Single Mom Traveling: Central Valley, Costa Rica

The word ‘unmarried mom touring’ does have a cute ring to it, however, upon my daughter’s start, I became wholly devastated with the aid of the idea that it might be not possible to retain my traveling approaches with my child. But like the seasons- thoughts, opportunities, and those trade. After a year and a half of-settling into motherhood, I determined that journeying as an unmarried mother with my nineteen-month-old by means of my side, was no longer impossible in the end. Our first actual ride becomes Costa Rica for 35 days. We visited 5 special places beginning with the Central Valley, then on to the Caribbean Coast, the Northern Central Valley and subsequently to the Pacific Coast. We encountered many hours of journey, new locations to evolve to and unforgettable memories.

I think that journeying stays in a child’s psyche and shapes their individual in a conscientious and fine way. I noticed it first-hand how without a doubt wonderful the experience become for my daughter Natalia and I plan to hold traveling as plenty as we can. Natalia becomes ecstatic when we’d sooner or later arrive at our new vacation spot after hours of journey. She could check out our new home and say “Natalia’s house” and we’d both gracefully ease into every new vacation spot and journey scenario that we encountered.

The Central Valley was the first place we settled for seven days. I wanted to peer where in Costa Rica we might probably want to settle down for 12 months or two inside the future. I could be coaching and dabbling in real estate and Natalia might be getting a bilingual schooling and basking inside the solar. I changed into pining for the beach, however, I did now not need to limit my alternatives to simply the beach. Most of the roles in Costa Rica are within the Central Valley and I wanted to get to recognize the Central Valley first hand in order that I may want to compare my experiences once I ventured out to the coasts. I additionally wanted to peer what could be more exciting as well as sensible for both folks, with an awesome task marketplace, appropriate colleges, and a kid-friendly ecosystem. I would then determine at the nice option for my toddler daughter- discovering the existence and developing, and for me- a teacher, global traveler, and amusing-loving single mom.

The Central Valley is a huge region with many cities along with San Jose, Heredia, and Alajuela. When I become studying these cities, I turned into getting a recommendation from people and from the internet to avoid them. I have in no way been to Central or South America. I did not need to overwhelm myself with a huge Central American town, while I might already be beaten with my small travel accomplice. If I have been traveling unmarried or with pals, I would gladly take a look at out the massive sprawling cities, but with a baby, I felt that I should be extra low-key. I desired a homey small city experience with a bedroom vicinity and a kitchen in order that Natalia and I could get acclimated to living day by day existence within the Central Valley just like the locals.

We selected a small village in u . S. A. Hills called Pan de Azucar because of this ‘sugar bread’ in Spanish. Pan de Azucar is inside the outskirts of a secure little city called Atenas. Atenas has an important part in the middle and is surrounded by using quaint own family-run companies and restaurants called Sodas. Atenas has an easy cathedral, Tico-style residential homes and rolling mountain degrees inside the historical past. It is a mellow town, with kid-pleasant shops, which includes a candy save, toy keep and a delicious bakery right throughout from the park. It had treats that Natalia loved to devour, just like the carrot bread. Atenas additionally boasts that it has “the quality climate in the international”, which become the deal breaker for me. There is something very healthful and extraordinary approximately the “first-rate weather in the world” and I desired me and my child female to enjoy it.

After many committed nights of research, I located a cozy –bedroom residence on-line thru a comprehensive website that rents holiday homes by way of the proprietor. In my opinion, when staying for longer durations of time and touring with youngsters, a home kind of surroundings is the best option. The belongings wherein we rented our residence is Japanese owned and is referred to as ‘Casa de Megumi’. In Spanish and Japanese, it way ‘House of Blessing’. ‘Casa’ means residence in Spanish and ‘Megumi’ way of blessing in Japanese. Finding a Japanese run holiday condominium in Costa Rica became a wonderful accident for me because of my current Japanese-oriented beyond. I lived in Japan for 12 months and a half of, become pregnant in Japan for 5 months, and it was the ultimate location I traveled to before going to Costa Rica. Since I have a profound fascination with all matters Japanese, Casa de Megumi became routinely kindred to me. Moreover, once I was given to know the earnestly beneficial owner of the belongings, Hisano Bell, a Japanese lady from Yokohama, I knew in my intestine that Casa de Megumi turned into the right area for us to begin our Costa Rica adventure.

