Molly: Where are the sloths?

 Well, today was the last day folks. We knew this day would come but boy did it fly by quickly. I guess it is really true when people say time flies when you are having fun.

We started the day by getting to tour Earth University with our cool tour guide Niyi. He showed us a video about Earth and then took us on a tour of the Integrated Animal Production Farm. One of the main aspects of the farm was the biodigester. To sum up the main function and purpose of the biodigester is turn the animal manure into methane gas which powers a generator making electricity. The remaining liquid then goes through three lagoons with purifying plants making the water clean enough to return to the environment! How neat is that!! Seeing how passionate the students were for finding ways to make farming sustainable was extremely inspiring and re-lit the passion that I have for agriculture.

We then went to a farm where Earth students helped make it into what it is today. The farmer grew everything from medicinal plants to bananas and we were lucky enough to get to try some new plants. Some were very good and some VERY GROSS, in particular the one that smelled like dirty socks and rotting cheese...it tasted like that too but I'm glad I tried it. I think that's been one of the neatest parts about Costa Rica. Everyone here as really taken every opportunity to try new things, whether its eating termites or milking a cow, we have all embraced this once in a life time trip with open arms.

Through out the trip we all really wanted to see a sloth in it's natural habitat. Lucky for us we were able to see two and I'm sure passed by many more. Even though this became a joke of the trip I think it symbolized much more. When were were driving place to place, we all were looking together out the windows to see if we could see one. Thinking back on this past week, the words "Donde estan los perezosos? (Where are the sloths?)" will always remind me to look farther in the world and open my eyes to the different beauty that this world has to offer even if it is hard to find. It definitely wasn't hard to find the beauty here. Costa Rica not only showed us it's beauty in nature but more importantly the beauty of human kind. So thank you Costa Rica for 1) letting us all see a sloth in real life and 2) for reminding me and all of us to enjoy the beauty of the world.

"Be the seed of change." - Earth University

We'll be back soon Costa Rica,
Molly

Briana: Getting to the world and myself

Unfortunately, today we had to leave our families. It was one of the hardest things I had to do in my life. I did not realize how close I had gotten to my host family until I was there watching my host mother cry goodbye. 

Being in Pacayitas was one of the most influential experiences of my life. The people really inspired me to follow my own path and to be my self. I feel everyone is always rushing to compete and be successful in their filed, instead of actually taking the time to appreciate what they have.  My host cousin Maria reminded me that even when stories end, new stories begin.

Our new story began at the Veragua Rainforest. The Rainforest was really beautiful and filled with amazing creatures. Creatures from different species all over the world that I didn’t even know existed. We learned about verminous snakes, butterflies, plants, a variety of frogs and more. Something that really caught my interest was the frogs and how they have evolved over the years. Apparently 80% of frog species are active at night. Also, frogs secrete toxins as protection against predators. Different type of frog produce different type of toxins, that vary based on the frog.  In addition, we got to see the golden orb spider, whose incredibly strong web inspired material scientists to create the material used to make bulletproof vests. 

Lastly, I not only learned about the variety of farms, people, animals, insects, and plants but I learned a lot about myself and who I want to be. I learned that I am always rushing to get to the next step, never paying attention of what is going around me. I want to believe in myself and do what I what I want to do because its important to me.  Lastly, I want to get to know my own community, and one day give back to them, because they are part of the reason I’m here today.

