Yes, I realize it's been a very long time since I've updated this blog, but today I realized a new benefit to keeping it updated more frequently. This morning as I went to greet a Canadian family who showed interested in one of our communities, she surprised me with a jar of REAL maple syrup. Pleasantly surprised I asked her, "How did you know I loved maple syrup." She responded, "I read your blog!" This was exciting for two reasons. One, it's incredible that someone from Canada, after reading a blog from Costa Rica, was thoughtful enough to bring down a [View Full Entry]

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Hello friends and strangers! Thanksgiving has passed, but not bringing some great memories. We threw a party for both Ticos and Gringos at the Angel Valley Farm Bed and Breakfast. About 30 people showed up in a pot-luck style dinner. It was interesting to see Costa Ricans reacting to the food we eat in the States. The running joke of the party was how I made way too many potatoes. I actually spent the previous evening sweating as I peeled and sliced dozens of eventually wasted taters. I actually added way too much butter as well. But, what can you do, [View Full Entry]

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Hello All! Today I have experienced one of the freest feeling simple pleasures that I have never seen much value in until today. I RODE A HORSE!! Whether it was seeing the pride the Tico farmer had in his arsenal, trotting through the natural beauty-The type only Costa Rica can offer, or finding the joy in galloping uphill in a torrential down pour, the whole ordeal was overwhelming. For the first time in a VERY long time, it felt as if all the important little stresses or anxieties in life had been demoted to trivial. It was as if true freedom [View Full Entry]

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Hello All! I am embarrassed at how long it's been since I've written. As promised, I'd like to give a shout out to Peter and Sue from Rhode Island. They were the ones that gave me the most grief for not updating this blog. But no worries, I still think Costa Rica is the best place in the world to live. As you can probably see from my picture, yes I did buy a puppy. I named her Finquita, which means " small farm" because she is like my " little project." When I bought her, she actually had a virus [View Full Entry]

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Hey Everyone, "Winter" has finally arrived here in Costa Rica and I couldn't be happier. The weather is still 70 to 80 degrees everyday here in San Ramon, as we are living in a higher altitude. And yes, the rain has arrived. Normally, if it were a rainy day, I might feel a lil lousy, might feel stuck playing bored games (yes, I spelled it that way on purpose). However, during the rainy season there is almost a 100 percent chance that each morning it will be sunny. The rain doesnt usually come until the afternoon. The grassy scenery is much [View Full Entry]

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Hey Everyone! I realize it's been a while since I've written anything, but believe me, it's because I've been as busy as ever. Only a couple months away from my one year anniversary of the move to Costa Rica, life has never been better. I finally started taking Salsa lessons (3 private classes for a whopping 12 bucks a class!) It has been one of the more rewarding experiences thus far. I believe it's important to learn and participate in the cultural aspects of a new country. My goal at the beginning of my trip was to become fluent in [View Full Entry]

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Greetings friends. I recently spent 4 days in Pasadena California to spend some quality time with my old man. While it is always nice to spend time with family, truthfully I couldn't wait to get back to Costa Rica. This place really feels like home now. I never imagined that taking a trip to the United States would seem like a vacation. I also couldn't believe to the extent of reverse culture shock I experienced during my mini-trip. It all started when I got off the plane and the went through customs. The officer at the desk was incredibly rude to [View Full Entry]

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Firstly, I owe a special thanks to Greg Waxmonsky. I met him 3 years ago in Alexandria, VA, where I spent a summer waiting tables with him at Bertuccis Restaurant. While I haven't tried every job out there, I will go out on a limb and say waiting tables and being a salesman at a mattress store are probably the two worst ways to make a buck. I call them the mirage jobs, comparing them to the feeling of thinking you see water in the desert when you've gone thirsty for 2 weeks. With waiting, after you've spent 8 hours thoroughly [View Full Entry]

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