Virtual Costa Rica: Live yoga from an incredible changemaker in Monteverde

Posted on by stanleyobando

Good morning! As you know, I’m sharing slices of Costa Rican life that you can enjoy from anywhere, along with related causes that urgently need support. So far, this little trip has taken us to turtle-nesting beaches, Volcán Arenal, the Melico Salazar Theater and a Sloth Ironman. Not too shabby.

Today it’s green, lush Monteverde, where you can join yoga instructor Katy VanDusen for a free live yoga class every Monday until further notice at 4:15 Costa Rica time (that’s 6:15 EST, 3:15 Pacific). Not only will you be doing something good for your body and mind, but you’ll be in the presence of a truly inspirational environmental leader whom I’m proud to have met in person. Katy is a longtime Monteverde resident, a community organizer, environmental advocate and promoter of women’s empowerment. She’s a former leader of the Monteverde Friends School and leads CORCLIMA, an outstanding nonprofit that’s making this Costa Rican community a hub for best practices in climate resilience.

Katy is asking, as payment for her free classes, that you do something nice for someone else. However, I invite you to consider supporting CORCLIMA here through Amigos of Costa Rica. (Note that the donation is for CORCLIMA in the comment box.) You can also contribute to a special Emergency Fund set up by the Monteverde Community Foundation at Amigos of Costa Rica to support families during the COVID-19 crisis. And remember that you can browse other ways to give back during the COVID-19 crisis on my dedicated page, including newly updated emergency funds and other efforts, here!

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! If you want to learn more about how to support Costa Rica during the crisis, visit my COVID-19 section, updated regularly – or for ways to enjoy Costa Rica from afar, visit Virtual Costa Rica.

Day 2: Our artists need us, and we need them

Posted on by stanleyobando

I practically swerved the car right off the road and up onto the sidewalk when I noticed the Alma Artesana Collective for the first time last month. (Not that this would have been particularly unusual behavior. Someone actually did this in my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago. With a city bus. Into a Chinese restaurant. No one was seriously hurt. But I digress.)

An oasis on a traffic-clogged intersection in Curridabat, Alma Artesana is jam-packed with the beautiful offerings of more than 40 artisans from all over Costa Rica, sharing space to defray costs. Their motto? “We don’t sell products – we sell stories.”

As someone who firmly believes that stories, especially true ones, can save us from just about anything, I took this slogan to heart and threw down the first challenge of my year of Costa Rica Daily Boost-ing. I hereby challenge myself to acquire more stories, to save more of my dollars for artists whose names and backgrounds I actually learn. As an introvert, I don’t tend to chat up artists even if I do buy straight from them at a street fair… and too often, it’s easier to buy gifts that benefit bigger companies. I want to change that. Today, art is such a source of not only solace, but also activism. Our artists are a big part of movements for change, and God knows it’s a hard trail to blaze, whether you are crafting political statements or cuddly unicorns (see below). And at a time when ugliness is so dominant – including, literally, in San José, where a new Legislative Assembly building that resembles a skyscraping bunker has been horrifying the nation alongside other, similarly grotesque towering travesties – we need to stand by our purveyors of beauty.

During the year ahead, I want say thank you to the artists and artisans around me by taking off my blinders and getting to know them wherever I can, especially when they are creating change through their art. When I can buy something from them, I will try to learn their stories so I can spotlight them here. Maybe in the process I’ll feel a little more connected to people in this city, which is something I yearn for – and I’ll see that connection whenever I look around my house.

Are you good about this? Are there a lot of stories in your home already? What’s a piece of art that’s been bringing you comfort lately? I’d love to hear about it or see it – and if you know any Costa Rican artists, please tag them or mention them here so I can follow up with them. (Check out Alma Artesana on Instagram or Facebook.)

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook!