The Time Has Come, The Toucan Said...

It's hard to believe, but my time here in Costa Rica is essentially over! In just a few hours, I'll be on a plane headed back to the United States and real life.

The last few days finished up in a blur- we had to rewrite our papers, and in addition complete our final exams. Both went well I think- I know at least the exams did. Also we had a friend visit the night before our exams, which I interpret as a sign of good luck:

Following the furious writing of our two research papers, a friend and I ended up hiking to the back of the La Selva property, where we saw a couple beautiful views of the river and saw some really cool wildlife:

We also made a friend.

The next site we ended up going to was a few miles away and a couple meters below Cuerici Biological Station. We arrived at the Quetzal Mountain Lodge really excited to detox from the past few stressful days. We were a little nervous because we were told that the place was cold (barely), but it ended up being the perfect place for us to relax before heading home. The food was delicious, there was a fireplace (which s'mores were made in), and the views were gorgeous. 

We also had the opportunity to go on a hike with the owners of the hotel, who showed us around the forest that surrounded the hotel. We actually got to see a quetzal, which was probably one of the coolest things that I've seen on this trip. 

Yay for crappy pictures through a scope!

In addition, the forest itself was gorgeous. I absolutely loved hanging out in there (but the high altitudes did get to me after a while- I had a case of the sniffles while we were there).

Today we returned to San Jose to finish up a few things at the OTS offices before we went souvenir shopping. It was a little strange to return to San Jose, especially knowing that it was for the last time. But I definitely prefer city life in the States more than I do here.

Tonight is our last dinner as our little OTS family. It's kind of weird to think that I'm leaving Costa Rica, especially since this trip has been something I've been looking forward to for a very long time. It's also going to be strange to not see the same people every day that I have been. The 11 of us have gotten really close over the past months, and I know I'm going to miss each and every one of them. Not to mention, the professors of this program have been absolutely great, and I really enjoyed taking their classes. 

My participation in OTS has been one of the best decisions that I have made. The course caused me to think more critically about the environment and research. I've come to have a greater appreciation of biology and research. Working in habitats like the ones that I've experienced here in Costa Rica has only made me realize how little we actually know about the world that we live in. The unknown may be frightening to some people, but I find that it encourages me to dig deeper and understand the way the world works in a biological sense. 

I've loved every second that I've been here in Costa Rica, and I'm so sad to see it go. I know that I will return (hopefully in the near future?) and continue to enjoy what this country has to offer. So, thank you Costa Rica, for teaching me so much. 

Pura vida.