Before I left the States, I spent a suitcase-full of minutes daydreaming about what my life would be like here. I clicked through pictures of waterfalls, birds, and beaches, and imagined a life immersed in nature at it’s most fertile.

Now that I’ve lived here for almost six months, the reality is that my most favorite moments breathing and feeling in this country do not necessarily involve these spectacular ornaments that Costa Rica so finely boasts.

My heart fills with warmth when…

1. A little girl in the park holds my son by both hands and pulls him away to dance and run.
2. A woman I might have spoken to once or twice greets me with a kiss on the bus.
3. The cook comes out of the kitchen and asks to hold my baby while I eat.
4. A small group of senior men on a shady bench in the park stop their conversation to say, “Buenas” as I pass by.



5. A grandmother at the market sells me a coconut, then rearranges the contents of my bag to make sure no other previously bought produce gets squashed…then she checks to make sure my baby’s feet aren’t cold.
6. My three year old son calls to me, “Pasa mas grapes.”
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7. A few pirate taxi drivers loudly laugh while they shoot pool in a sunny parking lot.
8. A couplet of well-fed, well-loved, smiling dogs trot unattended and free through the streets. [I first found this tragic, but have since realized the beauty and simplicity of their unrestricted lives.]



9. A shop owner runs out to the sidewalk to give my crying son a toy car, free of charge.
10. An infant daughter–dirty from head to toe–squeals in pure happiness as a puppy tugs on her clothes.

Not quite the lush, exotic experiences I had planned to perch atop my list of favorite memories in Costa Rica, but there you have it.

Maybe this explains why this place doesn’t feel like a vacation-destination for me, and why instead it feels like home.

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The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) ranks Atenas as one of “The Best Places to Retire Abroad.” For more information about homes and land for sale in the area please telephone our Recommended Realtors in Atenas Dennis Easters and Gerardo Gonzalez-Porras on (506) 8854-7721 or contact him using the simple form below:

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.