Ten Years in Canada
I was born in what was once the small town of Oakville, west of Toronto. I lived there until I was 18, when I went to university, and split my time between Waterloo, Oakville, Ottawa, and Toronto, until January 1998, …
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Costa Rica
87 posts tagged with this topic.
A year in Canada
A year ago tonight, my family returned to Canada from Costa Rica. We had lived abroad for a year and a half, and had done our best to make a go of a new life in a new country. But it wasn’t to be, and we finally came to …
12 things I miss about Costa Rica
It’s just shy of three months since we left Costa Rica. Many people still ask us what it’s like to be back, if we’re happy to be back, and if we’ve acclimatised yet. There’s no quick or easy answer to all of that, as …
There and back again, a Monkey's tail
This is a joke you might not understand until you’re older, Monkey. For now, it’s one many of my friends will have a good chuckle at… You’re asleep right now, in your own room, on the mattress from one of our sofa …
The trip home
Well, Monkey, we’re home now. I know it doesn’t seem like it to you, because you’ve lived in three different homes since you were born. But this house, the one in Calgary (where we’re currently adjusting to serious …
Adios, Costa Rica
Eighteen months ago, I set foot in Costa Rica. Not as a tourist (despite what my visa said), but to make a new life abroad. My family (Alex, Monkey, and Asia the Cat) would join me a month later. One big, happy family, …
T-minus one week and counting
One week from … well, right now, our plane leaves Juan Santamaria Airport, bound for Houston. If all our cards fall into place (which, so far, they are — I just hope they keep falling!), we’ll leave in good order. …
Taking a pet from Costa Rica
It figures, just when we thought we’d started to have everything figured out, we hit another snag. (There’s always another snag.) This time, it’s with Asia, our cat. Our problem is not with Canada — all they need is a …
Anyone want to buy a used car?
That ticking is getting louder, I tell ya. We’re officially out of the “long vacation” timeframe, and into the “standard” two week vacation timeframe. You know this one: enough time to fly to a …
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To end, this shall
Today I watched the setting sun Golden fringed clouds Mustard streaks over the horizon I thought This, too, shall end I count in weeks Soon to be days Soon to be hours Then minutes The arms swirl forward …
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3 weeks remaining in Costa Rica
Today marks 21 days until we leave Costa Rica. Three weeks. We officially enter a period of time that could be a “long vacation”. Sadly, a vacation is something we’re not going to be having. Instead, we have …
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Our last weekend away
Well, Monkey, we’re down to less than a month before we’re back home again. In fact, a month today you’ll (hopefully) be sound asleep in a bed in our home in Calgary. It’s hard to believe that this is actually ending. It …
A trip to La Paz
Our time is dwindling in Costa Rica, Monkey. Our little experiment draws to a close in just over a month. That’s five weekends (not counting the one we just had — that would have made it six). Our Costa Rica …
Some time in the Caribbean
Hey Monkey! Almost a year and a quarter ago, I brought you and Mommy so we could all be together here in Costa Rica. In that time, we’ve had the opportunity to do some travelling, but until this past week, we hadn’t ever …
Day of the Ya Ya
Well, Monkey, today was your Ya Ya day. In case you don’t remember what “Ya Yas” are when you get around to reading this, this is your name for The Backyardigans. And a couple of weeks ago, Mommy noticed …
O Canada, my home and native land
For anyone who’s been reading this blog for a while, you know two things: I currently live in Costa Rica. I’m Canadian. One of those things is about to change. Almost a year and 2/3 ago, I caught a rumour about Critical …
I'm legal!
I arrived in Costa Rica on 16 June 2008. I started the process to become a resident of Costa Rica over a month before that. All of our paperwork was handled to immigration lawyers. And we waited. And waited. And waited. …
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Happy 2nd birthday, Monkey
Today, you turned 2, Monkey. It’s almost hard to believe that it’s been two years, and yet those two years seem to have disappeared in a blink. You’ve spent just over half of your life (to date) here in Costa Rica, and I …
Snot and coffee
Well, Monkey, the last week’s been quite the slog. Last Saturday, you started showing signs of being sick, having caught something from one of your schoolmates. It basically turned you into a bonafide snot factory. (One …
A (wet) birthday vacation
Well, Monkey, if your memory is any good, you should remember the last few days for the rest of your life. And not because you got to spend five uninterrupted days with your dad (remember, I just turned 37 … I’m …
Diversions at Parque Diversiones
Well, Kiddo, today was a really fun day! Plans don’t always go according to plan, but there are those times when one plan ends up giving who new plans that are possibly even more fun than the original ones. I’d like to …
Stampede breakfast, Costa Rica style!
