Texas Border Business
By Steven Masso
Rio Grande Valley, Texas – Eight students from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley spent two weeks exploring the scenic wilds of Costa Rica as part of a study abroad English course, and brought home some valuable lessons about the earth and the environment.
“Living, Reading, Writing Nature,” a special topics course taught by Pamela Herring, lecturer II in the UTRGV Department of Writing and Language Studies, is in its eighth year and centers on three assigned readings, two of them written by Jack Ewing. Ewing is the co-founder of the Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge, where the students stayed.
“When we go, the kids have to leave their computers behind and can only use their phones on Saturdays,” Herring said. “If they don’t want the pure experience of being unplugged, they can go to Paris or Spain,” she joked.
Hacienda Barú, a private nature reserve with 830 acres of protected forest, mangrove and seashore, allows students to participate in hands-on activities like swimming near the base of waterfalls, tree climbing, overnight camping in the jungle, and the “Monkey Challenge,” an obstacle course in the trees.
For many, exploring the natural environment of Costa Rica was a step out of the comfort zone.
Xóchilth Román, a graduate student from Brownsville, was nervous at first.
“I had no idea what I was getting myself into, much less that I would be trekking the rain forests, wading through rivers and experiencing the ocean for the first time,” said Román, a disaster studies major. “I have never seen so much wildlife and natural beauty all around me.”
Lesley Gomez, a sophomore from Lovelock, Nevada, was delighted she made the decision to study abroad.
“I would have never voluntarily signed up for many of the activities that we did – like zip-lining, tree climbing and the monkey challenge – but I am glad that I did them,” she said.
CREEPY-CRAWLIES
Spending a night in the jungle typically is the highlight of the trip for many of the students.
“The hike is very demanding, but then they sleep on the top of a mountain, eat under the stars and wake up to the toucans singing,” Herring said.
Román said the Costa Rican jungle is lush with vegetation, with forest and coastline wherever she turned. And the wildlife they encountered in the forest was even more exciting.
“I had never thought I would find myself in the middle of a jungle with animals I have never seen and heard of,” she said. “Though I am not the biggest fan of anything creepy and crawly, my state of mind changed dramatically on the third night there. The spiders and lizards became my friends, because they ate the flies and mosquitos.”
‘PURA VIDA’
The UTRGV students quickly became enchanted by the hospitality of the Costa Rican people and their use of the phrase “pura vida,” or “the good life.” Aside from being friendly tour guides and hosts, Gomez said, their small gestures of kindness also meant a lot.
“All the people in Costa Rica were so nice,” Gomez said. “They always remembered that I ordered hot chocolate in the morning, so they would have one waiting for me by the time I sat down.”
Román was amazed by the Costa Ricans’ views on nature, and hopes to bring some of that back to the Valley.
“The way the people of Costa Rica respect and embrace their environment is astounding, and it made me want to bring that home with me,” Román said. “I have found that everything serves a purpose, and nothing is there by accident.”
Herring said some students finish the course with completely different interests and passions.
“One student told me, ‘I just realized I’m an adrenaline junkie.’ Right now, the student works in an office. The student said, ‘I can’t do that anymore. This is what makes me feel alive.’”
UTRGV STUDENTS – STUDY ABROAD: COSTA RICA
- Litzy Aleman, Interdisciplinary Studies, Brownsville.
- Samantha Balboa, Chemistry, Brownsville.
- Andrea Cardenas, Accountancy, Brownsville.
- Jesus Espinosa, Criminal Justice, Brownsville.
- Lesley Gomez, English, Lovelock, Nevada.
- Angelica Morales, English, Brownsville.
- Jeronimo Rodriguez, Multidisciplinary Studies, Los Fresnos.
- Xóchilth Román, Sociology, Brownsville.
