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Jonathan Skinner: Student Report from 2013 Alternative Winter Break in Costa Rica

Jonathan Skinner Working in Costa Rica
Jonathan Skinner, foreground, and colleagues work on an engineering service project in Costa Rica. Behind him are, from left, Payton Smith, Amber Bassett, and Carl Cheng.

The Alternative Winter Break in Costa Rica was an adventure. Going beyond the US into an unfamiliar place seemed daunting but it turned out to be quite different. The experience was also made better by the friendliness of the people and the shared similarities between the countries.

There were three things I noticed when I walked out of the terminal in San Jose: the air was clean, everything was green, and the mountains all around.

Jonathan Skinner works on Service Project
Jonathan Skinner, in red, helps on an engineering service project at a school in Costa Rica.

The trip was to the rural community of San Miguel de Sarapiqui. San Miguel is a quaint town, with a few super markets (each about the size of a Dollar General Store) some bars, one school, and a police station. If I had traveled 100 years into the past, it would have been the perfect site for a John Wayne western. I could imagine the Duke strolling up to the bar, eying a stray dog in the corner, and then ordering white rum. The town had an interesting feel; it was not super advanced but it wasn’t in the dark ages either. Either way, it was a good feeling and the clean air made it feel even better.

The host family was very friendly. Even though we did not speak much Spanish, we were able to communicate with gestures and such. Sometimes this was pretty funny but eventually the messages were understood. One night the kids invited us to a game of tag, which was exactly like sharks and minnows. This was fun but it was also interesting that we played similar games and didn’t even know it. Rice and beans seemed to be the staple of the Costa Rican diet. Everywhere we went there was rice and beans (sometimes with cilantro). In the morning rice and beans with egg and in the evening rice and beans with beef or chicken. It was okay though because there were spices in the rice, which made it better.

Every day there was some sort of adventure. We went to many places: a volcano, Mount Poaz; coffee farm tour; cacao plantation tour; local restaurants; a dance hosted by the local Red Cross; and local hot springs. We even witnessed an international bike race through town.

Mount Poaz was interesting. Not only was it covered by fog, but by tourists as well. We managed a view of the impressive caldera, though only for an instant. It was impressive nonetheless.

Coffee Plantation Tour in Peru
Students toured a coffee plantation while in Costa Rica. From left: tour guide, Carl Cheng, Jonathan Skinner, and Payton Smith.

The tours were enlightening to say the least. I didn’t know how chocolate was made from cacao and expected it came off the tree with little or no processing. That is not the case. It takes a great deal of effort and took hundreds of years to learn how to make chocolate from the cacao plant. It was really cool. The coffee tour was just as interesting and there was a nature hike that we went on as part of the tour.

I would highly recommend Costa Rica to anyone wanting to travel outside of the US without having to go too far. The culture, topography, ecological environment, and beauty make it a must-see country. The people there truly embody their slogan “Pura Vida” (pure life).

I also recommend taking an Alternative Break, whether you are an engineer or not. To be able to make a difference in a community is a valuable experience I will not soon forget.