August 15th is Mother's Day here in Costa Rica. It's associated with an event in the Catholic Church, Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It's actually a national holiday, which means that people who are working will get paid extra. As I was prepping this blog, I was...

I recently saw a comment from a foreigner in a group, addressing gentrification. It reeked of colonialism. And honestly, it made me a little nauseous. But what really disturbed me is that a well-known person in these groups replied, praising the comment as brilliant...

If you’re not yet living in Costa Rica, you may not have noticed that we really don't have doorbells here. You may find some in the larger cities, or buzzers in high-rises but overall, doorbells are quite rare. And while you could simply knock on the door, Costa...

Bigger items (like furniture) and sentimental items (like your grandmother's wedding ring) are a lengthier discussion but what about the everyday necessities (like food processors, backup batteries, etc) and handy "nice-to-haves," (like jumper cables and a bread...

Normally, Costa Rica is not in the path of hurricanes. I think since moving in 2012, we may have had two Category 1 hurricanes and only in certain parts of the country. That being said, we can and do get severe tropical storms. Even more so when we’re in a La Niña...

I know not everyone will agree with me but… at least at this point in time, I don’t recommend supporting public events that are not traditionally Costa Rican. For example, a community-sponsored 4th of July event. It just reeks of colonization, cultural insensitivity...

A new health insurance plan has become available, offered by Costa Rica's national insurance program, INS. What makes this one so special? It offers health insurance to residents AND non-residents who have pre-existing conditions! Previously if you had pre-existing...

What I had hoped wouldn't happen did. I really wanted to write a book that would be helpful and supportive for foreigners wanting to move to Costa Rica, while ensuring that I addressed the problems that the country faces as well (and offer solutions when I could)....

So I knew this would happen... LOL. As soon as I hit publish and released the book, the new law about driving in Costa Rica was published in the national newspaper, La Gaceta - which means it became an official law. For those who aren't aware, prior to the new law,...

I take very seriously the work that I do with clients as a relocation counselor, helping people move to Costa Rica. While I don’t offer therapy, psychology was a big part of my university studies and I maintain basic therapy principles: to support my clients in the...