The monkeys are quiet this week after spying on us (we wonder what they think of all those people in downward dog pose, the Kirtan chanting and southern drawl at the dinner table) throughout the month of March where we hosted one yoga retreat after another. Thank you Nora Byrne from Minnesota, Suzy Weyenberg from upper Wisconsin and our returning (for the third year in a row) instructor Erin Smith from Winchester Kentucky. Erin, you always bring such colorful, wonderful characters with you. This year we learned all about horse racing and training, the Kentucky Derby and how you self-reliant, down-home folks like to laugh and have fun! Massage Oil flowed with everyone enjoying wellness services and not ONE complaint at this year's yoga retreat. We are so grateful for the Kentuckians' generosity. Our staff lives on a pretty meager salary, and your "propinas" (tips) meant the world to them. One employee has been waiting years to put in a cement floor over the dirt that now serves as her home's platform....thanks to all of you filling our place and the staff's pockets, she can now afford that floor. Things we take for granted in the good ol' U.S.A. are not so easily accomplished in developing countries. It's rewarding to be able to make a difference.Speaking of helping, please remember that we assist the townspeople here through our AmaTierra Foundation . We helped 14 students attend school this year, outfitting them with uniform, shoes, backpack and notebook. Education is free and pretty good here in Costa Rica (this country has the most educated work force of all of Latin America) BUT some families cannot afford the uniforms, so they keep their children at home, which is tragic. With the school year beginning each year in February, we have spent our allotment and need to build up funds for next year. To donate to the Foundation, please call us (toll free from the U.S.) at 1-866-659-3805 or write to us at amatierra@gmail.com and we'll call YOU if you're in a different country. It's a great way to make a very direct difference in the lives of children and the community at large. The kids thank you!
The spring season has been a good one for AmaTierra, and it is not over! We're recharging our batteries to welcome Shata Ben-Avari from Florida, with her group of 12 yogis arriving April 13th. Of course we still have room for the single traveler who just wants to escape the rat race for a time. Sunny mornings and cloudy afternoons with a short shower is what you can expect in April and May. Lower seasonal rates for nightly stays or wellness/yoga packages begin in May also. See the web site for more.
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| Partners in Nora Byrne's group |
Namaste,
Jill Ruttenberg, reg. herbalist AHG
Owner, Wellness Director at AmaTierra
