Today we spent the majority of the day on the bus traveling to Monteverde. As we left Heredia there was a shift from the busy city to the wide open areas of the mountains. Along with the visual change, as we got to Monteverde the weather was much cooler with the higher elevation. Everything about Monteverde is very different than my experience has been in Heredia.

Once we got to Monteverde we had a little bit of time before our guest lecture, where we got to get ice cream from a cheese factory (thanks Professor Teeter)! The ice cream was delicious and during the lecture we found out that the cheese factory had a significant role in Monteverde history. Ricardo Guindon, our guest lecturer, is the son of one of the original Quakers from Alabama that settled in the Monteverde region. The Quakers from Alabama left the United States because they did not agree with the concept of registering for the draft and purposely avoided the draft. They were put on trial and decided to leave the United States and were left looking for a country that did not have a military. Ultimately, they settled on Costa Rica and then began the challenge of finding land that would be lucrative to settle on. After four months of searching, they found the perfect land for them in Monteverde. Once they settled they created a cheese factory which had a significant impact on the Costa Rican economy.

While they ended up having a significant impact on the economy, they also brought Quaker traditions and beliefs to Costa Rica. These traditions and beliefs were seen in Costa Rica by having to reach consensus when making decisions, such as the land they would settle on. Additionally, they created a community of people that could speak both English and Spanish. In the schools created in Monteverde, they emphasized the ability for children to speak both languages. Ultimately, the Quakers brought their strong sense of community to Monteverde, where they established traditions such as Monteverde Day and having a potluck every first Sunday of the month.

Learning about the history of Monteverde was extremely interesting and gives me a better perspective for the next two days here. I can’t wait to get to see and learn more about Monteverde!