Life in Costa Rica is strangely similar and remarkably different than life in the U.S. Having had many years of experience (10) traveling throughout the country prior to moving here, I had a good idea what the climate, culture and lifestyle would be like but I have learned a lot in the past few years and continue to find out new things every day.

My typical day starts with rising early. With the sunrise at 6:00 am everyday, the desire to sleep in has pretty much left me. I wake about 5:30 a.m., grab a pair of sweats and sneakers and set out on the challenging task of walking my four dogs. I’m sure you’re thinking, “why not walk two at a time and make it easy on yourself”, well the answer is that they are a very firm pack, me being one of them, and they do not like to be separated. They howl and cry if I leave any of them behind and my neighbors do not really appreciate the raucous wake up call, especially at 5:45 a.m. So off we go together, around the neighborhood and through the wooded paths until everyone has sniffed, examined, and inspected everything and of course completed their business.

We get back to the house about 6:15 a.m., they get breakfast and I make tea and have a quick bite myself. I then go upstairs to my office to start my workday. I am very lucky to be able to work from my home office, this is important because by 6:30 a.m. the line of traffic departing Ciudad Colon to San Jose is already kilometers and kilometers long. Anyone living Southwest of San Jose in the Central Valley knows that moving about between those critical morning rush hours is a test in patience, grit, and fortitude. Driving in this country is a risky endeavor on a good day, when you throw in lots of people running late for work, running lights, tailgating, passing on whatever side of the road or off road that they can, well, then you really appreciate your own little office at home.

At lunch time, it is really great to get away from the desk and walk over to one of the great little sodas in Ciudad Colon for a bit of lunch. My favorite has a super vegetarian casado that consists of rice, beans, plantains, salad and tortillas. Living in a small town is great because most people know you. Everyone asks me about my dogs, inevitably try to give me another one (which is why I came to Costa Rica with one dog and now have four), or ask me for advice on what they should do with their own dog dramas.

Most people know that my husband is a guide who travels a lot so they also check to see when he’ll be home and if I’m okay at home alone. The gardener of the neighborhood where I live is usually out in the green areas doing his thing. He knows how much I love plants and flowers so he’s always showing me something new he’s done in the main garden and often offers me cuttings for my own collection. He’s a humble sweet man, very typical of the older generation of Costa Ricans.

Usually in the afternoon I try to get any and all of my errands done before it gets too late. You do not want to get stuck in Pavas, Santa Ana or Escazu between 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., again traffic nightmare. If I have banking to do, I usually try to allow at least one hour to compensate for time in line and time it will take to get a complete answer or completed transaction from the bank personnel. This is something I have not quite been able to comprehend, why is banking so slow and inefficient in this country? Maybe it is just that I’ve been very spoiled from the banking system in the states where you rarely even speak to a human being. I don’t think I ever actually physically ever entered my bank in Pennsylvania more than a dozen times in ten years. I really appreciate the efficiency of banking in the states now though.

My other errands usually involve a trip to Automercado for groceries. This is by far the best grocery store in the country. You can find good produce (usually), and most things you need. They carry a lot of imported products but I have tried to adjust my tastes to the local offerings. There are some things I can’t do without though, like Jif peanut butter and Heinz ketchup. The general idea is to get everything done and then get out of Santa Ana before 4:00 p.m. and the next blitz of traffic.

The late afternoon finds me at home again for round #2 of the dog walk. Dinner for the dogs and late afternoon tea for me brings on the evening. On clear days it is great to sit outside and watch the spectacular pink and orange sunset over the mountains. I love this time of the day, especially during the summer when the day starts to cool.

My evenings in Costa Rica are probably much more sedate than most people. I like to go out to dinner and enjoy the nice array of dining options (Italian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Typical, Argentine, Seafood, Spanish) all within 10 kilometers of where I live. There are a couple of decent live music clubs or movies of course, but generally I stay in or meet with friends at some of our local casual bars.

So this is a routine day in Costa Rica for me, not much different than a day in the states except I never shovel snow, I allot more time for most daily tasks, and I enjoy a more laid back, quiet existence. I think that is what brings most of us to Costa Rica to begin with, simplifying our lives.

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Filed under: Living on November 13th, 2007