Two days back from Costa Rica and it somehow feels strange to be gone. Though I was only in Costa Rica for about two and a half weeks, it already started to feel very familiar. My fellowship has been following a hybrid format. I began working for the UNESCO field office in San José - the regional office for Central America, Mexico, and Colombia - remotely out of D.C. in June. I then spent the second half of July through early August in Costa Rica, working in-person at the San José office. Now that I’ve returned to D.C., I will continue working remotely through the end of August. All of the phases of my internship have been incredibly interesting and rewarding, and it has been enormously difficult to summarize my experiences so far in a short blog! What follows is my best attempt at doing so.
Costa Rica Travels
Costa Rica welcomed me with open arms. Local Costa Ricans, or “ticos” are incredibly kind and welcoming to travelers. It was truly very touching how much locals want visitors to have a nice, safe, time enjoying their country. Luckily, I was able to do just that. In addition to being in San José during the work week, I was able to travel to La Fortuna, Monteverde, and Manel Anotonio over my weekends.
My first and most rainy destination in Costa Rica was La Fortuna, where I went straight from the airport. La Fortuna is an incredibly beautiful town, located next to the Arenal volcano and full of natural hot springs. It also boasts a beautiful waterfall of nearly 250 feet. However, my time in Costa Rica did fall during the rainy season, and nowhere was that as evident as in La Fortuna. The clouds and mist from the rain kept the volcano from being visible the entire time I was there. Downpouring rain also made the normally blue La Fortina waterfall turn brown from runoff. The waterfall is also usually open for swimming, but the rainy conditions made it strictly prohibited to swim during my visit. However, the rainy season also means everything is less crowded and more green. The rain made the whole experience feel even more adventurous. It also put my brand new rain jacket and umbrella to good use! Even in the rain, I still enjoyed my trip to the waterfall and hiking around the volcano. I also took part in a coffee and chocolate making tour and a cooking class at a local farm. Additionally, I visited many of the hot springs in the area, including El Choyin - a free and natural hot spring accessed by following a trail on the side of the road and crossing through a gap in a broken fence. Though this may sound alarming, El Choyin is a safe and popular local spot. It was packed with locals enjoying relaxing in the hot springs with friends and family. Having been born and raised in Minnesota - the land of 10,000 lakes - I couldn’t help but think how similar people are across the world, just wanting to enjoy a body of water and nice company.
My middle weekend, I visited Monteverde to hike the hanging bridges of the cloud forest. The rain did not follow me to Monteverde, and I was able to enjoy beautiful weather as I hiked across 7 hanging suspension bridges over the misty, tropical cloud forest. This was truly an incredible experience! Though most of the day was spent in the car getting to and from Monteverde, it was well worth it to have such a unique adventure walking over such lush greenery through a cloudy mist.
For my last weekend, I went to Manuel Antonio, a town on the Pacific Coast boasting many beautiful beaches as well as a national park and wildlife sanctuary. Manuel Antonio was absolutely incredible. I was able to hike the entire national park, seeing stunning lookout points and coming very close to a variety of wildlife. As I was hiking, Iguanas would jump out in front of me, a toucan flew and landed on a branch directly above my head, there were crabs lining the trails, and at one point, a white-faced monkey was immediately next to me, positioned at the very edge of the trail. I also spotted white-faced monkeys cleaning each other and playing games together. Additionally, though more difficult to see, I could clearly hear Congo monkeys fiercely and somewhat terrifyingly howling as I hiked the Congo Trail. Lastly, I was able to spot a sloth high up in a tree. Though difficult to see with the naked eye, a fellow hiker lent me a pair of binoculars so I could see the sloth's face. Luckily, rain was rare in Manuel Antonio, and I was also able to spend time relaxing on many of the beautiful beaches. From Manuel Antonio, I took the bus back to San José and headed to the airport. It was the perfect close to my time in Costa Rica.
In the Office
Though I was able to travel and see much of the country, the majority of my time was spent in San José. My favorite part about being in the office was being able to use my Spanish to chat with coworkers over coffee or lunch. In the office, I continued working on my literature review on the intersection of education and religion, which is the main focus for my internship. The first week in the office, I also conducted research on education in rural contexts as well as inclusivity of secondary education and the right to secondary education. During my remote portion in June, I had also researched education in emergencies. As I am part of the MAIA program at GW, not the International Education program, I hadn’t spent much time considering all of these different elements of education. Conducting all of this research, I have truly been able to learn so much. It has been enlightening as well as deeply fascinating.
My second week in the office was characterized by traveling all around San José to attend different events. I was able to attend the opening and closing sessions of a four day event on inclusive education with the Ministry of Education. The event brought together specialists from Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. Though I was not present for the whole four days, I truly enjoyed being able to attend the opening session on Monday morning and the closing discussion on Thursday afternoon. It was evident that participants had not only learned a lot from the week of events and lectures, but that they had become good friends who enjoyed each other's company. They were truly sad to say goodbye to one another, and it was touching to witness how the event had brought them together. I also attended an event on disaster risk reduction at the National University of Costa Rica. It was exciting to be able to see the University as well as insightful to listen to so many subject-matter experts.
Back in the U.S.
Now that I am back in the U.S., I still have plenty to work on. I am mapping out religious organizations working in education in Central America and identifying collaboration opportunities and outreach strategies for UNESCO. I also am finalizing my literature review, which I will then present. Additionally, I also help with research on various topics as necessary, and am about to begin research into green infrastructure for schools. I am excited to continue learning and working. Though I am glad to be back in D.C., a part of me already yearns for the Pura Vida lifestyle in Costa Rica. As the saying of Costa Rica, “pura vida” or “pure life,” was truly ingrained into the people and the culture. It is a way of life. It also functions as a way to say hello or goodbye. So, goodbye, Costa Rica, pura vida.
Noelle Youngquist is a M.A. Candidate in International Affairs with a concentration in global governance at the George Washington University. Her research interests include cultural diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, and peacebuilding.