Hola! My name is Natasha Montesdeoca and I am a first-year student in the College of Business Administration and the David C. Frederick Honors College, pursuing a degree in Marketing, as well as a Digital Media Certificate. I live five hours east of Pittsburgh, in Easton, PA and I love traveling and exploring new places! Thanks to the amazing Plus3 study abroad program offered at the University of Pittsburgh, this weekend I am headed to one of the most beautiful countries in the world, Costa Rica! 

One of the main things I am excited to learn about during this experience is how sustainability is administered in Costa Rica. According to the World Energy Council, Costa Rica ranks in the top 20 of the world’s global “environmental sustainability” ranking. Despite their small size, the country has strong values and consistently proves their dedication to the environment through various acts of service and contribution. They set themselves apart by focusing on using renewable energy, creating programs that serve to diminish deforestation, recycling their waste, and maintaining strong conservation policies. Costa Rica is most known for its unique landmarks and tourist attractions, and they use that as a method to further support their ecosystem by creating tourist activities that respect the environment, reduce carbon footprint, and contribute to conservation and cultural heritage. The Costa Rican ban on deforestation and introduction of PES, is also one of their main reasons for success, as this program incentivizes farmers to protect watersheds, conserve biodiversity, or mitigate carbon dioxide emissions. Although coffee and bananas are the main source of income for Costa Rica, those topics don’t primarily come up when researching sustainability, and I am intrigued to learn more about it. Nevertheless, Costa Rica’s strong efforts towards sustainability makes them seem progressive, and makes me excited to learn all about the country!

The trip that once seemed so far away is finally here, and I could not be more excited! I cannot wait to meet my homestay family, learn all about Costa Rican culture, try new foods, discover new places, and get to experience the impact of the Costa Rican coffee and banana supply chain first-hand! There are so many bonding and learning opportunities ahead, I am thrilled to take advantage of them all!