Hi, my name is Leanne Boody. I am a rising sophomore in the Swanson School of Engineering. I participated in Pitt’s Plus3 program studying in Costa Rica for two weeks to learn more about the country, with a focus on the coffee and banana supply chain. There were in some ways a lot of similarities…

Hi, my name is Leanne Boody. I am a rising sophomore in the Swanson School of Engineering. I participated in Pitt’s Plus3 program studying in Costa Rica for two weeks to learn more about the country, with a focus on the coffee and banana supply chain. This trip was not my first international experience, but…

Hi, my name is Leanne Boody. I am a rising sophomore in the Swanson School of Engineering. I participated in Pitt’s Plus3 program studying in Costa Rica for two weeks to learn more about the country, with a focus on the coffee and banana supply chain. I was already friends with two people going into…

Hi, my name is Leanne Boody. I am a rising sophomore in the Swanson School of Engineering. I participated in Pitt’s Plus3 program studying in Costa Rica for two weeks to learn more about the country, with a focus on the coffee and banana supply chain. When first arriving in the airport, it became clear…

Hi, my name is Leanne Boody. I am a rising sophomore in the Swanson School of Engineering. I participated in Pitt’s Plus3 program studying in Costa Rica for two weeks to learn more about the country, with a focus on the coffee and banana supply chain. During the trip, we were given many opportunities to…

Hi, my name is Leanne Boody. I am a rising sophomore in the Swanson School of Engineering. I participated in Pitt’s Plus3 program studying in Costa Rica for two weeks to learn more about the country, with a focus on the coffee and banana supply chain.  In order to get a more detailed understanding of…

Hi, my name is Leanne Boody. I am a rising sophomore in the Swanson School of Engineering. I participated in Pitt’s Plus3 program studying in Costa Rica for two weeks to learn more about the country, with a focus on the coffee and banana supply chain.  Leading into the trip, I was well aware of…

Hi, my name is Leanne Boody. I am a rising sophomore in the Swanson School of Engineering. I participated in Pitt’s Plus3 program studying in Costa Rica for two weeks to learn more about the country, with a focus on the coffee and banana supply chain.  The Plus3 program is only offered to freshman in…

At the coffee and banana plantation, we were able to see how each company has a unique delivery process, and how within each company they may have different processes for different products. For example, Doka mostly exports its coffee beans to the US, only keeping small amounts to roast and sell under their own company,…

I believe at this point in the trip, it is time to admit that I hate coffee, no matter the quality. We’ve been to quite a few coffee plantations and studied the coffee supply chain a lot, so I’m glad the time for bananas has come. I want to look at the banana supply chain…

When we visited ICAFE today, it was refreshing to see a different side of the coffee industry. We’ve really gone in depth looking at the farming, cleaning, and roasting of the coffee beans. So when we were able to step into a research lab, I felt like there was a whole new side to the…

After talking to Ricardo, one of the descendants of the Quaker settlers, it was clear that Monteverde, despite its exotic presence, was home to these people now. Initially, Ricardo taught us about how his family had mistakenly destroyed part of the forest when attempting to settle the land. However, with the help of others, they…

Don Guillermo, a farmer from the Costa Rican mountains, lives a lifestyle vastly different from my own. His family’s work is tangible, from the roots of budding coffee plants to the buildings that teach lessons on sustainability. His message is clear. We must protect our natural resources for thee future. The acronym they use, LIFE…

When driving through the drastically different areas of the beaches and mountains today, it was hard not to notice the different atmospheres each place carried. Though I was pretty drowsy when we passed through the beach part, I was able to notice that the beach and surrounding homes are more rundown than the touristy rainforest…

The banana and coffee industries paved the way for Costa Rica to become a larger part of the global economy. From the moment we arrived in San José, there was a different energy than in Heredia. For starters, the train ride into he city was an immediate reminder of the direct effects these industries have…

While coffee holds an important role in both Costa Rican households and the economy, not all coffee brands are equal among Ticos. Café Britt, a growing coffee and chocolate company, is one of the many successful coffee brands that sells across Central and South America. Although extremely popular with tourists, Café Britt is not popular…

One of the only culture shocks I have experienced here in Heredia is the amount of cat-calling that occurs. Unlike the US, the accompaniment of a man has no effect on the car horns, yells, or piercing stares. Even the distance placed between the female and male does not affect the cat-calling, as I experienced…

I’m Leanne Boody, a mechanical engineering student. During my first year in the engineering program, I became interested in the Plus3 program and more specifically the Costa Rica trip. Of course I had interest in experiencing a new culture and learning about the coffee supply chains, but to be honest the most exciting part of…