A Day of Interviews

New Off Road Project

"The Real Costa Rica" 

I am working on an exciting new CR off road project which is a joint venture for a series that I am co-producing. I don't have a release date yet, but as soon we complete it and my partner gives me the "OK" we will have it available to share. 

Lots of interviews, videos and helpful info 

So Stay Tuned. 

I think you will enjoy it

Our Interview with The Black Expat - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #3

One of our goals for this site is to motivate and provide information to black people who are considering making a move to a new country -- so we were extremely honored to have been asked to share our journey to Costa Rica in feature interview with The Black Expat!

The Black Expat, is a digital platform that focuses on the experiences of black expatriates/immigrants and international living.

You can Check out our interview here

If you haven't visited their site please jump on over and check them out. They have lots of helpful information as well as videos and interviews with people who have made the move! Enjoy!

A Lunch for 12 - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr#2

THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to post a comment/note re the loss of our 2 little Yorkies. I speak for both Lavanson and myself when I say, your words were greatly appreciated!!

As sad as we have been, I think it's time for me to get back to work.

I have a lot of information to pass along. So, let's start with our recent visit to Alajuela for lunch at a Caribbean restaurant.

It's no secret (or at least it's not a secret anymore) that I am not a huge fan of the local food here. It's not that it's bad, it's just that it is a bit bland for my taste. So... I was really excited when Jeanetta Owens of La Terraza invited our group to join her for lunch at a Caribbean restaurant in Alajuela, only 45 minutes away from Grecia.

the photographer could not fit everyone into the photo at once - so he took a series of photos. Please excuse my attempt at pasting them together LOL

At that time we had visitors from the states and Jeanetta had visitors from the states, plus some of us local expats so we all got together for A lunch for 12.

I absolutely LOVE Caribbean food and "Caribbean's Food Garage" did not disappoint! The food was excellent as was the service. Great options for meat eaters and vegetarians alike. We will be going back often!

While we were there we also talked a bit about costs to move to Costa Rica.

Check out the video below

A Lunch for 12 from Devon on Vimeo.

The Coming of a New Age on Earth] Even the children are different - Expat Interview Series

I'm old enough to remember the Age of Aquarius from a song in the musical “Hair.” 

I was a teenager in the 60’s and I loved that song!

The Aquarian Age:

 The official beginning of the Aquarian Age is November 11, 2011 or 11/11/11 and the age is dominated by networks, and information. The key phrase for this age is “Be to be.” The key to the astrological sign Aquarius is “I know.” 

This is the age of information. Nothing is secret anymore. All information is available at your fingertips.

During this age, the focus is no longer on your identity and existence (“to be or not to be”), but on accepting yourself as a whole person (“be to be”) who does not need to believe in something outside of yourself. You are ready to accept that you have the knowledge and wisdom within yourself. It is no longer necessary to attach to something outside yourself, but to become 

a leader of one: yourself!

And what about the children?

About 10 years ago I wrote a blog called Saalome - the coming of a new earth. During that time I researched and wrote a lot about Indigo/Crystal Children (which I have have been seeing more and more of these days)

Scientist have confirmed that our DNA has been changing over time. 

Children born from 1990's to the Present or the new children are often referred to as "the gift to the world". 

They are being born with a different energy. 

Have you noticed it?

They are born knowing so much more...

The education of children comes mainly from the people in their lives, and not from the institutional “lessons” forced upon them by the ‘system’

So, how do we teach these children when we find that the old ways of teaching are not working?

Please check out the story below, written by a friend of ours, as she explains 

The decision to homeschool from a mother’s perspective

As parents to a five year old daughter and three year old son, home-schooling may seem like a topic that isn’t warranted until a child is “school-age” in Western world standards.In our minds, we envision this realm that we call Earth as a school. So for our children, school starts as soon as they are free from the womb.

With little ones, how is it possible to successfully teach them at home? How can we keep them focused enough to learn when most of their day is spent running around the house with no signs of decreased energy?

