What's special about the Palo Verde National Park in Costa Rica

Wednesday, March 3, 2010
By Po Ling Chan

What do you imagine when you think of forests in the tropics? Up until now, I have always linked the idea of dense wet forests with images of thick canopies, yet this is only one aspect of tropical forests. Here at the Palo Verde National Park (PVNP) where I have been staying for the past few weeks, tropical forests look very different from the stereotyped image. Currently, it is the dry season, and while evergreen trees retain their leaves, the ...

Garden Patch: Potatoes have surprising history

Wednesday, May 20, 2009
By Helen Schnoes, Po Ling Chan

Consider for a moment the humble potato. It has become such an essential food item in the Western diet that it is hard to believe the potato has had its place here only for a hundred years.

Potatoes were first cultivated in Peru some 4,500 years ago. At that time, a single valley in Peru had over 100 varieties ...

Knox Community Garden News

Wednesday, April 29, 2009
By Po Ling Chan

Living and growing up in a city, I have never had the chance to garden. I do not know a lot about gardens. Yet every time I go to the Knox Community Garden on the corner of First and West Streets, I enjoy myself and learn from the gardening process. Because of this, I would like to start writing this ...

Four students reflect on their experiences abroad

Thursday, January 15, 2009
By Ellie Poley, Cami Woodruff, Jen Millius, Po Ling Chan

Florence

While I loved Florence in its entirety, I had no idea I would miss London as much as I do. Maybe it is the lack of rip-your-face-off January cold (more of an icky, damp, cold, but still not as bad), or maybe it was just having an entire city full of accents at my disposal, but I think living ...