Overnight, the GoFundMe campaign reached — and exceeded — its $4000 goal. I am over the moon with gratitude to all who contributed and to those who shared the campaign in your social media spheres.
Contributions came in from five continents — North America (including Costa Rica), Australia, Asia (Israel), Europe (especially Germany — danke schoen, DeForest Kelley fans/my dear friends there!) and New Zealand — and from a total of fifty people. That’s phenomenal, considering there are only seven continents, and one of them is Antarctica, where only a few research scientists and penguins live! The only other continent that didn’t contribute was Africa, and until I looked it up, I thought Israel was considered part of North Africa. Turns out it resides on the Asian continent!
Former clients contributed.
David Levine in Israel was a frequent — and phenomenal — contributor. Thank you, David!!!
Teryl McLane in Florida sent frequent contributions. Thank you, Teryl!!!
A gentleman who read my Trailblazer book and wrote to tell me that it helped his neurodiverse son contributed mightily. Thank you, MC!
People stretched thin financially contributed…
far beyond what was comfortable to help reach the goal. You know who you are (CC, CB, AR, GAM, BRW) so I won’t call you out specifically, but thank you to Antares and back!!!
Nancy Hewes gave $50 monthly for the entire duration of the campaign from February to today. Thank you, Nancy!
Former Cle Elum neighbor Sue Morgan contributed beyond my wildest imagination. Hugs and thanks, Sue!
I’m just blown away by the support
I will never forget your kindness in helping Charli and me establish new lives in Costa Rica!
I will set down below a partial accounting of the ways in which your contributions helped us along. This isn’t — by any stretch of the imagination — a final tally, as there will be future costs as my immigration application wends its way through the system. One of them will be $455, which will happen when I am accepted as a pensionado several months from now, so I am including it in the total. But as of right now, this moment, this is what has been laid out (or will be laid out within a week of our arrival in CR) to make our goal a reality:
$600: immigration coach
$1018.00 flight
$35 and $45 — (two pieces of luggage)
Apostille docs total: $350 (including fingerprinting for FBI background check)
Translation: $300 (including courier fee to deliver docs to Villas Escondidas)
Initial Immigration service fees: $300
Escort to two SJ appointments and one Grecia bank outing: $250
Uber to two SJ appointments and Grecia for bank deposits: $250
Laptop PC: $499.00 (+ tax)
Updated passport pictures: $34.63
Emotional Support Animal Certification: $125
One Month at VE: $1000.00 plus (perhaps a but more more for Charli)
As you can see, just the above adds up to $5261.63!
YOU MADE THIS HAPPEN!
I will still need to set up a new household (if I get an unfurnished place) when I get down there, and Uber around (or bus around) to get a SIM card and CR phone number, and find a rental that’s within my budget if the San Ramon opportunity doesn’t pan out, but you have made this so much easier and far less stressful than it otherwise would have been. Having $4k of the move covered has truly been a potential life saver, given the current political situation here in the U.S.
And my invitation stands:
Everyone who contributed is invited to visit me in CR after Charli and I get settled in — but please don’t expect to come until probably mid-2026, as I may not yet be settled into my final abode until then. I have tentative lodgings and opportunities, so it may be months before we find our permanent dwelling place, one which I hope will have two bedrooms so that visitors will have your own sanctuary at night when you arrive.
May God/the Universe bless you all well beyond how wonderfully you have blessed me!