La Ecovilla -Weeks two and 3

 La Ecovilla Week 2

This weekend was our 3rd weekend here and we are starting to come into a rhythm- though Jacob reminds me that we should continue to expect our kids to act as their "September selves"- meaning a bit out of sorts, and I guess we should give ourselves grace to do the same.  I've been reflecting a lot on the months leading up to this trip- i read all of these travel memoirs about families doing a gap year, and they all seemed so different than what we were doing, i found myself questioning every decision.  But ultimately- just like our real estate broker said after we finally rented out our house "this all seemed to work out better than we hoped at the last possible minute- maybe your trip will be the same".  And it is- better than I hoped at the last possible minute :) This place is so awestrikingly beautiful, every day i'm reminded by nature that i am but a small being in this big beautiful world.  The people here are so friendly and kind- no one gives attitude and everyone says hello- so different than NYC!  

This past week was a week of firsts for Shiloh...he took his first bongo drums class- after years of me trying to convince him guitar was a more practical instrument and trying out eukelele lessons-- he has now prevailed :) He had his first sleepover with a friend- which started out great- we texted the parents that we got them to bed at 730 and it felt like a real parenting win! But at midnight our pats on the back turned into realization that actually Shiloh went to bed early because he was brewing something- as he woke up drenched in a sweaty night fever :( 

Over the weekend I started noticing some small changes in the kids that felt more mindful to me- maybe its the lack of screen time? maybe it is just being in a slower paced environment- but shiloh came up with a game at home of walking through the house skipping lines on the foor, and on our walk to the river asked everyone to stop and say what the log we were passing looked like to us! My smile couldn't have been bigger- something was trickling down.  

We hosted a few neighbors for impromptu dinners- a uruguayan couple with a 2 year old daughter, and a french canadian young lady- drank coconut milk made from a coconut we bought in the store- finally explored the river near our house- and went to the most magical concert venue I've ever been to- through the woods lit by fires, over a bamboo bridge and opening up into an ampitheatre venue overlooking the mountains where Cyrille Aimee- a grammy nominee who lives here- performed with her band.  And the same food was for sale as is available at the farmers market each week- grass fed burgers, gluten free pizza, and vegan wraps.

The small community in the area we live is filled with talent- this week Adira's tooth hurt so i called the dentist who lives down the street, and shiloh had a bad stomach ache so i called around to see who could see us- the medical doctor down the street, the herbalist in the community over from us, and the osteopath down our block! 

And I was yet again reminded that paradise doesn't come without woes- when i was woken up by a gecko at 5am squacking above my bed. 

Week 3

Today was our 4th saturday here- we still haven't traveled much, which is not what i anticipated! I thought we would be bored, want to go explore and need to leave- but quite the contrary- there are things to do every day, and we find ourselves enjoying any down time we have to swim in the pool, play bored games at home or snuggle up and read books. I know this is not a real representation of life as I'm working part time and jacob is not currently working, but this community is filled with people who are working very flexibly, so it feels normal and constantly pushes me to think about how we work in NY and how we might work differently in the future.

Today the kids joined a local soccer team to practice- and they seemed to integrate right in, and because there are so many expats around, even though not many played on the team, we didn't feel like outsiders.  But Ticos (as costa ricans are called) are so kind and friendly, we haven't gone anywhere where we felt like outsiders.  We went on a hike to a waterfall this week and the path was closed, forcing us to hike into steep terrain, and every Tico we passed along the way offered to help give adira a hand as we navigated. 

Every morning either Jacob or I go to the 745am work out class while the other one takes the kids to school- most are HIIT or crossfit style, but friday they had a dance class- which was so incredibly moving and freeing i found myself tearing up as I participated.  Everyone moved without a care, truly letting go.

J and I also went on two river dates this week, floating in the freezing water next to a waterfall is defintely a great way to get us to stop talking logistics and future planning  (as we normally might on our dates) and just be together. 

