Last time I shared the map of the places I’ve lived and traveled over the last 20 years. Looking at it brought up another thought. Twenty years ago, when I took that first trip to Costa Rica, I had no idea what the next two decades would look like. I wasn’t thinking...

After my last post about that first trip to Costa Rica 20 years ago, I pulled up the online map I made with pins for everywhere I’ve lived and traveled since then. Costa Rica has been home for 14 of those years, but there have been plenty of planes, road trips, and a...

Twenty years ago this week I took my first trip to Costa Rica. Over the next six years, I made nine more trips before moving here full time in 2012. ​ But moving here was really just the beginning of learning what life in Costa Rica is actually like. ​ Not the...

Watching the Bad Bunny Halftime Show got me thinking about the version of me who once lived in California. I considered myself open-minded back then, and in many ways I was. But living abroad has stretched that openness in ways I could not have imagined. It has asked...

Using accents when writing or speaking in Spanish is important - not just because it's the correct way to write (or pronounce) but because leaving them out can completely change the meaning of what you’re saying. Por ejemplo. “Feliz Año Nuevo” means Happy New Year....

The colón hit another record this week, sitting around ₡481* to $1 (USD). It’s the strongest it has been in about twenty years, and if your income or savings are in dollars, you’re probably noticing the difference when you convert. And if you’re coming from Canada,...

Living abroad comes with a set of expectations no one hands you, but (most) everyone eventually discovers. So I put together a few of the unwritten terms and conditions I wish someone had given me early on... the ones to help you move mindfully, respectfully, and just...

I wanted to clear up a common myth I see shared in Costa Rica Facebook groups... the idea that you can use your Costco card at PriceSmart here in Costa Rica. It’s an easy mix-up. PriceSmart feels a lot like Costco... the warehouse layout, the bulk sizes, even many of...

Q: Is Costa Rica disability friendly? A: Yes… and no. In some ways, yes... there are ramps, accessible parking spaces, and laws meant to support inclusion. But the reality on the ground can be uneven. Literally. Sidewalks aren’t always flat or well maintained, and...

Yesterday, I was on Ruta 3 (route 3), a winding mountain road. Because of my disability, I always need to hire a driver if I’m going more than about 15 minutes from home. We rounded a curve and there, right in the middle of the road, was a white-faced monkey. Luckily,...