Sometimes you need to get away in order to see yourself more clearly. My trip to Costa Rica has put a few things in perspective for me, some of which I’ve written about already – how jails don’t need to look like the jails we have here, how people who...
Costa Rica is well-regarded as a country that has successfully merged eco-tourism and conservation, a model for other developing countries to follow, and a mecca for tourists seeking exceptional beauty and tropical diversity. As a conservationist and anthropologist, I have spent my professional life trying to understand how to reconcile...
If I were to pin down the one crucial ingredient that makes Nueva Oportunidad, and Landforce, for that matter, tick, it’s respect. Respect for our team, respect for our partners, for our volunteers, and equally for the people who go through our programs. In writing these last few posts, I’ve...
This is part three of a multi-part series written by Landforce Executive Director Ilyssa Manspeizer about her reverse exchange with Costa Rican nonprofit Nueva Oportunidad. Be on the lookout for more blog posts about the trip coming soon. “When I get home,” I joked, “everyone will ask me what I did...
This is part two of a multi-part series written by Landforce Executive Director Ilyssa Manspeizer about her reverse exchange with Costa Rican nonprofit Nueva Oportunidad. You can read part one here. Be on the lookout for more blog posts about the trip coming soon. Monday, 15th July, 2019 Today I visited a...
This is the first part of a multi part series written by Landforce Executive Director Ilyssa Manspeizer about her reverse exchange with Costa Rican nonprofit Nueva Oportunidad. Be on the lookout for more blog posts about the trip coming soon. July 11th, 2019 In September 2018 Landforce had the great pleasure of...