http://www.earthismyclassroom.org Follow this project with the students of Henry J. McLaughlin Middle School and the travels of Sue MacNicoll to Costa Rica en-us earthismyclassroom.com http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp May 3 , 2009 I'm home! Thanks to all who participated in the blog. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp Thanks to all the folks who made this trip possible!! http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp Our day started with a bit of readjusting the schedule because many of the teachers were very sick overnight. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp It's an innovative, private, bilingual, non-sectarian K-11 school which serves mostly rural children of Monteverde. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp Half the four hour ride was paved and half gravel. Isa was our guide along the way. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp Our hotel is fabulous and quite a switch from yesterday's experience. Actually, I'm still wrestling with the contrast. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp ...were in some ways indescribable. In groups of five we visited sustainable family farms and were welcomed into a simple and abundantly beautiful place. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp ...(we saw about 15 different species of birds including a toucan), toured a banana plantation and processing plant and a sustainable dairy farm! Whew.. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp We had the opportunity to visit Técnicol Profesional de Guacimo, a technical school near Earth University. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp ...heading to Earth University in Guacimo. Just in the nick of time too, I was "citied out". Winding the roads through lush green mountains and vibrant valleys was exhilarating. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp I had the chance to celebrate it by hearing from people who are doing amazingly innovative things to help heal our planet. It was truly an inspiring day. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp Do something good for your mother today- Mother Earth that is. More to come on the blog later... http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp Today we not only went to The Jade Museum, we visited the US Embassy and we spoke with Pedro Leon Azofeifa, scientific advisor to the President of Costa Rica - President Arias. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp As we drove to our hotel the volcanic mountains that surround the city were very impressive. Many of these volcanoes are active and we will visit one... http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp I want to start out today by thanking the collaborators on this Web 2.0 project. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp I enjoyed a warm, breezy walk along Biscayne Bay as the sun rose brightly over the water. Breakfast was followed with a lecture... http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp Here I am at the airport at about six this morning. I needed to get up at four am in order to drive to Manchester and board my flight... http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp That's a good question and a New York Times op ed by Thomas Friedman, author of The World Is Flat , that I read... http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp Wow, so much to remember! http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp I leave for Costa Rica on Saturday, April 18th. http://earthismyclassroom.org/tripblogeimc/tripblogcrmsmac.asp to spread the word and advertise the blog so that many people can learn about what makes Costa Rica so very unique.