Alyssa: Always Be Ready To Catch a Butterfly

Today started off bittersweet as we were off to see a new part of this beautiful country but had to leave the wonderful town of Pacayitas. We have really bonded with our Tico family this week and it was much harder to leave them then you might think. However, as we said its not Adios but Hasta Luego which means it is not good bye but see you later! We spent the rest of the day at the Veragua Rainforest in the province of Limon. We say a broad spectrum of all the flora and fauna Costa Rica gives a home to. We saw snakes, frogs, butterflies, and reptiles. Not to mention the beautiful site that always surrounds us here. When we were in the butterfly garden our guide showed us how to catch a butterfly by using your two fingers and grabbing all four wings. It became sort of a joke to walk around with your two fingers up so you were ready to catch a butterfly but as I thought about it, it was really much more than that. I feel confortable saying the one thing we will all take away from this experience is the many elements Costa Rica has to offer. As I thought about it more, we should always be ready to "catch a butterfly", literally and figuratively. Butterflies are beautifully painted creatures that fly around gracefully. If you aren't ready you might miss one. If we are not ready while we are here in Costa Rica we can miss so much so easily. Every view has been a beautiful beyond words and unfortunately no picture could do it justice. However, we had the incredible opportunity to be here in this country and catch a "butterfly" to take home with us. One of my butterflies to take home is the importance of family and community. We often live for ourselves but life is much happier when shared with other people you love. I challenge everyone to catch at least one butterfly everyday to take home with them and use it to improve their life and the lives of others around them.

Amanda: An Educational Experience

To be honest, I was pretty apprehensive about this day. Our first spot for the day was the elementary school. We had some activities planned for the kids, and then played games after. I thought our lesson plan was going to be a disaster because not a lot of us know English, but it turned out to be awesome!

Briana and I were group leaders for the Purple Team. The lesson plan was pretty fun, but I thought that getting to run around and play games with the kids was even better. It reminded me of last summer when I was a camp counselor for a bunch of crazy eight year old girls. The language barrier didn’t matter as much; we were all just kids being kids, playing around outside. Even thought I’m terrible at soccer, I still had a blast.

In the afternoon, we visited the high school and they gave us a presentation. Even though it wasn’t as interactive, it was nice to see the effort and time they put in to show us a bit of Pacayitas. It made me feel very welcomed. Kevin also rocked the flute playing, which I thought was super awesome because he taught himself how to play the flute because they don't offer music classes at the school.

The last thing that we did was meet with the school board. I thought it was really interesting to hear about their education system. I found myself especially interested in what the community valued in a quality education system. I thought it was very cool and even innovative how they are trying to go for more student-centered education. However, I was shocked when I heard that while the elementary school has a 100% graduation rate, the high school drops significantly to almost 50%, mostly due to economic reasons. It made me wonder how this happens, and is something I’d be interested in learning more about. Another thing I found fascinating was how important education is to the community, but the farmers in the community want to pass down their family businesses. I wonder how they will confront that issue in the future. Despite a few issues, Pacayitas seems to have a quality education system where students are motivated to learn.

Recently, education and its implications has become is an intriguing and relevant theme in my life, so I am delighted that today I got to really focus in and see what’s going on here with the Pacayitas education system. It makes me wonder what really matters in an education. What is important to teach our children? What makes them the happiest?

Heather: Con Gusto

Dear Costa Rica,

I can’t even begin to express my fascination and adoration for not only how beautiful the view of the country is, but even more so how beautiful the soul of the community is. Each and every person that I have met is incredibly welcoming and so concerned for the experience I am having. And each person we have met this week is inspiringly motivated, hard-working and intelligent. I completely understand now why the consistent attitude throughout is one of patience and full of eager happiness. I feel like I’ve been captured in the magical bubble that I don’t want to pop by going back to the States. The common theme I’ve been noticing amongst all us students is everything is better in Costa Rica.

We went to the sugar plantation, the butterfly farm and the dairy farm. I really loved the love story between Ediberto and Maritza. Both came from sugar families and he lived in Mollejones up on the hillside. And she lived on the farm below. So he moved to be with her and still hikes up the steep hillside to visit his family.

Out in the field, he gave us the opportunity to dig. In the heat of the day, it didn’t take much to work up a sweat and become tired. Afterward, he showed us the process of getting the sugar water out of the sugarcane plant. There was so much physical energy exerted into making their product. While making the tapa de dulce (almost like a brown sugar cake except that it has the consistency of clay), we did it in the heat of the fire. And they moved quickly, artfully and gracefully. 

I have never been more impressed with anyone in my entire life than the people I have met and come to learn about in Pacayitas. I am so grateful and honored to have been able to share in their culture and having such loving open arms to welcome me.

