Recreating Myself In Costa Rica

Getting here is the first step. Recreating myself in this new place will take a lot longer.

I admit that one part of me believes I have been guided here – that I am being shown the way and it’ll all work out just fine. The other part argues that I’d better have ‘all my ducks in a row’ and know exactly where I’m going. Both parts are correct.

The fact remains that I must satisfy three basic needs to feel at home here.

1. Social needs – friends and ‘family’ here. This will take time and is ongoing. I have met a few folks through Mike and Jane who found me my house and I have been welcomed by my new Tico family – Anita and her family. Importantly, there is an unofficial ExPat gathering once a week after the market at a local restaurant. I am pleasantly surprised to find that my social network begins to include people I’ve never had an opportunity to know before – Ticos and Ex-Pats from other parts of the world with very different views and backgrounds from my own. All offer new opportunities for learning and understanding and growth.
2. Comfort needs – shelter, food, money. My bare Tico house needs some work inside to make it comfortable and safe and I need to supplement my social security income.
3. Occupational needs – what I do with my time – teaching, painting and writing, which are also my identity. I hear it often. “I’ve worked hard all my life and now I’m just going to enjoy life…” Sounds good. But after a few weeks of doing nothing, it may get old.

Having an occupation or avid interest is important psychologically as well as realistically, providing a supplementary income. Finding work in Costa Rica, however can be daunting.

Basically – an ExPat is prohibited from working here under the rationale that it takes work away from a Tico – which I agree with. I knew coming here that I would teach watercolor painting. I wanted to find a way to build some cabinas for students to stay in and a teaching studio.

Meanwhile – I’ll teach elsewhere. I set about lining up workshops in New Mexico and the northwest, where two of my sons live. But first – the Osa Peninsula!

Painting and teaching surrounded by the jungle and animals is my heart’s desire. And so my teaching work would begin at Sombra de Lapas (Shade of the Macaw) on the Osa Peninsula at the home and tree house of artist, Michael Cranford and creative designer, Rebecca Amelia.

Planned a year before, eight students plus my sister in law, Alice and husband, Ric would arrive from places afar for a 10 day watercolor painting and adventure workshop in early February.

As the second most bio-diverse place on earth, Sombra de Lapas had it all – the rain forest, the animals, a swimming pool, views, an outdoor studio, meals on site and plenty of adventures to offer students – plus a tree house!

So on January 29th 2009 I and my two dogs, Livvie and Seurat, drove the 4+ hours to the jungle! The students – from Canada and the United States – from Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Colorado, New Mexico and Washington arrived the next day and were all greeted by the raucous scarlet macaws!

These magnificent birds mate for life and may live 70 years. Endangered elsewhere, they are becoming more and more commonplace here on the Osa. Four macaw couples now make their homes at Michael and Blondie’s place.

Leaving the dusty main road we bumped and climbed into the pristine coastal rain forest to arrive at Sombra de Lapas. Climbing out of our open air taxis, we took deep breaths of oxygen rich air.

For the next eight days we painted and adventured and painted and adventured! Every meal was a visual and taste delight prepared by Blondie. And every night was restful in the sweet soft air punctuated by jungle sounds. Wonderful days of painting and laughing and sharing.

One afternoon we were all talking and someone asked about my plans at my home in San Rafael Norte. I talked about what was there and what I’d like to do but admitted that I didn’t know how I would get the money to build. I really had very little. I had spent everything.

I had to move to Costa Rica. I told them I wanted to start building cabinas – but no idea when or how. Three of the women at the workshop did – and before afternoon blended into evening they had devised a plan for me to raise $15,000 through ‘Time Share Painting Intensives’ for $1,000 upfront to the first 15 who signed up, to be fulfilled sometime within the next two years.

When I expressed some doubt about the possibility of finding people who would give me $1,000 now for a ‘later’ adventure, these three women wrote out checks! And the Time Share Plan to build the cabinas was born!

After our 10 days we bid farewell and Pura Vida. The students returned to San Jose and then home while Alice, Ric, the dogs and I climbed into my car and headed back to my place for another week.

Rick had generously volunteered to help me make my house more comfortable and safe. But first, our four-hour plus drive home from the Osa turned into a new adventure!

Just after we left the peninsula and turned north onto Highway 2 at Chacarita, Ric asked me if the car always drove hot. Hot? How hot? A few miles later we chugged to a stop at the side of the lonely coastal road to deal with the overheated engine and figure out what to do to get home, still another 100 miles away.

Alice’s cell phone was not usable in Costa Rica – and I hadn’t been able yet to qualify for one through ICE, Costa Rica’s communication monopoly. Surrounded only by lowland rain forest, we watched the sky turn rosy and waited to see what would unfold.

Often difficult for our pre-planning and control seizing brains, here one often must relax and go with the flow. A wait and see approach is definitely the Tico way. It isn’t easy. But I believe that it is possible to get into this mode of thinking and being.

After a while a car pulled up with a Tico couple on their way to a party who decided instead to help us. As we talked in our fledgling Spanish, a truck stopped with three Ticos who had a large container of water and we spent some time getting to know our rescuers while pouring water over the engine and radiator.

It was decided that we could drive a bit further to a gas station now that the car was cool again. Our troop of helpers accompanied us and then again helped to cool the engine that had again overheated.

We now knew we couldn’t make it home – another 100 miles away. The truck-stop town of Palmar Norte was only about 4 Km on down the road – where we could probably stay over night. One of our helpers knew of cabinas there. On borrowed cell phones we called and yes, they would allow the dogs, too.

