Where Olive Ridleys Return: Week 2 in Ostional, Costa Rica Our second week in Costa Rica brought us to Ostional , where we began learning about Olive Ridley sea turtles and their remarkable mass nesting behavior called "arribadas". This week was full of new experiences: instead of staying in a hotel, we moved in with local host families, which gave us the chance to experience everyday life in one of Costa Rica’s coastal communities while participating in hands-on sea turtle conservation. Life with our host family was simple and authentic. Every day, our host mom prepared breakfast, lunch, and dinner for us. Most meals included rice and beans , one of the most common dishes in Costa Rica. Though our house didn’t have hot water or air conditioning, which took a little getting used to, we were lucky to have two adorable dachshunds, Philippine and Philippa , as well as two playful kittens in our home. After long nights in the field, it was always comforting to come home ...