Con amor,
Heather

Ashley: Pura Vida

Costa Rica,

Stepping off the bus onto one of the most beautiful pieces of property I’ve ever seen, I was welcomed by Alex, Fabian’s grandpa, and another worker. Surrounded by rolling hills, flourishing plants, and a beautiful dirt road, lies Los Laurels dairy farm in Mollejones. Personally, I knew nothing about dairy cows before this visit. Now, I can say I’ve learned so much in such a little time of being on the farm…and I even milked a cow for the very first time!! Alex, who owns the farm, was one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever met. He explained every process from planting food for the cows, to how they breed them and their entire milking process. Throughout this tour I kept hearing the word “sustainable.” As we know, sustainable farming is a hot topic in the United States. Here in Costa Rica, farmers use their resources to their full advantage. For example, the pineapple tops and the waste from the sugar cane are used for feed for the cows. After watching this entire process, I was more than impressed at how extremely dedicated Alex is to make his farm sustainable. This entire trip I’ve been so impressed with the pride Costa Ricans have about their country and sustaining it to the best of their abilities.

While walking home from Fabian’s, Maria (a local girl from Pacayitas) asked us about what our favorite thing about Costa Rica is. We went on to tell her that everyone here is so nice and extremely welcoming, unlike in the United States (to be honest). As a community, everyone in Pacayitas works together. Maria was so thankful that we thought that and she told us in her best English that she loves Costa Rica because everyone here is always happy no matter how much money they have. When she said this I got the chills and could only think about how I wish people in the United States were more connected. No matter what financial situation someone is in, they always make the best of what they have.

Walking into our family’s home, I have never seen such a simple place. The walls are white, there’s one picture on the wall, and there are only a few pieces of furniture in each room. The simplicity of their lives is amazing. After living with our family for a few days, I’ve come to appreciate simplicity more than ever. In the United States we are always looking for more to gain for ourselves. Everyone is focused on their own lives and we don’t leave time to appreciate what is around them. After viewing the lives of the ticos, I realized the importance of “together-ness” in the community. While walking on the street, everyone waves and yells “Pura vida!” or “Hola!” whether you know them or not. This community is welcoming with open arms to any visitors. One day I hope that American’s can become more welcoming and proud of their country. I really wish that everyone in America could go on this exact trip and have the eye-opening experience that we’ve experienced. This entire trip I have never felt like a typical tourist. My host family and our guides have made us feel like true family. I’ll be forever grateful for this amazing experience…gracias ticos!!!

Christine: Part of who they are

Today was our second full day in Costa Rica and it was just a busy as the first one. We spent the day in Mollejones, a small town that is about four kilometers away from Pacayitas. We visited a jalapeño farm as well as a passion fruit plantation, Then later we visited the school. We had the opportunity to talk with a group of people who run a tourism group out of Mollejones. It was towards the end of a very long day, and trying to understand everyone's Spanish can get very exhausting, so please bear with me, I think most of my interpretation is correct...

First, they told us about their organization and what they do. When they were finished, we all had the opportunity to ask questions, and I thought that their answers were so interesting. I only wrote down their answers and I forget the specific questions that were asked, but I'll summarize the basic ideas: 

An important theme seemed to be how tourism is really important in their culture. Bringing tourists in to Mollejones helps them to appreciate what they have and the beauty around them, because no everyone has that. It is also a kind of positive reinforcement. The more tourists come to visit, the more motivated the people in the community are to keep Mollejones and Costa Rica clean and beautiful. And then that brings more tourists. You people can see the success that people have in the tourism industry and it inspires them and makes them optimistic about the future. Our guide Alex was able to explain simply, but really well, how the tourism we were experiencing is different from the tourism that is typical of a lot of other places in Costa Rica, especially on the west coast. He said that this kind of tourism in genuine. People are encouraged to not make changes to the way they live their lives, and just to help people to learn about what it really means to be a Costa Rican. An important goal of this type of tourism is to share and preserve the culture of these places. He said that places like Mollejones and other towns in the Turrialba region are inspiring others to expand their ecotourism efforts as a way to conserve and share their culture. 

