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It’s not ‘impossible’ to pursue a project or career in this thing I’m interested in.
John Hinchey, Duke Pratt in Costa Rica (Summer 2025)
What's your favorite memory from Duke Pratt in Costa Rica?
During one of our last weekends, two other students and I decided to climb Cerro Chirripó, the tallest mountain in Costa Rica. The climb took three days and was by far one of my favorite things I did during this program. The hike itself was impressive and the view from the summit was certainly worth the thirty-something miles on foot. The flexibility and freedom that our professors gave us on the weekends allowed us to venture beyond what many tourists would typically be able to experience.
What was your favorite class excursion?
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During one of our excursions, we visited the central markets in San José. In our individual Spanish classes, we went in several different shops to buy souvenirs, coffee, ice-cream, etc. We had a lot of opportunity to practice speaking Spanish in a fast-paced environment, which was neat.
Where were your favorite places to go in Costa Rica?
Barrio Escalante was a great place to go for a scenic break and enjoy nature. My local friend C. Que and I would typically go every Thursday to explore some of the great study spots. One café had a deal I had never seen before: $16 for 16 shots of espresso. A lot of us in the program would get the espresso and spend the whole evening studying.
The summit of Chirripó
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A class excursion to a coffee plantation and La Paz waterfall
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The church of Cartago, also known as: Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles
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The advanced Spanish class with their teacher in the Ruins of Cartago.
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What was your greatest takeaway from the program?
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I was always convinced, by friends and family, that there’s really “not much” to pursue in surfing. Beyond the hobby itself, it’s difficult to make a living – there’s not much money or “depth” to a career here.
My group’s final project tied in our differential equations course to evaluate surf breaks around Costa Rica – using shallow water wave equations and bathymetric data to compare spots. I learned that there is a possibility for more depth in this project and layers of complexity do exist in the topic of surfing, more so than I’ve been told. This may be something I’d choose to continue later - it’s not “impossible” to pursue a project or career in this thing I’m interested in.
What advice do you have for students considering this program?
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A longer-term program like this, in my opinion, is the best way to travel and experience a new country. Traveling between sites you’d want to visit—especially in Costa Rica—takes a significant amount of time. By spending six weeks here and using weekends to explore, you have a much greater opportunity to see everything you’d like—far more efficiently than a short 1–2 week vacation could provide.
Not only does a program like this allow for more meaningful travel, but it also enables you to complete required classes, make progress toward your degree, and spend your time in a purposeful and productive way.