Student Impact Reports

“The people that plant a tree knowing they will never enjoy the shade understand the meaning of life.”

“A society grows great when men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” -EARTH University Student

It was an educational experience unlike anything I have ever been challenged with.

My perspective of agriculture has not changed, but merely improved.

By Rosemary Nicholson (BioRenewable Systems—BioProducts option major) "Is sustainable development possible? How to bring sustainability home?"

By Haley Stauffer Major in BioRenewable Systems, Minors in International Agriculture and Spanish. "There are few things I cannot resist in my life and the country and people of Costa Rica is at the top of the list."

I saw how physically and spiritually beautiful this little village was, and it enriched me in ways I can never explain.

I felt welcomed into people’s lives and homes and learned the value of kindness, hospitality, and community engagement.

After traveling to Costa Rica and seeing how others live, I realized changes I can make in my own life to have a better impact in this world.

I’ve left my heart in so many places.

My worldview has also evolved a lot due to my time abroad, and I hope it continues to grow and evolve as I continue to experience new things.

Once we arrived in Costa Rica, our first stop was at EARTH University in Limon.

While my third experience in Costa Rica didn’t offer nearly the same community as my previous trips, I was able to overcome adversity and challenges to develop personal skills and an overall beneficial experience.

Costa Rica – The country surrounded by Green.

In the eight days I was in Costa Rica I learned more about sustainability and the environment than I could have in a full semester class.

It was the ideal image of a rainforest with a thick overcast in the sky and dense vapor coming from the trees as they transpired...

Costa Rica was the greenest, most beautiful place I have ever seen. Nine days in this picturesque country was just not long enough.

Living the Pure Life!

Overall this journey to Costa Rica was amazing and I don’t want to change a single thing about it. We saw so many incredible things, met so many people and really learned what it means to be a good traveler.

To sum up Costa Rica in one sentence I would have to say that the people are welcoming, the landscapes are breathtaking, and the culture, food, and activities are perfect! Make the trip!

...the tropical air immediately began to seep into every pore and with it, the “pura vida” way of life...

After a year of planning, preparing, and navigating through the study abroad process, I left for Costa Rica for three and half months to study with the School for Field Studies (SFS).