Before the Interim trip, my own values were that we need to help people in any way we can. Now my values are that we need to find the real problem that needs to fixed and not just what we think needs to be fixed. Before my trip, I assumed that Costa Rica was a dirt poor place where everyone was barely getting along. But after the trip I learned that my assumption was wrong, everyone in Costa Rica is nice and welcoming. While there living conditions aren’t the best, they all gave us whatever they had. There really was no bias that I had towards Costa Rica that I did not understand.
I have gained many new insights and understandings of the culture from the trip. One new insight I learned was that everyone there respects the land and the animals in the land. Daniel, A farmer we met there, was one person who really exemplified this. He used to be a worker who destroyed countless environments, and because of that work he wanted to help the environment and built an Eco-friendly farm. The new understandings I have from this trip and of their culture is that everyone takes care of each other. I learned this from the home stay lunches that we attended. We were strangers and the hosts took us into their homes and gave us everything they could.
I learned many new things that could be put to use from the communities with values, cultures, and skill sets that are very different from my own. One thing that I learned that was different is that they live with the environment and not on it. Everyone we met was very concerned about the environment and didn’t want to harm it. A new Skill set that I learned was how to open a coconut and how to play soccer better. Before I came to Costa Rica I was awful at soccer but now I am decent and can play with my friends more, Also I had never opened a coconut before.
August Durlacher 