Our Summer in Costa Rica, June 2010

Adíos USA

June 9th, 2010: Leaving Chicago O'Hare ... Wow! It was early in the morning. We arrived at 3:30 a.m.

Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!

June 9th, 2010: Arriving in San José, the capitol of Costa Rica.

Monteverde Cloud Forest & Canopy Tour

Here we glided through the treetops of this cloud forest where most of the wildlife reside.

The "JEWEL" of Costa Rica - Manuel Antonio

Popular because of its white sand beaches backed by an evergreen forest that grows right up to the high tide line, Manuel Antonio has quite the varied fauna with 109 species of mammals and 184 species of birds. The park includes 12 little islands just off the coast, where dolphins and, at times, migrating whales can be observed.

Nicoya, Costa Rica

Nicoya is home to the prominent Iglesia San Blas, the nation's oldest church, which dates back to the 17th century. Although the adobe church is under constant renovation, a collection of pre-Colombian artifacts can be observed within.

Unlike the nearby beaches on the coast, Nicoya offers no resorts or tidbits of North American culture, only authentic Costa Rica culture.

Nicoya is comprised of a well educated population. Nicoya has two public high schools, several public elementary schools and one Catholic elementary and high school, San Ambrosia.

Our homestay family experience

The homestay families enjoy hosting students, and many time life long friendships are realized. The families come from all walks of life and their incomes vary. There are families of modest income and other families who are relatively affluent, but where ever you get placed the families welcome you with open arms.

Pottery Village of Guatíl

Palo Verde National Park

We took a river boat trip through the jungle of Palo Verde. Wildlife in the park includes howler and white face monkeys, coatimundi, giant iguanas, crocodiles and lots of birds, both local and migratory, among many others. June isn't the optimal time to spot wildlife only because it is winter in Costa Rica and many birds have already left the area. However, we were still able to see a family of howler monkeys, large crocodiles and baby crocodiles, many different bird species, iguanas, and sleeping bats.