One moment in my homestay that I did not really expect was how they always keep the dog outside. In the United States, everyone, for the most part, treats their dog like family. I am not saying that they don’t, but I noticed that the dog always stays in the backyard during the day and…
Category: Plus3 Costa Rica
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May 10: Strawberries, Sloths, and Sustainability
After visiting Doka, the strawberry farm, and La Paz Waterfall Gardens, I definitely felt like there was a strong sustainable relationship between the people, land, and commerce. What stood out to me most was that none of the places felt overly commercialized or focused only on making money. At the strawberry farm, it was really…
May 10th: I’m waterfall-ing in love with Costa Rica
Our first day of activities was a perfect beginning to our trip. We got the chance to visit, and tour, a strawberry farm, Poás Volcano, La Paz Waterfall Gardens. At La Paz, there was a clear sustainable relationship between the people, land, and commerce. Within the exhibits, they appear to be able to maintain a…
La Paz: Worth the Pause – May 10th
Today was a great day that introduced us to sustainability, from the strawberry farm to La Paz. I got to learn so much from these experiences and how these businesses work with the land. For example, the strawberry farm that plants fruit for the birds, as it keeps them away from the strawberries but also…
Day 1 Blog
Before taking a deep dive into Costa Rica’s sustainability efforts, I thought it was mostly a vacation place with beaches, very nice weather and beautiful rainforests. After looking into it I was surprised by how importantly Costa Rica takes environmental sustainability. Costa Rica generates a lot of its electricity from sustainable energy sources such as…
Day 2 Blog
For today, we went to La Paz and the strawberry farm, which was a very unique and special experience. I was able to learn more and more about the Costa Rican culture and how it differs from the American culture, which was very cool. First, we can talk about La Paz, and in my opinion,…
“Hold On Tight Spider Monkey!”
Today was our first full day in Costa Rica. We started out strong with our strawberry tour, volcano visit, and the waterfall gardens that were so incredible we didn’t have enough time to go to Doka. All three locations use their land to foster community, keep culture alive, and protect the environment. La Paz was…
1 Day or Day 1 – Strawberry Farm Freshness
Our trip to the strawberry farm ended up being a great way to start the trip. From the moment we arrived, it was clear how intentionally the farmers work with the environment. They plant smaller fruit bushes around the edges of the fields so birds go for those instead of the strawberries. It’s a simple…
Exploring La Paz!
Today we were able to explore La Paz waterfalls and the areas around them. We learned many different things, including that they did not have heavy machinery come in and build everything, because they didn’t want to disrupt the land.I have been wrestling with if everything I observed today was sustainable in all aspects. I…
May 10th – Had A Blast!
The most impressive aspect of today was how connected the people are to the environment and how valuable it is to farmers and everyone alike. At the strawberry farm, they explained that they avoid using pesticides because of the negative effects they can have on strawberries and on the land. Instead of focusing only on…
Strawberry Farm!
After visiting the strawberry farm today, I felt like it was a strong example of a sustainable relationship between people, land, and commerce. We learned that strawberries in Costa Rica can grow year round because of the climate and the use of micro greenhouses. They help protect the plants while still allowing them to use…
Strawberries that benefit everyone
The La Paz Waterfall Gardens and the strawberry farm were examples of businesses that prioritize environmental responsibility while still creating economic opportunities, demonstrating one of the core values of Costa Rica. One of the most interesting things I learned at the strawberry farm was that the strawberries are grown using zero pesticides. This benefits the…
La Paz: A Splash Hit!
Today we visited La Paz Waterfall Gardens and it was amazing! It showed me what a sustainable relationship between people, land, and commerce can actually look like in real life. The park protects the rainforest and wildlife while also creating jobs and bringing in tourists from all over the world. Instead of destroying the environment to make…
May 10th- Toucan Do It: Sustainability the La Paz Way
My day at the La Paz showed me there was a perfect demonstration of a sustainable relationship between people, land and commerce. I think it’s very neat how La Paz turned a natural environment into a tourist attraction and an economic resource. On the commerce side of things, the waterfalls, rainforest trails, and wildlife exhibits bring in…
The Sweetest Thing in the Volcano
I thought I knew good strawberries until I came to Costa Rica. While the country is known for its coffee, pineapple, and tourist spots, the strawberries cultivated in its volcanic regions are like no other. It was only today that I learned the strawberry is a flower, and its journey from farm to table is…
May 10th: Strawberries and Waterfalls
Our first full day in Costa Rica was amazing! First, we visited a strawberry farm. There, our guide, the owner, explained the research behind how they farm the products and how Costa Rican methods are different from those in the United States. For example, Costa Rican farmers don’t use pesticides on their agriculture. Instead, the…
Costa Rica Blog Post 2 – 05/10
Today was a great way to start the adventure in Costa Rica. The stops today showed me how integrated the environment and its byproducts are integrated into the overall economy of Costa Rica. The strawberry farm, Poás Volcano, and La Paz Waterfall Gardens all depended on land, climate, and natural resources to attract visitors or…
May 10th – Waterfalls!!
The strawberry farm and La Paz Waterfall Gardens were both amazing sights to see, but one thing they had in common was the way they were able to turn the land and natural resources into something economically beneficial. Everything from the animals living in the land and the humans who come to tour the place…
May 10th-La Paz was the best!
I believe that La Paz Waterfall gardens did have a sustainable relationship between the people, land, and commerce. La Paz Waterfall Gardens shows sustainability in how it blends tourism with conservation. The park protects rainforest land while also creating jobs through tourism that is environmentally friendly. By maintaining wildlife habitats and educating visitors about the…
Costa Rica Bound
By just having a baseline knowledge on the country, from our pre-departure meetings and some research, I noticed that they have consistently had a strict focus on environmentally responsible practices. As an outsider to Costa Rica, I find that these sustainable habits and environmental initiatives are very admirable and progressive. Because of their habits, I…