Right now on this very week, back in Calgary, AB, is the Calgary Stampede. It’s the largest outdoor show in the world (at least that’s the story). It usually means a massive influx of cowboy- and cowgirl-wannabes (among …
Odio pasar a un nuevo hogar
I hate moving. But you already know that. About two weeks ago, our first lease came due. This is when I had hoped to renegotiate our lease, as I felt the rent was about 33% higher than it really should have been. …
Día del Padre en Costa Rica
Hey kiddo, Today was Father’s Day. Not just here in Costa Rica, but in many other places around the world. Today was a special day in many ways, notably in that you and I got to spend a lot of time together (sadly, …
A year in Costa Rica
This morning was cool and wet, something I can say with confidence to be a rarity here in the Central Valley region of Costa Rica. I can say this because today marks my first anniversary in Costa Rica. One year ago …
Where to find great Indian in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a long way from India. It’s also a long way from Vancouver and Calgary, which are the two places where I’ve come to really know and love Indian food. (It helps that both cities have large Indian …
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A visit to the CIMA ER
This weekend past was not one of your healthier ones, Mi Pequeña Niña. On Saturday, we noticed your nose was running, and you were coughing again. We’ve almost come to expect this since you started going to school a few …
A Day In My Life
Over the last (almost) year, I’ve had a number of people ask me what a regular day is like for me. It’s not an easy answer. First of all, there is no such thing as “regular” or “ordinary” in my …
The Failure of Offshoring
A couple of years ago, I engaged in my first offshore experience, when we hooked up with a small company out of Argentina to develop and deliver some additions to a website, including the addition of a simple CMS. It had …
Repetition breeds complacency
Last night, I was feeling a little reflective. (That sometimes happens after I’ve had a glass of wine. Or three.) It was dark, the lights out, and everyone else already in bed. I stood on my second-floor balcony …
Yes, I'm still alive
You’re probably looking at the datestamp of my previous entry and wondering: Where the heck has that loser Geoff disappeared to? Well, much to your chagrin (or reassurance, depending on your point of view), I’m still …
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On your first days of school
Hey kiddo! I know I haven’t written to you since your first birthday. That’s not good for me to do, but sadly your father has been a very busy person in the last few months. That’s not an excuse — there is no excuse for …
RTV failed
It goes to figure: Even though Costa Rica seems to lack things like good traffic control, traffic laws that people take seriously (though that’s beginning to change with some of the new laws that have been introduced …
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Visiting Villa Blanca
Alex’s birthday was yesterday (she just turned 29, in case you’re keeping track … ‘cuz we’re not), and as tradition holds, she got to choose where we went to celebrate. Well, at least it’s a tradition we’re going …
Hell of a good scare
Well, we just had a doozy of a startle. Costa Rica just had an official 6.1 magnitude earthquake (originally estimated by the USGS as a 6.2), with an epicentre about 10km east of the Poas volcano. That’s less than 10 km …
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New Year's Eve in Costa Rica
We might not have spent Christmas in Costa Rica this year, but we sure as heck spent New Years here. Not that we went out for any sort of partying, I should say — things in Costa Rica are a little different than back in …
We had another earthquake last night
As I was falling alseep, the windows rattled. The bed shook. A few other things skittered. ‘T weren’t no wind — we had another earthquake. I have no idea where this one came from, but it definitely woke me up. I think …
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Spaghetti with Santa
We’re a little slow on the draw ’round here, folks — sorry about that! It’s been a little busy as of late, and trying to stay on top of news is more than a little challenging. Needless to say, gonna keep this one short. …
The Christmas season in Costa Rica
It’s now December. Any of you who have been following my Twitter feed know that Costa Rica not only started preparing for Christmas back in September, but that I’ve had a few problems comprehending that it’s actually the …
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Does the world need traffic lights?
