Hands-on Spanish Travel

The immigration crisis is real all over. Here in Chicago we are feeling it hit hard as asylum seekers are being pushed out of their shelters. We can’t help everyone, but we can help this one family and make a difference in their new life here. https://www.facebook.com/share/2LT8p2ZWmsVvS3RD/?mibextid=cR73hX

The immigration crisis is real all over. Here in Chicago we are feeling it hit hard as asylum seekers are being pushed out of their shelters. We can’t help everyone, but we can help this one family and make a difference in their new life here. https://www.facebook.com/share/2LT8p2ZWmsVvS3RD/?mibextid=cR73hX

So many wonderful memories these past 17 years. Thank you to everyone who has joined the HOST family along the way: our lead educators, students, host families, directors, operators and guides—you are amazing and we love you. All our adventures remain in our hearts as we move on to other projects beyond . Thank you for an amazing journey!

Wishing all the best to Cultural Banana Tours as they hit the ground running with Pura Vida BioCAPs. We could not be happier knowing you are taking the reigns.

Summer programming exit questionnaires have been sent out via email and WhatsApp. Students, please take a moment to respond before the weekend. :)

Take a look at the outstanding research produced on our Pura Vida BioCAPs program with the Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center at the Selva Verde Lodge! Thank you to all who supported our students on this adventure.

Learning how to make organic compost ready for use in two months, germinating seeds of the almendro and other native tree species and, finally, planting the saplings in an area wiped out by flooding years ago. Making a difference !

Join us tomorrow at 4pm at the Selva Verde Lodge’s conference room in collaboration with the Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center for our research presentations. Topics: Zingiber spectabile and its pollinators, Lobster claw heliconia and its pollinators and the effectiveness of leaf cutter ants.

These students have done an outstanding job! Come and see for yourself!

Come one, come all! Join us at Selva Verde for our poster symposium.

Today was outstanding. This tour of Caño Negro was the best we have ever been on. We actually saw three “lifers”, birds that many professional birders search for their entire lives and maybe only see once, if at all. So. Much. Luck:
1) Garza Agami
2) Patitos Cantiles
3) Yellowtail Oriole

We found bats inside a Ceiba tree—a majestic tree full of life!

We saw juvenile jaguar tracks off a lagoon of the río frío.

We saw soooo many other birds and learned fascinating information about all of them. Basilisks, iguanas, howlers and spider monkeys were all over, too.

After the hike into the forest, our boat was invaded by army ants! Insects weren’t all bad, though. Students learned they can survive by eating termites. And yes, we always aim to please the palette, so several kids braved the live, tasty treat!

This evening we briefed students on their research. Dr. Silva, director of Loyola University Chicago’s data science graduate program, will give a lesson tomorrow on academic poster and research design. Students will then tour the grounds, and select their research topic/track. Teams will be established before lunch and our first core research block starts after lunch!

The kids are pumped and so are we!

Enjoy some pics…

Come one, come all! Join us at Selva Verde for our poster symposium.

Today we head out for Costa Rica! A fun fact about student participation on this program:
We work with local, socially-embedded and environmentally conscious tour operators in Costa Rica. Take a look at our local operator’s new business: Jungle Foods! This is sustainable tourism at its best. Thank you for choosing HOST! In doing so you are supporting the livelihood of communities and small businesses in CR!

Take a look at some of their products!

Pura Vida BioCAPs starts tomorrow! Looking forward to seeing our travelers!