Live It, Protect It, Explore It!

View all Newsletters

 

FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE FROM COSTA RICA

By Katie McGuire (RPTA '14), Guest Writer

Some students get to go to class in a regular classroom and sit in front of a professor, while other students are lucky enough to sometimes move class outdoors, but the students in the RPTA 412 class, which I had the opportunity to be a part of, were fortunate enough to spend class for nine days in the beautiful country of Costa Rica.

Sixteen of us packed up on the Friday of finals week in winter quarter and headed out of the country for spring break on an adventure travel and tourism class with Dr. Jeff Jacobs. If you are geographically challenged, Costa Rica is a country located in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the North, Panama to the Southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the West, and the Caribbean Sea to the East. I could honestly say that it is the most beautiful place I have ever been.

When I left for Costa Rica I had almost no knowledge about the country, where it was, and what I was getting myself into. In the end, I was so thankful that I did get myself into it, because the trip to Costa Rica was a trip of a lifetime and one that I will never forget. I returned home with a firsthand experience of the culture and geography, and an experience that went way beyond any expectation that I could ever have imagined.

My first thought when I signed up for the trip was that it should be fun, but I did not know how much fun it would be and how much I would learn about a culture that I knew very little about beforehand. With all of its unique geography, Costa Rica is a country perfect for a tourist looking for adventure. Having a climate and geography that has tropical rain forests, volcanoes, and crystal clear beaches makes Costa Rica a true treasure and gives many people a reason to travel there.

Our RPTA 412 class had the awesome opportunity to go white water rafting, canopy zip lining, and waterfall repelling. Not only were we able to participate in adventure activities; we were able to hear from Costa Rican locals, tour guides with fascinating accents, and hotel staff who explained to us how the geography and climate of the country affects the tourism industry. We were also fortunate enough to tour Earth University, a unique institution that offers an undergraduate program in agricultural sciences and the sustainable use of natural resources and has students from all over the world.

I definitely believe that I left Costa Rica a different person than when I arrived. I think I left with more ambition and a love for traveling that I never knew I had. I also left with an openness of mind to try new things and meet new people. Costa Rica was probably my favorite trip of my life and if any other RPTA student asked me if they should take the class, I think I would reply with, "You'd better!"

For those interested in reading more about what the RPTA 412: Adventure Travel & Tourism (Costa Rica) course entailed, see the course flyer below.

Back to Spring/Summer 2012 newsletter

back to top

 

Make a Donation

Make a donation to the Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration Department!