Hello, to all those who might have an interest in what life might be like on a farm in the tropics...
My name is Domonique and I am here to share the ups, downs and truth about what it is REALLY like. Because I, after 38 years of never being on a farm, and thriving on city life...made the drastic and unimaginable choice to pick up my 12 year old daughter and move to Costa Rica.We have been here for 8 years now and finally we have Internet! I am excited to share with you some of our experiences up til now, as well as every day occurrences that I don't want to take for granted...I want the world to know the amazing, scary, challenging, soul searching, spiritual, learning and even sad and funny truths and experiences that one might experience when moving from the U.S to a "3rd world country" as we have. By the way...we are not and never have had to poop in the woods here... And the education in this country, last time I checked was #3 in the world...where as U.S rated #27! But enough of that for now...let me start with a little more history...about me..the kind of person who doesn't give up....
I am from Portland Oregon in the United States of America. I have always lived in the suburbs or the big cities, and loved it! But as a single mother, I realized after many years of working three jobs, having to change my entire life goals and dreams to take jobs that might allow me a glimpse or two of my daughter throughout the day...I was never going to get ahead. By that I mean, to a point that I could take off a day from work if my daughter needed me or even if I got sick! It was painfully evident that if, for example, some terrible thing happened to me...the only thing I would be leaving for my daughter would be debt and the desire to know who her mother is/was. It was eye opening! And I was determined to do something about it! So, after my parents had both past away...I went in search of the perfect place to raise my going on teen-age daughter. 50 thousand to our name...it was a joke in the states! I couldn't even afford to buy my own garage!! Then, one day a friend of mine suggested Costa Rica. We decided to go check it out, and within 2 weeks, I knew... this was our future. Please note that neither my daughter or I spoke a word of Spanish, had ever been out of the country and neither of us had any idea what we were going to do or how we were going to do it!
And that is how we will start this blog and this as my introduction...my next post...
Today I just heard that yet another Gringo friend of mine went back to the states...wow!! The truth is that Americans especially tend to come here...full of dreams and ideas...but once here, without all the distractions of city, friends, family and just daily happenings, they get bored. Build their houses and then leave. I understand how hard it is to slow down. It has actually taken me years to be able to. But looking in the mirror...trying to figure out who you are without all the extrenious distractions, is really hard! What do you REALLY like to do? How do you fill your time? What can you do to create your own happiness?? Whose fault is it really...if you are bored, sad, unhappy? Whose responsibility is it to fix it...you??? These are some of the questions you have to live with and answer daily when you live on a tropical farm. A life without having any excuses, no one to blame. Action!!! But, once you get past the first couple of years...maybe 4...you can then begin feeling comfortable, and getting creative with who you are and what you choose to do. It is a wonderful journey ...but very difficult! And that is why most Americans..(foreigners) dont make it. They cant handle it. Themselves. I have made it 8 years so far. And although I need and like to get off the farm at times...go to the states or travel somewhere new....This tropical farm is what i gladly call home.
ReplyDeleteNext post we will touch on some of the difficult times and hard facts of adjusting from living in the city...in the U.S to a VERY remote tropical farm in what is known as a 3rd wotld country.