My first holiday season in Costa Rica was a world apart from the chilly, foggy winters of Northern California. By that time, I’d been living here for about seven months. And while it was over 12 years ago, I still so clearly remember several things about my first...

Sharing two meaningful concepts that I encourage you to adopt as you settle into life in Costa Rica. Prefer to watch a video? Watch here. https://youtu.be/YW6sPZtrk3U 1. Life in a collective society. The first concept is the idea of Costa Rica as a collective society,...

How did I celebrate my 50th birthday? Well, not how I thought I would. I moved. Así es la vida (such is life).… I trust and believe wildheartedly that this move is a step towards healing my broken body, fostering a deeper sense of community, and stepping into a new...

There’s been a huge surge in interest from people thinking about moving to Costa Rica. As a relocation counselor, you might be wondering why I’m not encouraging everyone to pack up and head to Costa Rica right after the election. Why am I not saying, “If your...

I come from a generation where politics, religion, and sex were considered off-limits in casual conversation. But the online world has certainly shifted that perspective for many, hasn’t it? Personally, I tend to avoid discussing politics and religion because I...

Here's a frequently asked question that my clients ask: "How often do you return home?" Well, I am home 😉 A better question would be: How often do you return to the US? ✈️ Answer: Once in the last 12 years. September 2019. Yep, you read that right. And only for 24...

Back in March 2022, I visited a doctor at my local EBAIS (a public clinic), who assured me she would submit a referral for me to see a rheumatologist. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, the paperwork never went through. I even took a trip to San José to follow up, only...

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...