Sep 15, 2011

Costa Rica next CT

Carlos Solano, a 23-year-old international student at Central Lakes College, Brainerd, will present the next free Cultural Thursday program about his home: Costa Rica. The program is on Thursday, Oct. 6 from noon to 12:50 p.m. in E358 and is open to the public. Solano is studying information technology. He is one of eight CLC students enrolled through the Community Colleges for International Development program sponsored by the U.S. State Department. The program gives under-served, non-elite young adults from various countries an expense-paid year of education. The first thing Carlos points out about Costa Rica is that since 1948 it hasn’t had an army. This may be one reason Costa Ricans report the highest life satisfaction and have the second highest average life expectancy of the Americas, second only to Canada. Resources that are bolstering the nation’s economy include eco-tourism, technology, flowers, coffee, and a growing international retirement community. Cultural Thursday is presented by the Resource Center for Cultures and Languages of the Americas at CLC.