I leave for the first world in a couple of hours. I will be working as a psychiatric nurse practitioner in Laconia and Plymouth NH with adult and geriatric clients in an outpatient behavioral health setting. It seems to be a very good job and I am looking forward to it. I will be living in a Marriott hotel. I have a day or two to adjust before I start work on Monday.
I am still working on my writing.…I know what I need to do—I hope the discipline will kick in when I am ready. I may take a poetry course to study language. But I also have to study psychopharmacology and other things for my job. It has been very hot in Paradise. I have had to wear covered shoes when I ride my quad—otherwise my feet burn. I love not being able to do things because of the heat…pure tranquility…Joe said it is like being bit by a teetzee fly… I call it “pure being”. My peace was interrupted by a whirlwind trip to the States to get fingerprints for my license application for New Hampshire. That two day trip wore me out. I had a cold for a few days and stopped my noon swim..
Mid-February, we celebrated the 6th anniversary of the Black Sheep by having a Costa Rican beer festival. Joe and Gunter went down to Malpais to pick up a keg from a microbrewery down there. We have also been getting beer from Volcan Brewing company in the Arenal area. We do have a website; www.blacksheeppubeuropea.blogspot.com I posted a few pics and will try to do more. Joe has been contacted by John Howells about updating the new “Choose Costa Rica”. There is a section about Joe and the pub in the book. And check out the write-up in Thirsty Pilgrim. www.thirstypilgrim.com We are “the pub at the end of the world”—the March 8th entry.
Mark and Cheryl were here from New Orleans. Cheryl made a video and took some amazing pictures, to be posted soon. Mark brought a red plastic trombone. We wanted him to play at the anniversary party but the music was very disorganized. But people danced and enjoyed the beer—it was a good but crazy party. And we heard Mark play on and off all week.
We had our big Saint Patrick’s Day party. Alejandro arranged a rock band from San Jose. Joe’s nephew, Chris, and a friend visited from the states. About 200 people. Lots of dancing. Six beers on tap. Lots of conversation.
We are still looking to sell our paradise here and move inland where it is cheaper. Now we are exploring the Lake Arenal area. Best sites for lots, so far, is www.arenalbuyersrealty.com But first we have to sell here—and if we can’t sell, we will stay in Paradise forever. We are the pub at the end of the world, after all.
My next post will be from New Hampshire.. Stay in touch. Love Joe and Helena
Friday, March 23, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Happy New Year- 2012
Hello--Hello:
There is now a Black Sheep Pub website with pics. www.blacksheeppubeuropea.blogspot.com I will add pics as I get them. Check out the next post for our latest clip in Voice of Nosara which is also on the website
We had our 5th NY eve party. Our band ‘Mumbleriot’ from San Jose played original rock and roll—one of our neighbors called them the next Nirvana. We had four beers on tap, barbeque food by Fritz and about 200 people who appreciated the pub. This year, for the first time, we had a midnight countdown and sang “Auld Lang Syne.” (The band backed us up!!). And there were fireworks organized by our friend and lawyer, Andres. There were several other NY eve parties and we got the right people for us. This time I knew a lot of the people!
Earlier in December, Eric and Lenore had a Holiday Neighborhood Cheer gathering of Dona Cielo residents. We are now ten families. John has reached his goal of establishing a gated community. The overall management of the place is slowly being turned over to his daughter, Angelina, who grew up in England and runs Laluna, a trendy restaurant on the beach. As you come up our hill, the first house which was built by Angelina’s husband, Marion, belongs to Peter and Emily. They are friends of Johns for years and they have five dogs. Peter works for a surfing company and Emily bakes for LaLuna. Then next to them and diagonally across from us are Martin and Susan, from Czechoslovakia. They are doing their own finish work on their dome shaped house. Further up from us is the Olympic House: Tim and Wella and their son, Olympic swimmer, Aaron. Up near them is Elke, her husband and her son. Elke has an organic farm in Canada, her husband is a physician. Their house looks like a stone fortress from the middle ages. Also up their way are Phil and Chantel from Manhatttan, who have have a large impressive house. The most striking house in the community is probably Mike and Lena’s. The house is round, on another hill, with three floors and 180 degree views. And at the current end of the line are Eric and Lenore who were with us from the beginning. Angelina and Marion are rumored to be moving up here with their two small children. There is also a new family coming from Florida who were talking about doing horse vacations. The community functions, pays water bills, and makes decisions.
We look forward to our upcoming visitors. Mark and Cheryl from New Orleans. This is the third time they are visiting us; Mark is bringing his trombone and will likely play for our 6th Black Sheep anniversary party. Joe’s nephew Chris will be here in March with some work buddies. The weather is fab—sunny with blue skies and warm breezes.
