Aoife Barry

Telling my fellow Irish citizens that I am moving to the Costa Rican rainforest for a year definitely gets me a reaction.

Some find the concept of Rancho Mastatal fascinating. Some are super excited for the adventures awaiting me. Others find the idea bizarre, irresponsible, unrelatable and slightly scary!

The truth is that my whole life, a place like the Ranch has existed in my imagination. You can imagine what thoughts went through my head when I discovered that such a place existed in reality. I had to come here!

My name is Aoife and I am a 27 year old from the south of Ireland. My BA was in Human Rights with English and French which saw me travel to France, Nepal and Africa for my studies. I then went on to pursue my Masters in Primary Education and completed my first year teaching in Ireland during the Covid pandemic. More so than letting my academic background define me, let me share with you that I love learning. Learning about cultures, ideas, history, languages, traditions, nature, arts and crafts…anything that I can collect! Yoga brings me close the peace and stillness that I believe is my highest good.

Life can be uncertain. However, there are a few things of which I am sure. I know for sure that I desire to build a deeper connection the earth, the earth of which I was born. I want to learn how to plant and care for the food I consume in a sustainable way. I want to learn how to build from the elements which surround us. I want to learn from my fellow species that come from all four corners of the globe. I want to do all of the above in a community which is founded in respect and ideals.

As we say in my native Gaeilge, “Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine”; we shade each other from the sun, or in other words, we depend on each other and on the earth, for the possibility of living in peace and prosperity!