The Green Leaf Diaries

I've been living in Costa Rica for 9 weeks. Talk about a life-changing experience. I feel like I'm always saying this, but it really is impossible for me to put into words all the beautiful things I am seeing and emotions I am feeling. This isn't even the halfway point, so I know that there is much more still to be learned. All the same, I felt compelled to write this blog on the small things I have learned thus far in my adventures. Some are silly, some practical, and some serious. But they are all certainly worth the read... I could live minimally and still lead an exceptionally happy life.  Good coffee really does make a difference. Fresh fruits and vegetables really are better. Don't just go willy nilly picking things up! Lizano sauce is absolutely delicious.. on everything. (Yes, Candace, you were right.) Wearing no makeup will decrease your perceived "need" for makeup. It's all relative.  Dry shampoo would be very nice to have as hot showers...

A few weeks ago we got the opportunity to travel to a fairly "undiscovered" beach community in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Playa Coyote is a fishing community that has yet to truly be developed for tourism and visitors, but it is definitely worth the trip! It took us about 10 hours of driving in CATIE vans/buses to get all the way up the Pacific coast and back down the Nicoya Peninsula. Most of the roads further down the peninsula are unpaved and require much more time to get to your destination.. especially if it is raining (you better have 4-wheel drive). This community relies heavily on fishing and realized a few years ago that their fish populations off the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula were quickly decreasing and endangered species were being harmed due to trolling careless fishing practices. These beaches are also home to several different species of Sea Turtles who come there specifically to lay their eggs. In order to protect these areas PRETOMA was created. In the l...

Imagine riding in a canoe upstream on the Yorkin River between Costa Rica and Panama, powered only by one small motor on the back and the strength of a guide at the front of the canoe with a staff to ward off the rocks. The view is breathtaking. All around you is clear river water, steep rocks, and dense forest. Occasionally you spot the natural waterfall hidden in the mountains or the beautiful red flowers set against the dense green background. A colorful bird taking flight. The landscape is absolutely unbelievable.. This is the only way to get to the indigenous Bri Bri tribe of Costa Rica. The trip is not a short one and few people actually choose to make it. We were in the canoes for at least an hour, if not more, being guided by the strength of the natives who know these rivers and navigate them on a daily basis. The closest "grocery store" (which is more like a small convenient store) is where we got on the river. But for a long ride, it certainly is worth the view. A...