Before we came we each made a list of goals.  Both of us wanted to improve our Spanish- so i signed up for a class that i'll begin next week with some neighbors- but Jacob's Spanish is too good- so he did some research and this week was his first day as a volunteer at the local old age home- where he practices his spanish while keeping some folks company! 

Another goal I set out to accomplish was to take another meditation course. The last time I took one was when we were going through infertility and it did wonders for my anxiety- its been years and i'm out of practice and really wanted to get back into it- so I finally signed up this week :) I happen to start the day before I went to a neighbors house where adira was having a playdate and found out they are serious meditators and host international meditators at their home to teach people all of the time!! So i'll also join them in their weekly in person meditation!

Other weekend highlights included a new market in the neighboring ecovillage Alegria- with incredible views from the swimming pool, and wading in a different local river where families gathered and kids floated down the shallow waters surrounded by music and barbeques.  (we enjoyed this much more before we learned there was a crocodile spotted not so far away....)

 

First week in La Ecovilla + Kids Start of School at Real World School

 January 19th- 9 days into living at La Ecovilla

We arrived in the early evening on January 10th- Stephen, our landlord, showed us around the house in about 10 minutes, during which his partner told me that the furniture was her grandfathers and to be very careful with it- to which i responded that anything valuable should be put away as the kids like to explore :) The house is kind of magical in its feeling- its meant to be one with the environment (Stephen was actually featured on Netflix's Down To Earth showing this house- if you want to check out the 15 minute segment.)  And one with the environment we were when we realized that first night that there was a bat in our bedroom! I'm pretty calm when it comes to creatures- i'm the one who kills cockroaches etc in our house, but bats scare me- i think its taking all of those medical exams that really drill in how bats are the most common vectors of rabies for humans! So we were up until 1030 pm when we finally got the bat out.  It was then that I saw a mound of some creatures poop on our windowsill in our bedroom, and when I texted it to our landlord he said it was likely gecko poop!! I didnt sleep all night because of the noises I heard of bats outside and wondering if they were actually inside... Here is a tour of the house: 

It was that first night that I realized "I'm not in kansas anymore"- and the total 180 degree turn we have made from Brooklyn.  Although jacob likes to point out, our home and this home both "have character" which creates both beauty and some challenges.  The following day, I sent a whatsapp message across one of the many whatsapp groups the community seems to thrive on telling everyone it was shiloh's birthday and anyone who was available should come eat cake by the pool.  It was then that shiloh met his friend Lennox from Toronto, who he has been inseparable from since.  We began meeting people in the community, most of whom were expats- belgium, uruguay, argentina, australia- people come from all over! There is even one other israeli family.  Our sunday was spent at the local farmers market, a much much smaller market than any of those that surround our home in BK, but it was "what people do" on sundays. Slowly slowly we began finding out more about how people got their food- there was the grass fed meat delivery on fridays, the yogurt on tuesdays, the organic produce on wednesdays, the coconut water on mondays- it was a flurry of local organic vendors all delivering to this small community of 40 homes.  The community is full of opportunities, to socialize, to exercise, to fill one's life with just the right amount of social interaction- in a place otherwise lacking much "to do".

On monday the kids started school, and seemed to jump right in.  Their school is an indoor outdoor school where many kids are barefoot, organic vegan food is served for snacks and lunch, and the focus is on project based curriculum.  Both kids gave it a thumbs up- when I asked shiloh at the end of the week which school he prefers, he says this one but he think his school in BK is better for him.  When I asked how, he said he learns more, which i believe is probably true.  But we did discuss how reading and writing and math are improtant skills, but maybe these few months he will learn other things that he wouldn't in BK.  He agreed.  Adira's class has a river hike every tuesday and forest day every thursday, they have a pet horse that they take care of, and she seems to be acclamating well.  Since the kids are outside all day in the 85 degree weather, they come home super exhausted and fall asleep by 7!

My days started with a group fitness class.  Every morning a volunteer community member leads a workout class, and they left me sore!  

