The Location: Costa Rica is a rugged Central American country with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. Costa Rica is known for its rainforests, beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity. Roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, teeming with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds. Like the US, Costa Rica struggles to balance protection of its natural resources and landscapes with sustainable development of economic opportunities and industries. Additionally, Costa Rica’s history includes influences from different cultures with distinct perspectives on these issues.
Course Work and Highlights: This course focuses on sustainability policies in Costa Rica, combining lectures by local experts on history and tourism, visits to natural resources including volcanoes and national parks and industry visits including coffee, banana and pineapple plantations. Students will visit the Boruca people and the Longo Mai indigenous community to see different approaches to use of natural resources. The program will visit the Atlantic coast to view differences in habitat, weather and cultural history of the two coasts.

Housing: Students will stay in double, triple or quad rooms in local lodges and hotels. Students will also stay with local families.

Prerequisite: Students will enroll in a pre-field experience one credit, seven-week course in Spring 2020.

Students must meet eligibility requirements. See application at http://chatham.abroadoffice.net/ for details. Application deadline: 2/5/2020

Minimum Enrollment: 16 students. Each field experience is self-supporting and must meet its minimum enrollment number or it will be cancelled.