So long, farewell, until next time

Saturday morning.  Can't believe our Earthwatch time is over!  I can't wait to go see other parts of Costa Rica, and there are some things about this trip that I'm glad are over and done with.  However, there have been many amazing and memorable moments here in beautiful Santa Maria and the surrounding area full of coffee farms and wonderful people.  As you have already read, we have met and been invited into the homes of some pretty unbelievable people in the last few days.  

Here is Lucia, Felicia, and Sebastian, as you can see, members of the Earthwatch team.

Felicia, who has a beautiful almost log cabin style home, and will soon be living completely off the grid...Xiomara, the outdoor chef...Natalia's parents, Jorge and Alba, our neighbors here at Cecilia's cabinas...and many other locals along the way.  I will miss all of this.  

Even our lab, with it's daily view of never ending green mountains.  

And of course Shaquira, our unofficial team member.  She is a sweet sweet dog that wandered into the Coope one day and has lived there ever since.  

I probably won't miss the rain and my smelly borrowed rain coat,

or counting coffee beans on a super steep slope, as we did Thursday morning but I am brainstorming my next Earthwath expedition when I get home.  Off to Monteverde, if I don't have a heart attack on the Interbus...I will let you all know how that goes!