Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update: Package of bacon—$5.60
It’s amazing how many cool people are out there doing really great things with their lives-like Natalie Sisson from the Suitcase Entrepreneur. I was approached by Natalie and for a podcast interview.
Ms. Sisson is quite the woman. Her writing is featured in Forbes.com, Huffington Post, and a dozen other sites. And if that wasn’t intimidating enough, she enjoys pastimes like riding her bicycle across Africa for charity (yes…the continent) or breaking records for Dragon Boating across the English Channel.
I, on the other hand, write blogs chronicling hot topics like my husband’s hernia surgery and my athletic endeavors include pouring coffee and watching howler monkeys outside my window.
Natalie is truly an inspiration to others and I’m excited that she chose me to interview. When I started writing my book, I had no idea of all the blessings that were in store for me.
I’m so grateful for them all.
I think that the smaller, more “ordinary” things that you document are just as fascinating as grander adventures that others blog and write about. After all, isn’t enjoyment and appreciation of seemingly small things the reason to move someplace like Costa Rica? Of course, such small things can turn into grand adventures when they are encountered in an exotic foreign country 🙂 So please bring on more coffee and howler monkeys!
You’re right Carla. So many adventures start out as small and then start to turn into something grand. It’s important to recognize both.
Everything ok? They are reporting an earthquake down your way and I hope you guys are all right. I love reading your blog and dreaming….
Thanks for the concern, I didn’t feel a thing. I was actually up that early writing and did notice a lot of monkey activity. So it looks like they knew something was up, I should pay attention more to those guys!
Glad to hear it.
Hi Nadine! Great to finally hear your voice! Regarding moving to another place to start over, check out this blog and kindle book about a similar journey to Andalusia Spain http://www.victoriatwead.com/Home.html
Thanks so much Donna. I will check out that link!
I am relatively new to your blog. Enjoyed the podcast and liked hearing the sound of your voice. I subscribe to another quirky blog and this came into the inbox this morning. I thought you’d like it. Here’s the link: http://www.theydrawandtravel.com/maps/manuel-antonio-costa-rica-kaitlyn-mccane
Very cool. Thanks for sharing. It’s amazing all the neat things people are doing out there.
Hi,
Great interview! Just a technical question. May I assume you are there on tourist visas and have to leave the country every 90 days so you can renew the visa–maybe a quick trip to Nicaragua or Panama? I ask, because from the details you furnish in the interview, you don’t seem to fit into any of the four different residence categories.
Also, do you find the heat and humidity oppresive during the rainy season? Do you use a/c, and if so, can you share the monthly cost? We used to live in Puerto Vallarta, and the late summer season and early autumn there were really very difficult.
Thanks again for sharing on the interview,
Jim
I fell under the old residency rules, so not sure what you need now to get it. Although I loved those Nicaragua and Panama trips (and they made the best chapters in the book) it does get pricey after a while.
The electricity here is very expensive in Costa Rica. When we lived on the mountain and didn’t use any A/C, our bill was around $60/month. But now that we are at the beach, it can easily be $150 or higher depending on how long we leave the A/C on. I also think our bill is so high here because we have a refrigerator that won’t stop running, no matter how many people come out to fix it. Probably a good idea to just get a new one.
Greetings Nadine from Thailand
I have just been listening the your podcast with Natalie (she is amazing isn’t she?) and I was say, OMG, Nadine is me…!
Some of the phrases you were using, right down to “I am the serious one, my husband is the fun one, everyone wants to talk to him at parties….” made me smile because I had the exact same conversations , with family, friends and right down to the doctor as she was prescribing me anti depressants.
It seems to be the stock answer to everything these days.
However, I got a hold of my senses… after a while and my husband and I both decided it was a change we needed, not more “stuff” to make us happy.
We sold up our house in UK, it took 6 months from decision to arrival to get our ticket to thailand.
Like you we did not arrive with a “job” in mind but I have started a FB page, twitter and the beginnings of a website and I think you have inspired me to start thinking about a book perhaps…
Great to listen to you and so pleased someone else thinks just like me, you must be in “my tribe”
We have never been happier and only been here a month, this life is way better than any antidepressant.
Very best wishes to you and your husband from me and mine.
Jackie
Jackie, what a wonderful comment and thanks so much for reading my blog. You sound a lot like me and I wish you nothing but the best in your travels. I’ve never regretted this move, and so thankful I did it. I love this line you wrote off your facebook page: “Sold the house, bought a ticket to thailand and happily living in Nongkhai until they don’t want to anymore…”
I think that might be the best way to describe this transition. Sometimes we make things out to be more complicated than they are. Going on a big adventure like this really boils down to what you just said. I’ll go and live there until I don’t want to anymore.
Please stay in touch and let me know when that blog is up and ready. I will be following you through facebook as well!