At The Divide: Where Worlds Collide
Time and tide wait for no man.
The final group hike was to the continental divide, where the gale force winds of the Caribbean side meet the calm and collected Pacific side. Like the flow of the trade winds that explain this near enigma, there is so much more in life than meets the eye.
For example, why did the United States back out of the Paris Agreement if member countries aren’t even required to satisfy the NDCs they set? Because there is more than meets the eye. Like much of politics these days and historically, it usually boils down to the deeper motives of the man in charge. Additionally, with the Paris Agreement being completely toothless, member countries can essentially greenwash by being part of the agreement to make it appear as if they care about sustainability, but then never deliver and live up to their word.
Sound familiar? How about when George W. Bush was elected and talked a big game about being a leader in sustainability and combating climate change. Knowing he made his fortune from oil, fossil fuel companies knew he was simply putting on a mask and wouldn’t put regulations in place or deliver on his promises. Conversely, when Obama was elected, he actually put teeth into what he said and oil companies knew they were going to have to change.
Policies and Price Tags
Also pushing for sustainability and economic equity, Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act to address key national priorities like combating climate change, reducing healthcare costs, and promoting tax fairness. Under the Inflation Reduction act, homeowners could essentially make the switch to renewable energy for free.
In going green, the act provided owners a hefty federal tax credit–not to mention additional incentives offered by most states. Some time in the future, the money saved from not paying an electrical bill would surpass the break-even point, and it’s all ROI from there. However, there’s no such thing as free lunch. So who pays? In simple terms, taxpayers were footing the bill.
The government covers these clean energy incentives using public funds—meaning the costs are ultimately distributed across society through federal tax revenues and government borrowing. Essentially, the government fronts the bill, and society pays for it over time.
Layers of Climate Reality
On the topic of climate change, most non-scientists, or in other words the majority of humans, cannot tell the seemingly small increases in temperature. They have not the slightest understanding of the reality these changes will bring in our future.
Considering we haven’t even felt the effects of a plethora of greenhouse gases we’ve emitted, not even scientists can truly gauge the scale of what we have done. We are doing an experiment on Planet Earth. Can we switch our path before self-inflicted extinction?
Ripples of Positivity
Alright, enough with the negativity. We must always look for the good, it is all around. After sending a medley of recent pictures to my family, my dad said the daily updates never get old and are always a breath of fresh air. Hearing this was maybe an even bigger breath of fresh air for me.
It is beautiful what an impact seemingly small gestures can have on people. After all, it is all our first time doing this thing we call life, so why don’t we look at the positive and lift each other up?
Rediscovering Childlike Wonder
I think it’s also time we start surrounding ourselves with good. A simple introduction activity at the Cafe Monteverde coffee farm revealed this to me. Tasked with briefly walking around the farm and then drawing a picture of what we noticed, Spencer, Jon, Lucca, and I thought this was a little childish at first glance. Then I came to an epiphany. Childish!
All these years searching and it was inside of me this whole time. It always has been and always will be. The wonders of being a kid, still burning inside of me. I still draw just like I did in middle school art class. I feel I enjoy it now even more than I did back then.
I felt this again when we climbed their Tree of Life, which gave me flashbacks of climbing the pine trees at Velocity back in the day. Doing things like this makes me feel so alive and in touch with the world and all of my senses. I want to get into consistently doing what makes me feel alive. I feel like a kid again. Like my true self. Art. Climbing. Creating. Honestly, I want to do everything. Learn, create, just live. I will look back on this and thank God for gifting me this realization.
I believe the key is to express ourselves through creativity and creation, like art and building things. I haven’t exercised these nearly enough in recent years.
Presence, Perspective, and the “20s” Ethos
Maybe, the key is just being present. When Spencer, Jon, and I got to our host mom Elizabeth’s house, a surprise was waiting for us. She had another exchange student, Nick, already staying with her too.
In the three days to follow, every time we returned to the house Nick was sitting on the front step listening to music. I didn’t see him scroll on his phone a single time in the few days we stayed together. One night, he walked with us to his favorite spot to watch the sunset.
