We’ve completed our time here in Costa Rica and with that, completed and presented our research. Our scope changed due to the availability of data and the amount of time we had to analyze it. We ended up studying and sustainability measures of Las Cruces in general through direct observation and electricity reports obtained from the Costa Rican International Institute for January – April of 2016. Those two methods and informal discussions with some of the staff, led us to making six recommendations to the site/staff, some of which actually proved to be realistic options for them. Because my project back home is so ecologically based, it was really exciting for me to conduct a sustainability analysis on this trip, as I plan on doing something similar for my internship next spring. Sustainability is what interests me most because it brings us closer to the ecological world by making us aware of the impacts our actions can make. I really hope to continue this kind of work after graduation and continue learning and educating others on how we can make our impact less and less.
This trip has also taught me a lot about myself and how to get along with others. Living in close quarters with twenty-one other people for a month had its difficult moments but it brought us all so much closer together and this next year with each other will be a special one because of it. There were so many experiences that I can’t put into words, but I’m really grateful for this trip and the knowledge I gained from it.