Surveyed Communities
Community 1 - 199 households in Costa Rica and 18 in the United States
Community 1 is located in the “Brunca” region of the country, approximately 90 miles South from San Jose. The district where the community belongs is part of Pérez Zeledón, a cantón (i.e. municipality) of the San José province. The terrain is at a median altitude (about 4,000 feet over the sea level) and has a fresh, “pre-mountain” type of weather. There is high precipitation during the winter season (May to October). The zone has being subject to some natural disasters, mainly through regular yet moderate seismic activity due to its proximity to geological faults.
The community is mainly of rural character. The principal economic activities in the region are cattle-raising and the cultivation of coffee and various vegetables. In recent years, “mountaineer” tourism has also become an important economic activity of the region. Several hostels and small hotels, some of which are owned by members of the community, currently offer their services. In addition, other townspeople work as office clerks and other positions in the commercial and service sector in the main district of the municipality (cabecera municipal), located at only 5 miles from the community.
There are three public elementary schools located within the community, the first of them established in 1926. Students pursuing high school and college studies need to commute to the main district of the municipality. In the cabecera, the educational options are many. One of the main public universities has a regional center in-town. In addition, there are five private universities located in the area, two of which were originally established in the region and then expanded nation-wide.
Basic health services are accessible directly in the community through one primary health care and dental services clinic. The greater municipal area has an ample variety of public and private medical services, including several specialty clinics and one large regional hospital for the treatment of conditions that require technological complexity. Most households in the community have electricity and running drinking water – yet, there is no sewage network system. The community has telephone service and public lighting. Most of its streets, however, are still unpaved.
Community 2 - 198 households in Costa Rica and 1 in the United States
Community 3 - 198 households in Costa Rica and 16 in the United States
Community 4 - 198 households in Costa Rica and 2 in the United States
Community 5 - 200 households in Costa Rica
Community 6 - 201 households in Costa Rica
Community 7 - 197 households in Costa Rica
