The memories and friendships I’ve made here are ones I’ll never forget and I can’t believe we leave tomorrow. This trip was one of the best experiences I’ve had from going on site visits for banana/pineapple/coffee plantations to playing soccer together and finally to working on our final project together. I have learned so much…
Tag: Jenna Huff
Sibö You’re Too Sweet
Just how coffee is, the original cacao seed from the plant is dried, fermented and roasted which turns into the cacao bean. Both coffee and cacao beans are natural stimulants and are produced in the opposite of their native countries. If you eat lots of cacao beans you can eventually release serotonin. Sibö and Café…
Happiness Comes in Pineapples
Today was honestly one of the best days ever specifically because we had both a banana and pineapple tour. We started out at the banana plantation where we learned about how banana plants need lots of water and humidity. Due to the banana plant being about 80% water, they need a large amount of water…
Heart of Palm & Soccer
When growing heart of palms, the only edible part is about 1 meter above the ground. However, the plant itself could grow up to 10 feet; all the different stocks and branches on it protect the actual heart of palm inside. Today we were shown the different layers that had to be cut and there…
Steaming Hot at Life Monteverde
Today we learned about the life of Tico Farmers at Life Monteverde. It was interesting to actually walk through the coffee plantation and see the different aspects of it. They farm sustainably to the best of their abilities and bring joy to tourists by giving them tours educating them on their farming abilities. However they…
I Hear You Cloud and Clear
The talk of sustainability began before the presentation given later in the day. Our tour guide told us that because of climate change the clouds have been pushed higher into the sky and away from the forest. Unfortunately this could eventually change the cloud forest to a rainforest. With Monteverde’s sustainable development their key parts…
Excited For Monteverde!
Today we took about a 4 hour drive up to Monteverde out of the main city. The views here in comparison to Heredia are unreal and it makes me want to sit outside to enjoy the view the whole time we are here. On the way up I was basically passed out the entire time,…
Beautiful Café Britt
We toured Café Britt today and tasted even more coffee! Surprisingly ticos do not really drink any coffee directly from Café Britt and I think this happens because it is more of a touristy type of place rather than having its audience directly be Costa Ricans. In addition I feel like they would buy the…
Roasting with the Coffee Beans in the Sun
Today at the Doka Estate Coffee Tour in Alajuela we learned about the coffee process that Doka specifically uses and how they basically do everything manually with not too much of an emphasis on recent technology machines. I was surprised with the fact that they have to wait 3 years before they can begin their…
Happy in Heredia
My first impression of Costa Rica was that it truly is a beautiful country with tons of nature surrounding it. Just from being in our homestay, our host mom has a green room filled with different plants and she even is growing bananas! The community is so strong here and everyone is genuinely so friendly….
Sustainability: Costa Rica
Costa Rica was awarded the United Nations Environment Program’s Champions of the Earth award for their policy leadership. Each year they continue to place a great emphasis on the sustainability of their country which allows them to have great economic achievements. In 2019, Costa Rica submitted their full Decarbonization Plan to the United Nations Framework…
See You Soon Costa Rica!!
Hey everyone! My name is Jenna Huff and I am a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. Currently, I am planning to double major in finance and marketing with a certificate in sports management. I grew up in Orange County, California and I decided to come to Pitt because they offer many study abroad programs…