On another call I spoke with Jacqui Monacel, my car purchase contact in San Jose. Her husband owned Car Doc where my car had been checked and road tested before I bought it. She had advised full coverage for my car with INS, the national insurance company which should be able to arrange to tow my car to San Jose and to Konrad, the head mechanic there.

Jacqui contacted INS and made the arrangements. At first they agreed to do it FREE – part of the insurance full coverage, but later asked if I could contribute $60 toward the towing, which completely made sense to me – 300 miles and all. After cooling the car down again, our helpful couple, the water guys and a taxi driver convoyed with us to Palmar Norte and the cabinas, which were so welcome! We got cards from everyone and bid fond thank-you’s!

The dogs and I piled into one bed; Alice and Rick in the other – and we all slept soundly.

In the morning Rick arranged for a rental car that was delivered to us. And off we went leaving my car keys and ailing car with the motel. Later, I would learn that a broken water pump had started it all…

Rick, as a master woodworker says he loves projects. Well, he came to the right place for sure! One look at my exposed cobweb of wiring and Rick’s priority became electrical, followed by some things I desperately needed. We had 6 days and the list that Rick and I compiled was truly impressive!

• Lots of re-wiring. Rick was quite bothered by the sagging electrical wires and spliced joinery everywhere. We counted up the plugs and switches and fixtures and it turned into a major project in itself. Every room needed work. You mean I won’t have to plug in my TV in to two extension cords that drape across my bedroom door?
• Kitchen: shelves and counter top. Pantry area for refrigerator and newly arrived ice machine (don’t ask – it is something I really wanted).
• Bathroom. Make the suicide shower less suicidal. It is called a suicide shower because the electrical wiring is right next to the water. And – mine was even more suicidal and I’d already experienced a little shock. The apparatus needed to be stabilized and the wiring protected. Shelf in the bathroom and realignment of my medicine cabinet so that it is centered. What a concept. And install sink in the bathroom centered below the medicine cabinet. Another concept.
• Study. Work space in the study. Rick suggested a table across the south end of the room where I could work – complete with shelves below and bookshelves on the wall. As we discussed the wall behind the worktable I said I’d love to be able to look through to the trees beyond through my bedroom window – and the TV high in the corner. Voila! How about a window through the wall, just over the head of my bed? Perfect!
• Dog door for the dogs. One of the workshop participants brought me a dog door from Canada! They aren’t available in Costa Rica. When I asked around town I was greeted with very puzzled expressions. Why would anyone want a door for a dog when dogs NEVER go inside the house?

Monday morning and each morning after Rick would outline the plan for the day and we would begin. Rick did all the work with Alice helping him when he needed something stabilized, etc.

Luckily, my belongings arrived on Tuesday morning at 7 a.m with the #9 box containing all the tools and the new power drill and power saw I had purchased. Rick was delighted! I began unpacking and accompanied Rick to the hardware store or lumberyard to purchase what we needed By the end of the week Rick had accomplished it all. My humble Tico house had become a home! Sure it needed more – but poco a poco.

Work on the Cabinas begins.

With the $3,000 seed money from the workshop women – the work on the cabinas began! I decided to hire Cesar and crew after they did so well with the aviary. Cesar, Isaac and I sat down to iron out the details in my favorite design mode – one sheet of paper and two pens. Cesar took one and I took the other.

We draw, cross out, extend, question and change as we discuss with our meager commands of the other’s language. I show Cesar my sketches of the elevations as well as the space plan – and we agree. There is no estimate of how much it will total and no estimate of how long it will take.

It will cost whatever it costs and it will take as long as it takes. I took a deep breath. Oh boy. I will keep records and Cesar will get the best prices he can.

A few more thoughts shared – about saving as many trees as possible – and I hand him 500,000 colones (about $906.00) to start the process. A few days later Cesar brings two workers who clear the spot for the cabinas – with shovels and machetes.

Because I can’t really climb up the embankment easily or without some help, I waited for Cesar to return in the evening to check the work. We’ve agreed on the cabina measurements and plan and that for $5,700 the land work, all the foundation concrete and steel work, the steel skeleton and hip roof with eaves that extend out over the decks will be completed.

By Friday evening the young men have cleared and leveled most of the area as well as created some steps in the earth for me to get up the incline. I was delighted. Work has begun!

There is a very subtle shift going on inside of me as my body begins to understand that although this life is temporary, this Tico lifestyle is becoming permanent. I can count on it.

Every morning the sun comes up before 6 and every evening the sun goes down before 6. Every morning (so far) the air is slightly cool and still and the sky is blue. The bright stars I see at night give way to the crystalline morning filled with bird calls from birds I cannot yet identify.

My dogs go out to lie in the morning sun. I open my eyes and find myself fully awake again with another effortless transition from one state to another. Now, from my study I can look through my bedroom window to watch the birds as I write.

And – if I look over my left shoulder through the aviary – I can see the cabinas beginning their life…

Life feels calm and good and soft.

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Written by Jan Hart who is an internationally recognized watercolor artist, teacher and writer who moved to San Isidro de General from northern New Mexico, USA. At age 66, she still plans to teach, paint and write but is hoping to slow her pace in order to enjoy the incredible colors she finds all around her. For more information about Jan’s watercolor workshops and classes please email here at jan@janhart.com

Keep your eyes open for Jan Hart’s brand new EBook on Retirement To Costa Rica which should be available right here on WeLoveCostaRica.com by the end of December 2009.

If you have a serious interest in buying a home, a farm or land that’s for sale in the San Isidro area, please contact our Recommended Costa Rica Realtors: Daveed Hollander, James Drews and John Wieland, by using the simple form below:

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.