University of North Texas 
Leigh Middleton
More Than Volunteering:
Leigh Middleton’s Time in Costa Rica (2012-2014)
As an emergency planning and preparedness consultant, Leigh Middleton knows that she needs to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. In situations where many people might freeze out of awkwardness or uncertainty, she is a decision-maker.
Leigh used her bicycle to get around most places.
Much of that tact in the face of an emergency comes from her experiences in the Peace Corps. The service opportunity that she took to boost her resume also gave her soft skills that she continuously uses in her career.
Before she worked for the Peace Corps, Leigh earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Public Administration degree at UNT. Despite these accolades and her working in the Office of Student Affairs and participating in the North Texas in D.C. program, Leigh had trouble finding a job in the tight hiring market after she graduated.
She spoke with a friend who was in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic and decided that service would be the best next step for her.
“Peace Corps service can be something that you do for yourself because you’ve always wanted to live abroad or learn another language or do this thing that sounds big, cool and impressive,” Leigh said. “It can also be something that’s preparing you for your future.”
Leigh took off for her service in Costa Rica where she worked as a Community Development Project Manager. After some work with small businesses through organizing a successful financial management course, she decided to focus more on community development rather than the financial projects that a predecessor volunteer did.
Beyond teaching English to young children, Leigh also taught a computer education
course to adults in the community.
Leigh worked to assess the community’s needs and take on projects as they arose. She did everything from organizing a community garden at the school and initiating a competition for kids to make art out of recycled materials to teaching adult computer classes.
One of her proudest projects was helping lead an intensive English camp for students preparing for high school. The local school had recently hired an English teacher, but upper-level English requirements were tough. The intensive camp gave the students an opportunity to enter high school more prepared for English classes and succeed going forward.
“It was such a rewarding experience because their parents opened up their hearts and their homes to me,” Leigh said. “They were so grateful that someone was going to help their kids catch up to get them ready for high school.”
At the end-of-program graduation, parents and families showed up to support the kids along with many other members of the community.
“To have such a huge outpouring of support, not just for these kids but for me, it was super valuable. I was able to stay close with those kids and their families throughout service,” Leigh said. “When I think back on fond memories or relationships I built, I think about that project.”
"It was basically like camping for two years," Leigh said of her home with only the
bare necessities.
On days when Leigh didn’t have a set project to work on, she went to the school to help the teachers with their daily tasks. She also spent time at her local “soda” or café to get a cup of coffee and speak with the people around the community.
The time that Leigh was able to engage in conversation with Costa Ricans was also a great way to practice her language skills. Her strong Spanish is an asset she’s thankful to have gained from Peace Corps.
“There were lots of really rough days because your brain is just in overload,” Leigh said. “It’s a culture shock and there’s language shock, but the training that they provided was excellent.”
One of the toughest parts of Leigh’s experience was the heat and isolation. She lived in a small structure with a tin roof and the bare necessities.
“It was basically like camping for two years,” Leigh said, laughing.
Leigh adopted a cat named Ladybird and brought her home to the U.S.
The best part of Leigh’s contact with the outdoors was that she acquired her cat Ladybird who hunted critters including a snake that slithered into Leigh’s house.
Ladybird is not the only thing Leigh brought back to the U.S. She also came to have a great appreciation for Pura Vida and Tico Time, cultural mantras that keep Costa Ricans unbothered by minor mishaps or tight schedules.
“I think for me the cultural humility was the most important thing that I learned,” Leigh said. “I don’t think you can get that from any other experience besides something that’s so immersive and such a long length of time.”
Leigh also learned about the importance of sustainability and creating systems that worked beyond individuals.
“You really are there to support individuals and their community infrastructure as they grow and help them get the resources that they need to succeed,” Leigh said. “These projects are often something that they already wanted to do or already had the pieces and you’re just helping them put it all together.”
Leigh had the opportunity to teach students English.
After returning to the U.S., Leigh worked in community preparedness and planning for the City of San Antonio.
At the beginning of 2026, she founded Nightingale Public Solutions and now works as the primary consultant providing emergency preparedness and process improvement to communities that need it. In this work she continues to use the perseverance and management strengths that she gained from Peace Corps.
“It instilled in me a level of personal and professional resilience that you just can’t get anywhere else,” Leigh said.
Want to learn more about Leigh's time in Peace Corps Costa Rica? You can reach out to her here.
Written and Edited by Eliana Fulton, B.A. Journalism Student at UNT
Interviewed by Zach Yeager, Peace Corps Prep Coordinator