Costa Rica Group Shot taken at Parismina (left to right back): Tess Donnelly, Jenny Castillo, Caitlyn Roth, Tricia Cohen, Maclaine Ellis, and Jordyn Imber
(left to right front): Candace Burns, Martin Sajonas, Haley Yates, Christy Freitag, Lindsey Pugh, and Rosie McArthur.
We had a fantastic ASB week in Parismina, Costa Rica, working as volunteers for ASTOP (Asociacion Salvemos las Tortugas de Parismina, or Save the Turtles of Parismina), a group striving to help save endangered sea turtles in the nature reserve.
On Saturday, March 4th, we arrived in San Jose and Mr. Miguel was waiting for us at the airport. We traveled to Parismina, first by a big Van, then by boat.
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We cleaned up the habitat, made hatcheries along the beach. At night, we patrolled the beach watching for turtles and predators. This year we discovered tracks and a nest made by a Leather-back. We dug up and retrieved 123 eggs and transported them to the hatchery. Other activities included swimming in the ocean.
"Travel isn't always pretty. It isn't always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts; it even breaks your heart. But that's okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you and hopefully you leave something good behind. Our blood, sweat, and tears went into this project. Side by side we learned something about the importance of protecting this precious planet. And in the process we formed friendships which can never be broken. I have felt so inspired by the sense of community and active citizenship I found in our JMU students."
