One of the great things UConn has to offer are the many opportunities for students to travel during spring break. This past spring break I was lucky enough to travel to the beautiful Central American country Costa Rica with the Business Connections Learning Community. After preparing for a few months before the trip, everyone was super excited for a jam-packed week full of sightseeing, learning about different businesses throughout the, and getting to spend some much needed time in a warm tropical paradise.
The 17 members of the BCLC on the plane ready to go to Costa Rica!
But sadly we were not able to start our trip right away. Costa Rica is home to 6 active volcanoes, and one had just erupted the previous day right near the airport that we were supposed to fly in to. As the ash in the air made it unsafe to fly in to San Jose, Costa Rica, we were left stuck in New Jersey’s airport for two days while we waited for the air to clear and the volcano to settle down.
Some of the guys did not wait to get to Costa Rica before trying to get some needed R&R in New Jersey’s Newark aiport!
Altough we had to miss out on a few activities, it was definitely worth the wait; Costa Rica was more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. Every view was filled with lush landscapes, beautiful mountains, rainforests, and impressive volcanoes. It was truly love at first sight.
Above is a view of the beautiful countryside. In the center of the country you can always see beautiful pastures with herds of cows, and breath-taking landscapes
The rest of the week continued as normal, with each day packed with different adventures and business-related activities. Not only did we get to visit a local surf shop and learn the basics of their business down in Costa Rica, but we were able to see their business practices put into action during a surf lesson on Tamarindo beach.
What better way to start a Monday than a surf lesson at the popular Tamarindo Beach?
You may not be able to see them because of the protective coverings, but these are banana plants! Fruit production plays a huge part in Costa Rica’s economy way of life and we were able to visit a banana plantation and learn all about the hard work that goes into the production of these fruits.
We were also able to visit a Dole Pineapple Plant where we were shown each step that it takes to get a pineapple from the fields, to the plant and to be ready for shipment to stores all across the globe.
Costa Rica is home to hundreds of beautiful waterfalls. This waterfall featured above is La Fortuna Waterfall. The sights from above are beautiful but those up for more adventure can hike all the way down to the bottom and go for a swim in the water below the falls!
The BCLC poses for a selfie with the La Fortuna Waterfall
Costa Rica is not only beautiful but is very eco-friendly. The country gets 94% of its energy from renewable sources, and within the next few years the country is hoping to be completely carbon free–getting all of the energy it needs without having to burn a signel fossil fuel. Although it gets most of its energy from hydroelectic power plants, wind turbines are responsible for about 3% of the country’s energy needs, and you can see them hard at work on top of Costa Rica’s mountainous landscape.
A few wind turbines found ard at work in Costa Rica
As you drive through the country you can almost always spot a volcano off in the distance. We were lucky enough to get an up-close view of Costa Rica’s most famous (and active) volcano Arenal.
You can not help but feel a sense of fear and awe standing so close to such a huge volcano such as Arenal.
On the last day of our trip we were able to visit Costa Rica’s largest city, San Jose. Although much of San Jose is made up of modern stores and businesses, it is home to a beautiful historic district with old buildings reminiscent of old Europe.
The city’s beauty was truly enhanced at night. Over a ethnic Costa Rican dinner our group was able to sit 3000ft above the city, giving us the chance to look out over the entire city of San Jose.
Costa Rica is an absolutely incredible country. From the amazing food to the fascinating culture, adventures can be found wherever in the country one finds themself. Unfortunately after the week was over we had to leave the 90 degree weather and head home to UConn where it was still snowing. However, I could not have been more thankful for getting the opportunity to travel with the UConn BCLC to such a wonderful country.
A beautiful sunset fit for a beautiful country (Taken at Tamarindo Beach)