Hey everyone! Today we had a late start with a wake-up call at 8:00 am and breakfast at 8:30 am. For breakfast, we had gallo pinto (rice and beans) with egg, bread, and fruit. We started the day by watching an environmental documentary discussing ecotourism and conservation practices in Costa Rica. After having a few technical issues, we shifted away from the documentary and reflected on our experiences on the trip thus far, focusing on our feelings and first impressions as we first arrived in Costa Rica. We also took this time to connect with other members of our delegation, asking each other questions about our life goals, bucket lists, and accomplishments. After finishing up our reflection, we had lunch. Today’s menu consisted of rice with meat, steamed vegetables, and salad. After lunch, we had an hour of free time, then were joined by a guest speaker that taught us about environmental justice and how it depends on laws, regulations, and policies. We had a very heated debate in which Glimpsers were divided into three interest groups: a resort company, the local community in southern Costa Rica, and the Costa Rican government. We were presented with a scenario in which the resort company was attempting to establish a large hotel in the Osa Peninsula, a southwestern region of Costa Rica that contains 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity. Glimpsers roleplayed one of the interest groups and presented their case as to whether or not the hotel should be developed. We eventually concluded that the resort would not be a good idea because of its drastic impact on local wildlife and ecosystems. After meeting with our guest speaker, we had a group discussion in which we resolved some rising tension and conflict, as well as explored ways that we could be more respectful to each other and our accommodations. After talking through these issues, we had a group discussion about environmental problems in our community, as well as positive environmental actions that our communities have taken. We brainstormed possible solutions to these problems and discussed environmental activism and how it can take a variety of forms. Lastly, we finished our day with a nice warm dinner (nachos!!) and our nightly meeting. Big love to our guest speaker, Andres, for educating us and ensuring that we have the tools to become responsible global citizens.

Madi and Maya, signing off