The Costa Rica Experience

This past January, I was given the chance to travel to Costa Rica to learn about its sustainability practices. This was my first time in Costa Rica and my first time learning about sustainability. I was a little skeptical at first, but it turned out these two were just a start to a trail of new experiences.

I was never a sustainable person. I left the lights on for as long as I wanted to, I bought plastic water bottles and opened a new one every day without finishing any of them, and I took long showers. The environment was never a priority over my convenience. I can’t say that I am completely changed now and suddenly am an incredibly sustainable person, but I can confidently say that my way of thinking has changed greatly. I find myself yelling at my suitemates for leaving their lights on or not recycling their plastics and papers and carrying my garbage around the campus looking for a recycling bin. Most importantly, I know what sustainability really is and the importance it has on our community. Seeing Costa Rica assures me that my contributions will make a difference in the long run if everyone starts to value sustainability.

It is amazing to see how much of an impact the little practices have in keeping Costa Rica sustainable. The first hotel and the first few tours talked about how they were being sustainable and I wasn’t completely convinced as to how sustainable Costa Rica really is. Nevertheless, as the days went by, every single person we met and spoke to mentioned how much they valued the environment and the significance of it in the Costa Rican culture. I realized why we came to Costa Rica for a sustainability marketing course. It was incredible how much work everyone was contributing to keep up with Costa Rica’s reputation on sustainability.

White water rafting was a process..

This experience was especially unforgettable to me and I feel it was a time that forced me to break out of my bubble. Having to go on this trip already required a lot of thought since I didn’t know most of the people I was travelling with. The hiking on day two, the zip lining, and jumping off a cliff were all things that I normally would not do probably ever. However, I realized what a great experience this all has been and now I can look back at them as memories and accomplishments.

If I get the chance, I definitely want to re-visit Costa Rica. It has left a memorable piece in me that I can still feel to this day. This wasn’t just about learning how to be more sustainable or the coffee process or that bananas grow on trees. It was more than just a class to me and the rest of the group. This experience is not something that can be learned from sitting in a class and I know I will always look back at this winter and the memories I have made. Pura Vida!!        - Ji Heon Kim -

Our sustainability marketing class!

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