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...
Gentrification in Costa Rica
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...
Hurricanes in Costa Rica
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...
New Costa Rica Driving Law Passed! (update to book)
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,...
Perspectives on Living Simply
Living in Costa Rica, I often find myself pondering our world – the space we occupy in it, the things we take for granted, and what we consider normal. It can be so easy to lose perspective on what we want versus what is enough. The other day, I experienced a series...
Rain in January?!
Recently, someone in a travel group was adamant that it does not rain in January, in La Fortuna. But it does. And it can be more than a "sprinkle". First, it's a tropical location, so rain can happen at any time. But more importantly, because of its location, La...
Where is Costa Rica?
You'd be surprised how many people think Costa Rica is an island. I'm not sure where they think that island is... if they're mixing it up with Puerto Rico, or maybe it's a Caribbean Island... or maybe it's off somewhere near Bali. (all of those are indeed "islands")....
How much Spanish do I need to know?
A frequently asked question about traveling to Costa Rica is: How much Spanish do I need to know? The good news is... not a lot 🙂 Most people in tourism speak English. If you go into a grocery store, or go off the beaten path, having your phone fully charged and...
Gallo Pinto – Chrissy Style
Gallo Pinto [spotted rooster] is a traditional breakfast in Latin America. It’s normally made with white rice, beans [black or red, depending on the country], eggs, tortillas and sometimes a side of cheese or sour cream. A few notes: White rice has essentially been...
Hey there, I'm Chrissy
This is my little corner of the internet where I share all things about moving to and living in Costa Rica.