Our third week in Costa Rica came as soon as it left, and now, as I sit in the airport and type out this blog, about to board my flight back to the United States, I reminisce on what an incredible and life changing three weeks this has been. I have truly never felt as much gratitude to have been a part of something as much as I feel right now. Thinking back on the trip— from La Selva to Volcán Arenal to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, and lastly, to the home-stays and Valle Escondido — I can say with confidence that going on this trip was the best decision I could have made this summer. In the past three weeks, I have formed incredible connections with everyone on this trip, as well as with the local people of Costa Rica who I had the privilege to get to know on a more personal level. I also feel a stronger connection to the planet and the environment than ever before. My perspective has altered to the point where I feel like a completely different person, and I will forever carry with me the experiences and the knowledge that I gained on this trip.
On our last night in Costa Rica, we sat together at valle Escondido and reflected on our time in Costa Rica. Dr. Libby asked us to think about the place where we felt most comfortable during the trip and I thought back to La Selva— the very beginning, where it all started. I was immediately transported to the hot, humid, bug-ridden rooms and the long, energy-draining hikes that my research group and I would set out on. Despite these difficult moments, even after experiencing the much more physically comfortable conditions that followed La Selva, I believe that La Selva is where I felt most comfortable overall. La Selva is where we all experienced a new level of discomfort, which is exactly what brought us together. After long days of hiking and sweating, we would come together for dinner and stay up late talking or playing cards. We spent almost every waking moment getting to know each other, and I felt so present in those moments. We fell into a routine, and despite the physical discomfort, I would wake up every day excited to see everyone. I enjoyed rising with the sun every day and was eager to see all my friends at breakfast and to explore new parts of the rainforest together. Overcoming this physical discomfort as a group provided me with a new perspective and transformed La Selva into the place that brought me most comfort.
I was incredibly excited to work on the coffee farm in Monteverde. After a handful of restful days of data analysis and hikes in much cooler conditions, I was ready to get my hands dirty again and finally give back to the incredible community of individuals that kept us fed and happy at the farm. I was also eager to learn about the agricultural practices implemented on the farm— especially composting and the creation of biofertilizer. Man, do I love composting. If there is one sustainable practice that I would like to implement into my own life, it would definitely be composting. It’s incredible and beautiful and makes me feel like I’m giving back to the earth rather than simply taking and consuming what it offers. At the farm, we shoveled compost into bags and spent the afternoons painting on walls and benches.
Throughout the trip, especially this past week, I have observed the intricacy and impact of permaculture. Permaculture is the system of managing land in a way that works with the environment rather than against it. It allows us to integrate our needs into the land in a way that gives back to the planet and strengthens the environment’s resilience and biodiversity rather than diminishing it. I saw these practices implemented at the coffee farm, as well at Valle Escondido, in the forms of water recycling, creation of biofertilizer, altering our diets to align with the land’s potential, and more. One of my biggest takeaways from learning about permaculture is that it really isn’t that difficult to go the extra mile for the environment and to manage land or alter our needs so that we’re not simply taking from the environment, but giving back. I realized how little significance our upmost level of comfort has in comparison to the importance of working in collaboration with the environment. We may see the less sustainable option as the easy way out when our comfort is at stake, but it is crucial to acknowledge that making these sustainable changes will help us in the long run. We cannot work against the environment and deplete it of all that it offers and still expect it to keep providing for us indefinitely.
After every day of working at the farm, Bre and I would walk up the road to Mercedes’ house. Mercedes was our host mom when we worked at the farm, and she was incredibly selfless, welcoming, caring, and thoughtful. I have lived with host families before, so I had no difficulty acclimating to living with someone who started off as a stranger. Within hours of talking to Mercedes, I felt like I had known her very well, and within the days we spent with her and learned about her life, she felt like family. Staying with Mercedes reminded me of the importance of being present, of valuing time spent with family, of understanding and making an effort to fulfill the emotional needs of others, and of making new connections everywhere I go. It also pushed me to practice my Spanish speaking skills, even during the moments when English might have been the more comfortable way of communicating. I will forever be grateful for the time I was able to spend with our host mom.
I’m sad to leave Costa Rica. The people I met during the program, the culture and sets of values I experienced, and the gorgeous scenery and biodiversity of the country are all things that make it difficult for me to say goodbye. I know that the friends I made on this trip will be ones that stick around for a while, and I look forward to seeing what lies ahead for us. I hope to continue using and implementing the incredible amount of knowledge I gained by going on this trip. Thank you for coming along with me on this adventure— pura vida!
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