I start my job search soon. Have an interview next week. More about that later. Pura vida. Love Joe and Helena
There is now a Black Sheep Pub website with pics. www.blacksheeppubeuropea.blogspot.com I will add pics as I get them. Check out the next post for our latest clip in Voice of Nosara which is also on the website
We had our 5th NY eve party. Our band ‘Mumbleriot’ from San Jose played original rock and roll—one of our neighbors called them the next Nirvana. We had four beers on tap, barbeque food by Fritz and about 200 people who appreciated the pub. This year, for the first time, we had a midnight countdown and sang “Auld Lang Syne.” (The band backed us up!!). And there were fireworks organized by our friend and lawyer, Andres. There were several other NY eve parties and we got the right people for us. This time I knew a lot of the people!
Earlier in December, Eric and Lenore had a Holiday Neighborhood Cheer gathering of Dona Cielo residents. We are now ten families. John has reached his goal of establishing a gated community. The overall management of the place is slowly being turned over to his daughter, Angelina, who grew up in England and runs Laluna, a trendy restaurant on the beach. As you come up our hill, the first house which was built by Angelina’s husband, Marion, belongs to Peter and Emily. They are friends of Johns for years and they have five dogs. Peter works for a surfing company and Emily bakes for LaLuna. Then next to them and diagonally across from us are Martin and Susan, from Czechoslovakia. They are doing their own finish work on their dome shaped house. Further up from us is the Olympic House: Tim and Wella and their son, Olympic swimmer, Aaron. Up near them is Elke, her husband and her son. Elke has an organic farm in Canada, her husband is a physician. Their house looks like a stone fortress from the middle ages. Also up their way are Phil and Chantel from Manhatttan, who have have a large impressive house. The most striking house in the community is probably Mike and Lena’s. The house is round, on another hill, with three floors and 180 degree views. And at the current end of the line are Eric and Lenore who were with us from the beginning. Angelina and Marion are rumored to be moving up here with their two small children. There is also a new family coming from Florida who were talking about doing horse vacations. The community functions, pays water bills, and makes decisions.
We look forward to our upcoming visitors. Mark and Cheryl from New Orleans. This is the third time they are visiting us; Mark is bringing his trombone and will likely play for our 6th Black Sheep anniversary party. Joe’s nephew Chris will be here in March with some work buddies. The weather is fab—sunny with blue skies and warm breezes.
I start my job search soon. Have an interview next week. More about that later. Pura vida. Love Joe and Helena
Bars to find good beer in your area- from Voice of Nosara Dec 2011
NOSARA—The Black Sheep has been a local favorite for years now and Joe the owner has created a pub that puts you in the city of London. Call The Black Sheep first before you stop by is a must so you have someone to attend to your group and make sure the beer is flowing. One of the very few places in our area that serve beer from the tap, the Black Sheep is a very memorable experience if you can find it! 89285752 87188568 HGreaney@gmail.com
Monday, December 05, 2011
Dec 2011
I have been back in paradise one month and I finally feel adjusted to the different rhythms. My contract in MA was cancelled suddenly because they hired a permanent person. Disrupted our income a bit but it is glorious to be here.
Joe had the roof of the terrace extended so instead of a half roof, we have a full roof. Half of it is opaque allowing light to come through. The best part of having a full roof is that we can sit on the terrace and watch the rain without getting wet. We have had some torrential rain but mostly it is dry; we had a couple of days of dry winds which usually don’t come along till January. The landscape is still lush with its shades of green, the skies are blue and the air is super clean. The gentle breezes waft up from the ocean. I have resumed swimming every day—outside.
Before I left MA, I applied for advanced practice nursing licenses in CT and OR, so I have wider options . I am aiming to be back in the US the end of March. My first choice is to work in Oregon—fingers crossed that they accept my credentials.
We had a pleasant low key Thanksgiving. Joe cooked a turkey. Tim and Wella, our swimmer neighbors were here. Also Steve and Sue from the fab four, our friends from LA who now live in Playa Pelada. And Gunter and a Tica lady-friend. This was the first time Joe and I were together for Thanksgiving in six years. There is a natural tendency for the expatriates to come together in Costa Rica. It makes for interesting gatherings since the expatriates are from all kinds of backgrounds.
We are busy preparing for our New Years Eve party. Mumble-riot, the surfer rock group from San Jose will play. Adriano will cook and we will have our assortment of craft beer and fine liquors. The Black Sheep Pub is open in our low key way—people call when they want to come up. We may have regular hours in the high season.
