The beauty of Costa Rica and its people remain vivid in my mind. My five months in Costa Rica was a time of self-exploration and of realizing what is possible for people with disabilities in a Central American country.

The program I attended both challenged and inspired me and fostered a new awareness of myself and everyone that I interacted with during my time abroad. I explored a new country and its environmental issues, improved my Spanish language skills, made new friends and realized that anything is possible.

As a junior at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, I researched many programs I could attend for my semester abroad. I was searching for a program that would offer me more than the conventional classroom experience, one that would allow me to experientially study environmental, social and political sciences on the individual, community and national levels. I wanted to learn first-hand how environmental problems are evaluated and how creative solutions are carried out. How does community planning work at the local level? What contribution could I make toward the preservation and survival of our global environment and its inhabitants?

The Massachusetts-based School for Field Studies (SFS), aimed at educating students about solutions to the world’s environmental problems, aligned well with my own personal mission. After speaking with some alumni from the SFS programs, I felt motivated and excited to apply because of a shared passion and commitment to the future of our planet. SFS's Center for Sustainable Development Studies in Costa Rica provided a significant amount of time for fieldwork and studying community development, while allowing me to earn credits towards my degree.

Part of the process before leaving for Costa Rica involved completing a medical exam form. My doctor filled out the information stating that I wore 2 BK (below knee) prosthetic legs. Then, a question on another form made me pause for a moment. It asked, “Do you have any physical limitations?” I pondered this question. If it had read, “Do you have any physical disabilities?” I would have clearly answered in the affirmative. However, the question did not ask that. The question referred to limitation. I do not see myself as having limitations, and I did not need to request any disability-related accommodations. Until one tries something, one does not know if one can accomplish it. I have had many successes in my life where some people had thought that success would be impossible. So, in answering this question, I wrote, “No.” Upon arriving in Costa Rica, I saw some initial surprise on part of the staff. However, everyone involved in the program, especially the professors, was open and accepting of me.

The program was an active one, and I fully participated without any problems. We hiked mountains, explored both rural and urban regions and visited protected areas. We studied exotic plant species, performed economic analyses, reviewed watershed management techniques, and analyzed Costa Rica’s Organic Law of the Environment. Each day I became more confident, surmounting things that I could have perceived as potential obstacles.

One day, while I was working in the garden, I fell. I looked down and my right foot had fallen off. So, the next week I walked on one leg and crutches while my broken foot was sent to Florida for repairs. The staff’s attitude was wonderfully supportive. I continued to attend class and participated in field trips. The field director herself drove me to one of the field sites so I could be fully involved throughout the program.

People in Costa Rica were open to learning about me and my disability. Children would gather around me, ask many questions, and then go on their way. Many people showed an interest in touching my legs and seeing how they are put on and taken off. I appreciated this interest. It says to me that my “difference” is something important for them to learn about and appreciate. 

One weekend, everyone was assigned to live with a host family. I found this to be a great experience because I began to clarify and understand for myself what can help dispel myths about people with disabilities. Initial curiosity led to a visible admiration and respect for my abilities. As I shared stories from my life, I found that authenticity led to a greater understanding between us. During my time in Costa Rica, I truly became a part of their family. Together we attended local fairs, hiked in the nearby mountains, and cooked Costa Rican specialties. I am honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of their lives and to have been welcomed with the love, generosity and warmth they constantly extended towards me.

Above all other lessons I learned, my experience with SFS taught me that people are people no matter what language they speak and no matter what challenges they face. I have always believed that people are inherently good and will reach out to help when asked — that is exactly what I found to be true in Costa Rica.