As I boarded my first flight to Costa Rica, reality finally hit me: I was en route to one of the most incredible places on the planet. Costa Rica had always been a dream destination for me, and I was incredibly excited to experience the mix of lush rainforest and pristine beaches, as well as learn about the local culture. Coming into the trip, my expectations were very open, meaning I had no idea what to expect of the culture or other people on the trip. I hadn’t met anyone going on the program before arriving in Costa Rica, so I had a combination of excitement and nervousness for the next 3 weeks. As you can probably assume, my expectations were blown away, and these 3 weeks may be my favorite time of my Duke student-athlete experience.
One of the things I am most appreciative of during my time in Costa Rica were the people I met. Ranging from the other student- athletes, GVI partners, and local community members from Gandoca, the memories made will stay with me forever. The group of student-athletes we had in Costa Rica was special. We all enjoyed being around each other the whole time, highlighted by our family meals 3 times a day, and the thousands of photographs taken on Ivy and Meg’s cameras. The connections made with the community members were also very special. Between Braulio, Navid, Justin, and Andrey, I was always comfortable practicing my Spanish and engaging in conversations about local culture, activities, and anything else we could think of.
Something I’ve learned as a student-athlete at Duke is that sports bring people together, and my time in Costa Rica was further proof that sports can do so much good for the community.
– Cameron Kerr, Duke Men’s Soccer
I am also very grateful for their inclusion of me in the soccer tournaments in the town. Growing up as a soccer player, I was already partially aware of the storied history of Costa Rican soccer, and the passion the citizens have for the game. However, it was incredible to share this passion with the Gandocan community members firsthand and play with them on several occasions. The weekly Friday soccer tournaments are something I will never forget. I found it incredible how the whole community would come together and enjoy themselves by either playing in or watching the soccer games. On the field, everyone would give their 100% to win, but as soon as the games finished, we enjoyed ourselves with a soda and the presence of each other. Something I’ve learned as a student-athlete at Duke is that sports bring people together, and my time in Costa Rica was further proof that sports can do so much good for the community. For example, the first soccer tournament was set up to raise funds for the local school. By participating and being involved, the community was able to raise a good amount of money through concessions. It was a great way to gather the whole community together for a great cause.
One of the biggest lessons I am taking away from the trip is the sustainable lifestyle of the community members. The slogan for Costa Rica is ‘pura vida,’ meaning pure life, and this is no exaggeration. The whole lifestyle of Gandoca is so pure in everything they do. All the food consumed in the town is grown locally. In addition, the supplies used to make the food are almost all natural, including leaves or wood. If they weren’t natural, they were reusable and not harmful to the environment. The sustainable efforts did not stop with the food. The commitment to preserving the environment and the wildlife around them was very impressive. Many of our tasks revolved around this commitment to maintaining the beautiful place they call “home.” Our outings consisted of beach cleans, mangrove reforestation, recycling projects and many more.
The beach cleans were not just focused on removing trash that washed up on the beaches but removing natural debris to provide a safe pathway for baby sea turtles to get to the ocean. Our efforts had several different benefits, and it was very inspiring to see the impact firsthand several days later when a nest hatched and over 100 baby turtles were able to make it to the ocean. The recycling project was another opportunity to see the impacts of the beach clean. It was incredible to see how much trash washed up on the beach coming from different locations. It took us several hours to sort through the bags of trash to see which stuff could be recycled and reused, and this was only from a small sector of the beach.
“In the words of Braulio, our amazing tour instructor, the lifestyle of Gandoca and many Costa Ricans “is to make use of everything.” I hope to make him proud in the future by simplifying my lifestyle and having a more positive impact on the ecological health of the environment.”
– Cameron Kerr, Duke Men’s Soccer
This stuck with me because it is so easy to see back home that Americans are so unresourceful. Many things we do daily are harmful to the environment not just where we are, but in locations thousands of miles away. Going forward, I am doing my best to eliminate the use of single use plastics, as well as other materials that will just end up in a landfill with no positive benefit for the planet. In the words of Braulio, our amazing tour instructor, the lifestyle of Gandoca and many Costa Ricans “is to make use of everything.” I hope to make him proud in the future by simplifying my lifestyle and having a more positive impact on the ecological health of the environment.
I am incredibly grateful for the Rubenstein-Bing ACE program for providing me with this experience of a lifetime. The friendships made and memories created will stay with me forever. Even more importantly, the valuable lessons learned in sustainability will be implemented into my everyday life. ACE has taught me that as a community, we have the power to make a difference. The small daily conservation efforts from the locals in Gandoca add up over time to make a tremendous difference. By applying the same effort at Duke, we can make a positive impact in the local community.