Showcase Artifact 1
Costa rica
From March 15th to the 23rd in 2025, I had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica as a study abroad experience with the Honors College. We were able to have some fun experiences while giving back to the community. There were twelve students and three facilitators. While there, half of our trip was spent in homestays where we were able to live with a family and learn their dynamics of everyday life. Along the way we got to experience different aspects of the culture such as making sugar water out of sugar cane, recycled jewelry/art making, ceramics and so much more. We also learned about sustainable development goals (SDGs) and we got to connect the way things are done in Costa Rica back to how well they are progressing towards the goals.
I learned a lot on this abroad experience. We were interacting with a different culture the entire time we were there. We tried to implement certain aspects into our behavior during our time there. One example is we were in a Blue Zone, so we followed their tendencies to eat until 80% full, get involved in the community, and finding our purpose. These tendencies, and more, are ways that people in Blue Zones live their lives in order to extend those lives. This was something that didn't stop when the trip ended. I have implemented this lifestyle into my own life.
The aspect of this trip that can apply to my future career is the importance of knowing others' backgrounds. We were skeptical of the home stay and accommodations but as we got to talking with them, we realized all that they are going through and that raised our compassion levels. I will be meeting with all kinds of people on a daily basis, so it is important to remember to reserve judgement if you do not have all the facts.
This study abroad experience was very eye opening to just how important mindset is to everyday life. All the different people that we met there during our various activities, were always so positive and willing to offer what little they had for us. My photos in the collage showcase how open and willing the people were to teach us as well as offer us a glimpse into their life. We learned how ceramics is done all the way from gathering the specific soil into it becoming these beautiful plates and bowls. The man was very patient with us and helped us make our own bowls. We also met with a local artist who was the same, very willing to answer all of our questions and showed us extra things on our visit out of the goodness of her heart.
Even something as small as the friendly beeps on the road allowed us to see how truly different American culture is from others. After spending a week in Costa Rica, I had a profound respect and admiration for their personality. Shown above is an extra project that I completed with a fellow student on the trip. We took all that we learned about the country and its people and turned our knowledge and experience into a brochure to inspire other to travel to Costa Rica. A lot of local's income comes from tourism, so it was important for us to create this helpful advertisement for them to use. Since this trip, I have made a strong effort to implement all these better habits into my life and my own personality.