Monday June 1 2026   8994 steps    10:36 a.m.

 

Back from Grecia. Got two more months of Rivolta (flea and tick drops for between Charli’s shoulders) plus more groceries and TP for me. Withdrew 40,000 colones (about $88 USD) from the bank and got back here with about $8 of it, but the Rivolta took a lot of it and I won’t need any more of that until September 24th, which is a long way away.

 

I got celery, mixed fruit juice, canned sweet corn and potatoes to make crockpot meals with. I hope to save money by doing a lot of crockpot recipes and freezing them.

 

I won’t need cat litter again for months, or TP, so I made good use of the available funds.  (All but $10 of the rest will go to Medicare Part B within the next few days, boo hiss) but my Social Security check arrives in just over a week, and I’m good ’til then!)

 

Cheese went up in price, so they can keep it unless I decide to buy local cheese. It isn’t as pricey.

 

Bus fare (one way) went up from 815 colones to 860 since the last time I rode in, so I am really looking forward to getting an approval on my pensionado application so I can get a DIMEX card and ride for free. I will also have to start paying CAJA fees, but then I can drop my Part 2 Medicare (which has gone up to $265/month!) and pay only between $60 and $100 for my care per month. (No copays, no deductibles, free prescriptions! Socialized medicine is da bomb!).

 

Ate a hamburger and drank a cola at Mercado Municipal today. The cost: 5K colones (about $11 at today’s exchange rates), less than a six inch at Subway. But I can save at Subway by just not having avocado and bacon put on the sandwich for that once-a-week guilty pleasure treat. That too would be just 5K colones.

 

Started a crockpot soup as soon as I got back

 

It smells sensational.  Can’t wait to try it when it’s ready!  Made enough to freeze at least six additional portions, too.

 

Charli is Chatty and Clingy Today

Not nervous, just super PRESENT. She wil disappear as soon as my second interviewer arrives this afternoon, though, and then reappear within moments after she leaves. Like clockwork!

 

Sunrise/Moonset Was Sensational this Morning at 5:15

 

My phone never does images justice but I will post what it did capture as soon as I can share photos with you again from this blog interface.

 

I Want to Gain Spanish Fluency Faster

 

I don’t know if I’m going to be able to afford to stay in CR if prices keep going up and the exchange rate stays low. I can look for cheaper apartments — they exist — but they’re lower quality, smaller, or co-renting situations.

 

OR I could move to a less costly place with kitchen appliances only and buy a bed, table, desk and chairs for it. Those start at around $350/month, which is less than half what I’m paying here when I factor in the dehumidifying crystals that I’m going through like Grant took Richmond during the rainy season.

 

And if Jackie does sell our property in Tacoma within two years (which is the present plan) I can probably get by that long. I’ll get half of the proceeds (after expenses) and that will put me in good stead; I’ll be okay for the rest of my life even if I live to 100+.

 

So, “it ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings,” as the young boy once said at an opera when asked how much longer the event would go on.

 

My Amygdala Likes to Go for a Jog at Times!

 

“Everything has always worked out well before, so it should all work out this time, too.”  I keep reminding myself of this when my amygdala acts up. “You’re telling yourself a scary story, Kris. It has zero basis in reality. ‘WHAT IF’ is NOT a PREDICTION!”

 

It’s fine and dandy to think about options and work arounds in case things go south, of course, unless the thinking leads to upset tummies. That’s when I call an immediate halt and insist on a reality check.

 

I love my mind. It’s a good’un. (Amygdala and all, as long as I remain in control of it!)

 

I Met an Elderly Man At the Bus Station This Morning

 

(By elderly, I mean someone around my age. LOL!)

 

His name is Jaime. Lovely man. He has visited France, Holland, the US and Costa Rica. (I think he’s French, but he knows Spanish and English as well.)  He told me Costa Rica is best. I agreed based on my more limited travels (Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Costa Rica. I have never been to Europe.)

