The past two weeks flew by so quickly; I can’t believe my study abroad experience is already over! I have learned so much in such a short amount of time and am incredibly appreciative of the people I have met and the memories we have made together on this trip. I had the opportunity to collaborate with students from Pitt Business and the Swanson School of Engineering to explore the depth of Costa Rican culture and gain new knowledge in Supply Chain Management. 

We visited several coffee plantations, including Hacienda Doka, Café Britt, and Café Monteverde, where we learned about the coffee production process firsthand and experienced the rich quality of Costa Rican coffee. We also attended educational tours at Sibö Chocolate, the Organic Paradise Pineapple Tour, and a Sarapiquí strawberry farm to learn about the value of these products in the global market and their impact on the Costa Rican economy. These experiences have been incredibly beneficial to me both academically and professionally. They allowed me to gain valuable insight into the intricate process of transforming a product from concept to consumer and observe the significant sustainability efforts each company incorporated into their production processes.

I am incredibly appreciative of this program for allowing me to work closely with my peers to gain knowledge on how traditions, sustainability efforts, agriculture, environmental factors, eco-tourism, and Costa Rican communities all contribute to the country’s overall success, as well as how Costa Rican food production impacts international business and the global market. I am excited to take these skills on with me as I move through my studies and into my career as a Business major.

I am also incredibly appreciative of the culture and community we were so kindly welcomed into during our time in Costa Rica! Our course has a unique trait that sets it apart from the other Plus 3 locations: living in homestays! Going into the trip, I was a bit nervous about staying at someone else’s house for two weeks, but it has truly been one of the most wonderful, transformative experiences of my life. Our class was split into small groups of 2-4, and each assigned a “Mama Tica”, a Costa Rican mother, who provided us with a place to stay, delicious meals, help with practicing our Spanish, and genuine care, treating us like family. It was beautiful to see my peers progress in their Spanish day by day and beneficial for me, as someone fluent in Spanish, to practice using complex words that were beyond my comfort zone. Living in homestays truly made this experience one to remember because it allowed us to immerse ourselves directly in the community and witness the Costa Rican way of life firsthand. Some of my favorite nights were the ones in which we spent eating Pops ice cream in the park and playing basketball and soccer with local children.

I have grown so much and made so many beautiful memories on this trip that I can’t help but smile reflecting on it all. Costa Rica was truly a pleasure to explore, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. To those considering participating in study abroad experiences, I hope this blog is a sign for you to say yes! I can’t wait for my next study abroad adventure. The world is waiting—go explore it!