Sue and Mare, our Student Affairs Manager (who I am excited to announce got into Johns Hopkins Graduate School). We ran on the sidewalk alongside Lake Nicaragua under the shade of palm trees. The air smelled like urine because we passed open sewers which fed raw sewage from the homes and businesses of Granada into the Lake. Despite the stench, the flat terrain and low elevation made it really easy to run long distances.

Unlike Costa Rica, the roads in Nicaragua are well maintained and very modern. The reason for the difference is two-fold; Costa Rica has no standing army and the government of Nicaragua provides jobs for unskilled workers by hiring them for manual labor.

To stave off catcalling and random guys declaring in English, “I love you!” Mare was proactive and greeted people with a “Buenos Dias.” There is a lot of trash and broken glass alongside the lake front. I was shocked to see a group of children swimming in the water – I hope they don’t get sick. When we passed one home a big white dog started barking at us and I think all three of our hearts skipped a beat. There were lots of advertisements painted for Pepsi and Coca-Cola and some people sleeping on the street. One ubiquitous advertisement that puzzled me was “CORONA – el poder de eliger.” Translation: Corona - the ability to choose. What the hell does that mean for people in a country where 70% are illiterate and 50% live on less than a dollar a day?

After 45 minutes of jogging we were soaked by a mixture of perspiration and humidity. The cold shower in the burgundy tiled bathroom was heaven. Squeaky clean, I chowed down on a bowl of watermelon, pineapple, papaya, and cantaloupe along with a plate full of artery clogging greasy fried eggs and gallo pinto (beans and rice).

Sitting on the dock of the Lake, watching the birds fly away. We took a boat ride here around Lake Nicaragua.

Sadly, former Nicaraguan President Ortega was unable to come speak with us today but his absence did give us a more relaxed day. We took a boat ride in Lake Nicaragua around Las Isletas (literally the little islands). There are a total of 365 privately owned islands within the landlocked lake (some with starting prices as low as $1,500 to $20,000). Originally, to claim ownership, the indigenous people simply needed to build a house and occupy it. As a result of globalization, Americans and other foreigners have been buying some up to use as summer homes. Note: If you want to live on your own private island do some investigating first to make sure that your vendor actually has the right to sell it to you otherwise you may be in for a significant headache. A second note of discouragement is the water is the sink for the raw sewage of Granada and other surrounding communities and you may run into freshwater sharks—if they haven’t all been annihilated for Japanese shark fin soup.

This pink house in one of the many island homes, some grow their own fruits and vegetables but all rely on the mainland for the importation of supplies.

Now that you’ll think twice about flying down to buy one I’ll tell you about how beautiful the area is. Lots of ospreys, olvidacous cormorants, herons (tri-colored, great blue and little blue for example), egrets, and white throated magpie jays fill the air. I even saw a green headed kingfisher (sorry that’s not the scientific name – I haven’t had access to Gerardo’s guide book for a while). The view of Mombacho Volcano is just stunning. Our tour guide, Pablo Diaz Jarquin, is the principal at “La Esperanza” (literally: the hope) School.

Olvidacous cormorants, which dive under the water to hunt for fish, dry out their wings in the sun. Their favorite rocks are white tipped with guano.

Students at “La Esperanza” School on a small island in Lake Nicaragua peer curiously at us, the gringos, using their “school bus” boat.

To our surprise and delight we stopped at a small island school with beautiful clean little boys and girls dressed neatly in white button downs and navy pants. They were very excited to have visitors. One little girl proudly showed my her socks with American flags. Some of the others were more shy and only talked when spoken to. When we stepped onshore to listen to their principal’s presentation about the school, they politely went into their classroom and brought out all the little plastic chairs for us to sit in.

Pablo Diaz presents his school and tells us about their curriculum and problems.

According to the principal, 70% of his pupils will not go onto high school because they cannot afford the gas to got to the mainland and there is no high school for the children in the islands. Limiting factors for these children are access to basic school supplies like construction paper, scissors, books, and crayons. Erin smartly took down the contact information for the principal so that anyone who has the resources can reach them.

Pablo Diaz

Del Puerte Asese

800 mts. al Sur

Contigo a Hotel

Ecologico

Nicaragua, Central America

Phone: (505) 879-7719

When I go home I’m going to see if people at McDonogh School or UMBC have extra school supplies to donate. Although, it is more efficient to send money than pay for shipping I advice to send supplies over money because then you know it will actually go to the kids instead of being used for other means.

For me, it was mind boggling how changes in the price of gasoline could have such a dramatic effect of people’s lives and ability to meet their basic needs. It is true that people here could row to the mainland, but that is both labor intensive and time consuming. When people need to go grocery shopping, visit a doctor, send and receive mail, or even go to high school they need to have transportation to the mainland. With the salaries people here make, even small increases in the price of gasoline can effect whether someone attends high school or if they receive medical attention that could save their life.

After visiting the school, I took a swim with the lifeguards out to the island in the top left corner.

Red Cross lifeguards here are hard core. They train by swimming from island to island. I’m very jealous because it makes my daily laps in the swimming pool back at home seem really lame.

After visiting the lake we visited the Masaya Artisan Market. There were many handicrafts made out of wood, leather, feathers, and embroidery.

