I can admit that at times I am a bit naive. Either that, or I'm really forgetful after making an A in high school Geography. Because I really do not understand to this day how I had no idea where Costa Rica was. Stores Online, Buy Smart Phone, Samsung Galaxy 10 4 5 iPhone iPads Apples, Tablets Laptops and more
Or maybe I was so love struck, that I was dumbfounded. When I first met my husband, G, he told me he was from Costa Rica...and I replied, "Huh, is that close or connected to Puerto Rico, an island? Then, I kept telling my friends and family that I was dating a Costa Rican from Costa Rico!
Apparently even some of them didn't have a clue either because they just said "Wow, I want to visit there someday", Lol! After awhile, of course, I finally was getting to know all about his homeland from a Tico's view. And tons of online research.
I had no plan of actually moving here while learning about CR, just visiting. We were engaged 9 months after we started seeing each other.
Then under unusual circumstances, BAM!...I was living in Costa Rica with my Tico fiance only 6 months after engagement!
I said LIVING, not VISITING! Living as in I shipped a 40 foot shipping container to Limon from Miami, Florida and sold or gave away everything else.
I basically knew that I was moving to a warm beautiful tropical paradise in Central America, directly North of Panama, and that I was going to see the ocean for the first time.
I had never ever traveled out of the United States before.
Heck, I had never even been on an airplane, I was ready to explore the world!
I have some very good advice:
Always visit a place before officially moving to it, it's much better that way because the internet only tells you some information, not all. G did tell me a lot that was very helpful, but even he couldn't help me avoid the shock.
From the time that we entered the capital city of San Jose until we settled South 3 days later, I was fine.
Then, I saw the tico home we would be living in, and I cried!
All I saw then was a "half-built" house full of bugs and lizards. My soon to be in laws probably thought I was spoiled or crazy or maybe both, who knows.
I kept hearing people yelling upe (pronounced oo-pay) from outside often... later learned that these people, men or women, are either selling something like clothing or food (fresh fruit, fresh baked goods, fish, etc.) or acting like they are.
But actually trying to see what you might have nice to steal.
I now know why tico homes are built the way they are and realize that the reptiles and lizards are our friends, they eat the bothersome insects, they are welcome indoors.
It took me 3 years to get used to washing in and with cold water!
There are these electric gadgets that you can attach to your shower for about $50 (or about 28, 000 colones) but I never bothered.
It's very warm here, so cooler water feels nice and refreshing.