On an island covered in green grass, there is a village where the people have wood houses on stilts with palm leaf roofs. They use motorized canoes to get around. They are covered in black body stains and geometric jagua, similar to henna, and wear silver bracelets and colorful clothes.
This is the indigenous Emberá village in Panama, one of the many places that Upper School science teachers Leslie Webster and Bridget Lesinski took 30 students to for this year’s science trip from February 15 to 24.
“We chose two countries with a lot of biodiversity, so our goal is to immerse ourselves in a place with a lot of different animals and plants,” Lesinski said.
The students and faculty advisors first landed in Panama City where they went on a guided tour, hiked at Chagres National Park, and visited Emberá village. “My favorite location was the indigenous Emberá village,” senior Lyric Nelson said. “After swimming in a nearby waterfall, we were taken to the village on a boat and watched a presentation about the culture and lifestyle of the indigenous people. They brought out fish for us to eat, and we watched them dance and play instruments – we even danced with them.”
After flying to Bocas del Toro, they explored the city, went snorkeling, and visited the Dolphin Bay preserve. “My favorite activity was when we went to the various islands of Panama to go snorkeling and to visit the beaches,” senior Brian Campoverde said. “One beach was especially unique due to its distance from the mainland and it being smack in the middle of the Caribbean.”
Students and faculty advisors then crossed the Panama border into Costa Rica where they traveled to Puerto Viejo to spend time on the beach, visit Cahuita National Park, and go to the hot springs. Lastly, they hiked the Arenal Volcano and 1968 lava trails, went on a kayaking tour of Lake Arenal, and traveled to San José, where they then returned home. “On the last day, we went to dinner, and that was my favorite part of the trip,” sophomore Donovan Clarke said. “It was one of the nicest restaurants there, and there was an overlook where you could see all the city lights. I took a picture. It was perfect.”
“I think that this trip will be an incredible experience for students to travel with their peers. It is always fun to see how students make new connections, and I like that they are not going to be on their phones a lot,” Lesinski said. “They are going to visit a place unlike anything else, so I’m hoping they get the cultural aspect along with the science information.”
Along with the cultural immersion, students also learned facts about the environments and animals in Panama and Costa Rica, such as the life of a sloth, hierarchies of monkeys, and new vegetables and fruits. Activities, such as playing beach volleyball, also allowed students to connect to one another.
“This trip gave me a better understanding of what I want in life. I’m really just trying to live the pura vida, and I don’t need to keep complicating and cluttering my life,” Nelson said. “I also now know that I want to try and do something related to environmental studies in college.”
“This trip has taught me that both Costa Rica and Panama care about wildlife and make an effort to conserve it as much as possible,” Campoverde said. “It also taught me that wildlife and humans can live together if done properly and with consideration.”
