Student Profile: Artem Reichart ’22

For Artem Reichart, the question “So what did you do this summer?” has an unusual answer: He spent nine days in Costa Rica on a People to People trip.

Artem, a running back for the Delone Catholic football team, had been scheduled to go on a People to People trip to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji in 2020, but then the world shut down.

“Costa Rica was actually the only trip that went this year,” Artem said. The group did a lot of touring, including national parks, volcanoes, and a coffee plantation.

Costa Rica, a small, rugged, rainforested country in Central America, sits on the edge of a tectonic plate, making it volcanically active.

“Everything there is hilly,” Artem noted. The trip organizers as well as the citizens of Costa Rica were “super strict” about COVID-19 protocols, including mask-wearing and hand-washing, he added.

The trip was educational as well as enjoyable. Artem’s favorite thing was ziplining, which he did from 200 feet up and achieved a speed of 20 mph. On one pass, a toucan flew right in front of Artem’s face, he said.

Toucans to Costa Ricans are like pigeons to Americans, although arguably cuter.

One of the places Artem toured was an animal rescue, which he described as “very cool.” It is illegal in Costa Rica to keep any native animals as a pet.

Artem, who lives on a farm, appreciated the biodiversity of the country. He is fascinated by zoology and is looking at schools like Virginia Tech and Texas Tech.

For Artem, Delone Catholic’s motto – Be Doers of the Word – was something he carried with him. He and his fellow students brought seven bags of toys for children in an orphanage. Artem himself is adopted, having been born in Russia and adopted at age three. COVID wreaked havoc on the Costa Rican economy, because tourism is the main industry for the small nation.

“Seeing a third-world country makes you focus on your priorities more,” Artem said. “It makes you really be grateful for what we have. It makes you think twice. It definitely helps you grow spiritually, mentally, physically.”

Fast facts:

Costa Rica is a small country in Central America nestled between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the southeast It covers an area of 19,730 square miles, making it just smaller than West Virginia and just larger than Maryland Population: 5.048 million GDP per capita: $11,982 USD The country makes up less than 0.5% of the Earth’s landmass, but is home to more than 5% of the Earth’s biodiverse plant and animal life. There are three active volcanos: Poas, Rincon de Viejas, and Turrialba Costa Rica is the third-largest exporter of bananas in the world, accounting for 7.1% of all bananas exported. (Ecuador is the first with 27.7%, and the Philippines are second with 10.6%). 71.8% of Costa Ricans are practicing Roman Catholics. The Virgen de los Angeles – The Virgin of the Angels – is Costa Rica’s patron saint. She is also known as La Negrita.

People to People

People to People International was founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on Sept. 11, 1956. The idea came to him as he was liberating concentration camps after World War II. Then-General Eisenhower, leader of the Allied troops in Western Europe, believed that ordinary citizens wanted a more peaceful world. He believed that could be achieved if students learned about other cultures and countries, believing that familiarity would lead to camaraderie. Today, People to People International continues this endeavor through humanitarian work, cultural exchange, and global education.