Today we visited Kyndryl and Dos Pinos, and it was interesting seeing how different they both are. At Kyndryl, a lot of the focus was on technology, global connections, and innovation. They work with companies all around the world and have over 80,000 employees in more than 60 countries, which honestly made the company feel huge. Even though…
Category: Plus3 Costa Rica
Check out all the Plus3 Costa Rica blogs below!
May 12th- Leche Factory
Dos Pinos and Kyndryl both leave a long-term impact on Costa Rica. Kyndryl creates a lasting value by providing jobs and maintaining a strong work-life balance through flexibility on scheduling. On the other hand, Dos Pinos creates a lasting value by its supply of milk and dairy which is very essential for Costa Rica. If…
May 12th – No Free Ice Cream
Today we visited two very different companies, Kyndryl and Dos Pinos. Kyndryl is a global IT services company with 80,000 employees operating in 60+ countries. They chose Costa Rica specifically for the educated workforce, which makes sense. They have invested a lot in their people too, with 98 hours of training per employee and over…
From Technology to Dairy
Today we visited Kyndryl and Dos Pinos, which are two very different types of businesses. Kyndryl is a large IT company based in New York that primarily works with banks, airlines, and many other companies worldwide. They chose Costa Rica because of the educated workforce and growing technology sector. I thought it was interesting how…
One has cows, one has corporate emails
We were able to visit 2 different companies today, one being Kyndryl and the other being Dos Pinos. Both of them have very different models that they implement. Kyndryl is a huge international business. This brings lots of jobs to Costa Ricans which helps with investment as well.Dos Pinos is owned by Costa Rican farmers…
May 12th: IT and Dairy
Today, we visited Kyndryl, an American multinational IT services company. Later, we toured a Dos Pinos factory. Dos Pinos is a large dairy cooperative that is entirely owned and operated by Costa Rican farmers. These two business models offer different pros and cons. The international method provides jobs and investment but decision-making is not up…
More Than Pura Vida – 05/11
Living with my host family has been a great experience. My host mom is very friendly and is always worried about us. She always makes sure we are well fed and we slept well. One thing I did not expect though was how she is always on time for meals. I learned that in Costa…
Exploring Heredia
One thing that has surprised me so far while living with my host family is the large variety of foods that they eat on a day-to-day basis. When learning about coming on this trip, we were told to expect a lot of the same foods, like gallos pinto for breakfast, and a lot of meals…
Day 3 Blog
One moment from my homestay so far that I didn’t expect was how early they wake up and go to sleep. My Costa Rican “Mom” wakes up around 4-5 am, which is very surprising to me. I had to go to the bathroom one time early in the morning, and Maria was wide awake, drinking…
Fluent in Pointing
I didn’t know what to expect when coming to Costa Rica to stay with a host family. Was my host family going to speak English? Was I going to like the food? Would they like me? All these questions were running through my head, but I had no need to worry because my host family…
Lots of confusion with some laughs!
I have had some pretty difficult times while talking to my host family. I personally am not the best at Spanish. Actually, I don’t speak any. That has been such a challenge for me. During dinners, we leave google translate open so we can talk to our family. I would say I am pretty surprised…
Fresh Finds in Heredia
Today we got a tour around Heredia and did a scavenger hunt in Mercado Central. During our walking tour and our scavenger hunt I noticed the same kind of energy everywhere we went. The market was busy and loud but people were still patient, friendly, and willing to help us when we got confused trying…
May 11th: Markets and Walking Tour
Today, we went to the Mercado Central in Heredia and then went on a walking tour of the city. There, I saw many similarities to our homestay. One of these is the hospitality of the Costa Rican people. For example, on our first day, our host brother took us on a tour of the neighborhood…
Day 2 – Everyday Heredia
Today we got to take a walk around Heredia, spending the morning in the Mercado Central. The market was alive with color and sound, with fruits stacked in bright bunches, customers asking prices, and vendors going over to the neighboring shop to chat about their day. What stood out most was how work wasn’t rushed….
A Newfound Love for Mangos and Mercados.
Today was an incredible introduction to what a real Tico life is like. We visited the local market, made it on the news, got a tour of Heredia, tried their local ice cream and foods, and learned about their customs. We’ve also learned a lot during our short time at our home-stays. My “mom” and…
May 11th – VACAtion is going great!
One thing that took me by surprise during my homestay so far was the schedule of my host parents. They seem to go to bed at an early hour such as 8:30 or 9, and wake up around 4-5 in the morning. It feels unusual compared to what I’m used to, but after seeing more…
Running on Coffee and Tico Directions
So far on this trip, my experience with my homestay family has been great. I have gotten to practice and improve my Spanish skills and learn more about what living in Costa Rica is truly like. One thing that has surprised me from living with my family is that they always have their front door open during…
The Easygoing Tico Experience
An unexpected aspect of my homestay experience is the layout and security of the house, which is very different from what I am used to in the United States. The front door first leads into the garage, and then there is a second door that actually enters the home itself with no lock. Another thing…
May 11: A Little Lost, A Lot Welcomed
One moment from my homestay that I really did not expect was how our host mom sits and eats dinner with us every night, even if she already ate or is not really eating anything herself. I feel like in the United States everyone is often rushing around or eating separately, so having someone take…
May 11th- Walking Tour & Crazy Fruits
One thing from my homestay that I did not expect was how Tico’s treat pets. Our family has a Golden Retriever named Cartida who is very well behaved. The thing that was different with Cartida was that they rarely let her go in the house and she sleeps outside. In America, I have never heard…