In 2014, our family made some alterations in our routine by allowing one parent to stay at home while the other worked. During the time, my husband was Active Duty Air Force. I was a recently separated service-member from Active Duty after giving birth to my son.

Read the rest of the story here 

Come to Grecia for the Healthy LifeStyle - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #2

Today, hundreds of doctors and medical researchers worldwide are investigating electro medicine as both an effective alternative to traditional methods of treatment and an avenue for discovering new possibilities for treating conditions such as spinal cord injury, muscular restoration, nerve regeneration, brain stimulation, bladder disorders, heart disease, tumors, and other chronic catastrophic diseases and disorders.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to have this treatment done at La Terraza.

... a revolutionary new electronic machine, distinct in that it is based on the concept that the biophysics underlying the body's biochemistry also plays a significant role in regulating all of life's health processes. 

This is the ONLY machine of it's kind in Costa Rica.

see video below for more information

Do you want to know a secret? from Devon on Vimeo.

Experience the feeling
of true energetic and harmonic health
with Photon Genie

For information or to reserve your spot

contact La Terraza @ 

Email: Laterrazabb@gmail.com

Phone: 877- 298-7439

FAQ - Crating Pictures for Shipment - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #2

Crating Paintings for Shipment

When we moved to Costa Rica, we didn’t trust a moving company to pack our household belongings or our artwork. Here’s how we crated our paintings . . .

First, make a list of the dimensions of each painting you're planning to bring. Sort that list by the maximum dimensions of each painting, largest first.

Now, buy the following in the quantities you estimate you'll need:

- 1x12 lumber - the longest lengths you can handle (Shelving grade lumber will be fine.)

- 4’ x 8’ sheets of oriented strand board (OSB)  or plywood (3/8" is plenty)

- 1 1/2" drywall screws (Buy a large box. Don’t skimp on these.)

- tubular plumbing pipe insulation (Look for the stuff that's already split lengthwise.) (The interior diameter should accommodate the thickness of the thickest frame you’ll be crating.)

- 4’ x 8’ sheets of foam insulation board (half-inch is plenty.)

• thick bubble wrap (It comes thin and thick. Get the thick stuff.)

- silicone bath and kitchen sealant and a caulking gun (Optional)

Tools you'll need: 

- a variable-speed drill and screwdriver bits

- a power saw

- a carpenter's framing square or cabinetmaker's square (used for squaring up corners)

- a tape measure

- four "pliers-type" clamps with a minimum jaw gap of two inches

- a carpenter's pencil or other marker

- a kitchen-type knife with a blade about six inches long

Using your largest painting as the beginning point, make a four-sided box from the 1” x 12” that's six inches larger than the width of that painting and six inches larger than its height. We're talking inside dimensions of the box here, so if in doubt go an inch larger. If you lay one piece of 1” x 12” on top of the other and clamp them together using the “pliers-type” clamps and cut them both at once there's a reasonable chance that your box will come out equal in all dimensions. Use the carpenter’s square to guide your saw. Do this for all four sides.

Using the carpenter's square as a guide, overlap the end of one cut board over the end of the next and screw the two together with the drywall screws. Three screws are enough. This is not what gives the crate its strength. Do the same for all four corners. 

Once the four sides of the box are assembled, lay it on top of a piece of OSB and use the square corner of the OSB to square it up. Make sure the two square sides of the OSB are flush with the two sides of the box, Mark the OSB on the other two sides so you can cut it square. Cut the OSB to fit the “face” of the 1” x 12” box.

Using the drywall screws, attach the cut OSB to the face of the box. This is what gives the crate its strength. Put screws about an inch from each corner. Also, use enough screws so that the OSB creates an airtight seal to the one-inch face of the 1” x 12” lumber. 

I still have all of my art back in the Bay Area

OPTIONAL: You might also consider laying a thin bead of silicon caulk to the face of the 1” x 12” box before you screw on the OSB back. That would protect the contents from both moisture and dust.

Turn the box over on another sheet of OSB, and cut it but do not attach it.

