Nomadic Narrative

Until tropical storm “Alma” hit a few days ago, I had planned on spending the weekend on a rural community tour.

As a side-note, Alma is the first tropical storm ever to originate in Costa Rica’s Pacific waters…global warming? The storm brought heavy rains for three days flooding many areas of the country and causing landslides which blocked roads such as the Interamericana highway, which would have led me south.

If the highway opens up by next Friday, I’ll be heading to the Boruca indigenous territory in the Southern Zone of Costa Rica. Sô Cagrû, a group of women artisans, is leading tours of their area.

Rural communities are targeting the niche market of growing travelers looking for sustainable options. The term sustainability seems to be growing these days. One step beyond generating income for national parks and protected areas, sustainable tourism is looking to generate income for rural communities by showcasing not only their precious natural resources, but also their rich cultural traditions.

This type of tourism is very different from what a large, corporate travel agency can offer. For one, most corporate tour agencies don’t go to these more isolated areas — it’s just too time consuming. When they do go, the trip is often treated as a quick photo op instead of a genuine cultural exchange. So, until consumers can see the benefit of slow travel, these areas will remain far from the beaten track.

As I write this, I’m reminded of something that happened about a month ago in La Virgen, a small town in the northern lowlands. I was walking around the central plaza when a group of school kids started chatting with me. A few minutes later, a tour bus passed by and one kid shouted: “Look! There go the tourists.” I said that I was a tourist in their area and they replied: “No, you’re not.”

For these kids, it seems as though tourists are people who drive through their town on air-conditioned buses on the way to go river rafting. I think many people around the world are craving authentic interaction with foreigners. If this could happen more often, I think we’d have an easier time developing compassion for each other and for the different ways we live.

A thought: Given the frenetic pace with which we move these days, slowing down and enjoying the entire journey, bumpy bus ride and all, just sounds appealing. The stories you share when you get home are far beyond the names of the places visited along with passing impressions. Your stories will include authentic tales of adventure and discovery!

Read more about rural community tourism in Costa Rica