Sunday we went zip lining in Monteverde. It was amazing! They started off giving us directions on how to brake and what to do if you get stuck on the line--I ended up not having to do either of those things. There were 11 lines as part of the course with a Tarzan Swing halfway through. The Tarzan Swing involved jumping off a platform that was 60 feet off the ground and swinging from a rope attached to a tree. Everyone from our group was brave enough to do it--woo hoo! My favorite part of zip lining was starting in the forest and going through a huge break in the forest that was covered in clouds. I never thought a cloud could be so...wet.

Today we toured a couple of local farms--one larger one and a small, local one. It was interesting to compare the different operations and their impacts on the environment. We also toured the Monteverde Cheese Factory--I don't think I have ever had that many dairy products in one day. Delicioso.

Here are some pictures from my travels...The monkey is eating some left over mango from our lunch. The waterfall and sunset are both some the prettiest I have seen. We visited an orchid garden and saw the most intricate orchids.

Last week we took salsa lessons, and I wasn't too bad. We only learned a few steps, but that was enough for a couple of hours. I then got a chance to practice the moves this past weekend when we went to the concert of my professor (even through he plays in a band that does rock covers...)

We also started Spanish classes this past weekend. Three times a week, we have classes for three and a half hours. I have already learned so much, especially because we are 4 students to one teacher. Yesterday, our teacher treated us to some ice cream after a hard class of reflexive verbs.

Today was a field experiment day. We took data on hummingbirds all morning and then analyzed the data and presented our findings this evening. I'm learning a lot, especially about the flora and fauna of Costa Rica.

Can't wait for zip lining this weekend!