Now turn the box over so you're looking down into it. The OSB surface is on the floor. Line the box with the foam insulation board on the sides, top and bottom, and the back. It's easiest to cut with a kitchen knife with about a six-inch blade. You don't need to secure the foam board inside the box if you cut it tight. Just wedge it in.

Once the foam board is installed in the box, cut long strips of the bubble wrap. These need to be long enough to line the back of the box, both sides, and the top when you're ready to close it up. Lay the bubble wrap in the box with the ends hanging out on all four sides. You could do this in both directions which would be especially good if your paintings are behind glass.

Measure the net interior width of the box now that you've installed the foam insulation board and the bubble wrap. The first time, add an inch to this dimension 'til you see how it goes.

Cut a piece of the tubular pipe insulation the interior width of the crate with the foam insulation board installed. Put the pipe insulation on the bottom frame of the largest painting and put that painting in the crate. See how it fits. You may need to make some adjustments. You want the pipe insulation tight to the sides so that the painting cannot move side-to-side. Put a second piece of pipe insulation on the top of the frame. If the pipe insulation isn't pre-slit, you'll have to slit it lengthwise. It's worth it to shop for pre-slit pipe insulation.

Now lay that largest painting face up in the box on top of the foam insulation and the bubble wrap. Be sure that the pipe insulation is tight to the sides. Once that first paining is securely in place, put a layer of bubble wrap (or two layers if the painting has a glass face) over it to isolate it from the next painting which you’ll put on top of it.

Now cut pieces of pipe insulation the same length and install them on the next-to-largest painting and put it in the box, again face up. Add a layer or two of bubble wrap over it.

Continue to put paintings into the box, layered with bubble wrap, until the box is pretty much filled. This process is kind of like assembling a pan of lasagne, layer upon layer.

Finally, when the crate is about full, fold the ends of the bubble wrap that you put in first over the face of the last painting that will fit. Lay in  a sheet of the foam insulation board. Then lay the OSB "cover" over the box and see how it fits. You may need another layer of bubble wrap or foam insulation board to make the whole thing tight inside the crate. What you do not want is for your paintings to shift around or rub on each other while they're in transit, so make sure they're snug. 

For additional protection, you might want to roll up bubble wrap and put it between the side frames of the paintings and the sides of the crate. I'm not sure this step is necessary, however.

Once the paintings are all packed in the crate, isolated by foam board, bubble wrap and pipe insulation, lay the second cut sheet of OSB over the front and attach it using the drywall screws and maybe another bead of caulk.

Depending on just how large and heavy this crate and its contents are, you may want to drill two holes in each side of what will be the upright crate (the 1” x 12” sides) and make crude handles by putting knotted ropes through those holes. This will facilitate handling and may prevent the crate being dropped. If you do this, put the handles above the midpoint of the sides so the crate won’t be top heavy.

When I was working this out, I was concerned about moisture during the time that our paintings were crated up in transit and in storage waiting for our Grecia rental house to be completed. So I went online and found Zorbit packs. These are high-tech alternatives to the silica gel packets that are packed in cameras, etc. Zorbits are available in a number of sizes. They're not cheap, but if your things are important . . .

An alternative I have read about would be to put an open box of common blackboard chalk in each crate to absorb any moisture. 

Another approach would be to be sure you’re closing up your crates on a day when the humidity is low, or in an air conditioned space, and to seal the wooden components with the silicone caulk.

Wondering if you should bring your vehicle to Costa Rica?

See you on Thursday for the answers and our final installment

FAQ - Should You Bring Your Household Belongings? - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #2

I am happy to share some information that I think will be important to you if you are planning to relocate to Costa Rica. 

This information is courtesy of our friend and expat Dave Murray. He and his wife Marcia have been in Costa Rica around 12 years.

To Bring Your Household Belongings or Not??

One of the most important decisions to make in relocating to Costa Rica is whether to bring your household belongings or to sell everything and buy new once you’ve relocated. Our recommendation, in most cases, is that you ship your things to your new home in Costa Rica. Here are some thoughts that will help you in making your decision. 