I think  that everything that this group represents is really inspiring. They are all so passionate about helping their community and conserving the environment, and also the intersection of those two goals and how they can affect each other. Everyone always calls Costa Rica a developing country, and they are developing in many different way, but also in many ways they are much more advanced than the United States could ever be. Costa Ricans, especially local Costa Ricans, have such a deep understanding and connection with the land and their sense of place, that they understand that we are responsible for taking care of it if we want it to continue to be useful to us. I think that's something that a lot of Americans don’t understand, and also something that is difficult to teach, but Costa Ricans, they just know it and it's just part of who they are. 

Katie: Fear is Only Momentary

“Hope will always be stronger than fear. Fear is only momentary.” –Dennis Banks

This is the last quote I had written in my journal since last year when I was with the Ojibwe in Minnesota. It is so fitting seeing as where I am today from where I was a year ago. Those small moments of hope overcame the overwhelming shadows of fear. Holding on closely to those moments of hope has brought me to a place in my life I never expected –a place where happiness and awe completely consumes me. Where laughter and love are stronger than fear, than anxiety, than language barriers. Love, kindness, gratitude, laughter and music are universal languages. My host family and I do not speak the same language and yet we have been able to connect and grow comfortable around one another. Last night we shared music back and forth and had spontaneous dance lessons in the living room. It is incredible to see how language is not necessary to make a real connection with a complete stranger. I am so humbled and in awe of the warmth and sense of family in this amazing culture.

I am also in awe of the passion and ingenuity of the community. The past two days we have experienced so many examples of the passion of these people and their love for their community and their work. Today at a meeting with the Tourism Association they told us “If you want something and you have a passion for it that will overcome all weaknesses.” This quote spoke so many volumes of the community and how much they have invested in each other. Everyone from the coffee producer to the jalapeño farm shared how their hope is to help take care of their community and offer jobs and opportunities.  Repeatedly they tell us that their first goal was never to make money; it was to help the community.

Since I hope to go into International Development when I graduate in May, this really resonated me –what does development mean to the communities we work with? The tourism board explained how simultaneously they work to grow tourism while preserving their culture. In the public meeting area of the community there is a picture of the two oldest and the two youngest of the community. This was there to remind the community that as they grow they must respect the wisdom of their elders while thinking of the future of their children. The definition of development here is so all encompassing of the community –they make sure they benefit the elders, the children, the farmers, and the businesses together. It has only been two days and my eyes have opened to so much.  I am eager to see where the rest of the week will take us.

Peace & Love,

Katie

Terresa: Bienvenidos a Pacayitas!

Yesterday was our first official day in Pacayitas,Costa Rica. After a 5 hour flight from NJ and 4 hour bus travel from San Jose yesterday, we have finally arrived. Unfortunately, one of our classmates, Jack, wasn't able to stay on the trip. Before I begin, I want to dedicate this blog post to Jack. Your presence is greatly missed and we all wish you were here to share in this opportunity!

Today, was a very action filled day! First of all, it was National Women's day. This is holiday not really celebrated in the USA but in Costa Rica, it is a pretty big deal. Everywhere we went people were reminding us of the holiday and praising the roles of women.

We started our one week adventure at a coffee plantation in the heart of Pacayitas. The head head of this coffee plantation was a woman named Rosario. I found this activity particularly interesting because we did a lot of hands-on activities. Everything from, picking the coffee beans, to packaging them in the bags is done at this site and we all got the opportunity to experience each step.

Step 1: Tie a basket around your waist. Then, grab a branch from the coffee plant and carefully yet, efficiently pull off all the ripe berries. Since it wasn't picking season we didnt get the full experience. However, a few of us got to try on the basket!

Step 2:  Place the berries in the water to weed out all the bad ones. If they float, they're bad. If they sink, they're good.

Step 3: Dry the berries. This process takes months so we fast forwarded to already dried berries.

Step 4: This was probably the most entertaining  step of them all. We all got to check our flexibility skills by climbing on to the trunk of a semi hollowed tree and smashing the berries. 

Step 5: Skillfully, sift and blow the beans in order to get rid of the skin. This is much more difficult than it sounds! 

Step 6: roast the coffee in a giant pot. This also takes hours so we were presented with already roasted beans.

Step 7: Grind up the coffee beans! 

Step 8: Package and distribute. In our case, Rosario prepared each of us sample cups. 

