Three athletes were among the Muhlenberg students who spent two weeks in Costa Rica following the spring semester as part of the Muhlenberg Integrated Learning Abroad (MILA) program. The study/research/travel experience was part of the sustainability studies course Community Sustainability in Costa Rica, in which students explore solutions to the delicate problem of environmental and cultural conservation in developing countries.
Anna Kennedy, a rising senior on the field hockey team, wrote the following recap of her experience:
When browsing through the school's website listing of the different MILA programs, I was looking for something that would integrate my environmental science major while sparking my geographical interest. Costa Rica not only satisfied these prior values I had regarding which MILA program I wanted, but it exceeded my expectations and expanded my knowledge of the world around me.
When I tell people I went to Costa Rica for two weeks, they might have pictured me staying in a tourist town lavishing in the sun on one of the many fine beaches home to Costa Rica. Contrary to this notion, I was accompanied by 16 other students, two RAs and two professors conducting community based research in a small town called Las Juntas. Students were split into smaller groups based on their interest in research project. Among those small groups were projects addressing public health, education, water quality, women in business and agricultural production.
Each of the groups had their own unique research methodology. I was a part of the agriculture group. The way my group conducted research was a series of interviews that included all sides of the agricultural production process in the small town. In addition to our research, everyone took part in serving the beautiful community in different ways. My community service assignment included tidying up a local museum called the Ecomuseo.
This trip continuously pushed me beyond my comfort zone and never failed to challenge me in various ways. Similar to being part of a team, one must be selfless and aware of teammates and their well-being. One must have patience, empathy, integrity and good jokes.
Prior to this trip, I had only been out of the country once before, to Argentina with the field hockey team. I have never taken a single Spanish class in my life so one can imagine the kind of language barrier that was present. Despite my efforts with the app Duolingo, nothing can prepare you for when you accidentally say "me llamo queso" to your host family. The direct translation for that is "my name is cheese;" however, I was trying to say "I love cheese."
Two weeks in a foreign country is just enough time to grasp what it might be like to be a part of the remarkable country. We were privileged enough to enjoy two excursions to more touristy towns. My favorite was our trip to Monteverde. I consider myself extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to experience a town that has not been touched by tourism before traveling to a town like Monteverde. To witness the disparity of the two communities was enlightening and something not everyone is exposed to.
This trip has helped me feel unapologetically comfortable with who I am as a person. It has awarded me with an appropriate level of confidence in myself and the human race. It has taught me to pursue my lifelong dreams fearlessly. It has taught me to appreciate the little things one may take for granted in the United States such as the ability to flush toilet paper down the toilet. It has granted me the opportunity to befriend 16 individuals with whom I may not have crossed paths with had I not participated in this MILA.
I strongly recommend any student-athlete worried about sacrificing a huge chunk of their season to a semester-long study abroad program to consider participating in a MILA. Not only is it a healthy compromise between the two commitments, but it is a trip that challenges your character and opens the doors to friendships that cannot be tarnished throughout time. Voy a volver, Costa Rica!
