Aero: Katie Heubusch – Costa Rica 2014 – Biodiversity

Aero: Katie Heubusch – Costa Rica 2014 – Biodiversity

Aero: Katie Heubusch – Costa Rica 2014 – Biodiversity

Katie Heubusch

Buffalo is notoriously frigid with boatloads of snow during the winter. Costa Rica was a nice escape. I think people sometimes underestimate how beautiful the United States is. The biggest problem is, several people are not privileged enough, or are too ignorant to travel to see different landscapes. The biggest problem is how far away everything is. I have been lucky enough to become acquainted with several states in America. The best thing about Costa Rica was how close together everything is, and how they have so many ecosystems coexisting together. In under four hours, you can visit volcanoes, cloud forests; see different plants and wildlife that make up all of these ecosystems. The color green is so vibrant everywhere you look. Green mountaintops, volcanoes, and flowers, compliment the natural beauties you can see everywhere.

Costa Rica 2014 Photo Gallery

The nature was the biggest part of this trip for me. The first place we were able to discover was Jaco beach. It was so cool being able to see all the fruit trees that were able to grow everywhere. It seemed everything was always in season. The ocean was just breathtaking. I have seen the Atlantic several times, but the Pacific was so much warmer, and seemingly less salty. Wave jumping was fantastic. Next we were able to visit the volcanoes which was just a whole different world compared to Jaco. The elevation kept growing and the weather became increasingly cold. The air became thin, and we could practically touch the clouds floating under us. That was sensational. We also visited La Paz Waterfalls, which were overwhelming. The water was so fresh, and the landscape was plentiful with greenery. Monte Verde was my favorite part. I loved the bumpy roads leading up the mountains, and the gorgeous drive that came with it. We had fantastic tour guides who were able to show us snakes, sloths, and different birds. As an environmental major, this was incredibly exciting. I love spiders and reptiles, but I think I might’ve been alone with that in my group. It is incredible to see how hard everyone works to preserve natural beauty and let no harm from man come to it.

Learn More: Study abroad with Modern Languages @ FLCC: Costa Rica!

– Katie Heubusch

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