milksheds & american dreams

Yesterday I spent my first full day with my new group, Rollins College. And I felt like I was in college all over again...the chaperone is intent on wringing as much educational experience as possible out of this trip, and I get the feeling that the students are not able to invest in a cultural experience. I get along with all of them though, and they are a cool group.

I went for the first time to the Monteverde Cheese Factory. The company works a lot with local farms to transport and create quality milk and milk products like cheese and ice cream...word of the day was "milkshed" or the area from which they have farmers participating and providing them with milk on a regular basis.
Later at lunch the students had a lengthy disscussion about why the industry and connection with the cheese factory is so important for farming families, and how thier techniques could improve and make them more profit...and how this is a part of the "american dream." But we are not in America right now. What about the "tico dream?" I'm finding myself that its very hard to step outside your comfort zone and look beyond your cultural background...as Americans we are very ethnocentric sometimes.
More later!!!!!!!!!!!