We decided to do a wrap up of our first 30 days in Costa Rica – our expectations and what we have learned.

Expectation #1: We expected retirement to be sipping coconut water on the beach with the waves tickling our toes everyday. We didn’t envision being so busy attending multiple social events on a weekly basis. Wow, retired folks sure love to party.

Expectation #2: We expected the adjustment to living abroad in a country where we didn’t know anyone or speak the language to be a lot harder and longer. We have been blessed with a great support system of new expat friends and of course the locals who are so helpful.

Expectation #3: We expected to get sick from eating fresh produce and drinking tap water in a third world country. Quite the contrary, we have not been sick once. In fact our mountain water taste much better than the bottled water we bought in the States. OMG… don’t even get me started talking about the produce…the fresh fruits and vegetables are like manna from Heaven. Our diet is now 60% organic at a fraction of the cost. I will cover that in another post.

Expectation #4: We expected the locals to be more dismissive of us because we don’t speak the language but that is so far from the truth. We have found them to be extremely understanding and accommodating. This is very encouraging to us as we try to learn the language.

Expectation #5: We expected the driving conditions (both roads and Tico drivers) to be too intimidating to master. Driving in the CR is like driving in NYC with the caveat that traffic signs/lights are mere suggestions. Speaking for myself, since I am the only one driving, I have found it to be quite exhilarating…straight out of a scene from Fast & Furious.

Overall living in Costa Rica has exceeded our expectations. We will continue to live by the Golden Rule – “Pura Vida”.