The Gateway to La Pura Vida
When I first arrived in Costa Rica to become a permanent resident, I stayed for a while in a gringa friend’s cabina not far from town. My household goods had been loaded into a shipping container and were on their way from Washington state to Uvita, a beach town about 30 minutes drive away from San Isidro de El General.
My immediate needs were few and simple — fresh produce from the feria and a few staples and supplies from the
local Walmart, where, so far, I’ve not seen anyone wearing pajamas or displaying their overfed butt cracks.
I had landed in this country with ten huge bags containing items that I couldn’t ship but would need right away or that I wouldn’t be able to replace once I got here. My tiny cabina was the perfect size for a two-month sojourn, but those bags were enormous, filled with things I definitely did not need until I moved into a more permanent abode.