Waking up at 5 in the morning to the sound of rain pelting on my cabin roof, while Howler monkeys scream in the trees above was not something I expected on my trip. The flyers I was given for Costa Rica mentioned studying sea turtles, but didn’t tell me of the adventures I would have while walking on the beach in the middle of the night, scanning the shoreline for anything climbing onto the shore. Over the 2026 spring break, a group of SSTX students and faculty, including myself, went to the Pacuare Reserve in Costa Rica to conduct field research on endangered Leatherback Sea Turtles. None of us truly knew what to expect when we got off the plane, but the mystery of where we were going next kept me awake. The night of our arrival we slept in a nice hotel in the city called Hotel Cibeles. Little did we know, it was our last taste of civilization for the next 3 days. 

After leaving Cibeles and traveling by bus and boat, we finally arrived to Pacuare Reserve. Pacuare is a strip of protected rainforest and beach that’s also a popular nesting spot for Leatherbacks. I walked in to be greeted by warm faces of EPI members, the crashing of waves nearby, and the many sounds of the rainforest all around me. It was stunning, as I had never been somewhere like this before. Our two amazing tour guides, David and Rachel, led us to our small cabins and we spent the rest of the day doing activities. But then, the worst and best part of the trip approached. The Night Census was done in shifts from 9am to 12am, 10am to 2am, and 12am to 4am. It involved walking along the beach for 4 miles, which was littered with driftwood, roots, and trash. This made it impossible to walk 10 steps without tripping over something, because it was pitch black outside and you wouldn’t be able to see it anyway. My favorite part, however, was seeing all the stars. The whole sky was infinitely scattered with them, and whenever they disappeared you knew to put your poncho on because it ws about to rain hard. Eva Shapiro (9th) even said, “My favorite activity in Pacuare was the turtle census nights. While they were tiring and we had to be out for four hours, walking nonstop with no light in the middle of the night, it was one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had. The stars were so visible and if you just let yourself look forward, it looked like you were on another planet.”  

The only thing that kept me going during the walk was the chance to find some turtles. Luckily, during my 10am to 2am shift, our group found two! They were 5-6 feet in length and their eggs were the size of tennis balls. While they flung up sand with their huge flippers trying to cover their nests, we ate cookies and sat there in awe. Getting the opportunity to see an endangered species was definitely the highlight of my trip.

After many other activities, rainforest hikes, and animal watching, it was time for us to leave Costa Rica. On the last day we all sat in a circle and shared our roses, buds, and thorns about our trip. My rose was getting to see all the amazing flora and fauna in the rainforest, which was previously something I only dreamed of doing. Never did I think I would be standing below a toucan or a monkey as they stared back at me, or eating a random (edible) plant on the side of the trail. Many students’ bud was to keep in mind what they learned here and continue to conserve water and energy in their own lives. I’ve found that I wash my hands or brush my teeth, I’m always aware of how long the faucet is on. My thorn was having to leave Costa Rica and go back to Texas, where we are lacking in lush rainforests. Jokes aside, Costa Rica has left a lasting impact on me and the way I see the world, and I thank St Stephens and the EPI Program so much for giving all who attended the opprotunity of a lifetime.