Although I was doing so well with the blogging, it's time to take another break.

I'm heading off to Costa Rica for 10 days on a class trip. We'll be looking at how the country has managed to make conservation into a profitable industry through ecotourism, sustainable agriculture and forestry, and partnerships with for-profit companies from the U.S. and Europe. Doing so makes Costa Ricans -- from politicians to farmers -- realize how important it is to conserve the unique and diverse natural resources the country holds, hopefully allowing these resources to be around for hundreds of years to come. (If only we could do this here!)

As a tourist from the U.S., I'm very aware of my role in a country that's struggling with immense poverty. I'll uphold my pledge of responsible tourism with the awareness that my individual behavior reflects on my school and my country.

At the same time, I'll be acutely aware of the amount of money I spend on this trip. This trip is not a shopping or party binge for me. I'm going with only $100 in cash with the knowledge that, as long as I don't lose it, this amount will take me far in this poor country. I have my credit card for emergencies (my food and lodging is already paid for), so I should be all set.

With that, I'm off. See you in 10 days.