Photos and Story By John Lang, THS graduate

From January 8th-15th, I spent a week with a group of students from Missouri State University in Costa Rica. We landed in San Jose, the capitol, before taking a bus ride to Santa Elena in the beautiful area known as Monteverde. We spent the week volunteering on an organic coffee farm. We were there to learn about the sustainable practices and how they are able to have a farm in such a rugged area. But we had time to explore the area, hike around, and do some touristy things.
What, for some of us, started out as a last ditch effort to evade the freezing temperatures of Missouri turned out to be a fantastic learning experience. We spent the mornings harvesting coffee by hand on a muddy mountain at a 45 degree angle (being conservative). While the work was demanding, hearing stories from the owner about the work that goes into each bag of coffee made the work seem like nothing. During the week, we fertilized baby plants, harvested for several hours, sorted skins from beans, roasted beans, and packaged the end product. I thought I had done a lot, until he said there were 50 different steps to go from plant to coffee maker.
When we were off the clock we found indescribable sunsets, rainbows that look too good to be true, and plants that I was pretty sure the Henry Doorly Zoo had made up before this trip. We hiked through a rainforest reserve and went on the longest zip line in Latin America. We had incredible meals provided by our host family and met volunteers from all over America in all different walks of life. I learned more about the process of making coffee and the sustainable practices necessary to keep the farm afloat than anyone cares to hear about, but I think it is safe to say I learned even more about myself through stepping out of my comfort zone and embracing the culture and experience.
If you would like to read more about my trip, visit blogs.missouristate.edu/immersion/. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Costa Rica or volunteer abroad, I encourage you to take advantage of it. It truly was a week I will always remember.