Costa Rica

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Life in the Monteverde Countryside

Roxana has loved animals since she was a girl growing up on one of Santa Elena's original farms. I sat with her sipping coffee in the hotel where her father's farm once stood as she pulled an orange scarf from a black shoulder bag. A tiny opossum awoke and yawned as she unfurled the scarf. Roxana explained how the 'baby' had been left behind by its mother near the doorstep of her house and she took it in. After spoon feeding it some banana, we got in her jeep and headed toward Heliconia Ranch.

By Ryan Van Velzer | May 29, 2013

Border Crossing: Nicaragua by Boat

Riding in a Costa-Rican long-tail boat up the Frio River watching howler monkeys and enjoying the cool breeze didn't feel like the average Nicaragua border run.

By Ryan Van Velzer | Mar 28, 2013

All Blog Posts

Life in the Monteverde Countryside

Roxana has loved animals since she was a girl growing up on one of Santa Elena's original farms. I sat with her sipping coffee in the hotel where her ...
Border Crossing: Nicaragua by Boat

Riding in a Costa-Rican long-tail boat up the Frio River watching howler monkeys and enjoying the cool breeze didn't feel like the average Nicaragua ...
The Top 5 Reasons I love living in Tamarindo

Writing down 10 reasons why I love living in Tamarindo – a small beach town in Costa Rica's Guanacaste region – would be easy. Unfortunately, it would...
A Look Back: Tamarindo, Six Months Later

When I moved to Tamarindo – a buzzing beach town on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast – back in January, I made a resolution to keep a daily blog.
Fruit of the Month: Cas

In Costa Rica, ripe cas fruit is almost exclusively used for drinks, due to its tart flavor.
Voting Info for American Expats

American expats: learn where and how to vote in the 2012 elections and make a difference.
Naturalized Costa Rican Citizenship by Marriage

Naturalized citizenship through marriage to a Costa Rican is surprisingly easy to obtain.
10 Tips for Successful Relocation

Practical tips for new expats to successfully adapt to life in Costa Rica.
Natural Parenting in Costa Rica

From cloth diapers to breastfeeding, we are bringing up our baby naturally in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Finally Goes Smoke Free

Costa Rica recently passed legislation effectively banning smoking in all public places.