Today we left our homestay’s in Heredia and drove about 4 hours to Monteverde! Although I did spend the majority of this ride asleep because of my motion sickness, there were times I was able to look out the window and the view never disappointed. We drove through many mountainous areas, as well as some farmland and smaller towns.

Through this past week, I have become more familiar with the areas of Costa Rica we have visited. I think my original perception has changed a little as well. I am starting to understand how thing work here, what the norms are and what life in Heredia is like. I am becoming more comfortable with things and therefore I am able to see Costa Rica in a different light. Leaving Heredia today to head up to Monte Verde has also helped me to do this, as I was able to see a lot more of the land and culture than before.

Once we arrived in Monte Verde we had a delicious lunch (picture below) and attended a lecture with Don Ricardo Guindon, a family member of one of the original Quakers that founded Monteverde. We learned about Monteverde’s rich history and about what Monteverde has become today. The original founders had a lasting impact on this area of Costa Rica as they created much of the areas that still exist today, like the cheese factory for example. They also helped to create some of the farming land and culture in the area and later on help with efforts of conservation of the rainforest (after being a chainsaw dealer ironically). The Quakers that settled the area brought their culture with them but also combined that with the existing Costa Rican culture. They have created a beautiful area that is still quite prosperous to this day. I can’t wait to see more of it when we visit the cloud forest tomorrow.