Hello!
It’s been a while, I just thought now would be a good time to touch base. Like I had mentioned in previous blog posts, it is kinda difficult to find things to write about on a regular basis now that I’m living here full time. I’m not sure when this specific post will be published, but I will likely be in the US when you are reading it. We get Holy Week off of work so I took the week before off as well in order to give me enough time to make a trip home to see family. I’m currently in my office in Costa Rica and very much looking forward to seeing Lookouts Baseball, Centre Lacrosse, playing disc golf and spending lots of time with friends and family.
My life in Costa Rica has been so fulfilling and rich these past couple months. I was home in the US over the winter holidays and since I’ve been back in Samara I’ve been overflowing with gratitude for the opportunity to live and work in this wonderful community. When we first started back to work at CREAR I learned that I would be receiving a promotion! Lucy, the CREAR programs manager, announced that she was taking a new job and leaving CREAR at the end of 2021. Andrea and the CREAR board of directors thought that I would be a good fit for the position so I was promoted to “Programs Manager and Volunteer Coordinator.” I’m no longer teaching English class at CREAR, but I am overseeing both the English and the Art programs and making sure that the people and things needed to run the programs are where they need to be. The CREAR program year is just starting up and one of my first duties as program manager was to get all of our students enrolled in the program. We met with the principals from local schools and handed out flyers with information about our program. We hosted 2 weeks of “Open house” type events where families could come and sign their kids up while the students played games with our teachers. Enrollment was a huge success and we have over 40 students signed up between our two locations!
Last November I moved from my small 1 bedroom bachelor pad apartment to a full house. Through connections I’ve made in the community I was offered an opportunity to take over a lease on a wonderful 3 bedroom 1 bath home in the jungle; just 15 minutes walking distance from beautiful, secluded, Playa Izquierda. The house has also allowed me to rent out my extra room to cover some of my living expenses. My roommate, Kyle, is a 20-something surfer from Long Island who has been in Costa Rica for almost 4 years now. He used to teach at a private bilingual school in Playa Grande, Costa Rica but he has started tutoring remotely and wanted to move back to Samara where he started his Costa Rica journey. Kyle and I clicked almost immediately and I am so glad to finally have another young, male friend from the United States here in Samara. I’m also very lucky that Kyle purchased a car upon moving back to Costa Rica because that means surfing expeditions are much more accessible now.
Kyle has his wheels, but I also made the decision recently to invest in some motorized transportation. After weeks of searching on Facebook marketplace I was able to find a fantastic dual-sport motorcycle within my price range and not too far from Playa Samara. A friend of mine is dating a mechanic so the three of us went up to Nosara to check it out. Micah the mechanic gave the bike a thorough inspection and said that he didn’t notice anything out of line. I negotiated with the seller and I walked out of the deal as the proud owner of a 2017 Honda XR150L motorcycle. I love having my own set of wheels that lets me get out and explore new places. I also purchased a surfboard rack so on the days when my schedule doesn’t line up with Kyle’s I can still get out and surf.
Earlier I mentioned the beautiful secluded Playa Izquierda which is a short walk through the jungle from my front door. That beach has become my happy place. The walk through the tropical dry forest is becoming a significant part of my morning routine. Before I even drink my coffee I will lace up my walking shoes (or sometimes even take the walk barefooted to connect more with the land and myself) and take off for the beach. It is a hilly hike and it is almost always hot in Guanacaste this time of year, but it is all worth it when I get to enjoy the beach by myself each morning. Izquierda is a beautiful place to take friends to watch the sunset and the fact that it is off the beaten path makes the whole experience feel more adventurous. Aside from being a beautiful rocky beach with little foot traffic, Izquierda is also home to a finicky but sometimes gorgeous surfing wave. The beach is called “Izquierda” or “left” because of the way the wave breaks from right to left over the rocky reef. I have put in a number of hours at this spot and every time I get out there I learn something new about how the wave breaks in different conditions. Even when the conditions aren’t right for good surfing, paddling out over the reef is breathtaking and you are almost guaranteed to see a sea turtle or some other beautiful marine life swimming in the crystal clear water.
One of the biggest blessings of living in this beautiful place is the ability I have to share it with others. One of my best friends and travel companions, Jack Dubreuil, came out to visit me at the beginning of March and to say that we enjoyed our time together would be an understatement. I hadn’t seen Jack since summer of 2019 and we were well overdue for a visit. He moved to New York City a few months before I moved to Playa Samara and I think he would affirm that our lifestyles are quite distinct. I was impressed with Jack’s ability to quickly turn off his motor and adjust to the “Pura Vida” lifestyle. We spent our time lounging on the beach and making the best of my new motorcycle to go eat at different restaurants around the region.
I’d like to wrap up my post with a moment of gratitude. There are so many wonderful people in my circle who have helped me to build this life I’m living now. Thank you to my boss, Andrea Keith, who continues to believe in me and my abilities to do great things for CREAR. Thank you to Rekha and Gail, the art and English teachers here at CREAR, who pour so much love and positivity into our program and enrich the lives of our students each day. Thank you to Kyle for being a great friend and roommate and thank you to all the readers of this blog who take an interest in what I do and support me as I learn and grow in this beautiful community.
doslenguasdosalmas 
Always fun to read your posts! They’re very interesting, and you’re such a good writer. It sounds like everything is going well for you.
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I really enjoyed reading your update. I especially like your new mode of transportation. Also sounds like you are enjoying a larger, nicer living space.
Will talk to you when you get home.
Daddy Daddy
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