Palm Beach Atlantic University’s (PBA) recent graduate Daniella Pacheco stepped out of the classroom and into the community and creation as she studied abroad in Costa Rica. By the end of her semester abroad, Pacheco learned important lessons about pacing herself and exploring her identity.
“Studying abroad wasn’t just a semester—it was a reset,” Pacheco explained. “A reminder of the kind of person I want to become.”
A Recipe for Paradise
Costa Rica felt like the right choice to Pacheco for several reasons. Pacheco has always had a passion for the outdoors. As a journalism major and a communications minor, she has covered several aspects of God’s creation for PBA’s student newspaper, The Beacon Today, during her time in West Palm Beach. She has also always loved Latin culture, having grown up in Georgia and spent so much time in South Florida. However, the main reason she chose Costa Rica was that she wanted to be in a place where she could slow down and reflect on her life, her career, and her faith.
The Art of Slowing Down
Pacheco’s first impressions of her new home for the semester confirmed that Costa Rica was just what she needed. One of the biggest culture shocks Pacheco had was adjusting to the amount of silence used in Costa Rican culture, not every second was filled with small talk that she was used to in the States. Instead, it felt like people only verbally communicated when they had something meaningful to say. An example of this is learning how to enjoy long meals filled with conversation and moments of silence, where the goal wasn’t only nutritional but also social nourishment. Over time, Pacheco realized that the slower pace that had first felt stifling and awkward was actually giving her time to process and heal.This lesson echoed through Pacheco’s spiritual life. She realized that God does not always speak in a loud voice. Sometimes His voice is found in silence or in a whisper. Pacheco found that God spoke to her in quiet moments, in unfamiliar places, and in unexpected chance encounters with people. The stillness, which came through the quiet routine of her daily life and her time spent reflecting in nature, taught her to trust God to bring into her life the things and people who are meant for her.
Serving the God of Cities, Rainforests, Oceans, and Mountains
One of Pacheco’s favorite parts of studying abroad was her environmental impact class. Learning outside the classroom in the rainforests, coral reefs, and farmland brought the concepts she studied to life. For a class assignment, Pacheco helped with a tree-farming project and learned more about the history of the land and why it mattered so much to the locals of Costa Rica. The experience transformed education from memorizing facts to experiencing and restoring parts of God’s creation.
“Knowing that history makes every moment feel heavier and holier,” Pacheco said. “It wasn’t just schoolwork; it was legacy, healing, and hope.”
For Pacheco, choosing to study abroad was an act of obedience to God. Even though she did not fully comprehend why, she felt God was calling her to Costa Rica. While there, God softened, stretched, and transformed her. Coming home also feels like obedience to Pacheco, now that she can share everything she learned about culture, nature, and the time needed for reflection with God. Most of all, she can share her firsthand knowledge that there is nowhere on earth a person could go without encountering the presence of God.
To learn more about studying abroad and the Rinker Center for Experiential Learning, click here.
