Friends

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Friends, our friends in Costa Rica are awesome! We met two other families’ blogging about Costa Rica thru our blog, When you blog, you seek out others. Trust me, it’s kind of an addiction. The Bortman’s of http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/TheBortmans/ and The O’Boyle’s of www.abroadincostarica.com and http://haloboyle.blogspot.com/ . One of the best things about moving to Costa Rica is the people you meet. We’re pretty open and willing to make friends with the locals but are cautious bringing North Americans into our lives. People move here for millions of reasons. You meet good people and bad ones. Some you wouldn't be friends with in the states, why be friends here? It’s great meeting people first thru blogging as you get a sense of who they are after reading their stories. You only contact someone you want to know. We’re absolutely thrilled both the Bortman’s and the O’Boyle’s wanted to get to know us!

We love our Tico friends but as Callista put it, “It’s easier playing with kids who speak English; it not so much like work.” I couldn’t have said it better. Hanging out with our blogging friends is easy, comfortable and fun. We could barely contain our excitement when they all agreed to come visit us in San Ramon last Thursday.

When Thursday FINALLY rolled around we met at the Mall Occidente in San Ramon. It’s right off the autopista; you can’t miss it so it’s a great place to meet people unfamiliar with the area. Before coming to the house we took them up to see our land. I think we can count on the O’Boyle’s being occasional weekend guests sometime down the line. When they need a break from the city life in Escazu they’ll be welcomed warmly in the campo. Unfortunately for us the Bortman’s time here is coming to an end so…we’ll miss them. We’re glad we had them up to our place at least once before they leave. Ah, but there’s still time.

Having two families actually make it to San Ramon on the date we originally planned without unforeseen, unexplainable occurrences is a BIG deal. Stuff happens in Costa Rica. Plans almost never work out. For us the best plan for life is no plan. We live for the day. Any plans we make with other people are understood as tentative. If someone can’t make it at the last minute, it’s acceptable, Pura Vida, life happens and so do major accidents on the autopista. There are always other days.

We’re thankful that blogging about our lives has helped us to connect with some really cool people, online and in person. Sally, Hal, Mo, Ryan, Mark, Dara, Ari and Ellie thanks for letting us in your lives. Ours has certainly been enriched by letting you in.

Pura Vida!
Jen, Bill, Callista and Bear

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Photos

Friends
Bill, Dara, Sally, Mark and Hal

Posting our flag
Ari, Mo,Callista and Ryan posting our colors.

And that's Palmares over there...
Bill pointing out things in the distance.

Ari, Calli and Dara
The kids played in dirt with neighbors while the adults chatted.

clean up time
Dirty kids means they had a good time, right?

mud buddies forever
Calli and Ellie