Costa Rica Living – A Mother’s Perspective

A mother’s word can sometimes be the best council.

Relocating to a new home and establishing roots in a place possibly far away from friends and family can be an incredible adjustment. Veteran voices, such as Mary Beck a mother of two living in the western San José suburb of Escazu, offer information about day to day life and decisions that can impact the success or failure of relocation to not only a new home, but possibly a new country, culture, and language.

Mary decided to come to Costa Rica while studying for her degree in Spanish.

She met her soon-to-be husband and over a period of time eventually made the commitment to live in here. Her two sons are fluent in English and Spanish and Mary feels each are benefiting greatly from living in Costa Rica.

Mary has experienced the full circle of activities in Costa Rica from studying at the University to working as an English teacher to raising her two sons – three and five years old.

She reflects on the decision to raise a family in Costa Rica and issues central to that choice such as safety and community connection.

Mary where are you originally from, and why did you choose to first live in Costa Rica?

I am from Southern California and first came to Costa Rica with the ‘Education Abroad Program’ of the University of California for a one-year exchange program in 1993 as part of my B.A. degree.

Why did you decide to stay in Costa Rica and raise a family here?

During the year of the exchange program, I met my husband (who is Costa Rican). I returned to California to finish up my degree. Then, we got married and I moved down here to be with him in January of 1995.

What are the advantages of living in Costa Rica for you?

The natural beauty – even here in Escazu, I am surrounded by beautiful green mountains, but what are especially wonderful are the trips we are able to make here: to the beach, mountains, volcanoes, etc.

Also life here seems to be more easy going and more slower-paced than what I remember it to be in Southern California. At the time I moved down here I felt ready for a change of environment. I also feel pretty safe here.

While there is certainly crime and you have to learn to keep your eyes open, I feel that overall it is a safe place to be, especially considering all the conflict and turmoil the U.S. is involved in right now.

I also feel that I am less preoccupied with consumer consumption here. Meaning that I am not so caught up in the spending frenzy that I felt I was in when I lived in the U.S. which is a positive thing for me.

What do you think the advantages are for your children?

It’s easy to access the ‘great outdoors’. My children love trips to the beach or day trips to volcanoes or other national park areas. And although we certainly do get exposure to all the commercial ‘crap’ (T.V. ad’s for toy, programs, movies and related merchandise), I feel we still get a much lower dose than what the kids are exposed to in the U.S.

I also imagine that the schools here in Costa Rica may be safer and have fewer problems with drug use, although I don’t have experience with having a child in school in the U.S.

Are there any disadvantages?

It’s a small place and the job market can be pretty narrow. Also the salaries are quite low. And of course I’m far from home and don’t see my family enough.

There are also little things that bug me, but there are little things that bug everyone everywhere, and they’re not even worth mentioning as a ‘disadvantage’.

What would you tell someone thinking about making the move to Costa Rica?

That the cost of living is not as inexpensive as you might think. But on a more positive note, there are many more things available here than there were 10 years ago, and you can live quite comfortably. Also, there is a big foreign community here, and it is easy to meet people and network.

Susan Carmichael is a freelance writer living in Costa Rica. She has developed several education curriculums for children and adults. She has also taught journalism. Susan produced and hosted radio programs and documentaries in Costa Rica including a short story program called “In the Moment” and an hour long interview program focused on the issues of women called “A Woman’s Voice”.

[custom_script adID=97]

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.