When most Americans hear the word pioneer, the first image that usually comes to mind is that of a horse drawn wagon heading into the wild west in pursuit of the American dream of open land and gold.

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One of “The Best Places to Retire Abroad.”

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Depending on your point of view, that romanticized dream is a thing of the past. However, that deeply seeded pioneer spirit is alive and well not only in the American psyche but in the psyche of our global community.

About 10 years ago I became restless to my core. My restlessness was partially brought on by an inner desire to explore a new land, learn a new language and appreciate a new culture.
This yearning was combined with a feeling of impending doom with the course my country was taking (the U.S. crisis hit a year after I moved and was soon followed by a global crisis).

I began to search for greener pastures. I was tired of the proverbial “rat race” and knew there was more to life than what I was gleaning from my experience.

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A few days ago as I was taking my morning walk, meditating, listening to the world wake up and absorbing the lush, green scenery around me when a light bulb went off in my head and I realized that I am a pioneer! Not in the pure sense of the word. I obviously did not discover Costa Rica or even Atenas. However I have carved out a beautiful life for myself and family and that pioneer spirit is alive and well to my core.

To give a little back story, I come from a typical pioneering Florida Cracker family. They came from various backgrounds and forged their way into the rugged palmetto scrubs and mosquito infested swamplands of Florida.

They risked life and limb in search of the American dream. They fought and made friends with Indians, disease, drought and hardships that today would seem unimaginable in the western world.

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In the 1700’s the Drury side of my family crossed back and forth between the Florida and Georgia border. Finally in 1792 during the second Spanish period, Mills Drury received a land grant from the King of Spain for DRURY, the 300 acre plantation he had built on the Nassau River in northeast Florida.

The Murphy side of my family made their way from Georgetown, Washington D.C. to Florida by wagon in the late 1830’s, before Florida received its statehood in 1845. Throughout the 1840’s and 1850’s the Easters, Taylor, Colding and Stanaland families followed suit. They all forged a new life in the wilderness, cutting pine trees from flat scrubs to build their homes.

To survive they wrangled wild cattle, fished the natural lakes and spring fed rivers, hunted coon, squirrel and wild hogs, planted gardens and learned from the native Indians that plants like coontie palm and cattails could be roasted and ground into flour to make bread.

Some 200 years later, that same pioneer spirit has not only survived but is thriving. If I look back, it was more than just my dissatisfaction with my life and government that helped me carve a new path. It was that old pioneer spirit that stirred within me, telling me to “go to Costa Rica young man”.

In the past few years the number of American citizens that have chosen to expatriate to other countries has doubled each year. Many people are fleeing to the new world due to their disdain for the paths their governments are taking and to avoid higher taxation. These are the same major reasons our forefathers left their homelands to discover the New World over 500 years ago.

The 21st century pioneer comes in many forms, from around the globe with varied personal reasons for their journey. Even though we are not forging through the savage, rugged terrain in a horse drawn wagon, cutting down trees to build a home and living off the land as our forefathers did so many years ago, the obstacles and hardships still exist.

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The new pioneer has to overcome language and cultural barriers as well as climate change. The tress are no longer being cut to build log cabins but to produce paper for the mountain of forms produced by governmental bureaucracy and red tape.

When we first came to Atenas our town attracted more retirees looking for a winter home or permanent retirement residence. That has changed drastically and we are seeing more and more young families move to Atenas, looking for a safe and healthy environment to raise their growing families.

Pioneering is not only for the young at heart. The embers have been stoked and the more mature adults have been out in force. In the past few years the number of octogenarians (plus) moving to our small town is inspiring. We are currently working with Ms. Weil, a spry 80 year old from Texas who has packed up her wagon and is headed to Costa Rica. She is my hero!

In the end I could make a long list of the reasons why I decided to pull up stakes and move to Costa Rica. However, if I am being honest, the most important one was I did not want to be on my death bed, at age 105 saying, “I wish I had of followed my dream to live in a different country and experience a new language and culture”.

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As I look back at my 8 years here in Atenas, I have only admiration to all those who have chosen to follow their inner pioneer spirit. They have, for various motives decided to go out and explore this beautiful world we have been blessed to call home.

Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams. In the end, following your dreams will always be the best decision you ever make.

The Pioneer Spirit is Alive and Well Living in Atenas, Costa Rica…

Article/Property ID Number 4396

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