Costa Rica | Viainternational

Costa Rica

Ecological Awareness and Sustainable Agriculture

As part of our global strategy to expand volunteer travel locations, Via International is excited to open an 8-day travel program in Costa Rica. Via’s Costa Rica travel program is a collaborative learning platform that offers students the opportunity for the exchange of knowledge at small-scale farming cooperatives in a familial setting. By participating in ongoing development projects focused on improving the quality of life in rural communities, students gain an increased ecological awareness around nutrition, family health, and sustainable ecology. Costa Rica provides one of the most biodiverse topological landscapes for community-based travel and the richness of people, culture, and natural landscape is unparalleled.

Participating in this adventure, you will be able to increase your own ecological awareness by learning through what Via calls sustainable literacy – a unique hands-on approach to development and agricultural learning from small-scale farming cooperatives.

What can you learn from the Costa Rican food forests?

Your adventure will begin in the Costa Rican capital of San Jose and will quickly move southeast towards the Pacific Ocean and coastal area of Limon, known for its gorgeous beaches, laid-back atmosphere and Caribbean inspired cuisine. Along the way, students will visit various small scale farming cooperatives, staying to work and experience life on a Costa Rican farm, learning about the agroforestry movement, and sustainable tropical crop management and experience some of the sustainable tourism activities Costa Rica is known for. This may include river rafting, zip lining or boating with endangered pacific turtles! A visit to the rainforest and lots of animal sightings are guaranteed!

Through our local food forest partners, Via offers groups a unique glimpse of some solutions for the issues of climate change, food insecurity and poverty. Groups will follow a path to various local farms, learning particularly about how breadfruit can be a solution to food insecurity in many regions of the globe. The group will visit various farms and learn about renewable energy, food forest production, and approaches to resolving global issues. All along the way we will taste the famous products of Costa Rica including coffee and chocolate.

Participants will engage with environmental programs including turtle rescue and will visit the wonders of the cloud forests usually seeing many endangered animals and birds. The itinerary includes some beach fun and river rafting!

The cuisine of Costa Rica is similar to that of other Central American and Caribbean nations, with a heavy reliance on beans, rice, plantains and root vegetables and varies in different parts of the country depending on past influences and history. One distinct aspect of this adventure will be the opportunity to eat truly farm to table for most meals. Meals will vary from place to place but will include a variety of local dishes both vegetarian and meat based. Costa Rican food is not typically spicy (although you will find some spicy influence on the Caribbean Coast) but rather relies on the fresh flavors that are woven together from the multitude of plants, fruits and vegetables available in this tropical land. For those with food allergies or needing a special diet, accommodations are made.

Accommodations will vary from place to place along the journey and will be a mix of small locally run hotels, dorm-style farm housing and family stays if your group chooses this option. If staying with a family, students will be housed in pairs. All accommodations will be a minimum of double occupancy.

Upon arrival and after resting from the flight, an orientation will be provided including an introduction to Costa Rica with facts about local customs and culture, safety, rules and expectations. The orientation will provide an overview of activities for the week and background on the projects, people, and places where we will engage.

Via International is also prepared to offer a curriculum in support of this journey. This includes reading lists, pre trip seminars and post trip reflection modules.

Finca Dos Madres is the home of Jungle Foods

Jungle Foods is a for-benefit breadfruit corporation aimed at revitalizing the tropics through diverse agroforestry models and delicious value-added goodies. Co-founders Diana Chaves, Gustavo Angulo and Paul Zinc are our hosts as we discover the magic of breadfruit throughout Costa Rica. An agro-ecological food forest of 100+ species of edible perennial vegetables and fruits with a developing nursery focused on everything rare and useful.

Diana Chaves, Jungle Foods Co-Founder holds a breadfruit and a tree right before a test run for our irresistible breadfruit chips. A woman with many hats, she is managing multiple facets of Jungle Foods while working on her thesis in architecture at the University of Costa Rica!

EARTH University

Via International is proud to partner with EARTH University. Since 1990, EARTH University’s innovative educational approach has been preparing young people from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and other tropical regions to contribute to the sustainable development of their home communities while constructing a prosperous and just global society.

Students, staff, professors and their families both live and work on this tropical campus in the Costa Rican rainforest, creating a strong community and support network that is invested in student success.

Contact Information

EARTH University

P.O.Box 4442-1000

San José, Costa Rica

Phone: +506 2713-0000

www.earth.ac.cr/en

Loyola University Maryland

"l highly recommend Via International as a great host agency for meaningful immersion programs, both domestic and international. They are rooted in the community with years of experience and relationships, organized and offer great educational input for the participants. They have everything you need fora comprehensive experience.

Andrea Coicochea, Assistant Director International Immersions

The Impact

The experience of an immersion program impacts post-travel

Discover the historical, political, and religious constructions of community within Costa Rica and develop a global lens for comparison to other Central American countries.

Analyze the development of large scale monoculture farming and its effects on environmental health, human health and society.

Understand how leadership is demonstrated, honored and respected at the community level, through community-based programs.

Learn the issues surrounding agriculture, international vs. locally owned farming and explore the roots of the environmental movement in Costa Rica.

Learn about the local response to the negative impacts of monoculture through a shift toward permaculture, agro-forestry and sustainable agricultural practices.

Participate in community-defined service projects supporting agroforestry and local community agriculture.

Interested in visiting this location?

Book a Trip Today!