When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in July of 2023, I was drawn to a vegan lifestyle and started following some of the most popular accounts on Instagram. I came upon @pureveganfood by Lena Ropp and was instantly captivated. Her content is colorful, inspiring, and calming. Even for those who aren’t vegan, I highly recommend the follow as you are bound to learn something. While I ultimately introduced back animal products, I have continued to eat a very plant based, fiber rich diet. As I carried on with surgeries, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and all the emotional challenges that came with the treatment, I continued following the account as well as her account, @wildercostarica. Lena and her family moved to Costa Rica from Southern California to live a lifestyle that is in tune with nature in one of the most beautiful places on earth and have named their sanctuary Wilder. The account showcases their lifestyle, their home and most importantly gives the viewer a glimpse into what a retreat at Wilder would be. For over a year, I salivated over the posts and dreamt that one day, I would get to go there. Fast forward, my best friend had a generous proposition of taking me on a trip to commemorate the end of my treatment, celebrate my 40th birthday and put a seal on what has been the most challenging chapter of my life. We ideated for a while and what started as a vision for a weekend to Rhode Island morphed into a week long Raw Vegan retreat. I reached out to Lena on IG and we set up a zoom call to talk through her vision. It just so happens that Lena is Russian speaking (as are my friend and I) and we have the same name so there was an instant connection. For the first time ever, I didn’t have too many questions and really didn’t over plan because I implicitly trusted that we were in incredible hands with Lena.
If you are considering going on this retreat, reach out to Lena at her IG account and she will be much more informative than I am but here are a few basics to get you started.
- Wilder is located near the Quepos airport. We flew into San Jose and took a 20 minute Sansa airline flight on a tiny plane (like 12 people tiny). If this option doesn’t suit you, you can take a taxi or hire a driver which would take about 3 hours.
- Lena was flexible on length of retreat but we agreed that to reap the full benefits, 6 nights would be optimal for us. We then spent 1 night in San Jose which was a nice time but worth skipping.
- I rarely get insurance for trips but this is one that requires it as it is non refundable (understandably so as we are taking a coveted spot in the retreat). Lena recommended Global Rescue and I researched other options and landed on Global Rescue, cancel for any reason.
- Costa Rica has two seasons, Dry Season and Rainy Season so we opted for premium January (Dry Season) and it was perfect. Low 80’s with nice breeze in the jungle and mild evenings.
- There were two other Russian speaking women who were inquiring about a January retreat so Lena asked if we’d be open to semi-private. This worked out so well as they were also a pair of friends and we spoke a mix of Russian and English all week. Not to mention they were amazing and inspiring women who we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know.
- There are a few options for sleeping accommodations. We opted for the Casita (the little house) about 100 steps below the main house that was a private room, fully equipped kitchen, outdoor shower and beautiful decor. Not that we needed to cook as we were well nourished by Lena, it was nice to have fresh lemons and a tea kettle to make ourselves fresh lemon water in the mornings along with some teas in the fridge and dried fruit and nut snacks. We loved the Casita but would caution that someone older or with poor knees may not be well suited to stay there. The other option are the bamboo suites. They are in the main house which has an outdoor/indoor living vibe. They are beautiful, with private bathrooms and balconies overlooking the lush jungle. This will be where we’ll stay next year when we return with our moms. (Yes – we decided that we must return regularly).
- Itinerary – Lena curated a perfectly balanced itinerary that nourished every part of the mind, body, and soul. We made a few decisions about activities such as Zip-lining and hiking to a waterfall, but the rest we left in her hands. She was thoughtful to make sure to show us the beauty of Costa Rica while also not taking us “off campus” too often so we could relish in the sanctuary they have created. They have a divine yoga chalet where we started our mornings with the best yoga instructor I’ve ever had @carlylynndeslippe. She offers virtual sessions and has videos on youtube so I recommend you give her a follow as well. In addition to yoga, we had other instructors come and guide us in various ceremonies. I don’t want to give away all the secrets but suffice it to say that they were all impactful and enriching.
- Food – Lena and Scott grow most of the food they consume and getting a tour of the fruit trees, greenhouse and herbs/flowers was a very important part of the experience. I can’t wait to see how the cocoa tree we planted flourishes over the years. They buy foods that they haven’t grown yet at the local market and everything we were served was 100% organic, raw vegan. I was very curious as to how I was going to feel on this type of cuisine and I have a few observations.
- The food was DELICIOUS! With the exception of a fruit that tastes like blue cheese, I devoured everything put in front of me. The colors, presentation, intent and love put into every dish was next level. Not to mention, Lena’s children participated in the prep work, especially 11 year old Chef Leo which was a huge perk.
- I felt satiated and full after each meal. It was easy to eat raw, cold food when in a tropical climate. I was, however, excited to reintroduce warm and cooked foods back into my diet when I stepped into 0 degree Chicago upon my return.
- It was a fiber overload and so it takes some adjusting on the digestive system. Prior to arriving, we did a 5 day Prolon Fasting Mimicking Diet which I do quarterly anyway. This was perfect post holidays and to prepare myself for this cleanse, a way to maximize the benefits of the retreat.
- We had the ideal variety of colors of the rainbow along with many nuts and seeds for the fat and protein. I didn’t exercise strenuously as it was light yoga and walking mostly. Once I returned home, I found that my post workout meals needed to include a heavier proportion of chia/hemp and other protein rich nuts with a smaller ration of fruits.
In summary, I showed up on the retreat with a very specific intention to shed the breast cancer identity that had taken over my world. Day by day, after each yoga session, journaling session, deep talk, nourishing meal or rest in the hammock, I felt the heaviness shed. I emerged from the retreat an emotionally freer version of myself, ready to go back into the world embracing much of what I learned. Lena and her husband Scott are so knowledgable, passionate and insightful but they are not preachy. They want to share their experiences and inspire others and do it in a beautiful way. Interacting with their family was a huge perk of the retreat and we are so grateful for how they literally opened their home to us. I could keep gushing on and on about how magical it was but I also want to leave some of it as a surprise for those of you that end up going. For now, here is Irina’s review for Wilder along with a few pictures to capture just a fraction of its beauty.
“This is the first review I’ve ever written, which should say a lot about the experience given I’m a well-traveled 40year old from Chicago. I didn’t know what to expect going into the retreat at Wilder Costa Rica—tacitly I thought I could probably get by with raw vegan food for a week and looked ahead to the plate of pasta I would take down after it was over.
No such thing, the retreat was such an unexpected delight. The hostess, Lena Ropp, curated the perfect balanced adventure of mind, body, and soul for myself and my best friend. I felt elevation and energy with each day that passed and excited for all the new experiences I found myself casually floating in and out of.
Lena’s food tastes as good as it looks. Her family is bright, interesting, so very hospitable, and a pure delight to be around. The folks she brought in, whether to teach yoga, play music, or lead us in ceremony were perfectly suited to the task. Each experience was enriching. I knew I liked to zipline but I also discovered that I derived as much joy from forest bathing (a new one for me).
As the week concluded I found myself feeling better and more energized than I had in a decade of coming back from any other vacation. No matter how luxurious or exciting my other trips were, they didn’t hold a candle to Wilder. I think I’ve barely scratched the surface here and look forward to many more returns. “
Lena's Traveler's Talk 
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