I then delve into working on my grant- expanding the Brooklyn Parenting Center, or writing up some research.  I feel very fortunate that it worked out for me to receive this grant, and have the support of my department chair to continue my work remotely.  The grant is for 50% time, so I work 4 hours a day and it feels like the right balance so far.  

View from my desk where i work at home each day:

Jacob is on leave, and so he spent this first week going to the post office, bank, and many supermarkets to find things we need.  This is so far out of our normal routine, where Jacob is working late and i'm doing all of the shopping.  So it is pushing us both out of our comfort zones.  But he has also joined an ultimate frisbee game and a boxing class!

Over the weekend and after school we have been at the pool, exploring the nearby river, or playing board games.  The school parent community has 3 informal gatherings a week for families after school or on the weekend which is really wonderful, and something we felt was lacking from shiloh's giant public school at home.  We are trying for a screen free 3 months here- and so far the kids have only seen screens when visiting other people's homes- which is harder to control.

This past friday we spent shabbat dinner at one of the community member's homes- a former rabbi of Bnai Jeshrun in Manhattan, retired here- and i was put in touch with him by a friend we share in common.  Their home is beautiful and completely different from the home we are living in, and it was really interesting to see and hear how they live here and seem to travel around the world for months at a time.  They do Jewish spirituality retreats all around Costa Rica- not a bad retirement plan!

Everytime we meet someone here, Jacob and I ask- how do you do it living here? How can you work remotely- or what do you do that allows you to sustain your lives here.  And one thing I have found is that people here work to live, not live to work...such a different pace than NYC! And this gives them ample time to commit to the community they live in.  Its really such a wonderful thing to experience and see how different it can be if you prioritize well being and community....more to come!

 Costa Rica- Part 1

On January 3^rd we boarded a plane for Costa Rica- planning to spend our first week as tourists before our house was ready in the mountains.

  We had a few hours to kill in a tiny domestic airport in san jose.  So the kids worked on their journals and befriended the agents at the gate who let adira speak over the intercom! This was our first peek into the fact that although there arent many young kids traveling where we are going, people tend to be enamored with seeing young kids :) 

We flew to San Jose to catch a puddle jumper to the south west corner in the Osa Peninsula- to be immersed in the jungle.  Well our adventure began quickly-- when our plane made a pit stop in a town 2 hours from our destination and got stuck in a heavy down pour.  The american family who sat behind us in the puddle jumper started cursing and getting mad at the poor pilot who was looking out for our safety, so I took it as an opportunity to reinforce what would become our mantra- this is an adventure, some things will be hard, but we will be together and ultimately it will be fun.  The kids really took this in, and out we went in the raining dark (3 hours after we were initally supposed to land in Drake Bay), and the kids and I decided to have a dance party at the only restaurant at this tiny tiny airport and ordered smoothies while Jacob called around to get us transportation. 

After 2 different cabs winding us through one lane dark bumpy roads, it was now 10pm and we had to take a small boat to our hotel that required us all to walk into the water up to our thighs before getting in.  We couldnt see anything in the water, and although images of crocodiles jumped into my head, we did not mention that to the kids- but did review what to do if you fall out :)  Our hotel welcomed us with dinner and the kids stayed up until midnight, a very exciting night for them!  They even woke early the next morning to go on our snorkeling excursion.  Where we were near Drake Bay was an oasis for me- we walked everywhere (which I now realize how much I value), explored different beaches, kayaking in rivers, immersed in nature without many people but with many animals :)  Our days were filled with exploration, but I was exhausted.  I wasn’t sleeping well, the kids were having major sibling rivalry and the hotel was not exactly built for kids, so it made me anxious about our kids being the only kids at the hotel and not sitting quietly at meals etc. But it was certainly a good choice to come here- the kids asked so many questions about the wildlife and nature, they took in so much and explored life from all vantage points in the jungle.  If I have the chance, I will go back in a heartbeat, its really a special place.  

