This winter, I was blessed with the opportunity to go on a study abroad trip to Costa Rica, and I already have a few reflections to share. First, this experience is very far outside my comfort zone. If you had told younger me that I would be traveling to Costa Rica, staying with a host family that speaks only a little English, and doing all of this without my parents, I probably would have said you were crazy. But truthfully, I don’t regret coming at all and if anything, I wish the trip were longer.
My host family has been warm and welcoming. They try to teach us Spanish and truly want to get to know us. Our mamá tica (a term used for Costa Ricans) lives with her 19-year-old daughter, and my roommate and I have baked cookies with them, gone shopping, had girl talks, and played games together. There are many aspects of Costa Rican culture that differ from the U.S., and although the driving definitely scares me, the people here are incredibly passionate about what they do, especially at places like Sibu Chocolate.
Sibu Chocolate is a company we had the opportunity to visit. As the name suggests, they specialize in chocolate products sourced from cacao beans and avoid using vegetable oils. The founder created a special experience for us that combined storytelling with a chocolate tasting, where each bonbon connected to his story and the rich culture surrounding cacao. He shared his hopes of exporting to the United States and expressed deep respect for the craft of chocolate-making.
He emphasized that every business deal should be a win-win situation for everyone involved. For example, when Sibu placed in a chocolate-making competition, it actually benefitted competitors as well, because more people became interested in Costa Rican chocolate as a whole. This mindset is very different from U.S. business culture, which often thrives on competition and minimizing rivals. Here, competition is viewed more positively, and the founder believes in the “law of abundance”, the belief that there is enough success for everyone, and that business should be done with integrity. Hearing this, especially when so many U.S. companies face scandals, really highlighted the cultural differences.
For our cultural activity, I absolutely loved the Latin dance class. It is probably one of my favorite memories from the trip. Growing up, my family always enjoyed dancing together: salsa, bachata, cumbia, and merengue were all normal for us. So, when everyone else was learning the dances, I already knew most of them, except for the Costa Rican swing dance, which was more difficult than I expected. I tried to help others in my group and teach my partners as much as I could, and many people were so grateful to learn. Dance creates community, bringing people together to feel the music and move to the rhythm. It reminds me of country dancing in Texas, but the sense of togetherness here in Costa Rica feels even stronger. I loved getting to dance in a way I had missed and the opportunity to share it with my friends.
Overall, this trip has been incredibly educational, but more importantly, it has allowed me to fully immerse myself in a rich and welcoming culture. Seeing how passionate Costa Ricans are about their businesses and how much they care for their employees makes me want to bring some of these values back to the United States in hopes that they might influence how business is done at home.