 

Jaime encouraged me to take Lisa to a place near Limon, Costa Rica that has covered riverboats taking tourists on slow, leisurely cruises to see scads of CR wildlife. It’s called The Tortuguero Canals. I have definitely listed it as an option based on what I’ve read about it. It’s a three or four hour drive from Grecia, so we’d probably stay the night in Limon one night.  (I wonder if Adilio or Jon and Francisco would be up for that?)

 

The riverboat trip is 3 to 5 hours, so it would be a long day, but it looks like it would be very much worth it.

 

Jaime Watched Me from Afar

 

…for a while before approaching me and introducing himself. He said he could tell I was a nice/good person (paraphrasing here) because of my facial attitude. That was a lovely compliment!  I thanked him!

 

He said that some norteamericanos look unfriendly and distant; they ignore other people or appear to look down on them. Many keep their noses buried in their phones.

 

Yeah, I know — all too well!  What a waste of time and life to be oblivious to or disdainful of people around you. The lost moments, lost connections, lost pleasantries. I don’t understand!!!

 

My phone is always with me but 99.9999% of the time it’s in my pocket. It’s my servant, not my master (or my closet). I’m not addicted to it. I mostly have it with me in case of an emergency or in case I need to use the translation app for some reason.

 

I look around, observe, catch people’s eyes, nod, smile and say hello when they look equally amenable to engaging. It’s joyous!

 

I’ve met wonderful people at the bus station, at bus stops, and inside the bus. I look forward to bus trips. They’re adventures in engagement and wonder.

 

Jaime asked me why I think so many norteamericanos are standoffish and self-isolating. I guessed FEAR.

 

“Fear of what?” he asked.

 

I tried to explain about the way some politicians and mass media outlets in the U.S. depict “the other” (black, brown, LGBTQIA+, women, disabled, neurodiverse, etc.) as SCARY, UNPREDICTABLE, and PROBABLY DANGEROUS.

 

He was gobsmacked

 

In Costa Rica, people aren’t “othered” or demonized for not being brown like most of them. This country really is a melting pot of many different people’s origin stories. ALL of them are respected and celebrated.

 

Yes, Ticos feel that new immigrants should undertake to learn Spanish, but many other languages are spoken here, too. The more, the merrier! But they know that learning Spanish opens the doors to people, insights and opportunities that aren’t readily apparent or available to non-Spanish speaking folks, same as it is in the U.S. when it comes to learning English.

 

Ticos want us to learn their unique history and enjoy and celebrate their special days and events with them. They seek mutual engagement and understanding, kindness, patience, and respect. It’s their CULTURE to be all of these wonderful things.

 

It’s a lovely place with lovely people.

 

 2:30 p.m.

 

 

Just finished my second (and last) interview with a third year student, Ashley Chaves, from Mauricio Marin’s English class. What fun!

 

We had to do the first part of it again because her phone ran out of space to record, so she lost the first five minutes or so of the interview.  But she deleted a bunch of photos and we were able to do the entire interview in two video segments.  I think both turned out well.

 

We relocated a little for the second part because the sun came onto the patio where we were and started baking her.

 

When we finished the interview, I asked Ashley to tell me about herself and what she does for a living. She’s a hair and skin aesthetician. I asked why she’s learning English; she said it’s required in most professions these days.

 

She did a good job.

 

The only suggestion I had for both interviewers was to speak a bit louder and with more confidence, because they’re both well on their way to fluency and they don’t need to fret about getting things wrong. If they do, they will certainly be corrected as kindly and patiently as I have been when I mess up with Spanish.

 

And by speaking up and speaking out they won’t have to repeat themselves as often.  (I have some hearing loss, but not enough to miss words or sentences unless they’re spoken without clarity or confidence.)  I’ve gotten tothe point, personally, where I will pronounce (and mispronounce!) with utmost clarity and confidence!  LOL!  ‘Cause I don’t mind at all being corrected.  Being corrected is how I get better from week to week and I’m going for the gold standard when it comes to Spanish fluency!!

 

After she left she texted for my blog website address

 

She also asked if I would be amenable to helping her with her English over the phone from time to time.

 

I said, “Absolutely yes!”

 

Anything I can do here to help “pay it forward” for all of the help and care I have received after moving here, I want to do!

 

Nothing would make me happier.