Today first thing after breakfast (the orange juice slaps), we got fitted for special rubber boots which allowed us to walk through the grass without being bitten by snakes (don’t worry – we haven’t seen any… yet). After we got our boots on, we went on a rainforest exploration walk to get an overview of the local flora and fauna. We saw a variety of plants, including ancient leaves that have been adapting since when dinosaurs roamed the earth. We also saw many poison dart frogs, clear winged butterflies, and a small scorpion. After lunch (fried rice and chicken) we learned how to properly document our findings in our field journals, citing the specific location, climate, and time of day. Next we headed down the hill to snorkel along the shore to see the coral reefs (watch out for sea urchins!). We learned that ITEC is a unique facility due to its proximity to two biodiverse ecosystems: the tropical rainforest and the coral reefs. In the upcoming days we’ll be conducting research and experiments based on the nature we’ve encountered. Tonight we plan on playing cards and relaxing after an intellectually and physically engaging day.
~ Lily Thomson and Emelia Brinkley 
