Learning in a Living Laboratory: International Experience in Costa Rica

There is a specific kind of magic that happens when you trade the winter chill of New Haven for the vibrant, living classroom of Costa Rica. This year, I was a teaching assistant for the Costa Rica International Experience (IE), a course that sends students to learn about business capitals around the world during spring break. I had the privilege of helping lead 31 of my MBA classmates through a 10-day immersion in the “Rich Coast”—the literal meaning of Costa Rica’s name.

Our trip was designed to embody the SOM mission of educating leaders for business and society. Beginning in the industrial and political heart of San José before heading to the coastal regions of Guanacaste, we dove deep into the mechanics of a mature, export-oriented and sustainability-driven economy. By the time we reached our farewell dinner at Pangas Beach Club, Professor Diana Van Patten noted that we might just be the luckiest group she had ever led. With clear views of the Poás and Arenal volcanoes, an in-depth discussion with the governor of Costa Rica’s central bank, and a chance to see the newest rescued animals at the Rescate Wildlife Center, a candid strategy session with one of the country’s largest investment groups, and multiple whale sightings, it was hard to disagree.

As my classmate Keshan Chen ’27 reflected, Costa Rica’s focus on biodiversity is not just a policy, but the core of the country’s business model. This philosophy was evident everywhere, from the hybrid coffee research at Starbucks’s Hacienda Alsacia to the sugarcane fields of Hacienda El Viejo, where farmers work in peaceful coexistence with roaming iguanas and clean energy is produced alongside traditional crops.

However, we also learned about systemic tensions. At INCAE Business School, we discussed how the gains from foreign direct investment can be concentrated in the country’s Central Valley, sometimes driving up costs for locals in coastal regions. As Elena Schiefele ’27 noted, we learned how important it is to look below top-line numbers at how wealth and gains are really distributed.

Our visit to Coca-Cola’s Costa Rica facility provided a striking perspective on the future of work. Mari Choi ’27 observed that in such a highly automated environment, the real constraint in production is no longer labor. Instead, it comes down to how well humans design and manage the system.

This technical insight was balanced by a cultural one. “Pura vida” is a ubiquitous catchphrase in Costa Rica, signaling a national ethos of positivity, gratitude, and goodwill towards others. Many of us experienced a true “pura vida” moment seeing how relaxed and present many people remained, even in high-performing workplaces. It challenged the common MBA assumption that constant intensity is the only driver of strong results.

By the end of the trip, we realized that “pura vida” is more than a slogan. It is an acknowledgement of a culture that combines economic necessity with a genuine concern for the natural environment and human well-being. Whether we were watching catamaran sailors silence their engines out of respect for a passing whale, or hearing how the automotive company Grupo Purdy balances systems with serendipity, we learned that the most successful models are those that respect the ecosystem they inhabit.

I was particularly eager to serve as a TA for this trip because it offered a unique chance to build relationships with classmates I had not yet met in our busy lives at Evans Hall. While I enjoyed the academic components, I realized that what I love most is building community. Being a TA is primarily about managing the collective energy of the group—for example, ensuring 31 high-achieving MBAs are ready for a 7:45 a.m. bus departure, while still leaving room to absorb the wisdom of speakers like Amy Van Esch, program director at the Rescate Wildlife Center. Her dedication to nursing wildlife back to health, as Vikram Ramesh ’27 put it, was a powerful lesson in sacrifice, resilience, and innovation. Seeing my classmates engage so deeply with these stories made the effort of keeping our group synchronized and engaged entirely worth it.

We headed back to New Haven a little more sun-kissed and with a sharpened lens on global strategy. I hope to carry this perspective into a global career where I get to work with diverse teams, applying the lesson that the most valuable assets a country—or company—owns are often the ones that require the most intentional protection.