Agroecology Field Trips
Another class that I took in Costa Rica is Agroecology and Sustainable food systems. This class is about the many ways in which the Agriculture can be better and sustainable. The most memorable component of this class for me was the three field trips. The three field trips were all to farms and communities in which supported sustainable practices. The communities showed that it was feasible and profitable to be sustainable. I won’t go much into details on farming but rather the Life Lesson that the farmers shared.
The sustainable farmers all came from a background where they knew they wanted healthier food and to break away from conventional ways. Conventional ways were depleting the earth’s resources, polluting the environment, and stealing from the livelihood of people and they did not want to be a part of that.
From these field trips, my classmates and I were able to speak to the farmers, learn about their story, and make connections. In case we decide to do the same…
The one lesson that rung among all of them was to break out of conventional paths and start doing what makes sense. It reminded me of why I wanted to go to Costa Rica and what it meant when I did. Studying abroad was to break out of my conventional path. Right after high school I went straight to college and every year I followed the four-year plan to graduate on time and get a job. During my second year in college, I hit my sophomore slum. Now I’m in my fourth year, I realized I never got over my sophomore slum phase. I thought the feelings were temporary.
They advise to listen to your heart and do what feel right. I know this will be hard, as it sounds like I must sacrifice a lot. I believe that when I’m there, it will be easier because I am more knowledgeable. Even so, I’m not sure where this will lead me. I simply hope I have the courage to listen to my heart and do something about it.