Costa Rica Insider Archives

As we approached our retirement, my wife Cindy and I decided we wanted a new and challenging adventure. I was president of an engineering company and Cindy a registered nurse who had advanced her career from oncology nursing into medical research, but we wanted something different. Moving overseas was high on our list.

Paul Hastings and Marilyn Stevens landed in Grecia, a small town in Costa Rica’s Central Valley region, in October 2013. After a group tour and taking some time to explore other areas of the country on their own, they decided they wanted to live in the mountainous interior of the country with its temperate year-round weather.

Two years ago, after leaving our careers and selling most of everything we owned, my wife and I retired early to Costa Rica. Our life in Dallas, Texas was busy and stressful. After looking at our options, we chose to move to a foreign country, to live more simply and have time to pursue our passions. We found Costa Rica had many benefits that made it stand out. Those benefits that brought us here are the same reasons we’ve stayed…

When I wake up in the morning to the sounds of green parrots squawking and howler monkeys growling, I know it's going to be a hot day. There's no need to look up the forecast: Living on the North Pacific coast in Costa Rica means a longer dry season with persistent sunny days. It's been over six months since it has rained here in our little town of Playas del Coco so everyone is waiting for it to come to get some relief from the heat.

Don't get me wrong, I love Texas. I like the people, their independent attitude, and friendliness. But when I left for the Marines in the late '60s, I never planned on returning. Not because of the task at hand—I was just ready to experience what the world had to offer. My eventual return was strictly out of commitment to responsibilities and an available career. When I reached 60, in a moment of clarity, I became acutely aware of how fast time was passing.

We're sitting on our upstairs deck, overlooking San Jose, Costa Rica, and I turn and say to my wife, "This is the best cup of coffee I've ever had." Since moving here from Colorado last year, we've developed a typical morning routine. We grind organic coffee beans together with a couple of organic cacao beans. Then we steep the blended grounds in our French press. Our chocolate-infused java brew pairs well with the cool Central Valley morning temperatures. Drinking our custom creation is a great excuse to enjoy each other's company.

Before we moved to Costa Rica, my family and I lived in Colorado. While Colorado is gorgeous, for three to six months of the year, we were covered in snow; we found ourselves snowed in more often than not at our house in the mountains. We were also spending nearly $600 each winter month just to stay warm. We had fires in the fireplace, heaters running, and we still had a tough time getting our home to climb over 65 degrees during the cold winter days.

On a quiet stretch of Costa Rica's Central Pacific you'll find a low-key beach community. It's been a fishing village for decades—the fishermen still go out every morning. It's called Esterillos and if you're looking for laidback life with a rural feel, it could be your perfect spot.