Pura Vida - KAVU Days in Costa Rica

By Greg Morrissey

By KAVU

October 25^th, 2022

When my great-aunt was 18 years old, she left her home in Bronx, NY for a family vacation to Costa Rica. After a week of sun and surf, she decided to stay behind while her family returned to the hustle and bustle of the Bronx.

Despite not knowing how to speak Spanish, Alicia managed to fall madly in love with my great-uncle, who - strangely enough - also did not speak English! When Alicia forfeited life as she knew it for love, she changed the spirit and course of our family forever.

Now, generations later, we have a vibrant and extended Costa Rican family. One that, despite being raised in New Jersey, fully embodies the Pura Vida mentality. It was not until after college that the 'Pura Vida' part of my soul called me to Central America. After my first visit, I felt compelled to share the lessons I had learned from my family with my high school students back home in Jersey city.

Over the last decade, I have brought dozens of teenagers on surf, sustainability, and service trips to Costa Rica. They all love it. How could you not? The food, beaches, mountains, biodiversity, lifestyle, and of course – the people.

All of this and more defines the persona of Costa Rica - Pura Vida – a culture of joy and adventure - much like our community at KAVU. During this trip, I was once again reminded of the spirit of Pura Vida when I brought a group of 20 high school boys to Nosara this past summer.

For a week, we walked around barefoot, surfed, hiked, played futbol, laughed.....

..... lived in the present, away from our phones, on Tico time.

As one of our high school seniors, Jack Fischer, put it: “A KAVU day is filled with Pura Vida.” Like my great-aunt, our group fell in love with Costa Rica.

Unlike Alicia, and probably for the best, all of the teenagers returned home.....

No one got married on this trip.....

Maybe next time. Ha ha ha!

Greg Morrissey is the founder of Mountain Goat Movement: an organization dedicated to cultivating a love of adventure and the outdoors among young people.