Insider Secrets

The sun had just started climbing over the palms in Santa Cruz, the kind of sunrise that doesn’t rush you—just shows up, beautiful and calm, whether you’re ready or not. Skip sat at a small wooden table outside a soda near the beach. He held a cup of coffee firmly with both hands, staring into it like it might offer life advice. Once upon a time in Florida, mornings meant traffic reports, emails before breakfast, and arguing with red lights that clearly had it out for him. No

Skip’s Viewpoint – The Expat From Florida Skip had lived in Florida long enough to know three things: Smiling at strangers makes them suspicious. Waving at strangers makes them more suspicious. Saying hello to strangers means you’re either running for office, crazy or selling something. So when Skip arrived in Costa Rica, he brought that same “don’t-make-eye-contact” philosophy with him. But it didn’t last long. One morning, he was wandering through a small mountain town, pr

Saying “YES” more often in Costa Rica is like discovering a hidden superpower. Skip's point of view For Skip, the proud expat adventurer from the USA, that magical little word has become his new favorite toy. Back home, the wildest thing he said “YES” to was ordering dessert on a weekday . But now he’s here in Costa Rica — where people say “YES” to last-minute beach trips, mystery foods, zip-lining through jungles, and dancing like nobody is watching (even though everyone mos

When I first helped a British couple navigate Costa Rica's healthcare system, they were shocked to discover their assumptions about accessing medical care were completely wrong. They'd read all the positive reviews—and yes, Costa Rica's healthcare is genuinely excellent—but no one had told them about the real-world experience  of getting it as a foreigner. After years of managing healthcare logistics for dozens of expat families, I want to give you the unfiltered truth. Why C