Page 6 - Free State Summer 2023

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

arabica coffee, however
that is not grown in the
Guanacaste province.
We also learned that it
takes quite a while to get
anywhere. Roughly 30%
of the country’s roads are
paved and are just one lane
each way, marking travel
slow. Costa Rica is about the
same area as West Virginia,
however, to travel just 70
miles may take two hours or
VANESSA A. FINNEY more. Our travel time, however, gave us great opportunity to
Executive Director learn a lot from our drivers and get to know fellow tourists.
We enjoyed a jungle river boat cruise, rife with monkey, bird,

YOLO, my daughter will say, “You Only Live Once.” So, with the and crocodile sightings, a walk through the cloud forest, and
philosophy of YOLO in mind and said daughter, Eva, headed the consummate Costa Rican tourist experience, zip lining.
to Costa Rica, Kelly and I decided to join her for a visit. The food was plentiful, fresh, and delicious.

It seems to me that a lot of friends, family, and colleagues Our various tour guides, all trained and certified by the
have visited Costa Rica within the past few years. I had never government revealed that about 53% of the country’s
really been interested in traveling to the country until Eva economy is based on tourism. Costa Rica abolished its army
announced she got a summer gig teaching English on the in 1948, transferring a large portion of its defense budget to
Nicoya Peninsula. As somewhat empty nesters, Kelly and I education (Our guides say the United Nations provides for its
have the opportunity now to travel and spend time together defense. We US taxpayers did not receive a ‘thank you’ for that
(outside of work), enjoying our transition out of the divide-and- service); the country’s literacy rate is an impressive 98%. The
conquer stages of parenting. guides also tout that the county is at least 96% sustainable,
with exceptionally high utilization rates of wind, water, and
Our visit to Costa Rica was short, and pretty awesome! We solar power.
stayed in the province of Guanacaste, about a half hour south
of the much too touristy town of Tamarindo. I’m not sure if our Everywhere we went, we found the citizens friendly, hard-
hotel was in a named town; it was remote, rural, and right on working, and openly appreciative of us as tourists. The
the Pacific Ocean. We learned through several tours that we outward appreciation that we experienced was a reminder to
took we were in the most significant agricultural region of the me that in our daily interactions, the value of going that extra
country, where beef, sugar cane, rice, and various fruits were mile, recognizing, and valuing people, be they our clients,
the prime commodities. Costa Rica is also known for its robust customers, friends, or family really can go a long way in
creating a special moment, feeling, or sense of belonging.
Costa Rica certainly has a whole to offer; I look forward to the
day we might return to explore the country further.
If you’ve had any special travels you’d like to share, please
send to me and I can publish in the next issue of Free State.
Pictures welcome, too! A

Vanessa Finney
Executive Director, MNLGA

6 SUMMER 2023 • Free State News