Amy Schrift, born and raised in San Diego, California arrived to Costa Rica in 2005 to immerse herself in simple, natural living in the tropics. Following a decade of world travels, living abroad and a musical career in NYC, she went through a rapid transformation and awakening after embracing a simple plant based diet at age 37 and soon yearned for what she considered to be her “birth right” of clean air, pure water and fertile land.
Soon thereafter she purchased a 17 (now 28) acre piece of land bordering a wildlife refuge in southern pacific Costa Rica and started her life anew, spending many hours planting and in silent observation of her surroundings while creating new and unique systems of existing in her newfound home. Living “roots”, she slept under the stars in the dry season and in a thatched roof hut in the wet. Barefoot and natural a great deal of the time, she engaged with the earth earth in ways that changed her perception forever.
With a worldwide following of interviews posted on YouTube: here she continues to in
spire people across the globe with her insightful and fresh perspective. Locally, she is a leader and active member of her community and was instrumental in passing the first ban ever of agrochemical use in public spaces in Costa Rica, in her canton of Pérez Zeledón: here Back on the land, daily time spent walking barefoot in the forest and bathing in the cool, highly charged waters of the creek (much preferred to a hot shower..) keeps Amy connected, vital and an inspiration to many. (Listen to the following podcasts with Amy here and/or here)
After five years of solo living, she met up with Bill from New Jersey who joined her on the land and was inspired to co-create a number of refined natural structures that are a delight to behold…as well as his original design for a Tropical Tiny Home. Meet Bill….
Bill Van Horn, grew up among the woods, ponds, swamps, streams and abandoned farming fields of northern New Jersey and gravitated to construction work at a young age. He eventually started his own chimney sweep company which took him across the United States, with many an adventure along the way. He began to visit Central America in his 40’s and decided to make the move to Costa Rica after the 2008 U.S. economic downturn. He embraced jungle living and joined Amy on the land for about 6 years during which time he masterminded a number of beautiful, open and natural structures which are being enjoyed by visitors and retreat goers today. Bill currently resides in the foothills of the Chirripo Mountains where he loves the crisp mountain air, morning walks and managing a quaint rental space on his land while in the midst of creating a second one.
