The two weeks that I spent in Costa Rica flew by so quickly. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and I enjoyed everything – whether it was the various site visits, trying all the good food, or spending time with my mama tica and getting to practice speaking Spanish with her. In particular, I really liked the Cloud Forest Hike in Monteverde and seeing all of the incredible views and wildlife. My fellow students and I hiked all morning that day and gathered 13,000 steps by 11am! All of the uphill climbing was worth the trek, as everything we saw that day was amazing. Additionally, the La Paz Waterfall Gardens was one of my favorite parts as well – the scenery was breathtaking. We also got to watch a Costa Rican soccer game, Alajuela vs Heredia, which was an amazing experience. Even in the pouring rain, I loved watching the game and taking in the atmosphere of the stadium and its energetic fans. 

During the trip, I was part of a group project that focused on the planning aspect of the supply chain of Costa Rica’s tropical agriculture. I learned a lot about how companies need to be a step ahead when considering factors such as sustainability practices. For instance, once a coffee tree is about 25 years old, production of coffee cherries starts to decline, so the old trees are burned to make fuel for the entire coffee processing system. Also, coffee businesses like Doka Estate typically dry the coffee beans out in the sun, which typically takes about 4-5 days. However, if the beans are still not dry, they will be placed into the drying machine. Even though Doka owns a coffee bean drying machine, they choose to utilize the sunlight because it is a free natural resource and can also dry more beans at once compared to the smaller amount that can be placed into the dryer. This shows how processing mills like Doka need to plan ahead because if there is rain, they could look to start drying with the machine to ensure consistent and timely operation. If the weather proves to be sunny, they can take advantage by drying more quantities of coffee beans to accelerate the production process.

I believe one of the biggest areas of personal growth for me was adapting to a new culture and trying to practice my Spanish. After taking Spanish classes in middle and high school, it was rewarding to finally get the chance to practice my skills in a Spanish-speaking country. I enjoyed talking to my mama tica, who also helped me and corrected my mistakes. Having to find our way around the country was a little bit of a challenge at times, as there are no street addresses in Costa Rica. Therefore, we had to rely on dropping a pin on Google Maps and navigating based on nearby landmarks, especially when we had to Uber. I also enjoyed meeting and spending time with my fellow students on the trip. The knowledge that I gained about supply chains and sustainability, along with the life lessons learned along the way regarding adaptability and flexibility, will be useful as I look to continue my preparation for entering the real business world. Overall, I had a really amazing experience and hope to study abroad again in the future.