Costa Rica
Sophomore Year our class traveled to Costa Rica to learn about waste management, visit EARTH university, and visit the Bribri tribe. there we two groups Costa and Rica. I was in the Rica group which meant we had to be at the airport at four in the morning but that also meant we got be in Costa Rica longer! When I arrived at the airport it still hadn't hit me that I was going to Costa Rica, I was filled with excitement but I was also nervous. The first day was the longest, it was filled with waiting in lines, going on planes, and exploring the first bit of Costa Rica.
When we finally arrived to Costa Rica our fist stop was the Doka Coffee Plantation. On the ride there we were able to see people walking around the streets, there was even an event going on with dozens of people. At the coffee plantation we got to see the trees where the coffee beans grow on. We then got to tour their facility, and see how they process the beans and how they come to be coffee. After our tour we went to eat dinner at a Costa Rican restaurant. Then we were off to EARTH university. At EARTH we stayed in dorm room, which was fun to experience. In the morning the next day we learned about waste management and got to see how they recycled items and used them in a garden. Later we went to a finca which is a small family farm. This day at the finca we got to meet a dad, mom, and son. They didn't speak any English and I was the only one in our group who spoke a decent amount of Spanish, so I translated to my group. I had never translated so it was interesting getting to do it for the first time, i will say it is hard because I could understand everything but no one else could. They served us a home cooked meal, it was soup with vegetables and chicken. After eating we played some board games and listened to some music, this was really fun, and an example of globalization. We then took a tour of the finca, they had pigs, chickens, and all sorts of plants and fruits.We then walked to another finca and the people in that group gave us a tour and we then played soccer. After the fincas we made our way back to EARTH university and ate dinner. That night we watched a documentary on pollution in Guatemala, we watched how people there survived on the landfill, by finding their food there, and looked for anything that could be sold to make money because many didn't have jobs. We then had a discussion about the documentary and the similarities of waste management between the united states, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Our fist full day of being in Costa Rica was complete, i had experienced so much since I landed in the country that it had already felt like i had been there for a week even though the week was still ahead of me. The next day we learned about biodegraders, and how waste from animals can be converted into carbon monoxide and then turned into energy. At EARTH they had also created a cycle where they convert the animal waste into fertilizer, then they use the fertilizer to grow food, they then serve the food in the cafeteria, the scraps will then be fed to the animals, and the cycle starts over again. Later that day we then visited another finca, this day they served us rice, beans, chicken, and for dessert ice cream! We then toured their finca wich was very large and it felt like you were walking through the rain forest, but to them it was just their backyard. We saw a variety of plants and animals, along with their pet raccoon named poncho. At the end of the tour we got to see and touch a poison dark frog which was not something you could casually experience back home. We then planted a tree, and they said if we ever come back we can come see the tree and remember this amazing experience. We then had to say good bye to our finca family. The finca families were probably one of my favorite parts because we were able to connect to these people, and help them out in more ways then one, which warmed my heart. That night at EARTH university we met some students from the university. They told us about their projects and how they have to create a product, make it, and sell it. They also told us where they are from and how they came to EARTH university. They next day we made our way to visit the Bribri. When we got close we had to switch to a school bus for the rest of the ride. When we arrived we ate and then helped out with some community service. I first picked up garbage on the sides of the road, but as we were doing it the view was amazing which made the experience even better, next we made some signs and painted them, lastly everyone got their own tree to plant. Later that night a sermon came and talked to us about their beliefs, and how they believe we come from the earth, and that's why they make medicine from herbs and plants. They also believe after death we return back into the earth. That night we slept there, under a misquote net, on a mattress, in what felt like a tree house. The next day we visited a nearby retirement home, we talked to the people there and listened to their stories. After lunch it was time to leave, to return back to EARTH university. On the way back we stopped at the beach, we got to walk on a trail where we saw a variety of animals such as, sloths, monkeys, a snake, birds, and even a raccoon. When we arrived back at EARTH university we cleaned our selves up, and had a our last dinner at EARTH. Students performed dances for us, and we got to interact and show them some of our culture too. The next day was our last full day. We drove back to San Jose, there we ate lunch and then visited a shop where they made oxcart wheels. We then made our way to the hotel where we ate dinner, and later got into our small groups and talked about our trip and the four pillars. One of the pillars we discussed was Recognize Perspectives, this one stood out to me because living in the United States might make you think that the rest of the world is the same, but in reality it is very different. I was able to see how people in Costa Rica live and recognize their perspective of life. I found that most of the people I met there were very happy and friendly people and comparing to the US I realized that this was different because a lot of the people in the US would not care as much. Another pillar we discussed was Communicate Ideas, at EARTH they shared their ideas of waste management and wanted us to bring these ideas back home and put them into use just like they did at the university, this can also tie into another pillar, Take Action. The next day we headed for the airport, and started our journey back home. I was sad to leave but excited to get back home and see my family. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget, and I am so grateful to of had the opportunity to have gone on this trip. Seeing life in a different country and getting to experience their culture definitely changed my perspective. |
One of the many rainbows we saw
At the Doka coffee plantation
A method of planting EARTH university uses
The beautiful beach
The tree we planted at with our finca family
At the Bribri
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