After 4 days we headed to Manuel Antonio National Park.  My initial reaction here was that we were in a tourist trap and I needed to get out, but as soon as I released that feeling, I started to enjoy the boogie boarding beach, the monkeys next to our room, and the beautiful views.  Adira practiced her swimming skills every day--I took Shiloh ziplining as a birthday gift, and although he was the youngest one there, he was certainly the most brave! On our last day, Shiloh turned 7!  I asked the kids if they were happy to be in costa rica- and they said they missed their friends, but they were happy we were here.  Both agreed it was a good choice to come :) 

Bye America, see you in 8 months

2025- will be remembered as the year we took our kids, left our home and all the people we know and love, and left the country for 8 months 

1/3/25

Bye America, see you in 8 months…

It has been two weeks since we packed up our house, packed our bags, and left Brooklyn.  That last month was ridden with more anxiety than I ever expected.  While we had planned for this trip for the last year or so, we were hustling to prepare right up until we went to sleep the night before our 7 AM flight.  Jacob and I were preparing to leave positions we have held for years (seven for Yonit and eleven for Jacob), preparing our house for tenants, saying goodbye to friends, family, and a community we adored, all while trying to plan out our next eight months. I was an emotional jumble. And our being perfectionists didn’t help. When a high school friend of mine learned that we still hadn’t nailed down our plans, she exclaimed “Look at this, type A Yonit choosing to fly by the seat of her pants! I love it!” I’d love to say yes, we were just taking things as they come and going with the flow, but it was more indecision that was keeping us from committing to one place over another.  Planning this trip evolved from we want to go somewhere Spanish speaking that is warm, in nature, where kids can run around and with a good school for 6 months, to we want to be in a few places that might not be our perfect match! 

Our plans had been go to Costa Rica- mostly because it checked the boxes, has many schools that fit our desire to get the kids outside and learning from experience rather than sitting in a classroom all day, and because when I googled around “kibbutz outside of israel” there was a burgeoning movement of intentional communities growing in CR- the oldest being La Ecovilla.  But when J and I went to check out where to live in late November our CR trip was filled with more anxious thoughts and nerves that this may not be the place with ample space for our kids to frolic and run to friends homes as we hoped- most houses were perched on hillsides up steep windy roads and Adira gets so car sick the 30 minute drive from my parents home in the Upper West Side to Park Slope made her puke all over.  So we decided to think of alternatives and landed on the Canary Islands in Spain- we thought I would get a digital nomad visa to allow us to stay there 6 months, however after a few meetings with lawyers, we realized this process was more arduous than we realized and wasn’t guaranteed given some details of my new contract to free lance on a grant I received.  So one week out and we had some goodbye drinks with a bunch of friends and still when a friend texted a few days before our departure asking where we would be I responded with “time will tell”.

On December 21^st we left with two carry on bags each and two checked suitcases for the family that we hoped was the right balance of enough stuff to not too much stuff for 8 months and joined a planned family vacation. At 4 am we flew to Guana Island in the British Virgin Islands- and 12 hours later we were in the most beautiful place we had ever been.  The water was clear, the island was remote and had only 40 people on it, and our days were spent hiking the paths, stand up paddle boarding (which Shiloh not surprisingly, did for hours with great balance and poise), swimming in the calm waters, and playing games with the family.  Our kids were in heaven having the entire family of cousins, aunts, uncle and grandparents there, and as our days came to a close a week later they were very sad to leave.  “why cant they all come with us on our trip?” 

It was the second to last day of the trip, and J and I decided yes we were going to CR, we would go there for 3 months and then head to Europe for 3 months, and then Israel for a month or so and our last month we would leave open.  But we couldn’t decide where in CR to go, we had wanted to be near the beach and found a waldorf school near tamarindo willing to take the kids, however housing was hard to find.  We wanted a community, we wanted to be near the beach, and we had a hard time finding something that didn’t cost an arm and a leg.  The communities around there didn’t feel like I found one with the vibe that jived, and so we shifted gears.  When we had gone to CR in November, we toured La Ecovilla and the Real World School- we met one of the founders of La Ecovilla by chance- actually it was the only person we met in our 24 hours there- and he offered to rent his house out to us while he started a new Ecovilla community in Nosara on the beach.  I contacted him and indeed the house was available, and yes the school could take us for 3 months, and it all started coming together.  So we made the plan, put a deposit down on the house, and I booked some places to stay at another beach town I had been wanting to check out Samara, starting a month or two later in case this didn’t pan out well (yes the perfectionist in me needed a back up plan).

