The Experiment in International Living team asked returned students to write about their time on their programs. Here’s what Nathaniel Worland, a 2025 Experimenter on the Costa Rica: Biodiversity, Climate & the Environment program, had to say.
Costa Rica, summer 2025
The dazzling sunlight bounced across the turquoise water as I stood on the sandy beach of Playa Blanca, surrounded by my host sisters and brothers, smiling ear to ear as I watched my host brothers wrestling over the soccer ball that had bounced into the water. That moment is just one of many from my summer in Costa Rica and encapsulates why I’m so grateful for the experiences I had throughout my time abroad.
Costa Rica, summer 2025
Being able to experience an environment so different from the place I call home was truly incredible. However, the cultural differences and experiences of the trip were by far the most meaningful. I developed a real bond with my host family and the community of La Palma that will never leave my heart. I was able to feel the electricity that pulsed through the markets, and the quiet calm of the shores, and the love that families share across the dinner table.
As I returned to the United States, I was determined to bring aspects of my time spent in La Palma back to my home in Vermont. Being able to share meals with my host family was one of the things that I appreciated the most about my homestay. No matter what was going on, we were able to come together as a family, sharing food, stories, and countless laughs. Now that I return to my “normal life,” I am going to speak with my family and, even with our increasingly busy schedules, find time to spend together as a family.
This summer was truly spectacular. My time in Costa Rica impacted me in ways that I cannot even describe, but that I can feel—ways that affect the world I see around me every single day. Thank you, to The Experiment Team, and Pura Vida!