A quick trip to Costa Rica

down memory lane (Hey, check the link, I found some of my old, pre-blog pictures!) I lived and worked in Costa Rica 5 years ago.

No, not in San Jose, although I traveled there sometimes, both on business and for pleasure, visiting its musea - particularly its fabulous gold museum, which fascinated me to no end - enjoying its plazas and other sights.

I lived in the famous cloud forest village of Monteverde, established in 1952 by a group of Quakers from Alabama, who did not want their sons to fight in Korea (Quakers are pacifists). They were farsighted enough, that they established a fabulous, and now famous, nature preserve around its village. To this day the village of Monteverde is at least partially English speaking and full of blond, blue-eyed children attending one of the small villages two English language schools.

I worked at the Monteverde Institute as its director of development.

Here are pictures from the Institute and a couple of workshops there.

One outdoors, on sustainable architecture. It included actively building stone retaining walls ,

was led by Institute's executive director, Nat Scrimshaw



with lively participation of staff and guests

and no less lively discussion during lunch after the workshop. The other one indoors, led by me and addressed to all non-profit organizations in the area, on various development strategies, and how to align them with the organizations overall strategy and modus operandi.


I know, I know, the jargon I use when I act "professionally" seems sometimes at least a tad confusing also for my workshop participants ;-)

but they concentrate, exchange ideas
and do their best!