When I first moved to Costa Rica six years ago, my real estate broker helped me find a cute, new-build, two-bedroom condo in Hermosa Beach for under $100,000. I loved it and lived there for two-and-a-half years but during that time I realized that there were a couple of things that needed to change…
From all reports, it sounds as if the apple cart has well and truly been upset in the States due to COVID-19. And while it breaks my heart to hear what's happening with my kids and grandkids and friends, I'm so happy to know that we've been minimally affected in our day-to-day lives here in the Orosi Valley.
Here you will find expats from around the world as well as plenty of locals giving this former fishing village a vibrant international atmosphere. One of the driest locations in the country, Coco offers lots of sunshine and minimal rainfall making it a fantastic destination for exploring the great outdoors.
Suburban Santa Ana is nestled in the hills west of Costa Rica’s capital, San Jose. It is conveniently located on the tollway next to the popular upscale suburb of Escazú. Two decades ago Santa Ana was just a small dot on the map in the Central Valley’s mountainous landscape.
As if the legends weren't enough, there also are stories that fall into the realm of unexplained mystery. One of the most important of these is the story of the stone spheres of Costa Rica. This is not fiction; it's simply a true story that includes strange and as yet unexplained facts.
Perfectly perched in the mountains of Costa Rica’s Central Valley region, the town of Atenas charms its visitors with an easy-to-get-to location. Just 30 to 40 minutes west of San Jose and just off the modern tollway; eternal spring weather and breathtaking mountain vistas await you in Atenas.
Since I wasn't a native Spanish speaker—and the only people I knew in Costa Rica were a couple of real estate agents from previous visits—I wasn't familiar with all the resources available to get reliable information.
Although the beaches are popular, an estimated 70% of the population in Costa Rica resides in the Central Valley, not on the coast. It is not really a "valley" per se, but more like a plateau across the middle of the country; in the higher elevations it reaches 3,000 to 5,000 feet.
I basically embody the American Dream. I come from a poor family amid a broken home—but I was the valedictorian of my class. I was the first person in the family to ever go to college, working two jobs to pay for my undergraduate education. Then came medical school. Then private practice. Then my own kids and the big house and the fancy cars. You know…success.
In 2013, when my husband Steve and I made the decision to make an international move, I was longing for a slower pace of life. My sales career in corporate America had beaten me up for two-and-a-half decades. I was longing to slow my life down with a leap from the roller coaster—for my sanity and my health. Costa Rica offered that chance to stop and smell the roses.