Today, we visited the Plantain and Banana plantation and the pineapple plantation. The focus today was on the sustainability of these farms. For example, at the banana plantation, we cut down our own fruit and made it for our lunch, and then the guide explained how the chopped-down tree was for fertilizer. Additionally, other plants…
Tag: Plus 3 Costa Rica
Sabo Chocolate Tour
Today, we visited Sabo Chocolate to learn about the history of chocolate in Costa Rica. We learned that chocolate had only recently become an important commodity in Costa Rica since other crops were more profitable. Sabo Chocolate took a different approach, making high-quality chocolate in a sustainable way that doesn’t have a massive market but…
Service Project Day
This morning, we had a service project at a local school where we interacted with the children, practiced our Spanish, and painted the fence with them. This volunteering was very beneficial for us since it allowed us to give back to Costa Rica. We have so much to be grateful for as far as this…
Up in the Clouds in Monteverde
Today we visited the cloud forests in Monteverde and had first-hand experience with nature. We got to see a three-wattled bellbird, which was like nothing I’ve ever seen before and is apparently very rare. Also, the views of the lush mountains were spectacular. This was especially interesting to me because I am very interested in…
Living in the Mountains: Monteverde
Today we traveled to Monteverde from Heredia. This part of Costa Rica is significantly different than Heredia because of the slightly cooler temperature, differing landscape, and much less of a human population. While on the way, I noticed we were passing through neighborhoods of lower income. These areas gave me a new perspective on Costa…
Touring Cafe Britt
Today’s activities included a walking tour and an immersive experience at Cafe Britt. While similar to the walking tour of Doka, this tour was much more entertaining and engaged us at a much higher level. This is mainly due to Cafe Britt’s dedication to marketing. The tour started with two very enthusiastic guides who walked…
Coffee at Doka: ¡Que Tuanis!
Today we went on a walking tour of the Doka Coffee Plantation, and learned all about the process from picking the coffee cherries to roasting them into coffee beans as we know them. Our tour guide took us through the entire manufacturing plant, and explained all the steps in detail. The first step, picking the…
First Impressions of Heredia
We started the morning with the sun shining throughout the house and our host family making us breakfast. We had eggs, toast, and gallo pinto, which was a great way to begin our immersion into the Costa Rican way of life. We then enjoyed a walking tour of Heredia, visiting the market, the square, and…
¡Ven conmigo a Costa Rica!
Hola! My name is Natasha Montesdeoca and I am a first-year student in the College of Business Administration and the David C. Frederick Honors College, pursuing a degree in Marketing, as well as a Digital Media Certificate. I live five hours east of Pittsburgh, in Easton, PA and I love traveling and exploring new places!…
Excited for Costa Rica!!
Learning that such a small country as Costa Rica is ranked in the top 20 globally in environmental sustainability impresses me. My initial reaction leads me to believe that Costa Rica is a progressive country that strongly emphasizes reducing the waste produced via supply chains. From my limited knowledge, I know that Costa Rica’s main…
Wow! Herediaaa
My first impression of Costa Rica is that it is so vibrant and beautiful. Not only is the country vibrant but so or the people, they are so nice. As I walk through the city of Heredia people are always saying hello to you and open to talk. No matter if it’s a vender selling…
Hola Heredia!
Hola Costa Rica! In Heredia we walked to through the church which had beautiful interiors and even saw where Alfredo González Flores lived when he was president. Down the street we were able to walk into a market which had a lot of fresh fruits, meats, vegetables and fish. We also walked past a live…
La Buena Vida en Costa Rica
As we arrived in Costa Rica, I was immediately struck with the effortless peace and beauty of the country. Whether it be the band playing in the background as we toured the city or the soccer field overlooking a lake. Everywhere I looked there were vibrant colors and beautiful sounds. My most significant impression was…
Sustainability in Costa Rica
Costa Rica consistently ranks in the top 20 of the World Energy Council’s global “environmental sustainability” ranking. This is an impressive and difficult accomplishment that Costa Rica has continued to achieve. They have made a concerted effort to improve and maintain their environmental sustainability as a country with the implementation multiple laws and programs to…
Costa Rica on the clock
Hi Everyone! My name is Lizzie Sununu, and I am a freshman business student here at Pitt. I am currently planning on majoring in marketing with a certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation and a minor in economics. I am from a small town in New Hampshire almost 10 hours from Pittsburgh. I grew up by…