Well, I’ve been living in Costa Rica for over three months and, I can honestly say that I have loved every minute of it.
Unless you are a resident of Costa Rica, you are basically here as a tourist and, a tourist will only get a 90-day stamp on their passport. My paperwork is being gathered together up in Ottawa from all the various departments and should be forwarded to me here within the next month or so. At that time, I will be able to apply for residency. In the meantime and actually until I’m officially granted residency, I have to leave the country every 90 days to renew my passport stamp. A couple of weeks ago I made my first border run to Nicaragua. You can make the drive yourself or with a couple of friends but I chose to go in a busload of 10 people. The guide knew the ropes, knew exactly how much money to pay at each wicket and basically how to cross and come back with minimal fuss. I left home about 6:00 in the morning and got home at about 4:30 in the afternoon but, that’s it for another 90 days.
Living in Costa Rica is much the same as living in Canada or the US. One thing that you likely didn’t do before moving is to check your shoes every time you put them on for scorpions or tarantulas. Gasoline here is virtually identical in price to gasoline in Canada. In Canada a huge tax goes to transportation infrastructure while in Costa Rica a large portion of the bill goes to transportation costs bringing it into the country. You can live reasonably here if you choose to live much like the Ticos. Fruit and vegetables that are grown here are fresh and relatively inexpensive. The corn is horrid lol and peas nonexistent but everything else is amazing. Meat that is raised here is also affordable. Anything imported it is going to be expensive. If you can’t live without products that you became accustomed to back home, Walmart and Costco (PriceSmart) are here but, you will pay the price. Electricity and water are extremely affordable. My combined bill has not been over $35 Canadian monthly since I arrived.
The people are by and large warm and friendly. I went down to San Jose with my friends Henry and Heather for Henry’s mother’s 80th birthday. I was the only non Spanish-speaking person there and I was treated as if I were part of the family. Did I mention they hired a mariachi band?
The area that I live in is not a tourist area. The majority of people here speak only Spanish and to truly become a part of the community, I think it’s incumbent upon people to learn the language. I am enrolled in a online learning program and I have been working at it continuously for over 70 days. Can I speak Spanish? Absolutely not but, it is slowly coming along.
It doesn’t really matter where I live, my main passion will always be nature. I get up around 5:00 every morning and I’m outside by 6:00. I eat breakfast and lunch on my patio and head in around 5:30 as it’s beginning to get dark and, it’s time to prepare my dinner. I have added over 60 bird species to my yard list since arriving and I can’t imagine tiring of it.
We entered the rainy season at the beginning of May and we had just over 10 inches of rain for the month. We can expect up to three times that in the months ahead. The good news is it does not rain all day. Today was a beautiful sunny day until around 1:30 – 2:00 when it started to rain.
I have been busy gardening as well and have brought two of the gardens back to life and I have created two new ones and am working on a third. Stay tuned for future updates and, always remember that you are never to old to follow your heart.