It has been nine years since I made the move from Canada to Costa Rica, and I often find myself asking a simple question: Why do I feel so blessed to call this place home? Is it simply Pura Vida? Is it the climate, the ocean, the slower pace of life, or something much deeper?
Over the years, I have discovered that living in Costa Rica is about far more than the beautiful scenery and the lifestyle so many people dream of. It is about what happens to you when you step outside the life you have always known and allow yourself to become part of something different.
Of course, there are days when you question your decision. Anyone who has lived here for a significant amount of time knows that not everything is effortless. Banking can be complicated. Applying for or renewing a driver’s license can test your patience. Navigating residency and other administrative processes can require patience and persistence.
There are moments when you wonder why something that seems so simple elsewhere can feel so complex here. But then something happens that reminds you why you came.
Finding Small-Town Roots in a New World
When I moved to Costa Rica, I chose a small community, a little off the beaten path and away from the heavily touristed areas. I wanted an experience that would change my life. I wanted to discover what it meant to live somewhere completely different, to learn another culture, and to see the world from a new perspective. And I found it.
What surprised me most was how familiar parts of Costa Rican life felt. I grew up in Saskatchewan, Canada, where small-town connections, neighbors looking out for one another, and a deep sense of community were part of everyday life. In my corner of Costa Rica, I discovered something remarkably similar.
People welcomed me into their world. Neighbors became friends. Invitations to celebrations and local gatherings offered glimpses of a way of life that you cannot fully understand as a visitor simply passing through.
Becoming Part of the Rhythm
Acceptance did not happen overnight. It came through small, consistent moments: showing up, participating, accepting invitations, and being present. It came from taking the time to listen, learn, and appreciate traditions that were not my own.
I began to understand that becoming part of a community is not something you can expect simply because you have bought a home. It grows through relationships, consistency, and a genuine willingness to embrace the people and the culture around you. There is a difference between living in Costa Rica and becoming part of Costa Rica.
Neither is right or wrong. Many people come here and find their happiness within the vibrant international expat community. Those friendships and shared experiences can be incredibly valuable when building a new life far from home. There is no single way to experience this Costa Rica, and everyone must find the path that feels right for them.
For me, the greatest gift was the opportunity to step beyond what was familiar and become part of a community that has its own rhythms, traditions, and ways of seeing the world.
What Pura Vida Really Means
I have learned that Pura Vida is not a promise that every day will be easy. It does not eliminate paperwork or the occasional moment of wondering what on earth you were thinking when you packed up your life. Instead, perhaps Pura Vida is found in the moments between those frustrations.
It is in the neighbor who welcomes you, the invitation you did not expect, the celebration you are grateful to be included in, and the friendships that develop slowly and naturally over time. It is in realizing that the life you came here to find may look very different from the one you imagined before you arrived.
Perhaps the real journey is not about changing Costa Rica at all, but about allowing Costa Rica to change you. And if you allow it, that may be the most beautiful part of all.
From Personal Journey to Professional Purpose
That realization is what eventually shaped my professional life here. Today, I work in real estate across the Gold Coast in Guanacaste—from Playa Flamingo, Potrero, and Tamarindo north toward Playas del Coco.
After nearly a decade working alongside buyers and sellers on the Gold Coast, I have come to understand that purchasing property in Costa Rica is rarely just a transaction. It represents a fundamental shift in lifestyle, a new chapter, or the realization of a vision someone has held onto for years.
Moving across borders is a profound transition, both financially and personally. Having walked that path myself—from Saskatchewan winters to Guanacaste sunsets—I consider it a privilege to guide others as they navigate not just the legal and market realities of buying a home here, but the deeply personal journey of building a life in Costa Rica.
Whether you are in the early stages of dreaming, navigating the move yourself, or looking to buy or sell on the Gold Coast, my door is always open for a real conversation about what life here truly looks like. Nearly a decade after making that move myself, I am still learning from this country, its communities, and the people who welcomed me into their world.
Costa Rica became much more than the place where I chose to live.
It became the place that taught me a different way to live.
Author Bio
Wendy Stoneham moved from Saskatchewan, Canada, to coastal Costa Rica nearly a decade ago. Today, she works in real estate across Guanacaste—including Playa Flamingo, Potrero, Tamarindo, and Playas del Coco—guiding buyers and sellers through the financial, legal, and lifestyle transitions of moving to the Gold Coast.
🌐 www.wendystoneham.com
✉️ wendy@wendystoneham.com
📞 +506 8777 4224
