The Ark Herb Farm

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Yesenia Sosa

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Yesenia Sosa

<i>Home Institution</i>: University of Texas, San Antonio <i>Expected Graduation Year</i>: 2024 <i>Academic Major / Minor</i>: Public Health & Psychology / Biology <i>Destination</i>: San Jose, Costa Rica <i>"Hello" in your host country's language</i>: ¡Hola! <i>Program Provider</i>: AIFS <i>Demographics</i>: Hispanic/Latinx, First-Generation American, First-Generation College Student <i>Future Career Goals</i>: Go to medical school and earn my Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree to become a surgeon, to treat individuals with cardiovascular diseases <i>Top Three Study Abroad Goals</i>: To be more proficient with spanish medical terminology; To learn more about Costa Rica’s healthcare system; To immerse myself into the Costa Rican culture and challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone

For my Health & Nutrition: A Sustainability Approach course, we went on a one day educational field trip to The Arc Herb Farm. This farm is the largest botanical garden in Costa Rica, created by 2 Americans, Tommy Thomas and Patricia Riley, who loved collecting and researching the plants. Over the years, they have collected thousands of plants from around the world in order to educate others about their culinary, medicinal, and commercial uses as well as raising awareness about the importance of preserving biodiversity.

One of our activities was to eat lunch at the farm. The menu consisted of 6 plates, each containing a very unique taste from one another. The plates consisted of:

Variety of breads served with mix of olive oil, herbs, and balsamic vinegar

Roasted cherry tomatoes in primavera style

Green banana patacon with lemon white bean hummus, accompanied with vegetables, fresh cheese, and paprike golf sauce

Salad of lettuce and herbs from the garden season with red fruit gastric (mulberry, acai, and jaboticaba) accompanied with coleslaw and pita chips

Creamy salmon with pesto rosso accompanied with mixed rice (white rice, wild rice, almonds, and mediterranean herbs)

Fruit tartlet with chocolate ganache

Overall, this experience was very unique and delicious. It taught me that we can create delicious meals with the vegetables we grow in our garden.

Next, we got a tour around the herb farm where we got to see the different types of herbs used for culinary and medicinal use. A plant that caught my attention was the Dragon’s Blood Tree. The “blood” is used to treat dental problems, such as a loose tooth or gum disease, since it helps it tighten and dry up. In addition, when massaged onto the skin, it becomes a white substance that helps with skin problems, such as fungi, rashes, and bug bites.