Today was my favorite day so far. We visited a local school in the morning for our service project. We were split into groups for a moment to talk to the young students. It was fun communicating with them and playing games. All the kids were happy to speak to us and excited to spend time with us. Our project was to paint the fence in front of the school. We started with a light blue coat of paint. The students put paint all over their hands, and I realized I had the perfect opportunity. My shirt already had paint on it, so I asked the kids to put handprints on the back of my shirt. They kept painting their hands with light blue and then running to add another handprint. 

The best part was playing soccer with the students. I love soccer, and so did some of the students. We split into teams and played for twenty minutes. One of the best things about soccer is that you don’t need verbal communication to play. Anyone can play, and it’s a way to unite us. The same thing goes for painting the fence. Everyone was working together and having a blast. It was an extraordinary experience!

After the service project, we visited a coffee farm and sustainability education center. The lifestyle of a Tico farmer is challenging. There are few farmers, so everyone puts in a lot of work. Manual labor is preferred to large machinery to ensure the best quality. It may be demanding, but there are some benefits. The pay is four dollars per basket. Farmers get three meals daily, coffee, and medical insurance. Recently, an employee was bitten by a snake. The medical insurance helped. If I were the child of a Tico farmer and provided with education, I would look for solutions outside of the farm. Education is significant in Costa Rica right now. Educated people are avoiding work on the farms. There are ways to help without strenuous hours in the field, although both aspects are vital. A way they combat this shift is by hiring workers from Nicaragua. 

Sustainability is a primary concern on the farm, but some challenges exist. Coffee rust is a significant problem. The farmers put a lot of effort into keeping the crops healthy, so setbacks from fungus cause a lot of frustration. Losses in crop yield are possible. Tico farmers are looking for solutions. Cafe Monteverde wants to find the best blend of the economy, productivity, and quality of life. Farmers are looking to engineer a more environmentally sustainable future. Fertilizers and herbicides are a primary concern of Cafe Monteverde. They are looking into better organic pesticides and finding ways to cut costs. Herbicides are not in favor. The soil is the most important resource they have. Sustainability is vital everywhere. In the last two days, I have learned so much. I find sustainability interesting and hope to learn more over the rest of the program.