I think Costa Rica is the coolest place ever. Today we traveled four hours from the Central Valley to Monteverde. The roads were very curvy and for the first time in my life, I experienced motion sickness. The scenery was different from in Heredia. The communities were smaller and more rural. The houses were simpler with metal roofs over patios. There were also lots of wild dogs and cats. We drove past a lot of farms with fruit trees, horses, and lots of cows. We also saw lots of little fruit stands that I wish I had taken a picture of. Previously we had seen lots of urban areas, and it seems like those areas may have been more well off. I believe today we may have seen more of the financial insecurity that comes with owning a small farm, as discussed in the lecture yesterday.

About half way through our bus ride, we stopped at a little zoo and gift shop. We got to pet some animals and I got some cute hand-crafted gifts for my family. Shortly after stopping we saw a group of monkeys, which I was hoping to see!

After arriving in Monteverde and having lunch, we learned about Quakers’ influence on the region from Don Ricardo Guindon. He discussed some of the initial struggles of finding somewhere to settle in Costa Rica and how they eventually ended up in Monteverde. He told us how they developed the land with a cheese factory, small farms, a schoolhouse, and a grocery store. They established a postage system, and used their prior experiences for medical care. Several traditions were established, such as square dancing, Christmas festivities, and Nonrockwell family reunions, many of which still exist today. Monteverde Day celebrates the establishment of the community, and eventually attracted a biologist to the area. After discovering new species, conservation efforts began in the cloud forest, which are still in place today. If not for these efforts, there would likely be far less tourism to the area, changing the economy significantly. The Quakers had a profound impact on Monteverde and are responsible for much of the health and prosperity of the region. I cannot wait to explore the cloud forest tomorrow and see some animals on the night walk tonight!