Today we visited Sibö Chocolate and learned about the history of chocolate making, their sustainable practices, and most importantly, tasted some delicious chocolate. What stood out to me today was the tasting tour and the model they use to engage the crowd and persuade them to pay attention and buy chocolate through psychology. Sorry if…
Tag: Plus3 Costa Rica
Peeling back the Curtain on Sustainable Banana Farming
Today, we visited various small farms that grow bananas, coconuts, black peppers, and other agricultural products. I was particularly interested in the banana farm run by Francini and its specific practices. I found it interesting that they grew many different plants on the farm, similar to the many coffee plantations we visited. It was interesting…
Day 9: Bunches of Bites
Today we traveled back to Sarapiqui to visit family owned banana farm. The plantation was beautiful and our guide Francini was very helpful. We had a quick tour of the plantation learning about the process of how bananas grow along with other fruits and spices. She also showed us her house where we met her…
Spikes, Beans, and Everything in Between
Today’s adventure at Piña in Sarapiquí was an absolute blast. We arrived to the local organic pineapple plantation and, right off the bat, I was handed the best piña colada of my life. Then things got wild: a bird actually landed on my back like it was my personal welcome committee. The visit got even better thanks…
I Guess You Can Now Call Me a Pro Barefoot Corn Planter!
Today, I achieved something I never thought I’d put on my resume: Professional Barefoot Corn Planter. As our last day in Monteverde came to a close, I had the pleasure of attending Life Monteverde. It was truly a blessing hearing all about their hard work. I didn’t just visit a farm, I felt like I stepped…
A Latte to Think About at Life Monteverde
Today, we took a trip to Life Monteverde, a coffee farm and sustainability center that gave us a closer look at what the life of a Tico farmer looks like. It is truly amazing to see how much passion the Tico farmers have for the land they work on. It is very important to every…
Going to Massively Miss Monte Verde
Today we visited Life Monteverde. We learned a lot about the life of the farmers on the site and even more about the intricacies of farming coffee. I was happy to learn more about the engineering side of farming and how they have adapted and used biomaterials to benefit their crops. Our tour guide, Evelyn,…
Day 5: Reaching for the Sky
Today was definitely my favorite day of the trip so far! We woke up with a nice buffet breakfast at the hotel in Monteverde, and then made our way to the Cloud Forest. The second I saw “Monteverde Cloud Forest” on our itinerary for this trip I couldn’t hold in my excitement. I love hiking,…
Wheels on the Ground to Head in the Clouds
Today, we had a long bus ride from Heredia to Monte Verde. Throughout the drive, I noticed many things similar to what I had come to know in Heredia, along with new and different sights on the ride up the mountains. In terms of the people, I did not notice any differences between the people…
Day 4: Paradise? No, Monteverde!
When I woke up this morning I was overjoyed to get onto our big tourist bus and start our trek through the mountains to Monteverde! Until now, I have only experienced the culture and scenery of the Central Valley, but today I was introduced to mountain life. As we winded our way up and over…
Brews, Moves, and Sunset Views
Day 3 done! Today, we explored the beautiful and impressive Cafe Britt! After listening, it was obvious that this is a very touristy place that many do spend their money on. In my opinion, I believe that is the case due to 3 important factors: presentation, experience, and convenience. They don’t just sell coffee, they sell Costa…
No AC, no addresses, no problem
I started off today with a delicious breakfast from my Mama Tica! We ate quesadillas, crackers, mangos, bananas then had orange juice and coffee to drink. What surprised me the most about this was the fact I LOVED the orange juice. Normally, at home I refuse to drink it and strongly dislike the taste, however,…
Day 1: Ciudad de Flores
After a long travel day yesterday, we finally made it to Costa Rica! Today we explored Heredia, where we will be staying during our trip. We also visited the Central Market and spent time bonding together. I enjoyed learning the history of Heredia and experiencing the culture. My first impression of Costa Rica was how…
Heredia: Where Every Wrong Turn Feels Right!
Wow, do I love it here. It’s only the first full day, and somehow, it already feels like home… minus the small detail that I keep forgetting which direction to walk and almost got lost within 30 seconds. Spoiler alert: I confidently marched off on my own before realizing the group took a right instead…
Dia Uno, Hola Heredia!
Today was our first full day in Costa Rica. We started the day with breakfast at our homestay, and as expected, we were served gallo pinto. Along with the gallo pinto, we enjoyed coconut and avocado. Next, it was time for the walking tour of Heredia. The weather was beautiful, and it was a perfect…
Ready for Costa Rica
Hi! My name is Zachary Call, and I’m a first-year Industrial Engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering. I’m also a cadet in the ROTC program and a German speaker with a strong interest in global business. I enjoy hiking, travel, and gaining personal and professional experiences. For my Plus3 program,…
A day at San Jose!
Today started off with a pleasant train ride into the the capitol city of Costa Rica, San Jose. From there we embarked on our journey to the central square which was close by and very pretty. This was right next to the legislative building which looked very boring and seemed more like a prison than…
Ohm Sweet Home(stay)
The first 15 hours or so in Costa Rica presented a good bit of activities and a phenomenal mother for our homestay. Our homestay mom’s name is Maria and she is extremely kind. One thing that I knew before coming onto this trip is that we were going to be fed a TON of food….
Complex Café
Each step of the supply chain must deliver a specific product to the next step in order to produce coffee for the customer. When it comes to the farm, ripe coffee cherries must be delivered to the mill. As the cherries are picked by the workers they are measured by volume and placed in a…
One Last Pura Vida
During the last two weeks, I think the most interactive coffee experience we got was Don Guillermo’s tour of LIFE Monteverde. Even though it was not a big farm like Doka or Cafe Britt, it was more personal with the interviews and walking all around the farm. Over the last two weeks, I have learned…