English:
Each September, a flame carrying the story of Central American independence passes hand to hand through San Mateo and Orotina, and this year Real World School students are joining the relay. Part of our ongoing coverage of local traditions and the community's place within them.

En Español:
Cada septiembre, una llama que lleva consigo la historia de la independencia centroamericana pasa de mano en mano por San Mateo y Orotina, y este año los estudiantes de Real World School se unen al recorrido. Parte de nuestra cobertura continua de las tradiciones locales y el lugar de la comunidad dentro de ellas.

Costa Rica's most common venomous snake isn't looking for us — but our long grass, our rat problem, and a few daily habits decide how often we cross paths. This week's feature covers what actually keeps the terciopelo away from the house (hint: it's not the plants you think), and the calm, no-nonsense steps to take if the worst happens.

Every September, the name San Mateo takes on special meaning here. It connects our corner of Costa Rica to a story nearly two thousand years old, about someone who walked away from a familiar life to build a different one. A look at the saint behind our town's name, and why the story might feel more familiar to those of us in the ecovilla than we'd expect.

A recent CDC health alert has flagged higher-than-expected dengue activity in Costa Rica — not a reason for alarm, but a good nudge to check our own lots. At Ecovilla San Mateo, where gardens and construction sites collect plenty of stray puddles, the fix starts with a ten-minute weekly walk around the property to empty anything holding standing water.

The roof isn't a detail you finish the house with — it's the decision the whole house depends on — we just made ours. We ranked seven roofing options from cheapest to priciest and rated each one for how well it actually holds up here, from bargain zinc lámina to premium insulated panels, ending with one clear recommendation for most builds.

“ESM is building the plane while already in flight." Claudia Peña's discussion brief looks at how sales promises, informal practices, and the registered bylaws have started to diverge as the village scales toward 1,200+ residents.

Oro means gold in Spanish, so it's a fair guess — but that's not actually how Orotina got its name. The real story runs through a Chorotega chief, a centuries-old geographical mix-up, and a genuine gold rush that once played out just next door in San Mateo. Grab a gold pan and read on — you might just learn something about the ground under your own feet.

Meet Yariela, from Orotina, one of the quiet hands keeping our common areas beautiful. Nine months in, she tells us what she loves most about the job — and shares a sweet family update that has her seeing life "with a different perspective."

Thinking about a chainsaw for the property? Before you buy, it's worth knowing the real trade-offs between gas and battery, what size actually belongs in your shed — and the permit question Costa Rica's forest law raises that most newcomers never see coming. Our latest deep dive walks through all of it, plus the safety habits and sharpening routine that keep you (and your trees) in one piece.

Five newly planted fruit trees, and within three days only one still had leaves — leaf-cutter ants had found the garden. Turns out these ants aren't destroying your plants for food; they're farming a fungus underground, and a few simple, poison-free barriers can keep your young trees out of the harvest. Here's what's worked for us.

San Mateo Day is coming — and it's a reminder our village is part of a bigger story. A look at the celebration behind September 21, and why leaving the gates to join in matters. 🎉 ¡Feliz Día de San Mateo!

Fist of five (some call it fist to five) is a handy way to gauge the room at a work day or committee meeting — but it's not a vote. Here's where the gesture comes from, how to use it well, and why real community decisions still go through the Junta Directiva or Assembly.

You've driven past those tracks in Orotina a hundred times — but do you know the story behind them? When the Ferrocarril al Pacífico reached town in 1902, it turned a small settlement into a bustling transportation hub, and helped set it on the path to becoming its own canton just six years later. Take a look at how the railroad helped build the Orotina we know today.

Real World School students carry Costa Rica's Independence Torch through San Mateo and Orotina on September 14, joining a tradition dating to 1964.

"The bylaws provide the trellis. The invisible infrastructure is what grows upon it." Claudia Peña opens a new discussion series on ESM governance with this essay on how our bylaws relate to the human, informal side of village life — trust, tradition, belonging — and why good governance should support that growth rather than try to control it.