I don't personally drink coffee, but according to my classmates it was rich and flavorful! Now, we can all say we produced our very own Costa Rican coffee, sort of. 

After a short lunch break, we were all pleasantly surprised with a hike up to the Water Conservation plant. Although, the hike was a bit difficult, we all used our energy from the rice and beans we had at lunch and successfully made it through. The beautiful trees and plants were also inspiration to keep moving. Once we reached the Water Conservation site, we met Hernando. As the head of all things water-related in Pacayitas, he taught us about how he supplies and maintains the communities water supply.  

Finally, we ended our day with a meeting with the local community government, The Community Development Association. We learned of each of their roles and responsibilities in the community. It was interesting to learn about how much work goes into this association. We also had the opportunity to ask them questions pertaining to difficulties with their roads, healthcare and national government. 

After our meeting, we were given snacks and gifts ( more snacks). We also had the opportunity to purchase local, handmade souvenirs. These souvenirs were especially sentimental because they were created by women in the community. Since it was National Women's day, the males made it a point to praise the hard work and perseverance of these women. Their creations are beautiful and we wish them continued success. 

Overall, today was a very educational day! It made us think about how many things we take for granted. Although, the people here have to work extra hard for what they have, they are extremely happy. We can't wait to see what the rest of the trip has in store for us! Please stay tuned. 

Bienvenidos a Costa Rica

Yesterday afternoon, after a very long day of travel, we arrived in sunny Costa Rica! Our new hosts have made us feel very welcome and we are excited to start our exploration of this friendly rural town! 

Chrstine: Dear Future Self

Dear Future Self, 

Right now I am rapidly, I say rapidly! approaching the day that I will depart for my trip to Costa Rica! Isn’t this exciting? I know it is! And I bet you do too, because when you read this you’ll probably have just gotten back. Everything is fresh in your mind and you are overwhelmed by new experiences. I just wanted to write to you to remind you about all of the things past you hoped that you would learn on this trip, so that you can reflect on them now. Think of me, ripe with anticipation for this trip and all of the new and exciting things I will get to do and learn. And think of future you, someone who is going to want to have something to take her back to those warm activity packed days. Don’t be selfish now… I know you’re feeling lazy. Plus why would you need to write this stuff down? Of course you’re going to remember it! And you’re tired… and you have school tomorrow… but no more excuses! Past you knows better. I know that future future me will want to have something to read in 5 years when something reminds her of this trip. And I know that she isn’t going to remember all the details that are so fresh in your mind right now. But they’re really important! And she’s going to want to remember them. So I need you to think of future you. And here are some of the things I think future you would like to remember. Yes, please get out a pen and paper now. Don’t worry; you can keep me off to the side for reference. 

About Costa Rica:

Talk about the weather, and the landscape. What were the views like? What did it sound like? Were there birds? Where the planes? How is living in Costa Rica different from living in the United States?

About your host family:

What were their names? What did the house look like? Did you make a connection with anyone particular in your host family? Are there any funny moments or things that you learned that stick out in your memory right now? Talk about what types of clothes they wore, and how the house smelled. Were there customs that the family practiced that were strange to you? If so, what were they? How is this family different, or similar, to your own?

About new things that you tried:

What kinds of foods did you eat? Did you try anything new that you loved? Or hated? How do Costa Rican’s view diet and nutrition? Is there anything new that scared you, or made you nervous? Did you do it anyway? Are you glad you did? 

About new things that you learned:

Which of the activities was your favorite and why? Is there anything that you were taught that made you think differently about something that you do in your regular life? Maybe there’s something that you would like to change about your daily habits now? Were you inspired by anything in particular that you learned?

So there are my ideas for what to reflect on. Feel free to use these, or talk about anything else that you will want to remember later. Don’t let future you down! Past you is counting on it.

-Christine-

Jack: Before the Trip

It is always fascinating to dream about the trip to Costa Rica in a few days, during which I can finally have a glance at the tropical forest and what the agricultural economy looks like.

