Life in Monteverde

The Cloud Forest School is located in the beautiful Tilarán Mountains of Costa Rica at the doorstep of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and the Children’s International Rainforest. This area was first settled in the late 1930’s and 40’s by pioneering Costa Rican families. In the early 50’s a group of sixty Quakers arrived, named it Monteverde, took the initial step toward cloud forest conservation and began dairy farming as a means of livelihood.

In recent years, the growth of eco-tourism has provided economic alternatives, and fewer local people are making a living from dairy farming. The area is still relatively rural and the majority of the roads are unpaved. Many people do not have cars. Walking, motorcycles and taxis are the most common forms of transportation. There is a daily bus service to the seaport town of Puntarenas (3 hours away) and to the capital city of San José (4 to 5 hours away).

Many people find Monteverde a dynamic and interesting place in which to live and work. The diverse cultural mixture, conservation efforts and ongoing biological research provide a stimulating environment.

Climate
Sweaters, raincoats/ponchos and rubber boots are a must for anyone living in Monteverde. The dry season runs from January to May. The rainy season, which runs from June to November, can vary from sunny mornings with downpours in the afternoons to “temporales,” which are storms where it rains or drizzles continuously for several days (these rarely happen more than two to three times a year). In between there is often windy, misty cool spring weather. Temperatures vary from 55 F on a cold night (wind chill can make it feel colder) to 80 F on a hot day.

Mail
Mail arrives in Santa Elena several times a week, and airmail takes about two weeks to travel to or from North America. It is best to send materials using padded envelopes. We do not recommend sending boxes as most boxes are stopped in customs at Puntarenas. A duty is imposed and there is a charge for each day the box sits in customs.

Stores
The grocery stores in Santa Elena and Monteverde are usually well stocked and bring in fresh fruits and vegetables and basic foods. Other businesses and services located in Santa Elena are: hardware stores, general and farm supply stores, butcher, vegetable and fruit store, stationery store, small clothes shops, laundry and coffee shop, bank, health clinic, veterinarians, dentist, high school, a Roman Catholic church and various inns and restaurants. The 3 kilometers from Monteverde to Santa Elena take about 30-45 minutes to walk. The Cloud Forest School is located about halfway between in a section of the town called Cerro Plano.

Medical Facilities
A new clinic has been built in Santa Elena and is staffed with several doctors, nurses and a dentist. The clinic includes a pharmacy. The clinic is sufficient for
minor, uncomplicated medical needs; however, it doesn’t have extensive lab facilities. There is an ambulance at the clinic for emergency trips to the Puntarenas hospital, and San José is well equipped with medical specialists and larger hospitals.

Lodging
There are a variety of houses for rent in and around the Monteverde zone, and the Cloud Forest School is glad to help with suggestions and arrangements. Depending on the house, appliances and comforts vary. Most have a refrigerator and stove, but not all have washing machines or telephones. Rents run from about $150 a month for a furnished, rustic cabin to $300 a month for a fully furnished house. Shared housing can lower the cost for the individual. Homestays with a Costa Rican family are available for visitors and volunteers.

Religion
There are a variety of religious groups in the area. The Catholic Church is the largest. Other groups include Quakers, Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witness.

Banking
Santa Elena has three banks: Banco Nacional de Costa Rica , Banco Popular, and Coopemex. You can open an account at the bank in U.S. dollars or Colones. There is an ATM in Santa Elena that accepts ATM cards from Banco Nacional, but there are other ATM's available in Cerro Plano that will accept international cards, for example the Banco de Costa Rica. VISA debit cards are usually accepted at the bank teller with little trouble. Credit card withdrawals can be made as well, most easily with a VISA card. Have your account number and passport ready to deposit or withdraw money.

Entertainment
Opportunities for hikes in the forest and spotting rare and endangered flora and fauna abound in Monteverde and Costa Rica. Monteverde has many world-renowned nature reserves, as well as many natural attractions – such as the serpentarium, frog pond and butterfly garden. There are a couple discos and several restaurants that serve traditional food and Italian food (pizza). Generally the restaurants are geared towards tourists – so prices tend to be high. However, these venues often host life music on the weekends and sometimes during the week.
Although the public bus system in Costa Rica is somewhat slow, it is extensive and cheap, making travel to other areas of Costa Rica possible.