Today we had a bit of a later start than usual (whoop whoop) because of our trip to Monteverde. We started with a breakfast of empanadas filled with beans and cheese. Then we went on our way to Monteverde. We had lunch at the hotel that we were staying at and checking in as well. The hotel that we are staying at is fantastic! We have a back door from our room that leads to a grass field and the room is huge. We then had a guest lecture on quakers at Monteverde. Then we went on a night tour through a forest seeing a bunch of different creatures. Finally, we ended off with a delicious dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Driving to get to Monteverde was different from what we saw in Central Valley. First off, the homes closer towards Monteverde were more scattered rather than within close proximity like in the Central Valley.There are also not as many houses. The scenery is also a lot different. Monteverde was covered in clouds making it look (in my opinion) very beautiful. We also got to see monkeys which were fun to watch from branch to branch (and sleep).

My perception of Costa Rica has changed from thinking of it as a place of vacation to a place of more history than I thought there was. For example, the history of quakers in Monteverde. In the past, quakers from Alabama settled in the Monteverde and brought their own influence to the area. These quakers have helped the Costa Rican economy and culture in many ways. They set up community events to help build houses. They also brought the first electricity to Monteverde. Obviously this had a great impact on the area. Then they got their farm going as well as the cheese factory. With the cheese factory, they brought in foreigners to help make the cheese because they did not know how to. This opened up many jobs and increased the overall economy of the country. Some other things that they did were they bettered the roads and set up one of the first antibiotic pharmacies. Those quaker foreigners had a huge impact on the Costa Rican upbringing and economy.