It was the most beautiful place I have been in my life. Obviously I had to take some pictures. As Spencer, Jon, and I were all on our phones taking pictures from every angle, I noticed Nick just sitting and taking it all in. I think we all need to learn a lesson from him. Like Master Oogway once said, “Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, but Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”
In the distance, we saw a few dirtbikes stopped at the fence we jumped over to reach our spot. Spencer, Jon, and I were worried this was their land and we might be in a sticky situation. However, Nick told us most locals wouldn’t care and would just say “20s.” Soon I would learn this is a common phrase used in Costa Rica when locals want kids to just live in their 20s, enjoy life, and maybe mess around a little bit. My question is, why does this only apply to “20s”? This mindset applies to every day we live here on Earth.
As I took a last look at the sunset, I found it beautiful how I could see everything for miles as it faded off into the horizon. Everything looks so small from above. It really puts into perspective how small I am, and more importantly, how small my problems and struggles and doubts are in the grand scheme of life.
Cultivating Knowledge
Back at the house, Nick and I talked for hours about what we had learned from our times in Costa Rica. With him being an agriculture major, and me being a curious individual, I knew I had to learn as much from him as I could. When we talked about agriculture, his face lit up just like Dr. Wasserman we would talk about primates, and Dr. Libbey when we would get into food systems. This is the raw passion and curiosity that I hope to harness one day.
I told him I wanted to make a sustainable garden back at home with my mom, and he delivered an abundance of knowledge. My mom took a horticulture class recently and has a million times more gardening experience than me, but thanks to Nick, I’d like to think I’m very well versed on sustainable agriculture now. I am looking forward to seeing how we can combine our knowledge, teach each other, and most importantly, what we can make with all of this.
On a side note, I really admire how my mom uses her free time to learn more about things she is genuinely interested in. I never really noticed things like this before. I think the gears are starting to turn inside my head.
Déjà Vu at the Coffee Farm
Everything is connected. The day after my agriculture conversation with Nick, the coffee farm gave us a rundown on how they make their organic fertilizers and pesticides. Deja Vu overcame my body as I realized Nick taught me all of this the night before.
And the craziest part–this was just one of the tangents he went off on in our conversation. I noticed the power of my brain is unbelievable when I am genuinely curious about something. Food for thought.
Permaculture at Valle Escondido
The last couple nights, we were treated to a beautiful hotel that exceeded all expectations. Probably better referred to as a resort, Valle Escondido was something special.
At first glance, due to how nice the place was, I assumed it was not sustainable and likely had a horrible ecological footprint. Boy was I wrong. The owner took us on a Permaculture tour throughout the grounds, and I was blown away to say the least. Permaculture. You should look it up. Applicable to land management and design anywhere in the world, this set of design principles utilizes land, resources, people, and the environment to produce minimal waste.
I never expected a resort as nice as this to be able to produce virtually no pollution or waste. This was eye-opening to say the least, and I cannot wait to see what I can apply this to in my life in the future.
Carrying the Layers Forward
Adios! I cannot believe I am saying this. What once seemed like a date on my calendar, it was now looming over me. The day had finally come. Where did all the time go?
I cannot believe I am sitting here signing off on this experience and my time in Costa Rica. Crazy how time works. But this isn’t the end. I am taking everything with me. The people I’ve grown so close with, the lessons I’ve learned, the realizations I’ve had. All of it has already been added to my arsenal.
Being here also forced me to fully detox and forced me into impeccable routines, like my diet and circadian rhythm. My mind has been opened to avenues that I have not visited in years. I was going to write “My mind has been opened to avenues that I haven’t visited since I was a kid,” but I am still a kid. I always will be.
All of this, I need to keep it going when I get back home. Learning new things, challenging myself, doing what I love, being there for others. It will be a challenge and I cannot wait. I’ve realized I haven’t even scratched the surface of my true potential and purpose in life, there is so much more out there for me. It has always been inside of me. Nothing changes if nothing changes, and this experience changed me. It IS still inside of me! It always was, and always will be. It’s all there for the taking!
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