Being abroad is no longer a new experience for me.  Before becoming an international student studying in the United States, I had already been to several countries outside of China.  Most of them, such as Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom and Singapore, are highly developed countries like the United States, in which I gained a general sense of what a developed country looks like and what trends a developing country are undergoing.  Besides China, which is the country where I was born and raised, I don’t have any cognition of how a developing country may look like and what development means to developing countries with different developmental levels.  In order to generate such a basic sense of development for countries, not only do I need a clue of what development looks like, but also I need some views of the general trends for development.  In order to do so, more references from developing countries are indeed needed, and thus this trip researching the local rural development in Costa Rica comes right on time.

I am majoring in applied mathematics and electrical engineering, and most likely, I will devote my career to industrial and technological development.  In my opinion, technology development is one of the most important factors that determine the level and the rate of development in a country.  As a developing country, Costa Rica has a lot of potential in further improving its technological development to accelerate its overall development.  In this trip, I am looking forward to find out the current situation of technology in Costa Rica and extrapolate its development trends, and hopefully, some chances can be spotted for me to make contributions. 

So far, as we learn about Costa Rica development, even though Costa Ricans have a sophisticated techniques in agriculture, the country may be able to improve its infrastructure.  Studying the development in Costa Rica, we learnt that mud roads are still covering some of the country, especially in rural areas.  Roads, the symbol of transportation, can be related to the development of a region.  I think  that civil engineering can be improved in Costa Rica, and also the technology level in average citizens’ life can be improved, because transportation infrastructure can be linked to automobile usage.  In this way, I think that technological and engineering development can be brought to Costa Rica by improving civil engineering.  Also, since Costa Rica is a country with an agricultural economy, technology of improving agricultural development, such as increasing production rate and reducing labor force, can also be brought either into or from Costa Rica depending on its level of development in agriculture.  The visits of the production factory and farm in Costa Rica are the most fascinating part of the trip for me to gain some inspiration of technological development in Costa Rica.

In a few words, in addition to experience the tropical climate, rainforest and the rural life in Costa Rica, I am really looking forward to some inspiration on technological and engineering development in developing countries.

Terresa: I've heard so much about you

Dear Costa Rica, 

I’ve heard so much about you and I can’t wait to experience you for myself! Your fresh air, vibrant wildlife and lushes vegetation will sure be a sight for sore eyes. I am originally from the Caribbean so I expect that this experience will feel a lot like home. I am also looking forward to many new experiences and can’t wait to emerge myself into the unique culture and lifestyle of your beautiful people.   

As a junior studying International Politics Major with an International Political Economy Concentration, I am looking forward to researching the political environment/attitude in Costa Rica. My research will be specifically focused on the uniqueness of your democracy and if your people feel as if their voices are actually heard. Based on this information, I also hope to conclude whether the development in Costa Rica is matching up with the expectations of the Costa Ricans.

I’m looking forward to learning new things and letting this experience enrich and change my life. I also hope that I am able to share memories and leave an impact on the people that I meet. 

See you soon,

Terresa Adams 

Molly: Someplace I've Never Been

“Once a year go someplace you’ve never been before” – the Dalai Lama. 

As a junior in college majoring in Animal Science, living the typical crazy college life, this quote reminds me to keep travel and learning new things in the forefront. This quote just simply resonates a lot with me. The travel bug has bit hard and all I can think about is different places to see, different people to meet, and experiences that are yet to be had.  Traveling can be as planned as you want it to be or as spontaneous as you want it to be and I think that that is the beauty of traveling. Going somewhere new, you never know what will happen and the experiences/adventures that you are going to have.  

Traveling through an embedded course opens up so many interesting opportunities that may not come with leisure traveling. From getting to talk to specific people about the things that they are passionate about to touring different farms which typically aren’t of a family trip. For example, staying with a host family. For me this will be a first and I couldn’t be more excited. I always hear from people who have traveled that their favorite part was living with their host family. To me it is such a great way to get integrated into a new culture and to learn the most. 

My dad always asks a question whenever anyone gets back from a big trip to somewhere new or different. His first question is always “Did it change your life?” I think that this is one of the coolest things about traveling. It has the power to change your life in such an interesting way but its up to YOU to make the most of it, no matter how long of a trip it is. Traveling can open your eyes to things you never even knew existed even if you’ve done all the research you could possibly do. There will always be something unexpected and surprising about going somewhere new. I don’t think many things can completely change your life but I do think that traveling can do just that. It may not completely alter your day-to-day life but I do think that it will make you think differently and possibly impact your choices in the future. 

