
Frannie Smith `26: Guanacaste, Costa Rica, January 2025
The value of my experience in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, lies in the unique opportunity to learn and navigate the complexities of conducting fieldwork in a real-world setting. Our trip centered on analyzing the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices of the tourism sector, particularly the tensions between luxury resort developments and the surrounding communities. Conducting interviews in Spanish provided both a linguistic and cultural challenge, improving my ability to communicate effectively in a second language. From interviewing community leaders about local infrastructure to observing how large resorts manage social and environmental initiatives, the experience revealed both the potential and limitations of development in the region. This trip not only deepened my understanding of social dynamics within the tourism sector but also prepared me to approach future projects with a more thoughtful, empathetic, and pragmatic perspective.

Owen Druehl, `27: San Joaquin, Costa Rica, January 2025
Owen Druehl ’27 was awarded a Walker Grant from the Latin American Studies program to spend JanPlan 2025 learning Spanish in Costa Rica. He completed an immersive language program at the Centro Panamericano de Idiomas in San Joaquin, a town in the Central Valley in the Province of Heredia. Owen enjoyed living with a local family and assisting the English classes held each night at the CPI. He loved learning lots of new Costa Rican phrases, eating great food, and visiting historic sites, waterfalls, wildlife preserves, and a volcano after class in the afternoons. Owen is a Sophomore studying Economics and Global Studies from Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. On campus, he is a Case Leader in the Colby Consulting Group, Yad b’Yad Leadership Fellow (a mentorship program for middle and high school students in Waterville who are learning English as a second language), and Community Advisor.
Olga Lisabet `26: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, January 2025
I received the Walker Grant to study Portuguese at the language school Rio & Learn in Rio de Janeiro. Though I only stayed two weeks, my full immersion classes and the friendly people made it some of the best time of my life and my Portuguese improved exponentially!
Every lesson included a cultural activity such as visiting the Palácio de Catete, Christ the Redeemer, the MAR, Forte do Leme, the CRAB, the national library, listening to the live samba at Pedra do Sal, and a delicious lunch which exposed me to the incredible cuisine of Brazil. I stayed with a host family that required Portuguese 24/7, and so I truly felt immersed in Portuguese and Brazilian culture.
I cannot wait to plan another trip back to Brazil. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be in Rio de Janeiro. I have been continuing to study Portuguese; such a thorough introduction has made staying updated with the language through TV and music much easier, along with keeping in touch with my Brazilian friends.


Declan Dineen `26: Guanacaste, Costa Rica, January 2025
During our visit, we conducted surveys and interviews with local residents, including teachers, community leaders, and water-rights activists, to better understand the town’s relationship with tourism, water access, and real estate development. This was very exciting just to sit down and listen to people’s perspectives and stances on everything we’ve been researching the last few weeks. I also had the opportunity to visit the Westin Reserva Conchal resort, where I observed the contrasts between the luxury tourism industry and the lives of local beach vendors. The trip provided a fascinating glimpse into the complex balance between small-town life, large-scale tourism, and sustainable development in Costa Rica. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of this research experience and to have witnessed firsthand how community-based initiatives and tourism both shape the region.