What it’s like to live to live in Costa Rica

Do you know what “Pura Vida” means?  THAT’s what it’s like to live here in Costa Rica!  Let’s dig deeper. .Until perhaps you can’t stand it anymore. . You’ll get to the point of no return.  You’ll begin to look for places to live, new friends with like-minded ideas and dreams with whom to connect & you’ll start the process of creating a new life for yourself shortly thereafter!

Don’t laugh.  This has happened many times before!  I remember well those people who first contacted us to get the ball rolling.  Some, awkwardly, have never set foot in Costa Rica, but wanted to make the move only because of what they have read online or after speaking with someone about the life here and what to expect.  I don’t recommend this to anyone.  Take your time, learn all about it. . find out WHY Costa Rica is called, “one of the happiest countries on the planet”! And after you collect your information, collect your thoughts and decide to make the move, move forward with excitement and a ‘got-to-do-this’ attitude!

Back to what it’s like to live in Costa Rica. . .First, for those who are new here or who are thinking about making the move, there are quite a few expat organizations in Costa Rica.  There are Women’s Clubs, Men’s Clubs, Political Clubs, Birding Organizations, Garden Clubs, Learning Spanish Clubs, Outdoor Clubs, Investment Clubs, Card Clubs, Social Clubs, Fishing Clubs. . the list goes on and on.  This is a wonderful way to start your journey. . find people who enjoy some of the same things as you do.  Facebook has literally hundreds of groups that will help you along.  There are many who love to lend a hand and answer your questions that you may present to the groups.  Lots of people here who have been living happily are more than willing to become your new friends.  They are excellent sources for information.  They take pride in teaching others THE RIGHT WAY to do things.  If you find people like this, your life will be easier here!

I think the most important thing to do when setting yourself up for success here is to simply surround yourself with friends and those who can step in to make suggestions, help you become more familiar with the country and with those who you feel that you can trust unconditionally.  And, there are many!  Living in Costa Rica requires patience, determination, patience, patience and patience.  Things are slower here.  This is a GOOD THING.  Slowing down one’s life allows you to get in touch with what is important to you.  You will learn more about yourself living here for two months than you ever did before!  The expression, “stop and smell the roses” comes to mind.  They say that this phrase came into use and became popular in the early 1960’s and is a rephrasing of a sentiment found in an autobiography written by the golfer Walter Hagen.  He originally stated, “Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way”.  This passage was paraphrased and the rest is history.  When one stops to smell the roses, every day becomes more important.  Tomorrow isn’t here yet and yesterday is gone forever.  The mindset here is to always live for today.  Create a complete, fulfilling-in-every-way 24 hour period for yourself and for those who you love and THEN. . do it again the next day. . and the next. . and NEVER STOP.  That is the essence of the “Pura Vida” lifestyle that you hear about all the time.

Life can be expensive here if you live how you used to.  If you find ways to cut corners and do things the Costa Rican way, money will go a lot further.  You’ll find that you don’t need a huge home here unless you want one.  Most of your living will be outdoors, so perhaps a bigger porch is in order.  The bus system is vast and inexpensive here, so maybe you don’t really need a vehicle!  If you cut corners and learn how to live without all of the unneeded things that you used to have in your life, you will enjoy a different kind of abundance.  You will probably morph into someone who you never thought you could be.  “SUCCESS” will not be measured anymore by how much you earn. . by how many toys you have in your garage, how big your car is and/or by how many cocktail parties you attend.  It will be assessed by how many toucans and scarlet macaws you see today, by how good your gallo pinto tasted and by how your vegetable garden is growing.

Learning how to live in Costa Rica is a process. . and it can be so much fun.  I sincerely hope you are able to experience it someday soon!  Pura Vida!