I want to go into this trip with that question on my mind. I think that it’s a reminder to say yes to every opportunity that comes along and to not let fear get in the way of trying new things. With this thought in mind I hope to go into the trip seeking out the experiences presented to us and being fully engaged in this awesome opportunity.

I wanted to wrap up this blog post with this quote, 
“Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all of one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain. I think that this quote is a great reminder as to why we travel, to learn new things and to open our minds to all the world has to offer. 
A few more days until we are off Costa Rica!

Until then, 
Molly 

Ashley: See you soon Costa Rica!

“Traveling is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer.”

After stepping outside into the 6-degree air to slide to class on icy sidewalks this past week, I’ve come to the conclusion that I am becoming more eager each day to land in the beautiful, warm country of Costa Rica. Although I do love snowy winters, Costa Rica sounds much more appealing after this past month’s snows torms. So, the countdown begins—12 more days until we depart for our journey!

Before I even begin on my excitement, there are so many unanswered questions I am faced with. What should I pack? Will be able to communicate without speaking Spanish? What will my host family be like? And the list goes on and on and on. What I do know is no matter what I pack, or what my host family is like; I won’t take anything for granted while experiencing the beauty and culture of Costa Rica. 

Traveling requires an open mind and an ability to adapt to new places. I cannot wait to learn so much about Costa Rica by physically being there and experiencing all it has to offer. My sister and also my roommate have both visited Costa Rica before and have informed me about its awesome culture. Most importantly, I will be immersed in the culture rather than taking a typical vacation.  

Most people travel for vacation—spread out tanning in the sand, drinking colorful fruit cocktails, or being pampered in a spa. As a college student, Spring break is normally meant for partying on the beach somewhere with a thousand other students. Don’t get me wrong that sounds very fun, but I am more than excited to spend my Spring break in a much different manner. Living with a host family, visiting farms, and teaching a lesson plan to schoolchildren are experiences I would never get on my own. That’s what makes this trip so unique. Instead of visiting all the tourist attractions, we will be in the rural areas learning about the native culture. 

Adventuring to new places always brings a challenge. For this trip, my biggest challenge will most likely be the language barrier. Communicating with my host family will definitely help me practice and become more aware of the Spanish language. I look forward to hanging out with the family, going to community events, and cooking with my host Mom—maybe I’ll even learn some new recipes! The meals they eat will be very different than American meals and I can’t wait to try them. Luckily, I’m not a very picky eater and am willing to try adventurous foods. By asking questions and using body language, I hope to overcome the language barrier challenge that I’ll be facing. When it comes to traveling, not only do you learn about a new culture, you always learn something new about yourself.

My favorite quote: “Traveling is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer (Unkonwn)” has a lot of meaning to me. Growing up in a family that values traveling very highly led me to the decision to travel as much as I can while I’m young. Traveling is the highest valued thing you can spend your money on. No matters where you go or who you’re with, you will always have the experience of a lifetime. 

See you soon Costa Rica!

Ashley Lansdowne

Alyssa: Mucho Gusto Vacas

Mucho gusto vacas. Not everyone gets it but I came from a non-farming background and grew up in the heartland of Pennsylvania agriculture. I still remember those summer nights when my dad would open the door, whistle and then say “Alyssa and David it’s time for dinner!” My brother and I would get home as fast as we could with the promise of playing on our neighbor’s farm the next day. Growing up like that lead me to Penn State where I am a junior in animal science. My PASSION is making agriculture the best it can be to feed our growing world. I am always on the side of aiding the farmer and in Costa Rica I want to know how that is being done. Everyone hears SUSTAINABLE and thinks something different. Some may think organic or small farms but I think every farm can be sustainable. How does Costa Rica want to achieve sustainability? Do they want to achieve it at all? Being a global community we have to know how to work together and make the world a better place. We can start in agriculture by making sure everyone has food to eat 3 times a day 24/7.