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 I celebrated my 50th birthday
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...
Voting while living abroad
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...
FAQ: How often do you return home?
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...
Seeing a specialist at a Costa Rica public hospital
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...
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...
How to celebrate your home country holidays while living in Costa Rica
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...
Book update: Healthcare & Banking
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...
Xenophobia in Costa Rica
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)....
Celebrating 12 years of living in Costa Rica!
My hope is that the clients I work with also get to their 12th anniversary... and beyond! Here's a look back at my adventures (and misadventures) that I've had along the way.
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.