Today we took a long drive to Monteverde, a small community 4,600 feet above sea level in the Puntarenas province that is quite charming even when it’s raining. As we travelled from the Central Valley towards Monteverde, I began to notice a distinct change. On our way out of the Valley I found it interesting how the number of stores and homes began to decrease little by little. While they did not disappear entirely, you could definitely tell that as you moved from Heredia to Monteverde that civilization started becoming more spread out. Of course there were towns all throughout our journey with their line of stores, we even stopped at El Jardin in San Ramon for lunch where there were chickens, horses, cows, and even peacocks that we could observe. It was a much needed break on our very long tour.
I have come to learn that Costa Ricans are very used to tourists and can tell that those within our group speak English because they begin by saying “Hello” instead of “Hola”. As someone with very little experience speaking in another language, I find it very impressive that many Costa Ricans know conversational English, making me feel right at home in this foreign country. Even if they don’t, like my host mother, I can still communicate with them using Google Translate, the small words and phrases that I do know and the new ones I’ve learned while here!
I have also learned that Costa Ricans hold a deep connection with their history and culture. Today we got to learn about how back in the 1950s, some Quakers from the US came to Costa Rica in order to escape the conscription laws. It isn’t uncommon to hear stories like this about foreigners coming to Costa Rica in order to build a life that suits their tastes. Many investors have come to Costa Rica looking to start a business or for more freedom leading to a hodgepodge of different cultures taking root here, and Monteverde is the perfect example of that. As we learned from Ricardo Guindon, a son of the original Quakers to settle in Monteverde, when the Quakers moved here, they brought their culture and experience with them. They created more accessible roads to Monteverde, started a lucrative fine cheese business which stimulated the economy, and established a conservationist effort to preserve the Monteverde forest which was habitat to many locally unique species. The Quakers had an incredible impact on Costa Rica and is just one example of how foreigners have taken notice of the qualities that Costa Rica offers and in turn brought their own influence that further shapes Costa Rica as a country and culture.