You know it’s been a great and full summer, if it’s gone in a flicker. But what a summer! The last few weeks were so busy they were difficult to keep track of, which means everyone was feeling dug in. My sister and her daughter came to visit, Cali and Paul got in more surf time, a few wisdom teeth had to be dealt with, online university courses started, and the next leg of our trip had to be planned.
Like every summer, I enjoy a quick glance back over my shoulder before the busy year begins.
After her month in Bolivia to see the salt flats among other things, Kier was with us for most of the summer. She designed websites and promotional material while on our balcony overlooking the ocean. Nice work if you have the skills. She set up my website as well as her own business site. Kier and I would often hang out at the coffee shop at the resort next door and split a smoked salmon and avocado panini while we worked. She got many opportunities to use her Spanish and hang out with her sisters. When she wasn’t working, her favorite spot was our balcony with a cup of coffee and her Kindle. A few weeks into August she went back to Miami to continue school.
Madi volunteered in a prenatal center both in town and in the neighboring village of Tarcoles. The highlight of her summer was performing ultrasounds which she learned how to give from a manual and You Tube. When she wasn’t volunteering she spent time writing her book, delighting her sisters with new chapters all summer long. A week before we left she went in to get her teeth cleaned and the dentist said her two back wisdom teeth need to come out. She also started full-time courses at the university online. She may come back to volunteer at an animal sanctuary next summer.
Cali started taking two classes online when we left for Costa Rica. She led an expedition to find starfish beach off a little island in Panama. When we settled in Jaco, she also started local school full time. She practiced a lot of Spanish, learned all the Spanish swear words (unintended), but it was a Catholic school after all. She got to be a pro at riding her bike to and from school, and made a gaggle of girlfriends. Her cousin came to visit for five days, and they were inseparable for the entire time. She learned to surf in Tamarindo, but found the best teacher in Jaco. She wants to return next summer to do more Spanish and surfing, and see her friends.
Paul bought bikes, hiked and biked daily. He would see a mountain, the next day he would bike or hike the mountain, because it was there. Our condo on the beach was perfect, he’s all about the view. He took advantage of the gym next door at the resort. He cooked many gourmet meals for the family which we had on the balcony overlooking our turquoise Pacific view. He and Cali made good use of the pool. Like Cali, his happiness comes hand in hand with lots of physical activity, and in Costa Rica he had lots of options.
The summer highlight for me was exploring Costa Rica from end to end and ocean to ocean. What a fascinating, beautiful country. I was so impressed what the government has accomplished so far, funding infrastructure from tourism, focusing on education, clean energy, and preserving nature. The people are warm and helpful, the dogs aren’t abused and starving, nature is respected and appreciated.
On a personal level I enjoy the warmth, the nature, the good coffee, the unusual animals, time to write and take pictures. Especially since the girls are getting older, I savor how traveling takes away all the distractions and gives us a tiny pocket of togetherness. The girls each have spunky, quick-witted humor that play off of one another’s; we need no other forms of entertainment.
On the family level the town we chose was perfect to maintain our interest, keep us fed, immerse us in a new culture, and still feel like a home. Jaco also checked our family’s three big bonus boxes; beach, cinema, and amazing sushi. There was plenty for everyone to do, eat, learn, play. The accommodations were perfect, the variety of activities and restaurants, more than we were able to fit in. What a place to spend a few months. Thank you for your hospitality, Costa Rica. We’ll be back–we still have a few wisdom teeth left.