At 2017 prices, it will cost between $10,000 and $20,000 to ship a forty-foot shipping container to Costa Rica. A twenty foot container will cost about twenty percent less. That price should include Costa Rica’s Customs duty which is very low on used household belongings. Don’t let the matter of Customs duty influence your decision. And understand that you’re paying for volume, not weight, so full or empty, the container costs the same.

Know, too, that most people are underinsured for the loss of their household contents. If you don’t believe that, check with your homeowners’ insurance agent. You’ve accumulated your household belongings over the course of years and unless you’ve done an inventory, with replacement costs figured in, you have no idea how much your things are worth.

First Question: If you were planning to move across town or across country in the States, would you pay to move your belongings, or would you sell everything and buy new at your new location? What about the family heirlooms, the art and collectibles,  your clothing, the family pictures and all the other things that are especially dear to you? Would you move those or not? If you would move all that across town, why would you not move it to Costa Rica?

Second Question: Will you be buying or building a home, or will you rent an unfurnished home? Or do you plan to rent a furnished home in Costa Rica permanently. Obviously, if you plan to rent furnished accommodations, the decision becomes much simpler. You should be aware, however, that “furnished” accommodations in Costa Rica can vary greatly in the completeness of the furnishings and their comfort.

The financial component of this decision is actually pretty simple. Let’s just take your everyday stainless silver dinnerware (knives, forks and spoons) as an example. Let’s say that to replace what you already own (and which will last the rest of your lifetime) would cost $300 at Amazon. If you sell what you already own at a garage sale, you’re likely to get about  ten percent ($30). 

So instead of bringing your perfectly good silverware to Costa Rica, you bring your $30 and learn three things . . . 

First, it’s not easy to find silverware for sale. The places you’d typically look in North America don’t exist in Costa Rica or they’re difficult to find. And if you do find acceptable silverware, the cutlery won’t be what you want, so you’ll have to keep looking to find that.

Second, the quality and the selection are not what you’re used to seeing, but you’ll have to spend a lot of time shopping around to convince yourself of that.

 And third, anything similar to what you sold will cost more like $400 . . . but you only have the $30 from your garage sale.

So on your stainless steel silverware alone, you’re about $370 in the hole. 

Now, you replicate that same experience with your perfectly good furniture, lamps, rugs,   bed and bath linens, kitchen appliances and utensils, cutlery, plasticware, cups and saucers, plates and bowls, hand and power tools, garden tools and hoses, the television, stereo, computer and printer, and all the other things you’ve accumulated over the years and you’ll soon see that the financial argument in favor of shipping your household belongings is compelling. At best, you’ll sell everything for ten percent or so of what you paid for it and you’ll replace it all in Costa Rica for 125% (or more) of what it all cost in North America.

The second consideration is the matter of the hassle. Furnishing a home in Costa Rica can be a daunting task. While there are a few home stores in the Central Valley, they’re not easy to find or get to, their selections are much more limited than what you’re used to, the quality is not what you’d expect, and the prices will shock you. Anything that’s imported to Costa Rica is expensive due to the shipping costs and Customs duties.

And while it’s perfectly legal and possible to order over the Internet and have (most, but not all) things brought in, you’ll pay the much higher Customs duty on new merchandise and shipping, too. And that won’t be cheap. And it won’t be quick.

Costa Rica has a furniture manufacturing industry that has a well deserved reputation for building quality furniture at prices that can be less than what you would expect to pay in North America. But it’s not the big stuff that will exhaust your funds, it’s the little stuff like the silverware and the garden tools. And communicating your desires in a language you may not speak fluently can sometimes render unexpected results.

A third thing to think about is the emotional connection you have to your belongings. You chose your dishes, your lamps, the furniture, and everything else you own for a reason. It was because you liked them, you wanted to own them, or you needed them. So the question is, are you really ready to give all that up along with your grandmother’s quilt, the ashtrays the kids made at camp, the decorative things you own, all those pictures, and everything else? You’ve spent years feathering your nest. Are you really ready to give all that up?

