Experience life at Whitworth’s new Costa Rica Center through a blog written by communications major Katie Lippold, ’11. Katie is among the initial cadre of students enrolled at the center for the fall semester. The students are taking courses in Latin American culture, Spanish linguistics, environmentalism and human rights, and Core 350 (worldview studies). Katie’s lively blog posts describe her first encounters with Costa Rican traffic and public transportation, the daily afternoon downpours, and her new host family. Be sure to visit the blog through the fall semester for new posts sharing Katie’s insights and adventures.
Following is a first-hand account of life at the Costa Rica Center, from Director Lindy Scott:
What could be better that Costa Rica in September? Being stretched beyond one’s Spanish ability and comfort zone through living with fascinating host families…studying Spanish language and linguistics…hiking through Costa Rica’s beautiful forest…doing internships in which one can serve immigrants, minister to children, help the government recover the history and charm of old neighborhoods in San Jose, or use medical skills to serve people in need… participating in a Latin American culture class that accentuates the existential tension between the traditions of the past and the new challenges of the present... planting dozens of fruit trees and smelling the tantalizing aroma of orange blossoms…making new friends among our neighbors from widely diverse social classes…working with eight magnificent students and a fabulous team…and being sustained in prayer and support by colleagues back at Whitworth’s “northern” campus.
Whitworth’s southern campus opened its doors for classes on Sept. 8 in the beautiful environs of Heredia, Costa Rica. Our campus sits on more than 25 acres and occupies a former Belgian/French restaurant/inn that is undergoing renovation. It reminds me of our human condition: beautifully created, profoundly fallen, but wonderfully experiencing God’s graceful restoration. Next week our students will begin some very exciting internships in which they will not only learn a ton, but also will make significant contributions to our Central American neighbors they will serve alongside.
Why do Dinorah and I love what we are doing? First, we work with a team that can be totally relied upon: our two “volunteer” TA/RD staff members, Kristina Kielbon, ’09, and Emily Dufault, ’10, have been renamed the “24/7s” for their willingness to go beyond the call of duty. Our maintenance man Diego, secretary Andrea, gardener Julio, cleaning lady Roxana, cook Juan, the security personnel and construction workers have generally been all that we could have hoped for.
As teachers, we have a special privilege of working in an environment of immersion and service-learning. The Spanish that Dinorah teaches in the classroom is multiplied tenfold as students participate in their home stays and internships, and venture out in the byways of Costa Rica life. The content that I share in my Latin American culture class is confirmed, challenged and refined by students’ experiences with their host families and through rigorous journaling of their observations. It is a special joy to teach worldviews, ethics and Niebuhr’s paradigms (in Spanish!), and then see students begin to articulate and debate important policies of U.S./Latin America relations and Costa Rican domestic social and political issues, and even propose serious policies that will help shape Whitworth’s Costa Rican identity.
Nevertheless, our lives are not without their share of challenges (the cafeteria not being ready on time and students cooking, eating and washing dishes in the Restaurante Scottiano, heavy rains every afternoon, searching for solid host families and significant internships, construction delays, balancing dozens of urgent tasks, etc.), but these have been (or will be) overcome by a lot of laughter, mutual support and God’s grace.
Muchas gracias,
Lindy Scott