This morning, as Mark and I drove to work (we carpool — there is no need for us to have separate cars when our apartments are barely 300 metres apart), we got caught in traffic (again) at this one particular intersection …
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We're fine
Yep, there was an earthquake here last night. Apparently 6.2 on the Richter scale. We slept through it, if that’s any indication. We were more worried about the strong winds this morning… [Update!] Okay, so after …
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My first coffee
Yes, you read that right. I drank coffee. Not a coffee-flavoured beverage, not something with Kahlua. Coffee. Real. Honest. Caffeinated. Those of you who know me are probably all thinking the same thing: Uh oh. I offer …
Halloween in Costa Rica
…doesn’t really exist. Not in the way we gringos are used to seeing it, that is. Where we come from, decorations can rise to the level of an artform, and the single evening has evolved to the point where the only …
The Network Connection
With all the problems we’ve been having down here, you eventually start to become inspired to find an outlet, a way of bringing forth all your frustrations and desires into a singular vision. For some, it is art, for …
I swear I'm going to kill my vendors
I don’t care what the excuse is, the reality is that I’m not getting service I expect from a vendor. I’ve been told that it’s just something I have to adapt to. That it’s the way things are done. That it’s a cultural …
My evolving job
When it was first proposed that I would come to Costa Rica and start up a new office, there were a lot of questions about how all this would be done. Starting a new office means running without the infrastructure that …
Thanksgiving in Costa Rica
It was always a foregone conclusion that we’d end up spending various holidays and celebrations doing things differently here. The ubiquitous summer long weekends (every month except June) are one thing, but when it …
San José Airport is no fun after 8pm
Well, we’re here waiting at the airport for our flight to Panama. A flight that I’m not really looking forward to, only because I’d rather not to go Panama this weekend (would rather do this intentionally than being …
Actually, make that 18 things
Last week, barely hours after Independence Day here was over, the stores started switching over their wares from Mother’s Day (in August) to … Christmas decorations. Santa Claus is already in the aisles. This is …
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17 things I hate about Costa Rica
I don’t mean to have a longer “hate” list than I do a “love” list, but when you come to a new country, you have to expect a number of things to bug you. Sadly, I’ve ended up with a few more than …
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14 things I love about Costa Rica
Well, I’ve been in Costa for nearly two straight months now — this is the longest continuous time I’ve ever spent outside of Canada — and I think it’s high time to answer the two most often-asked questions that I get: …
Weekend at Tabacon
When Alex and I first came to Costa Rica 3.5 years ago, we went on a little packaged tour. The tour included a two-night (possible three-night — Alex and I are struggling to remember which it was) stay in the Arenal …
Butterflies and getting lost
You can only stay around Santa Ana for so long before you start to feel a little caged in. And given that Alex and Mi Pequeña Niña are here all day, every day, there was a distinct need to explore a bit beyond our …
Ole Ole Ole Ole Ticos Ticos
Last night, we were originally to be in Panama, having completed meetings with our client, discussing the next steps and planning out strategies. Over bottles of Panama Lager, of course. But as is well-known in the …
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A revenge-free Montezuma
Mother’s Day in Costa Rica doth not come in May, like we’re used to in North America. Here, it’s 15 August. This is the day (so I’ve read) that the Virgin Mary ascended to Heaven, and given that this is a very Roman …
U-turns are illegal in Costa Rica
Yesterday, just after noon, I went into the nearby ATH (A Todo Hora, which is the Costa Rican version of “ATM”) to check my Scotiabank balance. Lo and behold, after two weeks of wrangling account, Swift, …
My new 1998-era Nokia TDMA cell phone
Note today’s date: 8 August 2008. That’s (almost) two months since we first came to Costa Rica. Two months ago, we tried to start getting things like cars, bank accounts, work visas (a fairly significant need), and cell …
The phones I ordered finally showed up
Augh. I called it yesterday, when I got my new cell phone. A month ago, we ordered phones over the internet. They were shipped US Postal Service. They entered Costa Rica on 8 July. And then sat in customs. When I got my …
Weekend in Punta Leona
I had promised Alex that the second weekend we were in Costa Rica would be spent away from our apartment. I just had to find the right place to go. So I spent a fair bit of time working out the location, time to get to …
Finally got my box!
Way back in June — the 13th, to be specific (I guess that should have been a first sign, eh?) — I packed up a whack of things on my desk to bring down to Costa Rica. TeamMG (Mary and Morgan) arranged for this to be …
A Moving Birthday
When we started planning this crazy little excursion to Costa Rica oh-so-many months ago, there was always the need for me to leave in advance of my family, and then come back to get them. The logistics of making …
Buying a car in Costa Rica
We tried to survive without cars. Really. We took taxis everywhere, and suffered due to the language barrier and an unfamiliar taxi system. (We’ve been unable to get taxis when we need them — baffling, when you see them …
Cost of living in Costa Rica
I’ve had a few people tell me about how great it is to be living in Costa Rica, and how much cheaper it is to live here. Some people know from a little bit of experience, but others are making the assumption — it’s not …
Second weekend in Costa Rica
You might be wondering: Gee, Geoff, where are all the posts you had for Costa Rica? Well, it’s not that I don’t want them up, it’s an issue of timing. I can’t really go into that right now, but let’s just say that this …
First weekend in Costa Rica
Last week was a rough one. It’s almost hard to believe we’ve only been here a week now. (A week ago right now, I was in the lobby of our hotel, chatting with Jason and Javier, waiting for our realtors to come and whisk …
It's Mañana Time!
