End of the Expedition

 If I had to describe this study abroad trip in one word... it would have to be "insane". We hiked to the summit of an active volcano, explored the rainforest, snorkeled some coral reefs, walked along the edge of the Panama canal and wandered around two different countries with people we barely knew. No one even tried to kill us! It was three weeks packed full of learning, science, hard work and having fun.

I learned a lot on this trip so picking only three things could be tough. I learned that the Central American Isthmus completely formed about 25 million years ago... or 3 million depending on whether you believe the geologists or the biologists. I learned that the Montezuma Oropendola has a really awesome bird call. Finally, I learned to appreciate what other countries and regions can have that are unique to the rest of the world. I tried a lot of different foods and beverages that I had never even heard of before traveling to Panama and Costa Rica like Arroz con Pina.


This study abroad trip has been an amazing experience and something that I am extremely glad that I pursued when I heard it mentioned in Spring class. Professors Herzfeld and Judkins did a fabulous job of making the class run smoothly and work together to create a complete idea of how the world works from magma to monkeys. I have learned a lot, had some really great experiences and have gotten to know some really cool people. We are now working on finishing up the course with the post test, presentation and final research paper. The one instant that I wish we would move in geological time...

Rob Cuba

Class of BGPG 2012