Hey everyone! We are Danielle and Nicole and we are Alternative Break Coordinators at the University of Central Florida! We are so excited to announce that this year we will be focusing on animals rights, issues and awareness! A match made in heaven, we couldn't have found better coordinators to be paired with. From day one we were completing each other's sentences and on the same page. We wanted to take this issue to a whole new level often overlooked by college students, the root of the social issue.

This understanding stems from going back to the basics and seeing that it all starts from the inability to communicate with animals and the compassion lost towards them allowing for the mistreatment and issues they have. While most people think of pets as an accurate representation of the issue, it is far from it. It is only a glimpse at the much larger issue that plagues this world. On an international level, the displacement and mistreatment of what we call "exotic animals", but are really animals native to the lands we have, and continue to inhabit, feel the brunt of these issues. Not only are they displaced, they are killed, sold, and treated for money or even recreation.

Costa Rica is one of the biggest places that experiences this issues on a larger scale due to their increasing development and high animal population and biodiversity. With this in mind we searched for an organization truly making a difference with these issues and whose ideals align with what we are trying to accomplish. Fortunately, we stumbled upon The Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center, an exotica animal rescue center, dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of Costa Rican Wildlife. Their goal is to ensure the welfare of the animals at the center and help them recover both physically and psychologically. Their mission surrounds the three steps: Rescue, Rehabilitate, and Release. Currently located in San Miguel, Alajuela the center homes various animals such as two toed sloths, howler monkeys, capuchins, spider monkeys, kinkajous, marmosets, parrots, owls, and peacocks!

With our issue and new found partnership with the Costa Rican Animal Rescue Center we are excited beyond words to be leading 15 lucky participants to this site from March 12th, 2017 to March 18th, 2017 to help the greater cause and truly make a difference through action in the lives of these animals. We have a long road ahead however, so feel free to follow us on this blog and share our coordinator experience with us, from celebrating the successes, to the long nights of anxiety and frustration, be with us through it all!