We’re slowly getting ourselves up-to-speed down here. But the reality is that things are not happening at anywhere near the speed we’re used to. This was something we were warned about — you need to relax and allow …
Setting up the office
Getting everything going here is a bit of a challenge. There’s a lot to do, and we’re starting from scratch. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. There’s currently four people down here working on all this, and only one of them is …
Starting life in Costa Rica
Think of when you went to university / college. You pack your things into a few bags, move to a new place you don’t know, into a place you think is far too expensive for what you’re getting, and then have to go out and …
How to bring a pet into Costa Rica, Simplified
Okay, so a while back I was having kittens (pun intended) about bringing Asia into Costa Rica. Mostly because I simply could not seem to get a straight answer from anyone about the proper process. It was driving me …
Alive and sick in Costa Rica
As you might have seen on my Tweets this morning, I’m alive in Costa Rica. But I’m not “well”. My daughter gave me a parting gift — a nasty head cold. Fortunately, it didn’t kick in until I arrived here, …
Enroute with the cat
Well, we’re on our way. I was up until almost midnight last night packing. Was originally thinking three bags, but went down to two. Which is good, because apparently I’d have been denied the third bag. As it stands, the …
T minus 5 days
I’m beginning to know what a shuttle launch must feel like. Anxiety about what could go wrong, the knowledge that once the launch happens that there is little to do but hang on, that when you’re in orbit you’re pretty …
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On Cats, Wire Transfers, Death, and Taxes
This moving thing is no fun. Not at all. Yes, Costa Rica is a nice country, with nice people, and we’re arranging a very nice place to live, but the act of getting there is far more work than I could have imagined. We …
Bringing my cat into Costa Rica
We’re bringing Asia with us. Not the continent; she’s our cat. We don’t want to part with her. She’s a wonderful pet and truly part of the family. She was our first baby before Mi Niña Pequeña came along. Giving her up …
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T minus 14 days to Costa Rica
Yeah, I’m back in Calgary, but this is only for the last bit before moving down (semi-)permanently. We have a place to live. That’s important, because it’s a place to go to. That would make this move even harder. But …
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Costa Rican Interviews, Day 1
A tropical depression in the north of the country has created our weather woes of the last few days, and a heck of a downpour this morning. Following our usual breakfast run, Joaquin arrived to pick the three of us up at …
Finding a Costa Rican Casa, Day 3
Yesterday, I was pretty convinced that I was hooped — there was no way that I was going home to Canada with a place all squared away. The task just seemed close to impossible. It’s amazing what 24 hours can do, though. …
Finding a Costa Rican Casa, Day 2
I knew today was going to be awkward when I woke up. Based on the conversation I’d had with Alex last night, none of the houses we’d seen on Day 1 were at all suitable. Either way too large, in not-so-nice areas (e.g. …
Finding a Costa Rican Casa, Day 1
Oy. It’s been a really long day. Didn’t sleep great last night (long travels tend to do that to me if I’m not traversing a dozen or so timezones, in which case passing out is a snap). Got up early thanks to the engine …
Back in Costa Rica
Years ago, I used to think business travel was glamourous. You got to go to far-flung places, see different things, and engage in activities you just don’t do at home. Then I started going on business trips. I learned …
No, I'm not going to be working on a beach
It’s funny the number of people who now ask me if they can come with us to Costa Rica. They congratulate me and make it sound like it’s going to be fun, sand, and cervesa all the time. News flash, folks — we ain’t …
I'm leaving Critical Mass
I’ve been at Critical Mass for 8 years, 1 month, and 5 days. That’s a long time to be a one place. I never thought I’d be here that long. Two years, max, and I’d move on. (Heck, I was originally supposed to go with Chris …
What have you done with Spock's brain?
One of the hard parts about leaving any group is passing your legacy off to someone else. It doesn’t matter if it’s a short-term thing (e.g. vacation) or a long-term thing (e.g. leaving the company). It still has to …
Thundercats are go!
The contract is signed. It’s as official as it gets until my feet stand on Costa Rican soil. Most everything was already 99% assured, but until my name appeared on a legal document, there were still a whack of questions. …
Letting the toucan out of the coffee sack
Finally, after many, many weeks of discussion (and far more email than I’d care to think about), it’s semi-official. (Hey, it’s better than “still in the works”.) The fact that I’m moving to Costa Rica has …
Do you know the way to San Jose?
I love challenge. I love adventure. And I love to travel. If you’ve been reading this blog, you already know that. Critical Mass is giving me an opportunity to do all three. It’s going to shake up my life a lot (not to …
It's freaking cold in Calgary
Minus 34. Celsius. (Not that it would matter much more if it were Fahrenheit.) That’s 14 degrees below my thermal underwear threshold (that would be when I put them on). That’s what it was on my way to work this morning. …