This women sketches out patterns to embroider.

Mare watches the sunset over lake Masaya.

Lake Masaya sunset. Another beautiful day in Nicaragua.

Active Masaya Volcano.

Lizzie and Maggie pose in front of the massive Masaya Volcano.

12:09 PM, TUESDAY

Yoshi, Meg, and I embrace the wind on the ridge. Photo by Karen Cruz.

This is my view while I sit and write the blog. Can you make out the larger Mombacho Volcano in the background? The dark spots on the ground are cloud shadows.

Right now I am sitting on the ridge of Masaya Volcano crater looking out over Masaya lagoon. In the background is Mombacho Volcano. Underneath me is a surprisingly comfortable pile of volcanic rock ranging in color from black to gray to burgundy and ochre. There is a strong wind so I am completely comfortable despite the hot sun. I like it here. I think I could sit all afternoon just watching the shadows of the clouds rolling across the valley below.

The melted igneous rock roof of the lava cave.

The dark areas in the cave wall are wet cracks that result from tree roots among other factors.

Nicaragua is amazing! After standing above the breathtaking crater we ventured below into a lava tube that was burned into the igneous rock when a river of flowing, hot lava spouted from the pressure below. The roof of the cavern featured what looked like a domes where large bubbles of hot gas had been trapped. Elsewhere the igneous rock ceiling looked like a freeze frame of melted, drippy liquid. The ranger, Carlos, estimated that the cave was about 800 years old.

We enter the lava tube at Masaya Volcano.

Carlos our guide at the entrance to the lava tube.

In order to simulate what it feels like to be one of the bats that inhabits the lava tube, Carlos had us all turn off our headlamps and stand quietly. Once the initial giggling subsided we heard bats and maybe crickets. I thought I could see because my vision seemed more textured than straight black darkness. But when I tried holding my hand in front of my face I realized that I truly couldn’t see anything! 15-17 meters below the earth’s surface I felt no fear, simply elation. I really loved seeing the bottom of the tree roots and breathing in the cool, sweet, damp, earthy smell.

I pose in the cave with my headlamp and the tree roots.

This is a mural of the March 16, 1772 erruption of Masaya Volcano when it emitted lava into the lagoon for several days. Locals from the town of Nindiri are depicted proceeding with religious symbols to save their homes from the volcano.

Walking back I had a chat with Carlos and I was surprised by his sense of national pride as well as his optimism for the future of his country. I chatted with Meg about my surprise and she seemed to think that as outsiders we are more objective and able to see problems. But I think it may be a cultural or an underdog thing. I am from the United States, one of the world’s wealthiest most powerful nations, yet I am full of criticism for my country. I have the freedom, time, and education to be critical. Both the United States and Nicaragua suffer from political corruption, nepotism, as well as laws and regulations that exist only on paper because they are not enforced.

A view of Masaya Volcano from our hike atop the adjacent dormant volcano.

Karen flies atop the dormant volcano with a little bit of help from Mare.

After hiking around the volcano we took a bus ride to Lake Apoyo. This freshwater lake had warm clear water. It was the first place that I have ever been able to open my eyes underwater and see without them burning! This was definitely a pleasure for me after spending 4 summers life guarding and teaching swim lessons in highly chlorinated pools. Ten feet into the lake the black sand bottom dropped away at what felt like a 45 degree angle. It was amazing to be able to swim again. This is without a doubt the most beautiful lake I have seen in my entire life. It is surrounded by palm trees with a volcano in the background. An occasional kingfisher flies above the clear, mildly brackish water. I dove, flipped, did handstands, and practiced the water polo “egg beater” kick while watching my friends propel each other through the air. I wanted to swim as long as I could and I had a very strong desire to swim laps parallel to the shore but I didn’t because I didn’t want to stress out our Red Cross Lifegaurds.

A bull wondering alongside the road at Lake Apoyo.

Motezuma Oropendula nests. Their community structure helps provide a common defense against parasitism by Giant Cowbirds.

Nicaragua’s national bird the Turquoise Browed Mot Mot.

Did you know that most Nicaraguans can’t swim? Two died in the lake this past weekend at a fancy resort. Dr. Jeff McCrary told us the disgusting story about how the resort wouldn’t let anyone get the body of the man who fell off their dock because they were concerned about negative media attention. This resort was actually built illegally inside the nature reserve. People who want to make a quick buck illegally construct homes in the nature reserve and then sell the homes to Americans and other foreigners who then have to deal with the legal repercussions. People should really do their homework before buying land.

After hiking through lava tubes and other adventures we take a dip in Lake Apoyo which according to Jeff McCrary, Ph.D has the lowest elevation of any point in Latin America. Jeff has discovered at least 3 new species of Cichlids in this Lake.

After swimming and dinner, Jeff McCrary, Ph.D. gave my favorite lecture of the entire semester. He is a passionate, intelligent environmentalist with long disheveled brown hair and common clothes. I am in complete awe and want to work with him. He’s been in Nicaragua for 18 years and is working with local artisan communities to empower them to come up with their own plans for sustainable management. Along with a partner from Spain he fights illegal developers like an Australian millionaire.

After long, hot hikes rugged chicks exfoliate with volcanic rocks to make sure their feet are soft and smooth J Photo by the lovely Mare.