I enjoy riding my ATV to the beach to watch the waves crash on the shore. I work on my memoir currently taking an online class with Gotham writers. I may concentrate on the first couple of years of our move since that is when most of the action takes place. Now we live here and there is less to write about since it has become familiar though we still call it paradise.
We are down to three animals. Unfortunately, Guiness, the cat Joe retrieved from the jungle became very sick with feline leukemia. The vet came to our house and when she was trying to insert an IV, Guiness put up a big struggle and died of a heart attack. Now we have Ainsley the cat from Boston and the two dogs who are half Jack Russell and half local, Freida and Nina. Three pets is plenty.
Gunter is leaving. He has a new job in Playa Pelada which comes with an apartment. So soon all our guest houses will be free. Come and visit—it is the high season and we have plenty of space.
Love, Joe and Helena
I have been back in paradise one month and I finally feel adjusted to the different rhythms. My contract in MA was cancelled suddenly because they hired a permanent person. Disrupted our income a bit but it is glorious to be here.
Joe had the roof of the terrace extended so instead of a half roof, we have a full roof. Half of it is opaque allowing light to come through. The best part of having a full roof is that we can sit on the terrace and watch the rain without getting wet. We have had some torrential rain but mostly it is dry; we had a couple of days of dry winds which usually don’t come along till January. The landscape is still lush with its shades of green, the skies are blue and the air is super clean. The gentle breezes waft up from the ocean. I have resumed swimming every day—outside.
Before I left MA, I applied for advanced practice nursing licenses in CT and OR, so I have wider options . I am aiming to be back in the US the end of March. My first choice is to work in Oregon—fingers crossed that they accept my credentials.
We had a pleasant low key Thanksgiving. Joe cooked a turkey. Tim and Wella, our swimmer neighbors were here. Also Steve and Sue from the fab four, our friends from LA who now live in Playa Pelada. And Gunter and a Tica lady-friend. This was the first time Joe and I were together for Thanksgiving in six years. There is a natural tendency for the expatriates to come together in Costa Rica. It makes for interesting gatherings since the expatriates are from all kinds of backgrounds.
We are busy preparing for our New Years Eve party. Mumble-riot, the surfer rock group from San Jose will play. Adriano will cook and we will have our assortment of craft beer and fine liquors. The Black Sheep Pub is open in our low key way—people call when they want to come up. We may have regular hours in the high season.
I enjoy riding my ATV to the beach to watch the waves crash on the shore. I work on my memoir currently taking an online class with Gotham writers. I may concentrate on the first couple of years of our move since that is when most of the action takes place. Now we live here and there is less to write about since it has become familiar though we still call it paradise.
We are down to three animals. Unfortunately, Guiness, the cat Joe retrieved from the jungle became very sick with feline leukemia. The vet came to our house and when she was trying to insert an IV, Guiness put up a big struggle and died of a heart attack. Now we have Ainsley the cat from Boston and the two dogs who are half Jack Russell and half local, Freida and Nina. Three pets is plenty.
Gunter is leaving. He has a new job in Playa Pelada which comes with an apartment. So soon all our guest houses will be free. Come and visit—it is the high season and we have plenty of space.
Love, Joe and Helena
Sunday, August 28, 2011
August 2011
August 2011
I return to Nosara next week. My contract is renewed--I will be living in western MA from Sept 26th till Dec 16th. I would like to work at this job regularly-- 2 three month contracts per year but I will only know one contract at a time. I work outpatient, prescribing, all ages, 30 hours/week. And I started back with my old employer, New England Geriatrics to pick up some extra hours in a nursing home in Greenfield.
Living in Holyoke the past three months, I have adapted to driving in traffic and living in a hotel. I miss the plethora of culture at my fingertips like I had in New York but this is a better job and I have a car. I am in touch with family and friends and I am getting to know this lovely area called Pioneer Valley. Especially Northampton and Amherst.
My Australian friend Mary came up from New York for the fourth of July weekend. We stayed at Allen House, a Victorian B&B in Amherst, across from Emily Dickenson’s house. I learned later that because it was summer, all the UMass students were away and this made the town pleasantly deserted. My friend Tedi visited from Boston last week—we spent the day shopping in Northampton. Now I know where the boutique clothing stores and the good deals are—I bought some green sandals for $20 and I wear them all the time.
My family have visited. Michael came up to help me get used to the car, John, Yola and James were here, and Mary came with Jeremiah. The kids like the pool in the hotel (and so do I). Joe’s nephew, Chris also come by when his job brought him up this way.
