Kuster Family Origin Story

From Switzerland to the Jungle: Our Journey to a Life of Purpose in Costa Rica

In 2013, we packed up our lives in Switzerland—two adults, two toddlers, and a dream. We weren’t just chasing warmer weather or cheaper living. We were searching for a place where all four of us—my wife, our kids (aged 1 and 3 at the time), and I—could thrive. A place to slow down, reconnect with nature, and live more intentionally.

We landed in Costa Rica with no fixed plan, just a longing for simplicity. Our first stop: a small casita in the middle of nowhere. Literally. It was remote, wild, and peaceful. Days melted into each other as we spent our time hiking to the nearby river—sometimes twice a day. We played, rested, and finally let go of the tension from the chaotic months leading up to the move. I had quit my stable office job. We had sold or given away most of our belongings. In many ways, we had uprooted our entire existence. We were free—but also very much starting from scratch.

After a few blissful weeks of doing “nothing,” reality knocked on our jungle door. We realized that as romantic as off-grid living is, it doesn’t pay the bills. We needed income. We needed some basics—housing, food, transportation. Turns out, even in paradise, you still need a car.

So we moved to Grecia, a small city with more infrastructure. The kids started attending daycare, giving my wife and me the time to build the life we dreamed of. I dove into photography with a bold goal: become a professional wildlife photographer. My wife began training in yoga and nutrition—her lifelong passions. And you know what? We made it work. We found clients, made some money, and enjoyed a modest but comfortable life in town.

But something was missing. Human connection. Meaningful conversation. Although we spoke Spanish fluently (my wife is originally from Guatemala), we didn’t quite fit in. We weren’t interested in small talk or mainstream culture. We were into organic food, baking our own bread, dehydrating fruit, meditating, and having long conversations about spirituality, personal growth, and the meaning of life.

After 18 month living in Grecia, we discovered a like-minded group of dreamers in a place called La Ecovilla. It was still early days for that project, but the vision resonated. After meeting Marcelo and visiting a few times, we decided to take the plunge. Here were people who, like us, wanted to raise their kids in the jungle, go to the river every day, and build a life rooted in connection and health.

Eventually, we built our house and moved in. It was a time of deep fulfillment. Our children attended the community school project, and we lived surrounded by friends, nature, and purpose.

What made this time so special was that we weren’t just living in a community—we were helping build it. Together with a handful of other families, we were the pioneers of what would become a thriving, globally recognized hub of conscious living. La Ecovilla wasn't just a place to live—it was a movement. We laid the foundation for a lifestyle that would go on to inspire other projects like Alegría Village and Ecovilla San Mateo. What started as a shared dream among a few families has since attracted dozens of like-minded families from all around the world—families seeking connection, sustainability, and a deeper sense of purpose.

One of our proudest contributions was co-founding the alternative education project Casa Sula. It began as a grassroots initiative to provide our children with an education that nurtured curiosity, creativity, and emotional intelligence—far from the rigid systems we all knew from growing up. Casa Sula was more than a school; it was a living, evolving community of learners and parents committed to redefining education.

Being part of La Ecovilla at that time was like catching lightning in a bottle. We shared meals, built gardens, hosted cacao ceremonies, fire circles and dreamed big. We lived close to the land, but even closer to our values. We were raising our kids in nature, walking barefoot, harvesting bananas from our yard, and co-creating a new way of living that blended modern sustainability with timeless community values.

With our new home came new expenses: mortgage payments, school tuition, car maintenance, HOA fees, utility bills, and insurance. The cost of living rose—and so did the pressure. My career as a photographer was gaining momentum, but not fast enough to support our new lifestyle. Something had to give.

After living in "paradise" for many years, we let go of our home in La Ecovilla and moved to Maderal. While this meant a shift, it wasn’t a step back. We stayed rooted in the Machuca Valley, close to our friends and community. We kept contributing to the collective vision.

Lucia, my wife, went on to found the first yoga school for locals in Orotina and now teaches Spanish to expats. I realized my dream: today I work as a wildlife photographer and run a boutique travel agency for photography tours during the dry season. The rest of the year, I help buyers and sellers connect—offering my deep, personal experience of life in this unique valley.

Looking back, I see how each chapter was essential. From the quiet casita in the jungle to the buzzing community in La Ecovilla, from financial challenges to personal growth—we’ve lived it all. And now, I use that experience to guide others. I know the pitfalls, the pressures, the promises—and how to navigate them.

If you’re dreaming of starting a new life in Costa Rica, I’d love to help you avoid the mistakes we made and find your own version of paradise—rooted not just in palm trees and sunsets, but in real connection, intention, and sustainability.