Noah Vargas

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Hola <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Berea College <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2023 <i>Destination city & country:</i> San Jose, Costa Rica <i>Program provider:</i> Berea College <i>Major/minor:</i> Agriculture & Biology / Environmental Science and Sustainability & Forestry Management <i>Demographics:</i> African American/Black, Caucasian/White, Hispanic/Latinx, Multi-Racial, First-Generation College Student, LGBTQ+ <i>Future career aspirations:</i> To become an Environmental Scientist and Wildlife Photographer <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> I want to capture the beauty of the diverse life of plants and animals with my camera in the tropical rainforests. To make new friends in Costa Rica in and outside of my program. I want to experience a wide variety of new foods and learn how to make them so that I can enjoy them back at home.

Hola everyone! Today I visited a pineapple farm where I learned about the intensive production needed to produce large quantities of pineapples. Pineapples are a part of the Bromeliaceae plant family, for those who do not know. Plants in this family are called air plants because they do not grow in the soil like most plants but instead at high elevations taking in nutrients through the air and surrounding area. However, pineapples are grown in the soil and can be mass-produced. In Costa Rica, about 10% of all pineapples exported worldwide come from farms found here. Depicted here is one of the farm’s co-owners named Micheal, and here is doing a demonstration of how to cut pineapple properly. The second picture is of the pineapples growing to their full potential in the field. The pineapple here in Costa Rica is the best I have ever had. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Costa Rica, trying the fresh pineapple is a must. Until next time, Choe!