Fourteen Longwood students started the new year participating in a ten-day study abroad program to Costa Rica. From Jan. 3-13, the students went hiking and visited the beaches, while also observing the differences between the Costa Rican economy and culture and the United States'.
The educational portion of the program focused on economic development, tourism and sustainability in Costa Rica, and simultaneously broadened some students’ perspectives on their own lives.
“Because of this trip, I now know that I want to teach in another country; I wouldn’t have discovered that otherwise,” said junior Krysta Jewette, who participated in the program. “The world has so much to teach you, you just have to be open to receive it.”
Despite the language barrier, Jewette said students interacted and traded skills with the BriBri Pa Kaneblo, an indigenous community, by living in the area for a few days. Besides staying in the district, students and faculty resided in ecolodges and hotels that promoted tourism.
Junior Kevin Napier, another student on the trip, said, “Studying abroad is one of the most eye-opening experiences.”
For Napier, the chance to study abroad was life changing, especially after learning about the deforestation in the 1990’s and being able to experience, first-hand, the changes made since.
“I now have a much better understanding of a completely different culture,” he said.
Many of the students said they enjoyed visiting with the BriBri Pa Kaneblo’s village. While learning about the culture, all three students said the group also interacted with the children, playing soccer and other games.
“Even though they were a developing country and didn’t have all the modern amenities in the U.S., they were much happier than we are and they enjoy life to the fullest,” said senior Alton Coleman.
The trip was available to any of the students attending Longwood University, even though it was an economics course led by Dr. Melanie Marks. Some of the students didn’t have a background in economics and were pursuing and continue to pursue other majors, while others were economics majors. This particular study abroad program was meant to show students a real economic system, while also exposing students to a different environment.
Napier, Coleman and Jewette said they plan to either study abroad again or teach in other countries after the ten-day excursion trip. From visiting the village, Jewette learned how different children are in each country. She believed she picked up a few teaching techniques from the experience.
“I would love to go to the Philippines next,” said Coleman. “I would want to see if my experience there would be similar to my experience in Costa Rica.”
A group of 14 Longwood students traveled to Costa Rica for 10 days, researching and experiencing the economic effects of tourism on the country.
The faculty-led program visited Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park during the trip, looking at the biodiversity of the park from the bridges above.
