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Strengthening Our Ties

The people of Costa Rica are one big family, and even before we gain official residency in Costa Rica, we and AmaTierra are being accepted into that family, especially here in San Pablo, with its 800 friendly, resourceful people who all seem to be related to one another. They have welcomed us into their homes, invited us to their weddings, dedicated karaoke festivals to Jill, asked Bob to kick the initial soccer ball in tournaments, and we do what we can to help them.

Tara Ruttenberg, our daughter, has now taken on the implementation of "Fundacion AmaTierra" a non-profit organization to help with projects such as recycling and beautifying the schools and parks, and to give people a role in developing sustainable tourism in the area.

The foundation is dedicated to developing a place where local residents can present their arts, culture, food and traditions to our guests; a place that is not destroyed by tourism but enriched by it.

Singing Bowls and Pillows

Imagine. . .AmaTierra's new yoga studio and treatment rooms. A beautiful hard-wood floor, open-air studio with amazing mountain views, the sound of the stream below us.

New treatment rooms that look out to the forest where you can receive acupuncture & bodywork, and experience our "roomful of singing bowls and pillows"

Scheduled to open February 2008

AmaTierra Foundation
Promoting Sustainable Community Development

Our kick-off fundraising party on August 31 was a successful start to the future of Fundacion AmaTierra, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the communities within our county of Turrubares. With the support of the local municipality, community council members, and the residents of Turrubares, our first project is a waste management and recycling program. We hope to replace the traditional and ecologically harmful process of burning trash with more sustainable means of waste disposal, such as composting and recycling. This month we are working with local experts and the health ministry to extend waste management and recycling services to Turrubares in hopes that we can protect the environmental future of this unique area and its special native communities.

As Fundacion AmaTierra continues to grow, we hope to work with international volunteers to pursue many more community projects including: working with the schools to set up after school and tutoring programs; hiring English professors to teach children and adults; and promoting the local eco-cultural tourism industry.

Check our website in the upcoming weeks for more information about Fundacion AmaTierra and how you can support this exciting new project.

See pictures from the Kick-Off Party!

 An exciting week photographing the vivid imagery of Central America, using AmaTierra as your home base. Visit and photograph Carara National Park, a haven for wildlife-frogs, monkeys, the scarlet macaw. Also visit the beaches, a coffee farm and Costa Rica's friendly people.

Don't miss this chance to hone your photography skills in one of the most beautiful places on earth. All levels, film and digital shooters welcome.

Cynthia Delaney, a veteran nature & travel photographer, leads workshops all over the world. Her award-winning work has appeared in many U.S. publications. Cynthia lives in the majestic Ruby Mountains near Elko, Nevada.   Read more...