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With support from the Emma Maes Scholarship, I had the opportunity to explore Costa Rica’s pura vida culture, including its legacy as one of the few countries in the world without a standing army. As a Diplomacy and World Affairs major, I was especially drawn to apply my Spanish skills and learn about Costa Rica’s unique example of peace and pura vida as a form of norm entrepreneurship on the world stage. One of the most memorable parts of my trip was visiting the Museo Nacional in San José, which is housed in the former army barracks decommissioned after Costa Rica abolished its military in 1948.

In the Museo Nacional, the chance to walk through both fortress tunnels and gallery rooms brought the country’s historical trajectory vividly to life. For me, standing in the same building where President José Figueres Ferrer symbolically tore down a wall of the army barracks illustrated how spaces of militarism can be transformed into places of culture, memory, and learning. I spoke with an archivist in the museum’s library — who generously gave me a translated copy of Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea in order to practice my Spanish-language reading — and later exchanged stories with a local man outside the museum about history and politics. In addition to applying my language skills, these conversations gave me a deeper appreciation of how Costa Rica’s normative path of peace is remembered and lived today.

In previous studies, I’ve learned about the subtle yet significant distinction between negative peace, or the absence of physical conflict, and positive peace, which emphasizes the presence of conditions for societal well-being and harmony. This framework helped me understand my travels in Costa Rica: the country is defined not only by what it lacks (an army) but on what it chooses to prioritize, such as education, healthcare, and environmental protection. 

As a Diplomacy and World Affairs major, I was especially drawn to apply my Spanish skills and learn about Costa Rica’s unique example of peace and pura vida as a form of norm entrepreneurship on the world stage.

The pura vida ethos also came alive through Costa Rica’s commitment to environmental stewardship. Guided forest walks with a biologist, visits with eco-reserves for wildlife conservation, and encounters with protected natural wonders like volcanoes and waterfalls all reflected how sustainability is woven into national culture. At the same time, my Spanish proficiency deepened through constant practice in markets, museums, and everyday conversations. As another takeaway, this trip gave me a new point of reference for understanding peace as a lived practice abroad, not only as an abstract policy goal. Ultimately, the Emma Maes Scholarship gave me the chance to elevate my Spanish through traveling abroad, deepen my academic studies with real-world experience, and witness firsthand how history, culture, and language can intertwine in the pursuit of peace.