11 year update

 I am still here!! I LOVE my life! I am married to a Tico, not the one I came with, someone I met here. We live on a farm, still in Perez Zeledon. We have TONS of animals and a fun life. Some pics 😁

I moved!

Woo hoo I've moved! As much as I loved my old house, the road got too dangerous to drive and my car was in constant need of repair. My friend Charlie helped me out one day by giving me a ride home from the mechanic and was shocked at the condition of the road. He's Tico and told me it took him 3 tries to get up the hill so it's no place for a gringa to live! So he talked to the owner of a house near him and got me my new place! I now live in Miravalles and am love, love, loving it! Here's some pics:

The view! 

This one is more of a farmhouse. 

I have tons of roses! 

Sunsets to die for! 

My homey kitchen. 

Diego and Dora love it here too. 

A panoramic shot. 

I have a vivero here where I can grow veggies, so far I had a bumper crop of caterpillars. There are cows on all sides of me, so the dogs are learning to herd. Diego is half corgi so it's in his blood, Dora is just a copycat. She looks so little next to them! 

I also took a bad spill in Uvita in November and broke my wrist. I got a hot pink cast put on, but it wasn't healing right so the put a bar on to hold the bones in place. Looks like I will have it for 4 months. It a bother, but it has started to heal so it's worth it. 

I am still telecommuting to the states,  Yay! So life is good. I am really happy here. In April it will be 4 years, time flies huh? My Spanish has gotten so much better, I can almost understand everything now. I even help translate for my friends. I find I go back to the states less and less and for shorter visits. This is home now. I miss it when I'm gone. 

A huge thank you to an anonymous commenter and all the other people who cared and wished me well

Sometimes small acts of kindness have huge effects on the lives of others. Long ago and far away, ok maybe right here, I posted of my breakup and confusion. I was lost and didn't know what to do. I was torn between the comfort of the "known" and the fear of the unknown. I was depressed and luckily therefore not inclined to take action. I received so many emails from the people who read my blog telling me to hang in there. I talked the ears off of anyone that would listen to me. The turning point for me was an anonymous comment sent to me by someone who had a similar experience and advised me to stay here for a while and see if I really wanted to run home or if Costa Rica could be my home. Thank you ALL!!

I took the advice an renewed the lease on my house. That was in July of 2011. It was the best advice I could have received. I recently went through another rough spot in my life and lost someone very important to me. I am amazed at how much I have grown in the past 2 years. I had no doubts this time. I CAN do it on my own. I now have a really strong support system here. The loss of one friend does not leave me stranded. I accepted help more readily and have bounced even stonger. I am doing things I NEVER imagined I could. As I posted a few posts ago I DROVE to the airport. In San Jose, through the circles. I even remembered to breathe (thanks to my dear friend who suffered through my practice run). When I was moving here I read a ton of articles about the people here. They are wonderful caring people in general, but the thing I remember is one article saying that all bets are off once they get behind the wheel. It is a crazy drive here. Motorcycles pass on the right, regardless of whether you have your blinker on. They also seem to think the space between the double yellow lines on the road is a motorcycle lane. The drive to San Jose has a 2 hour pass through the mountail that is one big curve back and forth. If you are behind a slow vehicle you can count on a 5 hour trip or hold your breath and pass. The circles have like 4 lanes in the city and people exit from them all. This was a HUGE accomplishment for me. When I bought the Geo I remember saying I would never drive here. Now I drive like a Tico so watch out!!!!

Speaking of my little Geo. I sold it. By myself. Well with a little help from the Chayote Vine. I did the entire transaction, lawyer and all - sola! I even translated for the guy who bought it because his spanish was a little lacking. I bought a new car several months ago. (ok I had help on that one). I spluged and got a BMW woo hoo.

 

Turns out it is not the best choice for where I live so now I am looking to trade it for more of a workhorse. My road is too steep and rocky for this primadonna. It's a fun ride though and will be sorry to see her go.

 

Anyway - surprise I am off subject and rambling - I am doing GREAT! I am a totally different person than the fraidy cat that came here. Some of the changes I am not thrilled about. I am learning not to trust so much, there are a wealth of people looking to take advantage of you here. BUT there are more really great people who I am lucky to have had in my life. I feel like I can do anything I want to now, and I have learned that I don't need to depend on one person or worse face it alone. Moving to Costa Rica has been one of the biggest and best things I have ever done. Sticking it out has made me a better person.

 

Thanks to all of you who have supported me along the way. I look forward to my future accomplishments and adventures and hope to share them with you. 



Life as I know it

So at least I am improving from posting once a year! Where am I? Still in Costa Rica. Do I love it? Mostly. Am I staying? I think so. Funny how it goes, I have never been able to say yes to that question. I think I will always love the USA and to think of comitting to permanently living in another country scares the bejeesus out of me. So here I live without commiting. What I have found though is that my life is here in Costa Rica. I go back to the US to visit my friends and family, mostly my dad, but every time I need to make the reservations I procrastinate. I finally figured out that I don't like being there. Why? Well, I miss my home here. I have a wonderful life now. I have my 2 adorable dogs, Diego and Dora:

The annoying cat Chispa:

And my little sweety bird:

I have a ton of good friends, I travel all over Costa Rica and see incredible things that I never could have imagined like Beautiful beaches:

 

 

The wildlife: 

And of course with no travel at all I have my balcony views:

 

 

 

 

 

 So now when I go back - notice I don't say home anymore -  I go for a few days. I was finding after 4 days on my dad's couch I was ready to come back to Costa Rica. Rather than stressing out I now leave after the 4th day.

Is it perfect here? nope. Am I still adjusting? yup. Am I staying? Jury's out...