¡Hola! I’m Lauren, a Chemical Engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh. In just a few days, I’ll be on the adventure of a lifetime as I travel to Costa Rica as part of the Plus3 program! I can’t wait to experience the Costa Rican pura vida lifestyle, enhance my Spanish speaking skills, eat lots of delicious fruit, and learn about Costa Rican agriculture. I initially chose this trip because as a Spanish minor, it seemed like an excellent way to immerse myself in Latin American culture while also studying something relevant to my degree. However, as I learn more about coffee and bananas, I’m becoming more and more excited to study historical and fascinating industries!

One major portion of Costa Rica’s economy is ecotourism. As the country contains over five percent of the planet’s biodiversity, it’s easy to see why people from all over the world would want to come and visit. Costa Rica is most well known for its ecotourism, but this industry seems to be a result of major environmental developments that protect the country’s natural beauty. Conservation and sustainability are top priorities for Costa Rica, as it was ranked second in the world (behind Switzerland) for its environmental sustainability in 2013.

Costa Rican efforts to protect the environment include a ban on recreational hunting, a solid plan to become carbon neutral by 2021, and the dedication of over thirty percent of the country’s land to nature reserves. Together, these initiatives make Costa Rica a model nation for other countries striving to reduce their carbon footprint, fight climate change, and strengthen their ecosystems. For such a small country, Costa Rica’s emphasis on environmental sustainability is very impressive. Costa Rica’s leadership just shows the rest of the world that no country is too small to make a positive impact on the environment. Just imagine how beautiful our planet would be if every country had the same passion for sustainability that Costa Rica has!

All of the Ticos’ hard work to protect their country’s natural beauty has paid off. Costa Rica is consistently ranked one of the world’s happiest nations by the New Economics Foundation’s Happy Planet Index. I can’t wait to experience some Costa Rican happiness for myself and learn about how sustainable practices can increase the quality of life in our local communities.