Hisano has become like a travel mother or father-angel for us inside the Central Valley. Even before we arrived in Costa Rica, Hisano and I had been in regular touch. She had all styles of provisions made for us, like getting our groceries before we landed. When I despatched Hisano my grocery list, I forgot to put the coffee on the list, however, Hisano gives nearby Costa Rican coffee to her visitors; I did not even must fear about that. On the nighttime we arrived, we enjoyed a conventional Tico meal that Hisano arranged for us with the prepare dinner at Casa de Megumi. Hisano’s thoughtfulness becomes countless. She could even pressure us into the city from time to time and provide knowledgeable travel pointers, like wherein to exchange cash for the first-class charge. That is what I name Japanese service and hospitality. The Japanese human beings pleasure themselves on how properly they serve others. When I turned into living in Japan, I discovered a lot about imparting honest great services to my customers, college students and anybody I chose to assist, paid or not. These same features of excellent provider that I determined in Japan were the equal qualities that Hisano shared with us. The accident of Casa de Megumi became a true blessing.

Come to think about it, more coincidences observed at our stay at Casa de Megumi. I view these coincidences as omens or as warning signs that even though I became traveling to an unknown land with a child all alone, these omens had been like familiarities alongside our adventure, to make us experience at ease and prefer we have been at the right course. I am a huge fan of Paolo Coehlo’s philosophies and I am religious, so for me, the exceptional coincidences at Casa de Megumi have been magical and welcomed at every step.

On the Casa de Megumi assets, we stayed at Casa Verde, a pristinely easy and newly made over two bedroom residence with all the amenities, access to fertile gardens with avocado bushes, awesome crucial valley views and a glowing pool. Hisano lives in Casa Grande, the other house at the property along with her own family. I became totally enamored by Hisano’s mother. She is an elderly girl with graceful mannerisms and always wearing traditional Japanese regalia. Natalia and Hisano’s dog, Jon-Jon had been quite a whole lot inseparable at some point of our whole stay at Casa de Megumi. It felt like we had an automatic pet upon arrival and it changed into heartwarming to peer my daughter creating a bond and caring for an animal. She had many more possibilities to keep in touch and take care of animals during our experience in Costa Rica. Animals and pets are part of an integrated and populated blend in Costa Rica. Kids love animals and this is one major cause that makes Costa Rica so child-suitable and fun.

One of the perks of staying at Casa de Megumi turned into mastering Hisano’s family and having the traditional Japanese dinner at Hisano’s house. Hisano prepared an array of tempura, miso soup and mochi for dessert. Hisano gives this precise hospitality to guests who live at Casa de Megumi for 3 nights or longer. It becomes an incredible treat to be in Costa Rica in the tropical mountains, having a conventional Japanese meal with a Japanese own family, overlooking the vistas of the lush valuable valley- an experience of an existence time truly.

Another putting twist of fate at Casa de Megumi turned into when I changed into searching out a trustworthy and desirable- hearted babysitter to care for Natalia, even as I could be out interviewing or running at home. Hisano brought me to Stella. As quickly as she stated the call ‘Stella’, once more it added up Japan in my thoughts. My delightfully dynamic Australian roommate in Japan changed into named Stella. Stella took exquisite care of me once I become pregnant for the first 5 months. She went with me to each doctor’s appointment and to emergency rooms inside the midnight if I concept there was something wrong. She was always looking out for me, buying scrumptious meals and constantly being there for me and my little bump all through our fun and crazy instances in Tokyo. It became a placing twist of fate to pay attention that Natalia’s capability babysitter in the Central Valley could be named Stella.

The Costa Rican Stella become no longer simplest Natalia’s babysitter but also the prepare dinner at Casa de Megumi. Stella makes conventional Tico food with rice, beans, salad and a protein and an fantastic vegetable soup. When guests at Casa de Megumi do not sense like cooking, they could order a Casado from Stella. Her meals changed into clean, proper and made with love. After ingesting Stella’s homemade food, assembly her and spending some time along with her, I knew she would be high-quality with Natalia. She with ease lived across the street and he or she might come over with her grand-daughters and take care of Natalia even as I was out interviewing or busy operating at domestic. When Stella become unavailable, her daughter who became also coincidentally named Natalia and who changed into also an unmarried mom, got here to help out. Having Stella and her family over and mastering them, right away made me sense a part of the community in Pan de Azucar. We were gaining knowledge of the locals and it made the adapting technique familiar and easy.