By Lisa Parent

Medicine Hat College students immerse themselves in Indigenous culture in Costa Rica

Mar 7, 2024 | 9:49 AM

During reading week, eight Medicine Hat College Education students had the experience of a lifetime, after spending time in the rainforest amongst an off the grid Indigenous community in Costa Rica.

“They were so welcoming, so kind to us. Really, they were really just nice people to be around,” said education student Ty Moline.

“The meals they prepared for us, they were amazing.”

Moline says it was an action-packed nine days, where they got to experience a different culture and way of living.

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On the trip, the students toured the local school of the Bri Bri Peoples and learned about their education system, which is very culturally focused.

At one point the students slept on mattresses with mosquito nets in the forest, went on hikes and farm tours and heard lectures from community members.

Student Jill Teichroeb is Métis and was interested to see the differences between Indigenous communities in Costa Rica, compared to Canada.

“I think there’s such a stigma just from colonization [and] having pride in Indigenous culture is really hard,” said Teichroeb.

“After being in that experience where everything is so centered around culture and everybody has pride and community in their culture really made me come home and realize I have to show that pride to my students and make sure my students have pride in their cultures.”

Teichroeb’s journey to Costa Rica shaped her views on how Canada can move toward truth and reconciliation with Indigenous communities.