I miss Joe. I talk to him twice/day. I miss the dogs. I miss the clean water, the clean air , and our pristine natural habitat though Joe tells me it has been raining a lot which can feel oppressive. But is always beautiful
I now have a Kindle and I bought one for Joe and I have been loading up free classics and free history books for him . I will be taking home odds and ends, i.e. a deep fryer which I bought at the gigantic mall up the road from the hotel. We can get most things in Costa Rica now but it does take planning and things in stores run out quickly—and, between the power surges, moisture, rust, fungus, bugs, and animals, things don’t seem to last that long. You have to get used to having less stuff. And it makes a lot of things seem overdone in the US.
Joe is keeping the pub active. A trickle of people but keeping the pub tradition alive. We go to a lot of trouble to have draft beer and we love seeing everybody.
Hopefully we will have a gathering at the Black Sheep in September so I get to see everyone.
Next post is from Nosara….Love Helena and Joe
I return to Nosara next week. My contract is renewed--I will be living in western MA from Sept 26th till Dec 16th. I would like to work at this job regularly-- 2 three month contracts per year but I will only know one contract at a time. I work outpatient, prescribing, all ages, 30 hours/week. And I started back with my old employer, New England Geriatrics to pick up some extra hours in a nursing home in Greenfield.
Living in Holyoke the past three months, I have adapted to driving in traffic and living in a hotel. I miss the plethora of culture at my fingertips like I had in New York but this is a better job and I have a car. I am in touch with family and friends and I am getting to know this lovely area called Pioneer Valley. Especially Northampton and Amherst.
My Australian friend Mary came up from New York for the fourth of July weekend. We stayed at Allen House, a Victorian B&B in Amherst, across from Emily Dickenson’s house. I learned later that because it was summer, all the UMass students were away and this made the town pleasantly deserted. My friend Tedi visited from Boston last week—we spent the day shopping in Northampton. Now I know where the boutique clothing stores and the good deals are—I bought some green sandals for $20 and I wear them all the time.
My family have visited. Michael came up to help me get used to the car, John, Yola and James were here, and Mary came with Jeremiah. The kids like the pool in the hotel (and so do I). Joe’s nephew, Chris also come by when his job brought him up this way.
I miss Joe. I talk to him twice/day. I miss the dogs. I miss the clean water, the clean air , and our pristine natural habitat though Joe tells me it has been raining a lot which can feel oppressive. But is always beautiful
I now have a Kindle and I bought one for Joe and I have been loading up free classics and free history books for him . I will be taking home odds and ends, i.e. a deep fryer which I bought at the gigantic mall up the road from the hotel. We can get most things in Costa Rica now but it does take planning and things in stores run out quickly—and, between the power surges, moisture, rust, fungus, bugs, and animals, things don’t seem to last that long. You have to get used to having less stuff. And it makes a lot of things seem overdone in the US.
Joe is keeping the pub active. A trickle of people but keeping the pub tradition alive. We go to a lot of trouble to have draft beer and we love seeing everybody.
Hopefully we will have a gathering at the Black Sheep in September so I get to see everyone.
Next post is from Nosara….Love Helena and Joe
Monday, May 09, 2011
Countdown to Springfield MA
I start my new job May 30th. I will be working in Springfield MA with children and adolescents using my clinical nurse specialist qualifications. It is likely that I will be living Enfield CT—the agency provides the lodging, the car and they will arrange my travel from Costa Rica. In my visits to NY I had to do everything myself so this seems so easy. But the job will be more challenging; there are at least 3 work sites and 1099 rather than a W2 for taxes.
Our car just got out of the shop. I cannot figure out how the car can be driving fine and then suddenly there is a problem. The dirt roads are uneven and filled with potholes but the cars look strong enough—we have a Pathfinder. This time Joe and Gunter were driving the car and suddenly there was a loud grating sound coming from the right front axle and smoke was coming out. The brakes look like hamburger meat, Gunter said. We have a new mechanic. We seem to get a new mechanic every couple of years. We liked our last mechanic but we had to stop using him because he replaced a part in Gunter’s car with a used part and charged him for a new one. We never check these things. We know we should… I am still mad that somehow we lost a front tire from the Pathfinder. A new tire was replaced with an old tire. We don’t know how it happened or who did it. Was it done by accident or on purpose?? We don’t know…
And we have a new gardener. Diego suddenly got a new job in Honduras. The day he told us, he recommended his replacement. Lester is 18, thin, medium height, curly hair and speaks rapidly. He wears Diego’s Obama shirt which Joe had given him. So far he is very diligent as are most of our workers in the beginning…and then it is variable. His sister is doing our housekeeping once/week and she is hard working with a vibrant personality. She is 16—she attends high school but she told me school is closed because the teachers are not getting paid.
