A Great Time

Hello everyone! We are once again in Costa Rica and I am excited for this upcoming week; we will be presenting our work at the University of Costa Rica this Friday. However, the upcoming presentation also coordinates with our limited time in Costa Rica. That means this is a good time to reflect about this opportunity. I came in not sure what was expected of me which made the initial parts of the project intimidating. Nonetheless, I am glad I was given the opportunity to be a part of this team, because it has exposed me to topics and fields that I never considered before which was unexpected. We were all exposed to each other projects which allowed for collaboration and learning experiences with different mentors. Each mentor was willing to explain concepts and procedures while also allowing us to try things on our own and figure them out.

Yesterday (Monday) was a perfect example of this. I was able to tag along with the seismology team and help service two stations in Limon. The team gave me brief explanations as to how the instrument was set up and its purpose. I also watched them install a new instrument in a location that unfortunately was damaged late last year by rainfall. This encounter served as an educational opportunity for me and for them since they got to review their knowledge. Overall, this was a GREAT (haha) experience for me and has given me tools that I will be able to apply academically and professionally.