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I grew up as a farm boy near Zearing in central Iowa, and most of my early travels were within twenty-five miles of our family farm. I had quite a provincial view of life and no concept of ecosystems, biological diversity, or tropical rainforests. I just knew that I loved wildlife. I had no idea that Costa Rica, a small country thousands of miles away in Central America, would later play such a dramatic role in shaping the direction of my personal and professional life. An early and enthusiastic interest in nature led me to major in zoology and minor in botany at Iowa State University. After completing my bachelor’s degree at 1su in i968, I enrolled in graduate school at the University of Georgia, where I studied ecology, forest and wildlife management, journalism, and public relations. During my search for a thesis topic, Dr. James H. Jenkins directed me to an Organization for Tropical Studies (oTs) course in Costa Rica. When I began my two-month OTS course in tropical grasslands agriculture in February of i969, I had no idea it would be such a life-changing experience. Every day was an adventure! I tried to absorb all that I could about the land, the people, and the wildlife of Costa Rica. I quickly learned that this is not a country you can visit just once. By March I had already applied for another OTS course and was subsequently accepted. In June i969, I drove from Georgia to Costa Rica with Dr. Jenkins for an OTS course in tropical ecology.