My (intellectual) baggage was stolen!

I’ve been robbed, and I feel great.

The thieves took off with my bag when I had my back turned: I returned from the ticket counter to find my heart-felt green bag gone without a trace. I looked for a while that it may turn up again, but no luck. With it goes a mini laptop, 4 moleskine notebooks and datebook, a few packs of cards… etc. While nothing was too valuable, it means all of my record of being here has vanished without a trace. (And my glasses, which I do kinda need..)

After the tragedy though, I am left with an interesting sentiment. In the hazards of trying to understand everything I can here, I had gotten caught in my little books. They were a great reference for anything I needed, but now I am without the intellectual restraint- free. The eagle soars again, this time with a new worldview and only his wits to survive.

I challenge you to go for one day without one thing you take for granted. A blackberry, watch or car keys, even a ring. What’s left of the world is indeed refreshing and new again.
Look for more to come soon.
-Eddie Miller
Costa Rica
http://eddiemill.wordpress.com/

Echoing Green

Echoing Green is a social funding fellowship competition, that gives grand prize winners a chance to make their business a reality. See the website, and info at: http://www.echoinggreen.org/.

I just turned in the second phase of this application, competing with over 300 second round entrepreneurs to reach the final phase. If selected, I would be eligible for $90,000 over two years starting this September. This comes with business consulting and a life work. For me, this would mean the farm starts while I finish college.

*a big* update that makes this possible: just met with a partner, 10 years experience establishing and maintaining an organic farm. With a mind for the possible it’s…
Julio Valverdez: <mailto=”pezotevalverde@hotmail.com”
*he has single-handedly created the ANDAR farm, the most beautiful human ecosystem and preservation center I have ever seen.
*over the past years, he has been researching and designing a finca modela integral, which will be the start for an advising and model business.

This agency for organic farming can be a model. A connection and lifeline to preserve the small farmer way of life and earn a premium with global community and good will. The location, the grant, and the manager just moved into place. Echoing green would mean that we can start construction of a dream this fall.

Culture Shock

“Bienvenidos a Costa Rica: paraíso ecológico para invertido y diversión.” So welcomed the customs sign on arrival in Costa Rica, my new tropical home.

Already my old kinship with this country is returning. The spectacular mountain views, tranquil field school, dense tropical rainforest and home gardeners grab and hold my attention. The town of Atenas where we are staying provides a close-knit community for locals while accomodating for large gringo tour groups seeking National Geographic’s famed “best climate in the world”. Indeed, the warm weather helps (70s and windy every day).

The first thing I notice this time around is the communications crevasse. Costa Ricans are not connected in the ways that we are, lacking high bandwidth internet and even cell phone service in some places. Lives simply aren’t as connected here to machines we have come to rely on. So far, underestimating this chaotic tendency has cost me an application for Echoing Green phase 2, a meeting with my farmer, and an amazing Forestdance festival in the South. It will take some adjusting and much advance planning to deal with this new reality.

Classes are great nonetheless, as I start Tropical Field Ecology, Sustainable Development Economics, Sociological Impacts of Tourism in Costa Rica, and Intro to Natural Resource management this week. I have already gotten to know all my professors, and the students are cool. It’s very close-knit. I see a lot of opportunity here to really expand my horizons.

Look for more updates soon. 2 weeks is the end of the honeymoon, now starts my real time exploring this beautiful country!

-Eddie Miller
BU ‘10
emiller@bu.edu

Http://eddiemill.wordpress.com/