When I first saw the brochure ”Field Studies in Costa Rica,” I thought to myself, “Wow! A nine-day trip to Costa Rica? Impossible!” I thought it was impossible because I never would have thought I would get the opportunity to travel to another country until I at least finished up college with some type of degree. Fortunately, I took advantage of the opportunity, thanks to my parents, a very helpful scholarship, and a close friend of mine who inspired me about rainforests in a whole new way.

I first learned about rainforests in kindergarten, which were referred to as, “the jungles.” The jungles were described as tropical rainforests that receives rain all year round and contains many trees, plants, insects, and other animals. At first, I feared the tropical rainforests by reason of biting snakes, giant bugs, and massive cats such as the jaguar that live in these types of habitats. I was terrified in behalf of getting bit by the poisonous snakes or even eaten-alive by a jaguar.

It was until one day in high school, a very close friend of mine was peering through a book on rainforests. He began to explain about the Indians that live in the tropical rainforests, all the different types of animals, plants that had medicinal values, and my personal favorite, the orchids. I was inspired by the information I was hearing and repressed what I learned about “the jungles” in kindergarten.

Before I went to Costa Rica, I had images of the tropical rainforests as one would see in books and videos. I had pictures in my mind of lush green vegetation, morning mists of moisture, animals free at play, and nothing but the pure beauty of nature. Of course I still had in mind my fears of poisonous snakes, immense bugs, and the dreadful jaguar.

The months rushed right through the semester and the day finally arrived when it was time to depart the United States and take off to a country I have never been, also which I have been anxiously waiting to visit. Anticipation struck my bones throughout the whole plane ride going to San Jose, Costa Rica, leaving me with insomnia. When we finally landed in San Jose, I could feel the heat and humidity of the tropics. I felt as though I were home in Hawaii, which filled me up with more excitement.

I learned that Costa Rica was not what I had expected it to be like when I first arrived there, it was better! The drives on the dirt roads were not earth shaking to some people in the class, but to me, it was a blast. I thought it was fun because I had experienced something new. Many of the plants and trees jogged my memories of when I was growing up in Hawaii. As we got deeper into the mountains, I was picturing the rainforest the way I have been seeing it in my mind from the time I was in kindergarten. But, it was very different. It was a lot drier than I expected it to be. I pictured rain and mists from all the moisture each day hovering over us with loud exotic birds singing to one another, monkeys passing through from tree to tree, and snakes clinging to branches of trees as we walked through the rainforests. The part I feared the most were the snakes, but I never saw a single one in the wild while we were in Costa Rica. Learning that snakes were rarely seen made me feel a lot more relaxed and confident. The animals were hidden quite well in the evergreen rainforests, so we all had to look, listen, and freeze quickly to see what it was that we heard or saw.

Besides learning that the tropical rainforests in Costa Rica were different from what I had pictured in my mind because of books and videos, I also learned much more about orchids.

I fell in love with orchids a couple of years ago when I lived in Hawaii and enjoyed growing cultivated orchids as a hobby for over a year. Having a passion for orchids, it was amazingly beautiful to see them grow naturally in the canopies of the forests of Costa Rica.

Before the trip, I did some thinking that orchids would not be seen unless you climb the trees up to the canopy layer because I had no idea what to expect of the tropical rainforests. Fortunately, I was wrong. The orchids shined as if they were treasures that grew on trees. Many trees were coated at the top with orchids, bromeliads, and other epiphytes appearing as if it were a thick green carpet. A classmate and I studied the orchids at both sites and gained more knowledge about these amazing wonders of the rainforests. An interesting observation that we noticed at both sites was that the orchids in San Luis, which is in the mountains, grew on thick moss mats. In San Miguel, which is on the Pacific Coast, grew on the bare branches of the trees. We came to the conclusion that in San Luis, there is more moisture throughout the year, making conditions well suited for the growth of mosses. Debris accumulates in the moss, causing the mats to thicken. In San Miguel, the forests are dry, which is not ideal for the growth of mosses.

Last but not least, I learned that having a “buddy” or someone to hike with on the trails is an advantage. The days are not very long in the tropics, resulting in the sun going down fast in the afternoon, if one decides to take an afternoon hike. I almost got lost several times in the afternoon on a few trails. I became terrified when it started to get darker and darker, but I felt comforted by having a buddy with me. Not only does a buddy comfort you, but also at the same time, you get to share your feelings with that person and the interesting things you might come across.

In conclusion, the trip to Costa Rica was very intriguing and exciting. I gained a lot of knowledge from the naturalists, Doctors Milton and Diana Lieberman, and the class. Costa Rica inspired me in so many ways that words could not explain. It made such a huge impact in my life that I am devoted to help protect and save these beautiful wonders of the world.