Some time ago we realized that we needed a break. We decided to take leave from our jobs for a year and enjoy a sabbatical in Costa Rica. The date was set for 2020. We wanted to do new and fun things: to work as volunteers in conservation and devote time to travel around, explore and learn, recharge batteries, and reboot our lives.
This is the blog of our adventure.
Cristina
Hi, I am Cristina. In my “normal life,” I work with innovation for sustainable development at Lund University in Sweden. But when I am not working, you will find me in wildlife-rich places, basking in the sun, diving in warm waters or hanging in a hammock with a book. I am passionate about conservation and absolutely love to be in nature and surrounded by animals. I have lived in many countries in my life and it is in developing countries where I feel at home. I am utterly happy and at peace with the world when I am watching wildlife above and below water roaming free in their own territories. I can spend hours and never get bored. I have dived with bull sharks; slept in a tree-house surrounded by fireflies and in a tent surrounded by lions; lived one year without telephone, TV or fridge (and loved it!). Want to know more?, click here to download my volunteer 1-page resume in English o en español. Or here if you want to know more about my profesional profile.
Frank
Hi, I am Frank. My credos in life : ‘Enjoy it while it lasts’, ‘I work for a living, not the other way around’ and last but not least ‘Be nice to people and planet’. Because of the latter, I am a bit of an environmentalist. I eat organic food, have lived in collective households and traveled mostly by train, bus and boat. But yes, I have traveled by airplane as well. For the sabbatical I am on leave from my current job as ‘research engineer’ at the Economic History Department of Lund University. Before that, I was a researcher in ‘science and technology studies’ with a focus on history of technology and science policy (please look it up, because I have no space here to explain). Things I love : hiking, scuba diving, sports-climbing, Lego design, photography, traveling, reading the news, animal spotting, solving problems and puzzles and warm weather. You can download my volunteer CV here, and find my website here.
Matilda
This is “Her Majesty”: Matilda. She was adopted from a Swedish shelter when she was about a year old. Underneath her beautiful looks hides a ruthless hunter (yep! looks are deceiving). She has always had delicate health due to a weak immune system. She is diabetic, has had all but three teeth removed due to ‘Feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion’ (FORL) and she is allergic to grain-based food. All in all, she has 9 lives. And one of them she is living in Costa Rica, with us.
Kika
This is Kika. She was abandoned in the mountains in Spain when she was one year old. The Universe (and probably her endless quest for food) brought her to where we were laying on a hammock…and she has been with us ever since. She loves FOOD and us, in that order. She likes to play with noisy toys whenever possible (but especially if we are enjoying quietness and silence) and she loves to lay in the sun above 40oC. Although our initial plan was to take her with us on this adventure, we finally came to our senses and decided to leave her in Europe in the good hands of family members, where she can enjoy the forest and the garden on a daily basis.
THE FLIP FLOP LIFE 