Changes

Many of my family and friends from the US, Mexico, and Canada have asked how I enjoy living in Costa Rica and how it differs from living in the aforementioned countries.

My immediate response would be that in Atenas we have consistent climate and more limited items to shop for than either country.  Costa Rica also is a much smaller country (smaller than the state of Texas where I lived most of my adult life!) and much smaller population.  I suspect that both of these factors tend to contribute to the selection of stores with the variety of goods found in the USA.  However, I have learned less selection does not mean lower quality of life or deprivation.  In fact,  the only items that I have not been able to find in the grocery stores that I previously used in cooking or preparing desserts is Velveeta cheese, Cool Whip, and Rotel tomatoes.  Two of the three items are processed foods which I am probably much better without eating!  Most of the other food items not readily available here in Atenas can be found at stores such as  AutoMercado, WalMart, PriceSmart, or Saretto, all within less than 30 minutes from our home.  Imported grocery items do come at a premium price so through attrition I am replacing old recipes with new ones that incorporate local goods, including an abundance of very cheap veggies and fruits.  Just the other day, for example, I purchased over 6 lbs. of fresh tomatoes for less than $2.00.

If pressed to name three things I miss, besides family and friends from each place, I would say sweet bread from Mexico, cherries and raspberries from Canada, and food from PF Changs, a favorite restaurant in the USA. Oh, yes and Orville Redenbacher popcorn for my air popper.  For some reason, good popcorn is hard to find here.

I have very few complaints about Costa Rica.  The lack of road signs can be frustrating, daunting, and yet adventuresome.  Since street signs are pretty much non existent, you have to learn to rely on inexplicable directions involving trees, businesses that are no longer there, the few hundred meters, and other assorted markers.  Besides, for me personally, the great things about living here far outweigh the minor inconveniences.  

Two blessings of our new lives here are watching a lot less TV (we were both kind of news junkies) and living a much slower pace of life that allows us to take in the beauty around us, and spend more time with new friends.