Pura Vida Tour - Chapter 6

It really could not have gone any better!

Chapter 6 of my annual Pura Vida Tour - the Study Abroad program I started in the College of Continuing and Professional Studies - is now in the books, and hopefully the experiences we have had, the people we have met, and the projects we have completed, will each in their own way have had a meaningful impact.

San Ramon at dusk.

For the first time, we have had a truly interdisciplinary program.  Along with my five students from the Construction and Facility Management program (CMGT), I helped to lead a team of three Health Services Management (HSM) students, two Information Technology Infrastructure (ITI) students, and four Integrated Behavior Health (IBH) graduate students, along with a single Psychology student.  And what was even more amazing is that this group had five men to ten women (a role reversal from previous years), two African American students, and an ethno-cultural diversity including four of Asian descent, one of Russian heritage, and one of Polish heritage.  And three of these students were over 40.  And the team leaders included my great colleagues Ann Becher-Ingwalsen, a veteran of two previous trips in the IBH program, and Tony Scott, the Adviser for ITI in his first visit to become "indoctrinated" to the experience.

The 2019 Pura Vida Team

So what did we do with this diverse mix?

Of course, the first thing we MUST do is team building, which as always, included a rafting trip down the Rio Balsa River, followed by a lunch and farm tour at the home of Magdalena, the college home-stay of our program host Dustin Dresser (CMgt Alum, class of 2006).  Always a favorite, and never fails to force the rafting teams to work together (think "Row the Boat" in Costa Rican terms).  This was followed over the first week by visiting various sites appropriate to each discipline to get a sense of how these separate disciplines operate in Costa Rica, as well as to the Baho Tejares "slum" - - I loathe that expression - shall we say a severely disadvantaged community.

Nothing like a (wo)man overboard to bond the team!

I can say that I was quite amazed at the outcome: of their own choosing, the CMGT, HSM/PSCH and ITI students decided to do a single, combined, integrated project proposal for a new Level 1 EBAIS community medical clinic in the nearby village of Santiago, near Palmares.  We were introduced to this project by our beloved local associate Fernanda Roja, a University of Costa Rica student soon to complete her studies and licensing in social work, who has now helped our program and our students for the past three years. Following a visit to the site and an introduction to the way this tired and outdated clinic works by Chief Nurse Keylin, and by Alberto, the Director of the local "Desarollo" (Community Development group), our three students groups agreed to do a single proposal.

Chief Nurse Keylin, Fernanda and Dustin interpreting for our students in the EBAIS.

Led by the HSM team in their normal capacity as "owner's representative", they included a full analysis of the universal health care system, researched the requirements for a Level 1 facility, and adopted a program looking toward completion 10 years from now.  The ITI students incorporated the technology component that could be applied now and into the future, and of course the construction management students created a design proposal and a cost estimate, related schedule and project planning details, as we had three Architecture/CM minor students as part of the team.

CMgt/Arch students engaged in a collaborative design charette
Using this process, the essence of the design was established in a few hours!

And the Psych student?  With an interest in Spanish, and our most experienced Spanish speaker, he led the presentation and translation efforts, using that medium to learn about all the disciplines and how they function in Costa Rica, since we insist on leaving a proposal behind that is in Spanish, in the local colones currency, and applies the metric system.  This consolidated effort was delivered last Friday, January 18th, to an astounded Nurse Keylin, disbelieving how much we accomplished in so little time.

Students presenting the final consolidated proposal to Nurse Keylin

The students and advisers for the interdisciplinary proposal, held by Nurse Keylin

A truly integrated result that has never been accomplished to this degree before.  But what of the IBH students?

Each of them had a separate interest area of research and application, including working in the local Men's shelter, IAFA - an alcohol abuse center, as well as the Hogar de Ancianos (Seniors home), a site of two previous proposals, among other sites.  Of particular interest was the project to incorporate a Dance therapy program for the seniors for one week.  I was privileged to attend, thinking that dancing with this aged group would not tax me too hard, and found that not only was I sweating through my shirt, I was witnessing the true and total appreciation of the residents, many fully or partially disabled, who kept wondering when we would return.  This was amazing! Hats off. . . er dancing shoes on, for the student that organized this effort.

Dancing with the Stars - the Hogar de Ancianos Stars - the dance therapy program

Of course, all work and no play . . . !  Yes, we did play. A weekend trip to Manuel Antonio State Park, our annual pilgrimage for this program, included plenty of sun time on the beach, the lively activity of the monkeys, birds and other creatures in the park, and a very lively catamaran boat tour that closely resembled a floating tailgating party, widely enjoyed by our students and faculty alike. 

We also took the students to visit the local sugar production facility - a "trapiche" -  accompanied by a traditional Costa Rican casado lunch, and also visited the coffee plantation affiliated with Fernanda, again enjoying a traditional lunch on a magnificent porch.

Taking a break from the students - surveying the "sea-nery" in Manuel Antonio!
Oh, and plenty of monkeys as well! 

Fernanda's grandmother's kitchen, where a typical "casado" lunch was
served up for the students, followed by a tour of the coffee plantation and roastery

Palmares Horse Festival parade

And to celebrate our finish, we ride the treetops rather than shoot the rapids - ziplining in the cloud forest, always a student favorite!

Getting final instructions!

The final Superman ride - had to "hang" for 20 seconds before they launched me
back to the bus!

And for me, I continue to enjoy the experience leading these students, getting to know them, but also enriching my own experience every visit.  This year, I was tutored in Spanish for five intense discussion-type immersions by Tania Castro, including a visit to several local "cataracta" (waterfalls), a nature preserve, as well as a pretty incredible dance hall for a complete Salsa experience for Tony, our "dance" student, and me. I can now call her a friend, and will connect annually for more lessons.

Tania Castro - taking me to the "cataracta" - immersing me not in the water, but
in actually speaking Spanish.  With her help, I have (mostly) overcome my fear of speaking.

And not to be missed - ever - is the Hilger Walking Club. this year attended by four to five regulars at 6:00 AM every morning.  Lost 3 pounds somewhere in Costa Rica in spite of the quantity of rice and beans consumed, and probably walked over 150 miles in two weeks.  Good weather and many hills!

The Hilger Walking Club - laboring up one of numerous "hills with a view!"

Looking back, this is a lot to do in two weeks.  But I can say that this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of this annual adventure - the cohesion of the group, the interdisciplinary approach and successful result - and the fun - made Chapter 6 one for the record book.

Pura vida!

The sunsets and the joy was immeasurable!