A new alarm clock: Roosters, Macaws, Toucans, and More



 One thing that really surprised me about Costa Rica is all of the sounds of wildlife! Without the endless droning of the air conditioner, cars passing by, and planes overhead, the only sounds come from nature.

I remember on my first night here, as we were driving away from the airport, we entered the countryside and were amazed to find the chirping of geckos, hooting of owls, and croaking of frog. And to complete the orchestra, the night wind whistled through the bamboo and rattled the bushes. One of the other girls commented that it was like being in Disneyland or Disney World because the scenery and sounds were so realistic. 

The next morning, I was awakened to the sound of the two roosters crowing around 6:00am. While the roosters are now living with a neighbor, the first few weeks here were filled with their belting. Needless to say, if the roosters didn't wake me up, the calls of the toucans and macaws usually did! Like the wildlife, the people here in the countryside of Ciudad Colón tend to rise early and go to bed somewhat early. While this might sound awful to you night owls out there, it is easier to adjust to this new schedule than it might sound. And don't fret; if you are looking for some nightlife, there are plenty of places to explore downtown (away from the birds 😉). 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Native Fruits of Costa Rica

Image
While Costa Rica may not seem that far away from the United States, the food can be radically different here. Costa Rica has the most biodiversity in the entire world, which makes for some incredible new foods! For example, the fruit here in Costa Rica are often unrecognizable to tourists because they are so unique. Below are 12 colorful, Costa Rican fruits that we bought from a local farmer's market in Santa Ana. 1. Caimito : Also known as "the Star Apple," this purple fruit resembles a plum or fig. However, it tastes quite dry and sour. It has large, black seeds in the center that should not be consumed. Some varieties come in a shade of green and white and often taste slightly more sweet.  2. Carambola : This fruit is also known as Starfruit, due to its star-like shape when sliced. It is also one of the most colorful fruits due to its bright orange hue. Carambolas become more yellow and sweet as they ripen, making them perfect for a fresco, salad, or jam.  3. Tomate de...
Read more

Pre-Travel: What You Need to Know

Image
So you're planning on studying abroad through NAU? Congrats! There's obviously some things you'll need to do before you arrive. Below is a detailed list of the steps I took before traveling to Costa Rica. Keep in mind that this list might need to be adapted to meet your unique needs.  Before Traveling, ... 1. Apply for Study Abroad through  Education Abroad Programs | Education Abroad (nau.edu) .* You will be notified via email when your application has been approved/denied. This review process could take between one day and three months depending on the program. For me, I was approved about five days later.  *Note: You will need you passport number to apply, so be sure to renew or apply for a passport first if you do not already have one. For more information about passports, visit  Passport office | Center for International Education (nau.edu) .  2. Apply for scholarships through  Scholarships | Education Abroad (nau.edu)  and/or other scholarship ...
Read more

Classes and Homework

Image
 " But how exactly do the classes work while abroad? " -almost every student who has ever considered studying abroad Yes, the "study" portion of "study abroad" is important. After all, as much as it may feel like vacation, this  is still college. Below I'll explain how our classes and homework are here in Costa Rica.  Classes: where, when, and how     As I have mentioned in other posts, some things have changed for this semester due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including classes. While students usually live with host families and attend in-person classes at Universidad Fidélitas in San José, we are living together at a finca (see my post "Your New Home: A Tour of the Finca" for more about where we are living) and our classes are right here on the patio! In order to decrease the risks associated with Covid-19, we have all of our classes together here at ABC de la Vida in Ciudad Colón.      For our first six weeks, a professor from Universidad Fid...
Read more