43 Things to Do in Costa Rica: Broken Leg Edition

Ship: Regina Maris
Date: 13th of February 2025
Position: Marina Hemingway (actually still Carlos Coffee-farm)
Geographical Position: 23°05.276’N 082°29.946’W (Marina Hemingway)
Etmal: 0nm
Total: 7782nm

So, here I am again, the girl with the broken leg.

Apparently, suffering from a dramatically broken leg isn’t enough yet because Maxim is now forcing me to write a daily report… in English. 😭 Well, I haven’t really suffered here. Some people have been super sweet and have taken great care of me.

But just in case you ever end up stranded in Costa Rica with a broken leg, here’s a list of things I’ve done here:

  1. Cruise in illegal Ubers
  2. Visit a language school and chat with some Americans
  3. Cook schnitzels
  4. Force Manuel to go grocery shopping for me
  5. Steal cucumbers from Manuel’s garden
  6. Watch series
  7. Shop at the supermarket using an electric wheelchair for overweight people
  8. Pretend to study for school
  9. Play memory with Spanish teachers
  10. Sit in the sun
  11. Lie in the sun
  12. Roast marshmallows
  13. Eat three packs of ice cream
  14. Go out to eat with Americans
  15. Learn tricks with crutches
  16. Play volleyball with the healthy leg
  17. Get drenched in sweat after walking 200 meters
  18. Shower on a chair
  19. Play ping pong
  20. Learn hula-hoop tricks
  21. Treat my armpits for crutch pressure sores
  22. Watch movies with the Americans
  23. Play Uno with the Americans
  24. Tell the Americans stories
  25. Drive around in Carlos‘ pickup
  26. Visit Carlos‘ coffee farm
  27. Try out Carlos’ pool
  28. Do backflips in Carlos’ pool
  29. Visit Carlos‘ gym
  30. Grind Carlos‘ coffee
  31. Watch more series
  32. Chat with Mats on the balcony
  33. Coffee tasting!
  34. Fix leaking roof spots
  35. Stalk Ocean College’s daily reports (again 5 days late, Maxim 🤨)
  36. Try to whistle while slurping coffee with Mats
  37. Cook schnitzels for Carlos‘ family
  38. Visit a Costa Rican church
  39. Sleep in
  40. Help Carlos on the farm
  41. Call the family sometime
  42. Watch another series
  43. Chat with Carlos

Now, here’s the point. Carlos is really cool to talk to and he has a lot to share. So, I did a little interview with him, and here are his answers:

Interview with Carlos

1. What inspired you to become a coffee farmer? Was there a particular moment or story behind it?
Not a particular moment, but my family and this region, where I grew up, have a long history with coffee. My father was really inspiring to me – he taught me a lot about coffee and sparked my interest.

2. When was the farm founded, and by whom?
I founded it myself in the late ‘80s.

3. Where does the name „Coffee Farm Don Eli“ come from?
I named the farm after my father in honor of him. He was a great man!

4. Did you always want to be a farmer?
No, at first, I wanted to become a teacher for physics and sports, but I quit university because I wanted to travel the world and learn about life. After I came back, I worked in diners and bars in the US to save money for my own farm.

5. What’s your favorite coffee variety?
Geisha coffee!

6. What do you like about your job?
I always look forward to new tasks and my job is never boring. It’s exciting to meet new people, get to know my customers and welcome them. I like being hospitable. Also, watching my own plants grow over the weeks is beautiful.

7. What advice would you give for buying good coffee?
Look for specialty coffee labels, learn and read more about coffee cultivation, visit me or other coffee farmers to experience real quality. It’s important to know where your food and drinks come from. And don’t buy Nestlé or Starbucks!

8. What does a typical workday look like?
I wake up early, before 5 a.m., meet the workers/pickers and give them instructions. I complete different tasks like checking the plants, harvesting, repairing equipment, meeting customers and teaching about coffee. I also dry and peel beans. When I have free time, I enjoy my pool, work out in my gym, or spend time with my family.

9. What challenges have you faced when growing coffee?
Global warming is sometimes a big challenge – the weather is changing and plants can suddenly wither because of that. When beans have been drying for many days and then it rains, everything…

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