Sweet Beginnings: Pineapples, Family, and Sustainability
Hola! To kick off week two in Costa Rica, we began with a local organic pineapple tour. It was laid out like a hayride, with a tractor pulling our group throughout the farm. I learned that the farm, like other organic farms, omits pesticide use by planting pineapples through plastic sheets. This blocks sunlight to the soil so weeds can’t grow.
Our guide used a machete to slice up the fresh pineapples, which reminded me of my great grandmother, Gams. She has the best cooking skills I know and sliced up a pineapple last thanksgiving just like Fruit Ninja. The hayride setup reminded me of family trips to the apple orchard when I was a kid, good memories! This experience was a cool vessel to learn more about organic, sustainable production. Now I can see why organic foods cost so much more on the supermarket shelves.
Appreciating Health and Strength
Later that day I found there was a gym at La Selva, so I hit a nice lift. I am grateful my shoulder is back to 100% after I separated it a couple months ago. This made me appreciate my good health and ability to recover quickly, which shows I have no excuses to not go out and live my life to the fullest. Being in the prime of my youth, I need to take advantage of my physical health and not take any days for granted.
Bananas and Bigger Lessons
The next day started with a cultural banana tour. My first impression was that the operation was much smaller in scale than the pineapple tour, which made a lot more sense when I learned it was run by a single mother and her sisters. It was impressive how the owner, a single mother of three, self-sustains for her family with cows for milk and a wide variety of plants to eat, as well as medicinal plants to help when somebody gets sick. I would love to try these natural medicinal remedies back at home.
Instead of taking out loans, the owner adds onto her house only when she gets the money to do so. This reminded me of how most people in the US are tied to a mortgage, aligned with the lifestyle of constant grind, always feeling like there is no time, and always needing to get more done. This is so different from the ways of living I’ve observed here, where people seem to enjoy the present moment. Pura Vida! This relates to how Costa Rica got stuck in a debt spiral they are still recovering from. After disbanding their military in 1949, they used this money to get variable rate loans from the US to modernize. When conflict in the Middle East caused OPEC to put an oil embargo on the US, this caused inflation, and variable loan rates skyrocketed. On the brink of bankruptcy, Costa Rica had to agree to structural reforms including selling land to private investors and opening the gate to large monoculture farms like Chiquita, Dole, and Del Monte. Essentially, Costa Rica had to give up their ecosystems to pay off these debts, a hole they are still digging out of.
This connects to how the owner is using this historical knowledge to make the choice to not be reliant on creditors who might want to take advantage of her.
Food, Reflection, and Routine
We did an assignment on our diets here in Costa Rica versus at home, which made me more aware of what I eat, where it is sourced, and how it makes me feel. The general consensus of the class was that we are eating much healthier here, along with having a better daily routine and sleep schedule.
The Last Day at La Selva: A Shift in Mindset
Saturday, our last day of data collection, began with an early wakeup and devouring a bagged lunch. These prepacked morning meals remind me of the lunches my mom used to pack for me in middle school, except instead of me ticking boxes indicating what I want included, my mom always struck a perfect balance between including foods she knew I liked while also making it healthy. Sometimes I look back and feel like I didn’t show enough appreciation to those who spend their time and energy on making me happy. This is an improvement I can make in the future.
Even though it was hot and humid, I was really looking forward to going out on the trails. One last ride. I kinda dreaded the first few data collection days because of the harsh weather, but on this day I noticed what a blessing these opportunities are. This is parallel with the realization I made on the last day of my senior year of high school: school was never all that bad. Just like I do with high school, I will look back on all of this with a smile. That night, dinner felt surreal, as reality set in that it was my last night at La Selva.
Waterfalls and Wonder: Moments to Remember
The next morning, I bid farewell to La Selva and off we went. We stopped at the La Fortuna waterfall, my first impression being it looked like the waterfall from Up. Swimming in the emerald water beneath the falls was one of the most surreal, beautiful things I have experienced in my lifetime. I had to take a moment to just sit, take it all in, count my blessings, and thank God for His creation.
Next stop was the town of La Fortuna, where I lost track of time exploring and taking everything in. Walking the streets revealed a desire in me to travel more. It is eye opening to be outside of my bubble in Minneapolis/Bloomington and see the real world and how other people live their lives.
Arenal Vibes and Family Flashbacks
Upon arrival at Arenal Observatory Lodge, I took in the beautiful view even though the volcano was hidden behind the clouds. I feel like seeing the volcano is just a cherry on top of everything else that is to be appreciated here. I did a quick hike to get a lay of the land, which reminded me of doing “lookaround” hikes with my Gramma Judy, Grandpa Mike, and brothers when we used to go camping. We climbed up a huge outlook tower, revealing a panoramic view of the canopy from above. I guess it really is all about perspective in life. This reminded me of climbing a firetower in Pequot Lakes, MN with my family when I was a kid.
When Jon and I were hanging in the hot tub, he told me about a music theory class he took at IU. This reminded me of the goal I made for myself before this trip, to continue teaching myself music theory and relative pitch. This was a good reminder that I still need to pursue my personal goals and aspirations amid everything else going on here.
To Monteverde: A Road of Reflection
The next morning I woke up early to go on a morning hike, but unfortunately the volcano was still hiding behind dense clouds. On the bus ride to Monteverde, I took in the beautiful scenery along Lake Arenal. Although the bus ride from Arenal to Monteverde was almost three hours, the two locations are only ten miles away on the map, with the only route being all the way around the lake. This reminded me of what my Grampa Mike told me about his time in Vietnam, where he had to bushwack through the jungle to get to their compound, since there were no roads yet.
When I walked into my room in Monteverde, I felt like I had walked into my cabin in northern Minnesota. The room gives me a sense of home and family, which feels good inside. Following the cozy vibe, I love how our whole group sits at one long table for all of the meals here. This reminds me of going to my Grandpa Chuck and Grandma Nancy’s house every Sunday night to catch up and watch some football. I am so thankful for these memories with them, sometimes I forget how lucky I am to have so many of my relatives nearby in Minnesota, a luxury most people don’t have.
Learning in Layers: Pieces of a Bigger Picture
This past week I have learned so many new things in layers. All of these connections I am making show how I am a combination of everyone I have loved and appreciated throughout my life. I like how I am picking up on things I admire in others and adding them to my own arsenal. I cannot wait for what awaits on the last leg of the trip!
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