The question, “What does your typical day look like when you are living in Costa Rica?” was posed on the Facebook group Gringo Expats in Costa Rica—No Advertising.
Here’s a selection of the 83 comments (answers).
Denise H McGhee: I am up at 4 am feed my cats, dogs and pizotte. Then check the pool for crabs/ frogs and start cleaning. I like to be done by 7 am. It is cool and lovely listening to the frogs singing. Then breakfast and my gardener comes at 6 am. we work together till 8 am. Then I sit at the computer and do Spanish with Paul for a bit. Errands around 9 to 11. Back for lunch. play games with friends then back home at 4 ish. dinner for me and the crew and settle down for dinner and tv. Two hour time difference means prime time shows are on at 6 pm. by 8 in bed it has been dark for 3 hours. Sometimes to the beach., sometimes to the stores, or bank. I also got involved in the spay neuter clinics so do that, I am stop the shocks so can get calls at anytime to go get an injured monkey or other animal. I go to church on Sundays. I spend time in the heat of the day on the phone with family. So pretty routine.
Angela Marturano: Depends on what she likes to do. If shopping is a habit, forget that (unless you live in SJ). I wake up at 6, make coffee, start laundry, have breakfast with my son. Put a load of clothes out on the line. Go to yoga (beach or loft) or for a hike or surf/swim after school drop off. Maybe a.m. swim. Work for the middle (hot) part of the day. Meet friends for dinner/drinks/sunset some days or cook a Casado at home. Water plants. In bed around 9.
Dana Johnson: Surprisingly, we thought we would sleep in more, but with all the birds around us, we end up waking up around 6ish anyway. We read a lot too, so we are usually on our porch or patio reading our Kindles. Dont watch to mjuch TV.
Rick Kreps: Fix things….a lot. If you’re not handy with tools and have basic skills in plumbing, carpentry, elecrical and knowing how to use a chain saw, you need to be wealthy, cuz your gonna need to pay someone more than you think and more often than you think.
So get used to DIY…… just living and tak’in care of business will keep you vedy busy.
Sean Stokes: my first two years here, before I got married I had a “one thing per day ” rule! If i was going to the bank I would not grocery shop. If I was grocery shopping I would not walk the dogs, we have four, etc… It’s that kind of place and lifestyle at least for me. I also have developed a passion for our plants now too and they take a bit of care.
Thelma Battiss: Hubby took up carpentry and now mig welding. He is a magician with what he has made. I clean house, cook, do gardening, and for past 2years trying to find time to do beading. Not enough time in the day when you are bored.
T.j. Gilles: Drink/eat lots of keto, yoga in tactical pants, feed all the stray dogs, take Uber somewhere, rice and beans, rice and beans, the putas of gringo gulch … lots to do.
Benjoe David: Waterfalls trips to the beach, amazing food found in the jungle! If you get a horse there are endless days of traveling around and having picnics! Nicoya from Santa Teresa to Montezuma and Cabuya in the middle, that means sunrise and sunset from coast to coast!
Michael Lawrence: Relax and enjoy the space and weather. No -15 or 115 degrees like in Texas. Why do u have to do something each day? If u do then u might get bored here.
Leslie Mueller: Now that I’m retired here, I am busier than I’ve ever been in my life. I have many friends. We go to dinner, beaches, waterfalls, and parades. I swim in my pool, play with my dog, host dinner parties, play board games with friends, go out to lunch, go to bingo, and just live a normal life going to the doctor, dentist, clean house, do laundry and such.
Jean Stewart Williams: Garden, movie and dinner night with gringo friends, groceries, shop, sew, crafts, visit friends, Bookclub, swim, makes jams and jellies, , exercise, bake, go to the theatre, gringo dinner on Wed.same as at home.
Vicki Skinner: Playing with/taking care of the Fur Babies I’m pet sitting around CR or Nicaragua, gathering & sharing information, volunteering/helping people however I can – especially these days in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Judy Tapp Kerr: Spanish classes, yoga, gardening, photography, volunteering with locals, painting, concerts, museums, social mixer, ladies luncheon, and more. This is not all in one day! But you can be as busy as you want or not
James Strong: Work at my farm, some on social media, but I am happy to see the progress I have made here in accomplishing my American dream. I looked at abolishing stress in my life and have accomplished that here.
Glen Coleman: I get up with the sun. My first cup of Tarrazú coffee is outside with the parrots and the monkeys. If there’s rain, I do,laundry and cleaning, if it’s sunny I take the bus down to the beach. Peaceful….Friday or Saturday to the Féria for fresh vegetables.. $2 for a pineapple as big as your head, $1 for a bag of creamer potatoes, mangoes, bananas, cherimoya, tomatoes, spinach, platanos, fresh honey….. fresh fish for dinner. Maybe some reading m maybe some TV after a dinner. if no rain, a walk in the night. If it rains, a nice shower, & I’m In bed by 10.
For all the comments (answers), click here.
