Summary:

Today we head back to the states after a productive week long visit to Grecia, Costa Rica. The purpose of this trip was to take care of some logistical things in preparation of our big move – mailbox, bank account, etc. We also took this opportunity to move the majority of our things into our new mountain home. It’s hard to believe we were able to downsize our lives into seven suitcases.

We started our stay last Saturday out at La Terraza where we just so happened to arrive the same day Ms. Jennetta was hosting a mixer for young black expats. There we were able to meet three couples who are living and thriving in the CR. They reminded us so much of ourselves back when we were in our thirties and invincible. We are excited about the opportunity of forging new relationships and having a good support system as we make our transition to living abroad.

We arrived in the heart of the rainy season. This means it rains, correction, pours every day in the afternoon. This is actually not as bad as you would think because the sun is out in the morning and with sunrise at 5:30am you can get things done before it starts to rain. This year however the amount of rain has been usually heavy thanks to global warming.

We did not let the weather deter us. Thanks to the help of Kiara our amazing personal guide/translator we secured a post office box, opened up a bank account, visited the Pharmacy and shopped at Walmart (Maxi Pali). The most exciting part of the trip was I got to finally drive in a third world country. All I can say is OMG! Picture the scariest rollercoaster ride place it on a mountain top, add in streets with pot holes large enough to swallow a smart car then populate it with NYC cab drivers and that’s driving in the CR. What a rush. I can’t wait to get the FJ there.

Pros:
– The pharmacist in town not only welcomed us but gave us her personal cellphone number if we need to reach her for anything
– The milkman delivers fresh milk, eggs and cheese to your door every day
– The gas stations are all full service meaning they pump gas as well as check oil, tires, and fluids at no extra cost
– The doctors still make house calls here

Cons:
– The banks will only allow you to deposit $1k a month if you are not a resident
– The road to our house is one of the worst roads in all of Costa Rica according to the locals

Verdict:
– Assimilating into a life abroad is not as daunting as we thought, this is due in part to the helpfulness of the locals and adopting the attitude of mañana (not today)