HOLA! I’M CHRISSY
Helping people move to Costa Rica and totally fall in love with their new life abroad is what I’m all about!
Award winning author of 14 books, I’ve been traveling to Costa Rica since 2006 and have lived here full time since 2012.
I’m all about “real talk” – when we work together, I’m going to share with you the good, the magical, the AMAZING and… the not-so-ideal.
Because I believe you should be prepared, aware and make informed choices… whether you’re wanting to move abroad to Costa Rica or already living here and needing extra support.
Moving to Costa Rica is probably one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life. Worldwide, very few people ever leave their home country!
And once you arrive, it isn’t always easy.
Having a support system is imperative.
That’s why I like to say… for the people who I work with, you’ve got me in your back pocket. I’m just a phone call away, someone you can depend on when things go awry.
my journey
YEAR BY YEAR
2006
THE YEAR I FELL IN LOVE WITH A COUNTRY
Seems like forever ago! I went on a retreat to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and fell in love… with the country. I was in awe of everything I saw, tasted, heard (yes, I loved the 5am wake up calls from the howlers!) and experienced. The rainstorms, the sunshine. Everything. While I had never considered moving out of the US, I knew in that moment that my life would be changing…
2008
THE DECLARATION AT THE BEACH
On an unusually warm March day in 2008, I went with a few friends to the Point Reyes Seashore and declared: I’M MOVING TO COSTA RICA! I didn’t know how or when but I knew deep in the marrow of my bones that I would someday call Costa Rica home. My friends thought I was crazy. But I just knew…
2012
THE YEAR THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Four years after my declaration, my 17-year-old cat and I packed up our life and boarded a plane to Costa Rica. I let go of all the comforts of California and took a giant leap, finally being able to call Costa Rica “home”.
2014
MY FIRST OFFICIAL CLIENTS
I was living in an apartment building in Quepos and the studio next to me was a revolving door of tourists coming to soak up the sun and enjoy the treasures of Costa Rica. And that’s when I met my first clients. Lovely people who fell in love with the country and wanted to call it home… but didn’t know where to start. While I only had been living here for two years, I jumped in to help… giving them all the tools, tips and resources I could. They even got residency before I did!
2017
AND THE AWARD GOES TO…
After five years of living in Costa Rica, I finished the Rich Coast Trilogy and became an award winning author for my book about my personal experiences of living in Costa Rica, Lost and Found in the Land of Mañana.
2020
FUN TIMES UNTIL…
In December 2020, I had a hysterectomy due to a massive fibroid that appeared out of nowhere. While it seemed like everything went okay, a week later I was in the ER and subsequently admitted to the hospital, fighting the life threatening condition of severe sepsis, obtained from getting a UTI from the catheter (a common occurrence with catheters. all around the world). I couldn’t breathe without oxygen, my kidneys were shutting down and I could barely walk or talk.
2022
CHANGES HAD TO BE MADE
I survived severe sepsis but unfortunately developed Post Sepsis Syndrome, a debilitating condition that affects 50% of people who get sepsis and live. I’ve had to figure out a new “normal” – and make lemonade from the challenges. While I look normal on the outside, my body no longer functions how it used to. And that’s why I shifted from doing this as a hobby to an actual business. Because I can easily talk with people about relocating to Costa Rica (all day long…!). All the day to day how to’s, how to manage the ups and downs that will come your way and most importantly how to avoid the mistakes, mishaps and missteps I’ve made… so that you can love this country as much as I do… while saving you time, energy and money.
2024
THE TRILOGY BECOMES A COLLECTION
On my 12th anniversary of living in Costa Rica, I published my 4th book about Costa Rica: Moving to Costa Rica Simplified. But it’s not your typical expat guide… Inside you’ll find so much more. Now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle! Get your copy, grab your favorite beverage and dive in.
and the story continues