Mommy Loca

When I set out to plan my year long adventure in Costa Rica, I wrote an earlier blog titled "Preparing to move out of the Country? Some Things to Consider" about things to consider when planning an international move such as the one I was about to embark on. Now that I'm nearly 1/3 of the way through my year abroad I figured it would be a good time to go back and report on whether my planning was realistic and / or whether I would amend my previous advice. Planning topic #1 from previous post: Can I live here legally for 1 year? It turns out my research in this area provided me with correct and important advice. While some people have suggested I might have been successful in applying for an extension to my ... read more

Here is a short and simple photo tutorial on how to use a tico-style washing machine. I used this washer for the first 6 weeks while living in Costa Rica so I got lots of practice. While I did manage to sucessfully get my clothes clean using it, I am very grateful to have an automated washer and dryer now hooked up to use. The tico washer usually took at me between half an hour to an hour to get through all of my clothes. Then I would have to go hang them all to dry. The washer I currently have takes just a minute of my time to start a load and does all the washing without my involvement.... read more

We'll it hasn't been quite a full week that I've been in Costa Rica, but so much has happened already I'd better get some of this documented or my blog posts are going to turn into novels. Our travels were for the most part uneventful. We tried out Spirit Airlines because the tickets were such a good deal. I would say we made a good choice, but for others considering flying with them (because they will almost always show up as the cheapest option if you've selected a route they fly) just a few little words of caution. First, the price you see is not the real price of your flight. It is the price before you pay for things like seat assignments and luggage. For us, the flights were still cheaper even after paying for ... read more

Having the kids learn Spanish could be accomplished in a number of ways, and many of them do not involve moving to a foreign county. There are many different foreign language programs available that can be used from your own home, including many excellent programs available for free on the Internet. In terms of schools, there are a variety of immersion schools popping up, including some in the Twin Cities area, that could have offered the language education we're seeking for the kids. So why move? And why move to Costa Rica in particular? Choosing to go live in Costa Rica for a year wasn't a random decision. We have many reasons for making Costa Rica our temporary home. First, my husband's mother is from Costa Rica. She was born there and grew up there and ... read more