From the group gathered around a plant's broad leaf, hushed exclamations of "awesome!" and "so cool!" can be heard. A flashlight shines on a red-eyed tree frog, and someone has spotted an egg sac nearby. It's the first night of Holbrook Travel's Field-Based Learning Seminar, a professional development program in Costa Rica designed for educators. A combination of workshops, hands-on activities in the field, and lectures, FBLS is an intensive introduction to leading professional development and student groups abroad. These educators, though used to sharing the world with their students, are now themselves enthralled as the guide explains how the placement of the egg sac allows the tadpoles to drop into the pond below once they hatch. The next day, participants set out on a morning bird walk, where they spotted toucans, hummingbirds, and oropendolas, among others, and then a longer hike along the trails of Selva Verde Lodge's 500-acre rainforest reserve. At one point, Great Green Macaws screeched overhead, evidence of the endangered species' rebound in recent years from what was once only 50 breeding pairs. In the afternoon, the group visited the Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center and then a nearby grade school, where children and teachers paired up to learn about each other and play games. From there, the educators helped plant trees as part of a reforestation project. Reflecting on today's activities as the day winds down, the group prepares for a new day tomorrow (and an early morning howler monkey wake-up call).
