I’m back in Puerto Viejo now and quite content to be here. Four months ago I left, not knowing if I would come back. I ran out of money, had problems with my rentals back home and felt like my life was in a shambles. Maybe Costa Rica was not the place for me. But where was my place? I knew I didn’t want to stay in the States and vowed to be out of there before winter.
      It was a relief to arrive at my mom’s house and know I had food to eat and a roof over my head. Not that I did not have it in Costa Rica, but I never really felt certain. Some call me brave for my ventures abroad, but even I need some level of security.
      My travel journals of the first two years in Costa Rica led to the discovery of my ability and love for writing. My attempts at earning a living through art work and teaching English did not satisfy my needs so I decided to launch a new career. I spent three months creating a book from my journals. Writing that book gave me the opportunity to re live my many experiences here and remember why I really love this place. Sometimes you have to stand back and look at the picture from a distance to grasp its reality. The more I wrote, the more determined I was to return to Costa Rica.
      My book is called “If She Can Do It, So Can I.” It is all about overcoming the continual challenges of moving to a foreign country. Although I prevailed over many obstacles successfully, I was still not sure if I could handle the biggest one of all – to be able to support myself and live the lifestyle I desire, in Costa Rica. During the four months I spent in the States, my determination to return to Costa Rica grew into a self imposed mandate. I told myself, “Yes, I can!” and believed it. But there’s a bit more to it than that.
      After working for three months on my book and creating an audio book and eBook for sale on my web site, I still had no viable income to speak of. I believe that each one of us can live the life of our dreams and that our world is created by our thoughts. My thoughts began to slide down the slope of discouragement. To allay my worry, I decided to put my belief in the power of intention to the test and write a blog about it. You can find it here. I established what I needed to feel comfortable going back to Costa Rica and intended its accomplishment in one month. It was a success! My intentions were realized, with the unexpected benefits of some profound realizations and a-ha moments.
            I disciplined myself to write, every single day, about any occurrences or thoughts regarding money (the main subject of my intention). It’s amazing how much there is to learn if you just look around you. Situations came up one after the other, showing me my own devised obstacles to abundance. Changing one’s location involves more than just the physical. It involves changing ones thoughts and perceptions on life. To do this, you have to take a serious look at yourself and find out what is underneath the beliefs you hold. What do you really believe and why? Where did these ideas come from? Are they true? Do they serve you? I asked myself all this and more and came out of it with fresh ideas, ready to take on the challenges of the second phase of my vida nueva.
      One of the things I learned is not to worry but to know, to truly know, that things will all work out for the best in every situation. I came back here with no planned place to live and uncertain of what I would do. But I did it with confidence. I knew the answers would come to me as I needed them. My sketchy plan was to take my daughter on a road trip to the drier part of Costa Rica, as it is rainy season in the Caribbean right now. When I got here, Chelsea decided she wanted to go back to the States. That was quite a disappointment for me. I allowed myself to feel sad for a day and then I Iet it go. She needs to do what is best for her and she plans to come back in three months. That’s fine with me. So much for the mother-daughter road trip. In the mean time, I had planned to stay with a friend for a few days, but his place was very small. Turns out, the room next door was available to me for only ten dollars a night. So here I am and I like it so much that I have decided to stay and rent it by the month. And there’s been hardly any rain! Last year at this time we were inundated. The Spanish word for flood is inundacion and we had them. Now the weather is just lovely. So much for travel plans. I’ll stay here until the rain begins….
      As I said, I have learned not to worry. When you think positive, good things come your way. Although my rentals in Montana are set up and secure they do not fully support me, I still need to earn money. Just a few days after I got here I was presented with a way to do so. A guy from North Carolina found me on the internet and asked if I would show him around and help him accomplish his goals for his trip to Costa Rica. That was the official start of my Costa Rica Guide Service. I spent four days introducing him to people and places, hunting for real estate, and having fun – the highlight being a zip line canopy tour. It worked out wonderfully. His kind comments regarding my help can be seen on my testimonial page.
            My return to Puerto Viejo was a pleasant one. I was received with hugs and smiles and happy greetings in the street. The town has not changed much in the last four months. But the local internet cafe is now showing “walk-in” movies – like a drive in – shown outdoors on a large screen hanging from a tree.  
 
Businesses come and go, like in any tourist town. I am very excited to see that a new gas station is being built in nearby Hone Creek. Now I will only have to drive three miles to get gas, instead of fifteen. And a new grocery store is going in down the block. I’m told it will have the best prices around. The price of food has been one of my biggest grievances about living here. Another one would be theft. But now, that is not much of an issue for me either.
         There is no place in Central America where you don’t have to be careful. You can’t leave your camera on the car seat or your door unlocked – ever. But today I am living, in the place that probably has the best security in the area and it is not due to high fences, barbed wire and armed security guards. Yes, my windows have bars and my door has a good lock, but the thing that really keeps me safe is psychological. I am living at Cabinas Bull.
      Charlie Bull is a taxi driver and entrepreneur who has been here in Puerto Viejo all his life. In this female dominated culture, he is one of the town patriarchs. This man of grand stature and kind face is revered and well respected in the community. His gold chains and jewelry give him a regal air, like an African king, dispensing favors with dispassionate friendliness. Everybody knows who he is and nobody messes with him. He owns a small hotel and several adjacent houses. I live right above his house and park my car in the back of the property. Next door to me is Bull’s good friend Junior, who also keeps an eye on the place. On the other side is my friend Christen. He has lived here for over a year and never had problems with security. Even though it is smaller and right in town, the price is right and I feel safe in my new home. And it’s kind of fun to be in the thick of things. In the evening I can stay at home and watch TV in Spanish – yes I have a television now, and internet, too – or I can walk out the door and find live music, good food, people to talk to and a lovely ocean to admire. Life is good.
In a few days I go back to San Jose to take Chelsea to the airport. I plan to stay at a lovely little Bed and Breakfast I recently discovered, Vida Tropical. It is owned by a lively Colombian couple who invited me to go Salsa dancing with them on Saturday night. I am excited and a bit nervous, too. They are from Cali, the second largest city in Colombia and the Salsa capital of the world! I’ll have to get some practice before I go.