Clearly, there’s no point in bringing your winter clothing, the snow blower, or all your formal clothes unless you plan to join the country club, but most of what you own is goods you need or want, and it’s perfectly serviceable. Why discard all that and go through the headaches of replacing it when, for the cost of an intercity move in North America you can save all that money, time and trouble?

See you for FAQ Part 2 on Thursday

Estimating the Size of the Container You’ll Need 

Say it Out Loud - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #2

A new segment I am launching to capture bits and pieces of conversations of importance that I want to share.

This first one is a portion of our discussion with Lena from 2016. It seems to be a common theme that lots of folks in the US are extremely stressed out from working at their jobs and feeling highly unfulfilled. I hear this over and over from people who are considering cutting ties and giving up life in the US for a more peaceful existence elsewhere. Of course it goes deeper than just stress on the job but often that it what gets people to thinking "is this all there is?"

Don't let stress get you down - GET OUT!! from Devon on Vimeo.

I will also be launching a complete Interview Segment as well
Stay tuned!

American Expat Finds Retirement in Costa Rica - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #2

Hey y'all it's your girl.

There is a website up called Overseas American, it's a new site catering to Americans looking to move or find work abroad. They contacted me a few months ago for an interview to publish during their "go live" phase in September.

And today I got an email that the interview is up. Check me out and then if you would be so kind as to Comment/Rate the interview/Share it (you can choose one or all) - we would like to get the word out for folks looking to make the move and also so that we can see how many folks have read it, I would really appreciate it.

You can click on the link below the toucan or click here

Muchas Gracias!

American Expat Finds Retirement in Costa Rica - Had to Share This One

Panama Jammin #3 - BEAUTIFUL Boquete, Panama

We made it to Boquete and we wanted to stay!! 

Our bus pulled into Boquete on day #2 at about 5pm. We had planned to meet with Bernie (a friend of a friend) who was going to give us some background about Boquete and explain some facts about Panama's popular retirement /pensionado program. We arrived a little late so the meeting was rescheduled for the following morning at 8am.

We were a bit tired from riding anyway so we checked into our rooms at The Haven (LOVED💜 the hotel and the rooms - highly recommend) and made our way to an upscale restaurant for dinner. (I have forgotten the name of the restaurant but it was VERY nice as well -- they even had California Chardonnay!) 

Early the next morning we all attended the relocation meeting at the hotel. Some of us were able to go with Bernie (due to space available in his vehicle) on a guided tour of Boquete.

and some of us......well...

Following the Panama relocation meeting, some of the Panama Jammers decided to hike THREE HOURS to a nearby waterfall 

Rod, Diana and volunteer taxi driver

Boquete Panama (pop 6,000) is small town located on the Caldera River at an elevation of 3,900 ft in the western-most Province of Chiriquí, about 60 kilometres (37 mi) from the border with Costa Rica. The surrounding Chiriquí Highlands are home to coffee plantations and the Barú Volcano National Park.

Boquete is only 40 minutes from David (Panama's 3rd largest city). It is also only about an hour from the beach. Boquete has basic necessities but most people make the trip to David for more extensive shopping (they have all the major stores, popular US restaurants and a BIG mall).

We rode to David in one of the local buses (a clean & comfortable chicken bus) which had a tricked-out interior & dashboard.

About 30 minutes into the hike they encountered the broken bridge

Boquete is one of Panama's Top Expat Havens

The climate in Boquete is cooler than that of the lowlands (no heat or air required). It's scenic location, temperature (daytime temps in the 70's and 80's with cooler nights), and natural environment make it popular with Panamanians and attracts tourists and retirees from all over the world. (It's proximity to Costa Rica also makes it a popular destination for Costa Rica expats making their 90 day Visa Runs)  The expat population of Boquete is somewhere between 3,000 - 5,000, depending on "who" you talk to. International Living has been responsible for bringing many expats to Boquete.

The Jammers called a taxi to take them to the falls and by the time they arrived

 the driver had decided to hike with them. 

when you don't have proper hiking shoes and you hike on muddy trails -- some covered with streams 

you return with shoes that look like this!

