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David Marsh: Student Report from 2015 Alternative Spring Break in Costa Rica

Since high school, I have always wanted to go on an exciting spring break trip when I started college. I imagined going on a ski trip with some new friends or to a beach in Florida to relax or maybe even to see some of the great national park in the west such as Yosemite or Zion. At the same time, however, I knew I wanted to do something that would help others as well as expand my knowledge. When I heard of the opportunity to complete a service project in Costa Rica in the spring of 2015, I knew it was what I was looking for.

David Marsh and MaryBeth Iannuzzi
From left, David Marsh and MaryBeth Iannuzzi work on the alternative spring break service project in Costa Rica.

The spring break trip to El Jaz, Cartago, Costa Rica with Globe Aware was a fantastic experience. Our project was basically to install a septic system for a home in the village of El Yaz with Globe Aware, the company we worked with. The previous week’s volunteers began the project by digging part of the area for the septic tank, which we then enlarged. We were also tasked with the digging of trenches for pipes from the house to the tank, installation of the tank itself, the assembly of those pipes, and the installation of a “green field” area. This area was the effective overflow of the septic tank, which was a large buried pile of rocks to filter the overflow and allow it to decompose more fully before being absorbed into the environment.

This project took us three mornings and part of an afternoon of work, and it was very well suited for the group of engineering students I traveled with. This service project was not the only focus of the trip, however.

College of Engineering Students in Costa Rica
TCE students pose with Costa Rican workers during alternative spring break

The trip also contained elements of adventure, relaxation, scenic beauty, and cultural learning, in addition to the service work. We hiked to the top of a volcano and rode horses through the equivalent of a national forest. The house we stayed at was extremely, surprisingly, modern, and our guide Federico was amazing! He led us through the week, not only acting as a driver and interpreter, but also as a great friend. He was there to help us understand the cooking and culture of the people in the several houses where we dined.

Every morning I woke up to the absolutely stunning views from our house. Federico was up starting breakfast and preparing for the day. We spent a day at a coffee plantation and natural hot spring, with brilliant views and an amazing swimming area, and Federico functioned as a guide through the coffee drying process. He even took us to see some of the culture of Cartago in the oldest working church in Costa Rica. Lastly (but certainly not least to a sleep deprived honors engineering freshman), there was plenty of downtime, so I left Costa Rica more rested than I arrived!

The Costa Rica spring break trip was a great use of my spring break and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Pura Vida!

Costa Rican Landscape
Cost Rican village and landscape.