On December 27^th, with many tears and hugs, we bid my family bye and flew to florida to meet up with Jacob’s parents and his brother’s family.  I started running on the beach in the mornings, we lounged by the pool and by our last day there Adira’s floaties fell off and she realized she could swim! This had been a goal of ours for the trip- 1- teach adira to swim, 2- teach adira to bike ride, 3- improve all of our Spanish, 4- be more present parents, and 5-take in some of the Pura Vida mentality and go with the flow without planning all details (this last one will be a work in progress the whole trip).  But the kids favorite part of our time in Hollywood Florida was being able to run down the hall of our hotel in and out of Grandma's room- they loved the independence, the ability to float in and out of their grandparents home, and it reasserted my prior thoughts that multigenerational living in close proximity such as this is how we are meant to raise children.  Saying goodbye to Jacob’s family came again with tears and some heaviness, as we didn’t know if or when we might see them in the coming months.  But while in Florida we had the opportunity to see some friends- our dear friends Sara and Ari from DC drove an hour with their kids to visit us and it felt like such a great way to round out our goodbyes as they are more like family than friends. I was able to catch college friends Josh and Sharona- who I hadn’t seen since 2007- and we ended our time in Florida with a day on Fisher Island with our dear friends Aaron and Katherine and their daughter. The kids loved seeing all of these friends, meeting their children and discovering new places.  

I started to recognize some growth already with Shiloh helping to carry our excessive amount of bags ( packing is not my forte) up 3 flights of stairs to our Airbnb in south beach, walking half a mile along the highway to find a playground in aventura and finding friends despite many kids not speaking english to play with regardless of where we were hanging.  At one point in the airport I was reveling in their autonomy as I got on the escalator and adira trailed behind, only to find that she was distracted by Shiloh and fell backwards onto her head cutting it on the sharp edge of the escalator- and it was then that I reminded myself that Adira is in fact 4 and despite her independence, I had to be more aware of hazards that might arise such as moving escalators.  Thankfully, she was ok, although I am pretty sure she had a minor concussion with some headaches and dizziness that pursued in the week to come. 

And on we were to start our adventure in Costa Rica...

When you need to cool down- Watermelon Gazpacho

Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Grand Teton National Park

This summer has felt hotter than before.  Perhaps it's that I'm now living in NYC and am experiencing the incredible heat and humidity the city seems to absorb.  There is something that unites new yorkers in the dramatic weather changes- it is as if we are suffering together and it makes us stronger.  Needless to say- many people escape the city as much as they can.  But being a newcomer and working at odd times, I've stuck around. 

I've had so many transitions in the past few months, that internally I've also felt like everything is boiling over and I needed to cool down.  Transitions are really times that make you stop and analyze life.  It seems so easy to coast along until things are brought to a head and we are forced to face the good and the bad of reality.  Ultimately I think they bring us to better places, but while going through them it can be tough.

So when it was time to contribute to  host my first shabbat dinner in the city I felt like I needed to find something cooling.  Gazpacho has never been my thing, but I think because it felt like I was drinking tomato sauce- so I tried this watermelon version and everyone loved it! It is super easy to whip up and a sure win in the summertime.  Enjoy!

