“There!” Our guide suddenly got our attention and pointed at the tops of the moss-coated trees of the cloud forest we were in. We instantly became silent and sprinted from our bus to the top of a nearby hill, following his lead. He stopped and gestured again. I looked, and my breath was taken away. There were three spectacular bright metallic green birds, the Resplendent Quetzals we had been waiting over an hour to see. The male had a tail twice as long as he was, elegantly draped behind him like ribbons.

This was one of the highlights from my time on study abroad. The program, titled “Ecology and Environmental Studies in Costa Rica,” was led by two professors, an ornithologist and an entomologist. Naturally, it featured many hikes with lots of birding and looking for insects. Additionally, we had academic time with lectures, readings, and quizzes. We covered a variety of topics, including ecology, rainforest characteristics, bird, and insect taxonomy, and more.

While I had several favorite aspects of the program, getting to observe an incredible variety species in their natural habitat was amazing. My favorite animals included scarlet macaws, four types of monkey, blue morpho butterflies, red-eyed tree frogs, and many birds that were endemic to Costa Rica. Additionally, I was constantly blown away by the beauty of the country everywhere we went—whether we were driving through the mountains, hiking in the rain forest, or on a boat in the ocean, the views were simply amazing! I also loved the special moments with my new friends, whether we were at a nice restaurant or having random conversations on the bus.

This program provided me with several benefits as a college student. Being a piano major is an immersive experience and, consequently, time-consuming, leaving little space to be exposed to other fields. Birding is a huge passion of mine, and I had hoped to take related classes but had not yet been able to. This summer program was great opportunity! An ecology-based course was perfect, making me fall more in love with nature while emphasizing the importance of the environment and the direct impact I have on it. Additionally, I made progress toward my degree, with the credit counting toward my natural science requirement. I also did an honors option project and am now ahead by one, which opens up my schedule slightly in the fall.

On a separate note, while it was not required to speak the language, I am close to fluent in Spanish. Getting to use it daily gave me more confidence, reminding me that I don’t have to speak perfectly to communicate effectively. The ability to speak a second language is helpful in the job market, and the more experience I get, the better. Additionally, Costa Rica opened my eyes to different things, such as how much trash I normally throw out, how many sugary foods are in the typical American diet, and how much time I’d normally spend on my phone. Since coming back home I have changed some of my habits accordingly.

I am extremely thankful to have had the opportunity to study abroad and am grateful for the generous donors who helped make it possible. Getting to study the environment and observe the incredible biodiversity of the tropics while making progress toward my degree was a fantastic experience. I will treasure the memories and takeaways from this program for the rest of my life.

Name: Kelly Bohan
Status: Junior
Major: Piano Performance
Hometown: Lansing, Michigan
Program: Ecology and Environmental Studies in Costa Rica