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Costa Rica: Language, Society, & the Environment

San José, Costa Rica

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From Sea Turtles to Calypso, Students Get Hands-On Research Experience in Costa Rica

Aug 18, 2010

From a remote beach in Costa Rica's Santa Rosa National Park where he was studying sea turtles, Colorado College student Alex Wong Berman had a two-hour hike through tropical forest and coastline to get to the nearest road.

Alex Wong Berman with supplies

Alex Wong Berman with his supplies.

That's where he would meet ACM Costa Rica Program Director Chris Vaughan and research supervisor Mike McCoy, to pick up supplies they were bringing with them and to talk with them about the progress of his two-month field research project.

To get to the meeting spot, Vaughan and McCoy had a bone-jarring drive down that one-lane, dirt-and-rock road – passable only during the dry season – stopping from time to time to clear rocks and tree limbs out of the way so their jeep could get through.

"It's not the usual kind of a research site for an undergraduate," Vaughan noted. It was a perfect site, though, for Wong Berman's project on the embryonic development of Olive Ridley turtles, since thousands of the turtles make their nests on this beach. Read more


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Students will gather in Chicago on April 16-17 to reflect on their off-campus study experiences at the 2010 Student Symposium on Off-Campus Study.
Portraying the Journey of Life Portraying the Journey of Life Dec 16, 2009
Encounters with people, cultures, history, and the physical environment are among the experiences chronicled in the prize-winning photos from the 2009-10 ACM Off-Campus Study Photo Contest.
A President Comes to Visit A President Comes to Visit Nov 20, 2009
Students on the ACM Costa Rica Program enjoyed a rare opportunity to meet a former president of Costa Rica when Rodrigo Carazo presented a lecture, engaged in discussion, and posed for photos.
Training the Next Generation of Conservation Stewards Training the Next Generation of Conservation Stewards Oct 28, 2009
Chris Vaughan has spent the past four decades tirelessly sharing his passion for conservation and biodiversity. Now he is Director of the ACM Costa Rica programs, where he got his start.
And the President Goes on Foot in San José And the President Goes on Foot in San José May 28, 2009
As he wraps up five years as Director of the ACM Costa Rica programs, Scott Pentzer reflects on the many charms of Costa Rica and the rewards of spending time with — and learning from — his students.

Feature archive »

News

ACM Symposium Will Highlight Students' Research, Internships, and Experiences on Off-Campus Study Mar 19, 2010
Students' presentations and panel discussions on April 16-17 will be streamed live on the ACM website.
Application Deadline Extended for some ACM Programs Mar 17, 2010
ACM has extended the application deadline for several upcoming ACM off-campus study programs. Interested students should contact the ACM office immediately.
2010-11 Off-Campus Study Program Prices Announced Feb 5, 2010
The updated pricing for ACM's 2010-11 off-campus study programs has been approved and is now posted online.
Gilman Scholarships Awarded to ACM Students for Study Abroad Feb 4, 2010
Competitive grant program supports 18 students from nine ACM colleges for study in Botswana, China, Spain, Egypt, and ten other countries.
Service Learning Project Is a New Feature of ACM's Fall Semester Program in Costa Rica Jan 12, 2010
The hands-on experience of service learning will immerse students in Costa Rican culture.
Traveling Photo Exhibit Will Showcase Students’ Off-Campus Study Experiences Dec 9, 2009
Winning and honorable mention photos from the 2009-10 ACM Off-Campus Study Photo Contest will be exhibited on 11 ACM campuses in early 2010.

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Photo spotlight

Learning to Surf

ACM Costa Rica students on a surf break in Manuel Antonio National Park. Photo courtesy of Natalie Talbert.

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Costa Rica: Language, Society, & the Environment

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Karen Skadow After my study abroad experience, Costa Rica is no longer a small foreign country on the world map. Instead it is a place that I experienced firsthand. I had the privilege of being a part of Costa Rican culture and society and learned from it every step of the way. Every day I learned new words through experiences (as opposed to vocabulary lists), observed natural and cultural beauty, and had a chance to apply what I was learning in Spanish class through natural conversations with native speakers. Studying abroad for me was more than just traveling or living in a foreign country. It was a highly valuable learning experience acquired from day-by-day adventures of experiencing Costa Rica, that encouraged me to test my limits and connect to the world that surrounds me.

—Karen Skadow, Costa Rica, Fall 2007

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