Students Explore Costa Rica

This spring, a group of Northfield Mount Hermon students traveled to Costa Rica to study the country's ecological diversity and conservation work.

The group spent nine days exploring the forests and coastal waters along the country's Pacific coast, meeting with researchers along the way to discuss the importance of local conservation efforts and doing volunteer projects in Manuel Antonio National Park.

Fostering empathy and encouraging students to step outside of their comfort zones was at the heart of the itinerary, said biology teacher Jed Diogardi, who accompanied students on that trip. "Part of what we want to do [at NMH] is have the students walk out of here with a better understanding of themselves, of the world, and an understanding of the way things are. This trip gives them some context, not just for this type of work, but their positionality in the broader sense of the world."

Two students shared highlights and reflections from the trip.

“Community Ended Up Being a Key Takeaway” 
By Frieda Milner ’27

I had been to Costa Rica once before when I was younger, but it was nothing like this. On the NMH Costa Rica trip, it was encouraged for us to interact with the land as a way to interact with the country. This made the trip a unique immersion experience. 

Our tour guide, Luis, and our bus driver, Freddy, were the people from Costa Rica that we got to interact with the most, giving us the chance to form a relationship with them. Luis was very open with us. He shared about his culture as well as a lot about nature. His enthusiasm made it clear that he truly cared about nature and sharing with people, making his job his passion. 

Freddy only spoke Spanish, which could have posed a difficult language barrier. Nevertheless, he was so helpful to all of us on the trip, and our group was very appreciative of that, doing our best to express our gratitude. As a Spanish speaker, I got to interact with Freddy a little more. He told me about his family, the places he has been in Costa Rica, and things he enjoys, and he was very open to any of my questions. I consider myself fortunate to have been able to get to know him, as it allowed me to see into the perspective of a local who interacts more with Costa Rican society on a day-to-day basis. He didn’t expect to be able to interact with any of us, but the way that he still visibly showed up for us and how he was so open with me demonstrated a kind-heartedness that really stuck with me. 

Having Luis and Freddy as well as the NMH group all together felt like having a consistent community as we moved from place to place. On each stop along the coast, we focused on the wildlife surrounding us. We took nature walks as well as boat rides to observe the rich and diverse species that exist in Costa Rica, in some cases simply identifying flora and fauna, and in other cases taking a deeper look into species as we did with dolphins at El Chontal. 

Aside from learning about wildlife, we did some service around it, too. We picked up trash on multiple occasions and planted trees. Each time, we worked with organizations focused on sustainability, who greeted us with open arms. While we worked with them, not only did they thank us for our work, but so did people in the local community who passed by. It felt good to know that not only were we doing service, but that maybe those in the community will reconsider next time they were going to litter or see trash on the ground. 

When I applied for this trip, I was focused on the immersiveness with nature that I would get, which we certainly got a lot of, and that was a healing experience. Nonetheless, I realize now that I had underestimated all that I would bring back from that trip. Community ended up being a key takeaway. NMH encourages thinking about community not only on campus but also what we bring to other communities, such as home or elsewhere. The speakers that NMH brings and NMH 360 programs are times where students are meant to deeply consider our interactions with broader communities. The NMH Costa Rica travel program was exemplary of what we think about in terms of values at school, applying them to form meaningful relationships, experiences, memories, all while leaving a positive impact on ourselves and others. 

“The Glory of the Natural World in Full Force”
By Mills Costello ’27

Before going on the trip, I knew only what I’d been told about the country. Most of it was about how full of life the country was, both in terms of wildlife and just how the population likes to interact. And, of course, I’d heard over and over about its beauty and lovely weather. All of it helped build so much anticipation for spring break.

While there, we got to study ecosystems and environments completely new to most people on the trip through observation, which I’d say is the most exciting way to learn anything. Our guide, Luis, was so excited about every little thing. He brought his telescope everywhere we went, night or day, rain or shine. Any time he saw something worth seeing, he would set it up and tell us it was the “best view ever,” and we would all take turns looking through it. Through it we would see all sorts of things we never could have found on our own. Luis spotted a green frog on a random leaf on a tree, spotted a tiny brown bird curled up on the ground, spotted a sloth up in the canopy, which looked like no more than a round shadow at 10 pm. He knew the answer to almost every question we could ask. Without Luis, we’d have still loved Costa Rica but would have missed countless creatures and left not knowing the names of and facts about the ones we did see.

Our driver, Freddy, was really just all one could ask for in a driver. He wasn’t a huge talker and didn’t have the strongest English, but you could tell he was trying. By just a day or two in, I think everyone was comfortable interacting with him. He was also super polite and helpful even when it wasn’t his job. He sat with the team for many meals (along with Luis, of course) and really added to the joy of the group. As if that weren’t enough, he was also an amazing driver. He had the ability to get this giant bus through tight roads barely big enough for two cars. After each of these small successes, the bus would always erupt in cheerful applause and thanks for Freddy, a testament to how much we loved him.

Another way we met people was through assisting with research on dolphins with an organization on the Osa Peninsula. We got to learn all about the process and their findings so far, as well as how we can help. One of my favorite days was when we went to a local school and focussed on helping the community there. We started with picking up as much trash as could fit in the many trash bags we had access to, and then moved to planting some eight or so trees in their yard area. It was beautiful for me to see a school in a country so different from this one. I loved interacting with the organization we were working with and testing out my very surface-level Spanish. (They were all very supportive and excited to help me learn anything I’d like.) I think our whole group was excited to help the community in immediately visible ways, however small, and worked well with not only the local organizations but each other, too.

This time in Costa Rica also allowed me to see the glory of the natural world in full force. Some were extraordinarily peaceful, like a sunrise over a bay under a tree filled with scarlet macaws, a sunset on the Pacific coast with the sound of rolling waves, or some hammock time within arm’s reach of a pineapple plant (which is a strange little plant that looks a quite different from what I’d expect). On the other hand, some days were much more demanding. Multiple days contained hours of hiking through the hot and humid jungle, being very glad we had water, sunscreen, and bug spray. Either way, I felt that being in the Costa Rican elements could only add to my love of the experience, no matter what those elements were. Sure, I got a little sunburnt on my arms, but before going, I had missed the sun’s warmth so much.

The ecosystems themselves were also extremely interesting. We observed the forest, the jungle, the coast, a river, a gulf (Golfo Dulce), and the incredible combinations they create. I had had some basic knowledge of ecosystems from my Honors Biology class sophomore year, but observing them in a place so incredibly ecologically diverse added a whole new level to my understanding of the relationships and adaptations formed in nature. 

Along with this new understanding, visiting Costa Rica also showed me what a community of any size could be with the right priorities. Costa Rica puts education and climate action above many other things, and it was evident wherever you went that they were proud of this choice, as they deserve to be. That said, even a beautiful place like Costa Rica needs work, which means any community I’ll be in will also need help, an idea I plan to carry with me wherever I go.

Nature photos by Frieda Milner.