We liked Boquete so much that we added an extra day to our trip so that we would have more time there. There were several Jammers that were still undecided as to where they wanted to settle down for retirement. This would give us all a chance to explore more of the area and hopefully see some houses (house tour in next video). 

Our guided tour with Bernie through beautiful Boquete was spectacular and even made a few of us who have settled in Costa Rica reconsider exactly WHERE we wanted to live!

Check out the tour below

*Note - If you are considering moving to Panama, the Panama Jammin Tour is a great way to do your due diligence for Panama 

Panama Jammin 3 - Beautiful Boquete, Panama from Devon on Vimeo.

What we like most and what we like least about living in Costa Rica - Our Life in Costa Rica Yr #2

And the Number 1 Question is...
This is the final post for questions and answers this time around. Hopefully we have shed a little more light on "life in Costa Rica" from our perspective.

We will do these videos periodically when we have updates to share.

In the meantime, be sure to follow our journey and share this site with your friends and family.

If you are thinking of relocating, remember RESEARCH is key!

Check out our FAQ page and watch our videos!

The Making of the Question & Answers Videos

I hope the videos appear seamless in their final cut. During videos 1 & 2, despite the dog barks and the bug bites, we managed to record both in their entirety in one take!

That was excellent, however I think we must have celebrated a bit too soon because on the final video (below) we had a heck of a time (and we were really only discussing one question). The video required a gazillion takes and we were pretty exhausted by the end.

When it was over, it was all pretty funny, of course! (it happens that way doesn't it?)

So we decided to add in some of the outtakes for you, be sure to stick around and watch them!

disclaimer: No dogs or cats were injured or thrown into the coffee fields during the making of this video

And the Number One question is... from Devon on Vimeo.

Stay Tuned for Panama Jammin The Series!

When The "rental" Price is Right - Our Life in Costa Rica

The other night we went to dinner at our friend's house over on the ridge next to ours. We were excited to spend the evening with these two because we had been planning a dinner date for months and something always seemed to come up. We all finally agreed on May 25th.

Here's a little of their story
Marilyn & Paul moved here from Arizona about 4 years ago. I met them last year when I did a video for the re - weddings on El Cajon. Marilyn & Paul were part of the fall out from the 2008 real estate crash back in the states. When they 1st arrived in Costa Rica they found a house further up on the ridge. Being new here and needing a place to stay, the house seemed perfect. They rented it and were happy to have 3 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms.

As often happens here in Costa Rica, things changed. The two found that they needed a new place to live. They hooked up with a local real estate person in hopes of finding something they liked within their price range (oh and the couple have 2 dogs, 2 cats and a horse) When they met up with Brooke, their realtor, she told them she had a house she thought might fit their needs. Brooke said she wanted to show them the house and explained a bit about it and that it had lots of land for their animals. They were a bit nervous about how much the rent would be so they reminded her that their budget was $650/month and then asked how much the house was renting for.

Brooke's response "How about FREE?"

Of course they took the house and 2 years later they are still there. They recently added a goat to the family. A few months ago Brooke told them that the owners wanted to "increase" the rent. The owners live outside of the country. "Uh oh", they thought "here it comes" and prepared themselves for the shock. They were elated and relieved to find out that the house would now rent for $250/mo.
In today's rental market we can still call that (practically) FREE!!

We had a wonderful visit them and a very nice dinner (complete with a vegetarian choice for Lavanson) and a sing-a-long with Paul on the guitar and Lavanson on his Native American flute.

Oh and... 

Have I told you lately, that I 💗Costa Rica?

Below is a video of our evening and the house.

Email subscribers please click the link below to watch the video

Casa de Caballo from Devon on Vimeo.

If you are not as fortunate as our friends, to unexpectedly have a free house dropped into your lap,
 you might want to consider housesitting.

The free models are great. You can get a taste as to what's available, where, and when. 

Here are some sites:

• TrustedHouseSitters - www.trustedhousesitters.com
• HouseCarers - www.housecarers.com
• MindMyHouse - www.mindmyhouse.com
• Nomador - www.nomador.com