Watermelon Gazpacho  (Adapted from the eating well recipe )

Ingredients:

1/2 watermelon diced (about 6lbs w/ rind)

Watermelon Gazpacho

1 medium cucumber diced

1/2 red bell pepper diced

1/4 cup (one handful) of fresh basil chopped finely

3 tablespoons of white wine

2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon of fresh terragon

2 tablespoons of minced shallots (or fresh summer onions)

Directions:

1- Mix all ingredients into a large bowl

2- Separate out 1/3 ingredients

3- For the other 2/3 of ingredients use a hand blender to blend together

4- Mix back together the ingredients and store in refrigerator

5- Serve once chilled 

When wanderlust gets the best of you- Coconut Red Lentil Green Curry

Shenandoah, April 2013

It's the end of medical school, and I have three months of vacation before starting residency.  My time is being spent mostly looking for a place to live in NYC, recooperating from yet another knee surgery, and spending some quality time with friends and family.  This next month I'm in DC, enjoying living with Jacob before we have a few months apart.  I struggled with the decision to stay here, take some weekend trips, and two 10 day trips abroad, instead of spending two months backpacking.  My wanderlust continues to linger, sometimes preventing me from fully enjoying the free time I have.  A week ago I took a weekend trip with some girlfriends to a cabin in Shenandoah.  The trip- as characteristic of my friends- was therapeutic in more ways than one- and shook some of my restlessness away.  I came away feeling that my wanderlust can be satiated without going so far.  So as this month goes on I'm going to delve into some cooking that will give me a taste of new cultures and experiences.

Coconut Red Lentil Green Curry

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons of Grapeseed Oil
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
8 scallions sliced, w/ white and green parts separated
3 tablespoons of green curry paste
4 Medium sized carrots chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup of red lentils (sorted and rinsed)
1 can Coconut Milk
2 cups of vegetable broth
Smathering of All Purpose seasoning
Pinch of Salt

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add in ginger, garlic and scallion whites, cstirring until softened for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add in curry paste.
3. Add in carrots, potato, lentils, broth, coconut milk, salt, all purpose seasoning
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer.  Stir occasionally until veggies and lentils are tender (about 20 minutes)

Coconut Red Lentil Green Curry

5. Sprinkle curry with scallion greens and serve with brown rice.

When Life Gives you Lemons- Lemon Roasted Branzino and Tahini Roasted Eggplant

These last few weeks have been met with some surprises.  Perhaps it is the expectations we set for ourselves, and the disappointment that results when those expectations are not met.  I like to think that things happen for a reason.  Every disappointment I had in my life, eventually led me to further opportunities and shaped my life into what it is today.  Sometimes I try to imagine my life had I not had those disappointments and met whatever my hopes and expectations were at that time- and then I realize I would never change it.

Inspired by my recent trip to Israel and the wonderful people and food I had there...

Sde Nechemia Israel, April 2013

Lemon Roasted Branzino (Recipe for 2)

1 Branzino filleted and deboned into 2 pieces
1 Leek (white parts only, sliced thinly)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped finely)
2 meyer lemons (or other small lemons, sliced thinly)
Thyme (one bunch)
Salt to Sprinkle
Olive Oil to drizzle

1) Preheat oven to 425
2) Lay parchment paper over oven roasting dish and lay fish skin down in a single layer
3) Drizzle fish with olive oil
4) Top with leeks, garlic, lemons and salt

Israel-Inspired Branzino + Eggplant

5) Take thyme and dip into olive oil that has run off of the fish, and lay atop fish
6) Cook for 20 minutes

Tahini Roasted Eggplant

1 Eggplant
1 spoon-full Tahini paste
1/2 lemon
teaspoon of paprika
teaspoon of garlic powder
dash of salt
all purpose seasoning (or any seasoning mix of spices)
drizzle of olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 425
2) Slice Eggplant and place in oven roasting dish (that has been covered by parchment paper)
3) Take olive oil and drizzle into hands, massaging each piece of eggplant
4) sprinkle with salt and all purpose seasoning
5) Cook for 40 minutes
6) While waiting prepare tahina by mixing tahini paste with half of a squeezed lemon, paprika, garlic powder, and enough water to make an even consistency
7) When eggplant is ready, top with tahina and serve.

Israeli Salad compliments this meal well