Moving to Costa Rica-Musings From The Jungle Seventeen Days In

I love the sounds of the jungle.  They seem to have been calling me the past few months, creeping into my dreams, my meditations, and transporting me from the arid yet rich landscape of the Soquel Hills where I lived to the wet, wild and rich landscape of the Southern Nicoya Peninsula where we have just landed.   

Seventeen days ago, my daughter and I boarded a plane from San Jose, California to San Jose, Costa Rica and began our journey to recreate our life in the jungle, or at least explore what that would be like.  

As I sit here, writing for the first time in ages in my picturesque and wild Airbnb for the month, the sounds of thunder are rolling in the distance, mixing with the incredible sounds of our tropical birds, crickets, and the sound healing music that grounds me through this giant transition.  

I still can’t quite soak in that we are here.  Throughout the month of September, we somewhat hastily liquidated most of our belongings, exited a stormy rental on a ranch in Soquel, and said goodbye to whomever we could in the fray.  I’m honestly still reeling, and so is my daughter.  

Was this the Right Choice?

Time will tell if we will call this our home, but we are excited for the adventure and learning new things and meeting new friends every day.  There is no room for boredom here and I’m finally starting to take some breaths and really see what surrounds us-the breathtaking beauty of a jungle paradise and a slower, less stressful lifestyle; a sharp contrast from the stress-filled, fast paced system we were locked into (or so it felt).  

I’ve been envisioning breaking free from a life where I felt I could never quite get ahead, locked into the constraints of a job that didn’t pay enough, working for an entity that did not appreciate or understand what I was contributing, and basically struggling to provide as a single parent in an expensive area in California.  A year of fear, Covid, fires, a surreally difficult rental situation that propelled me out of Santa Cruz, rapidly skyrocketing rents, and a ridiculous amount of other stressors finally gave me the not so subtle nudge that it was time for a change.  

Well, inspired by our friends and our most recent visit to Costa Rica in April, we went big, which is something I’m not entirely accustomed to.  Instead of moving to a new town, or a new state, we liquidated nearly everything, stored the most precious and the most practical, packed our bags and boarded a plane for the jungles of Costa Rica.  I honestly don’t think the other shoe has dropped and that I’ve completely digested that I’ve reduced our belongings to six suitcases, two backpacks, and a not full 5 by 10 storage unit in Santa Cruz County. 

My Daily Reminders and Affirmations

At this point, when I’m feeling nervous and unsure about our move to Costa Rica, I’m reminding myself on a daily basis that:

1. It’s just stuff and we enjoyed it while we had it
2. We can and will rebuild
3. I chose this 
4. I am living my best life
5. I am doing this to create a beautiful, abundant life full of joy, love and freedom
6. All things are possible
7. I have created this experience to come into greater alignment with my life purpose and my gifts and to show my daughter what is possible
8. Nothing is permanent
9. We can always change our minds and try something different if this isn’t the best fit
10. It’s important to try and even if it doesn’t work out I haven’t failed
11. There is more than one way to create a beautiful life
12. My daughter is having the experience of a lifetime-and one possibly more valuable than sitting in a classroom in California.  We are seeing the world instead of reading about it in books or watching it on YouTube. 
13. Every day is an adventure filled with endless possibilities and beauty
14. I’ve got this, even when I don’t (maybe).

Pura Vida

Pura Vida is not all unicorns, tropical sunsets and rainbows. It’s also driving on crazy roads, tico time (which can be awesome or not, depending on your needs), lots of creatures, moldy clothes, not always having hot water, or electric laundry, or being able to seal your house from afore-mentioned creatures, learning how to move your money, and navigating petty theft….It takes time to learn how to remain tranquila through all of the Pura Vida, and becomes an exercise in gratitude for all the beauty that is here (and there’s a lot of that too).

Soula Mama

**Edit to say I wrote this a few months ago and my perspective is ever-changing so stay tuned for an update of our current perspective, and a series of articles on how I made the transition, life as a single mom in CR, and our adventures here on the peninsula.

Live well, and remember to be grateful for the moments of joy,

Z