Tag Archives: Central America

No te preocupes.

9 Apr

Don’t you worry your pretty little self.

This is not an exact translation, but I like to think it provides the character and inclusiveness of this phrase.

See, here in Costa Rica, nobody uses the informal case. When people say “You,” they say “Usted,” which is like saying “The Gentleman.”

“Tu,” the 2nd-person informal use of “You,” is generally not used in Costa Rica. Unless, someone says to you kindly,

No te preocupes.

Ticos will step out of their formality in order to make you feel more at ease, and not just in the wording of this phrase, but in the context.

I love that.

Border trip to Panama

4 Oct

It’s a nice excuse for a day trip, and it’s exactly the sort of bureaucratic bobbing and weaving that is essential to living in a socialized country.

Today, we bought bus tickets that we will never use, from Costa Rica’s border town of San Vito to Panama, for 90 days from now. These will replace the plane tickets that we will not use in two weeks, and allow us to stay in the country for another 90 days.

Sounds confusing? It is.

Lemme explain.

Or, in the words of Inigo Montoya,

No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

Costa Rica does not allow you to enter the country indefinitely. You must have a prepurchased ticket out of the country (as in, say, the second leg of a round tip ticket) upon your entry.

Your passport is stamped to authorize you to stay in the country for a maximum of ninety days. If you are found to have extended your stay beyond this limit, you can be deported to your home country and not allowed back.

(more…)

Relaxing from my Center

24 Jun

Photo by Jill Clardy

It’s only because I am consciously rocking the gut this summer that I noticed:  I have been continually holding tension in my abdomen.

Tight in my center. That’s me.

This unfortunate side effect of staying in shape has created energetic blocks between myself and what I want to manifest.

By staying tense, pulling in my gut whenever I’m in public, keeping the habit of tension when I’m in private, I have kept myself from fully relaxing into the present moment.

The gut is, in emotional terms, what guides us. Charles Haanel believed that the subconscious mind had its focal point in the solar plexus, and it is through understanding this potent force of energy that we are able to use his “Master Key System” and manifest positive results in our life. (more…)

Don’t Gimme Shelter

12 May

Photo by De kleine rode kater

The mindset of Western and European people is fundamentally influenced by our crappy weather.

When I want to take my kids out of doors, we have to hunt for a large list of essential clothing:
  • Coats
  • Shoes
  • Socks
  • Baby Legs (but my 5 year old insists we call them “leggings,” and if I call them “Baby Legs” we have to go find ANOTHER pair)
  • Sweaters
  • Hats
  • Scarves
  • Gloves
Amidst the 30-minute search for all of these pieces, I have learned a few interesting things. (more…)

Costa Rica!

15 Apr

We are repatriating!

As I recently told my friends (as in, those who subscribed to my newsletter…hint hint) I am moving to Costa Rica at the end of the summer.

My whole family is coming with me. My wife’s parents, my two kids, my wife, and me, all going down south to live in Tropical Paradise, where we can afford health care and there is a decent standard of living for a moderate cost.

There are so many advantages it seems stupid to try and count them all. But I will try and go through a few of the big ones here:

  • Our kids will grow up outside in the sunshine, instead of in a rainy city
  • We will learn a new language by immersing ourselves in it
  • We get the excitement of living in a new culture
  • There is a strong expat community that has already welcomed us
  • The weather is amazing
  • The beach, fer cryin out loud!
  • Amazing mountains
  • Amazing coffee (coming from Portland, this is a huge plus)
  • Simple lifestyle as the norm for the surrounding culture
  • Statistically the happiest populace in the world
  • No armed forces in the country, meaning no war
  • Advanced telecommunications network – many international companies have their Central American hub in Costa Rica for this reason
  • Educated populace – since education is free for citizens
  • Active democracy
  • Lower costs for rent, property, goods, and labor
  • I can work in American dollars and live on Colones, taking advantage of the currency difference
  • When American citizens have a baby in Costa Rica, all first-level relatives get dual citizenship
  • Citizens get full health care for about $70 a month, and free education
  • Everybody there is so nice!

I could go on and on, but these are some of the biggest reasons I am excited about going. Pura Vida!

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