We are temporarily taking our house off the market. The realtors are not bringing us people and we give business cards for the property to people who come to the pub. We are still selling but we will be lower key about it which seems to be the way here. We are gearing up for our last party before I leave. Joe’s “65 and still alive” birthday party and my “Farewell for three months” party. Adriano, the Italian is eager to do the food and we may or may not have live music. Our neighbor Tim will bar-tend so we just have to organize a few things and hope people will come. We continue to be amazed with the diversity of people here in Nosara and so far they love to come to our parties. One of our patrons called our New Years party “the social experiment” because she said she had never seen such a mix of people in one space.
And Joe has put in yet another garden—in the back of the house. He had the area cleared a bit so it looks like a park. And what a view. It is gorgeous here…
So my next post will be from CT. I will be back in Sept for 3-4 weeks and then back again to Springfield if my contract is renewed…Money, money….Love Helena and Joe
Our car just got out of the shop. I cannot figure out how the car can be driving fine and then suddenly there is a problem. The dirt roads are uneven and filled with potholes but the cars look strong enough—we have a Pathfinder. This time Joe and Gunter were driving the car and suddenly there was a loud grating sound coming from the right front axle and smoke was coming out. The brakes look like hamburger meat, Gunter said. We have a new mechanic. We seem to get a new mechanic every couple of years. We liked our last mechanic but we had to stop using him because he replaced a part in Gunter’s car with a used part and charged him for a new one. We never check these things. We know we should… I am still mad that somehow we lost a front tire from the Pathfinder. A new tire was replaced with an old tire. We don’t know how it happened or who did it. Was it done by accident or on purpose?? We don’t know…
And we have a new gardener. Diego suddenly got a new job in Honduras. The day he told us, he recommended his replacement. Lester is 18, thin, medium height, curly hair and speaks rapidly. He wears Diego’s Obama shirt which Joe had given him. So far he is very diligent as are most of our workers in the beginning…and then it is variable. His sister is doing our housekeeping once/week and she is hard working with a vibrant personality. She is 16—she attends high school but she told me school is closed because the teachers are not getting paid.
We are temporarily taking our house off the market. The realtors are not bringing us people and we give business cards for the property to people who come to the pub. We are still selling but we will be lower key about it which seems to be the way here. We are gearing up for our last party before I leave. Joe’s “65 and still alive” birthday party and my “Farewell for three months” party. Adriano, the Italian is eager to do the food and we may or may not have live music. Our neighbor Tim will bar-tend so we just have to organize a few things and hope people will come. We continue to be amazed with the diversity of people here in Nosara and so far they love to come to our parties. One of our patrons called our New Years party “the social experiment” because she said she had never seen such a mix of people in one space.
And Joe has put in yet another garden—in the back of the house. He had the area cleared a bit so it looks like a park. And what a view. It is gorgeous here…
So my next post will be from CT. I will be back in Sept for 3-4 weeks and then back again to Springfield if my contract is renewed…Money, money….Love Helena and Joe
Friday, April 01, 2011
April 1, 2011
March 2011
Joe is in the states for the fifteenth anniversary of NERAX . He was given the opportunity to go as an alumni with the flight paid. Unfortunately he lost his wallet on the way to San Jose. Thefts and losses are common here. And people help out. The hotel lent him $100 cash for spending money. Our cab driver lent him the $26 exit fee. He has his passport and there will be airfare reimbursement for him in Boston. But these things are unsettling.
We had our Saint Patrick's Day party. It was incredibly well organized this time Rock band from San Jose, DJ, a special stout made for us by Costa Rica’s craft brewing Co. fabulous Irish food made by an Italian chef. About 200 people—less than our crazy parties, but much more manageable. Check out the pics at www.voiceofnosara.com. The ale atmosphere makes for a congenial conversational ambiance and we also have the ever present tropical breezes and for the party we had an almost full moon. Somebody called our place Shangri—la. The natural beauty, the pure air, and the clean water endure. (deep sigh).
And we are having visitors. My nurse friends Lorae and Cathy were here from Boston. They went to the resort at the Tabacon Hot Springs first which they highly recommend. Expensive but worth it, they said. Then we had Joe’s nephew, Chris, and three of his friends. They are our first guests to rent a boat and go fishing: we have ocean fishing and reef fishing here and they brought back enough fish for us to last for a couple of months. They also enjoyed visiting the Bamboo Bar in Nosara village. Tourists don’t usually go to the village-- I guess the Pacific Ocean and all the tourist things in the American Beach project are enough when you are on vacation. When we have visitors we pretend we are on vacation too. It was unusual to see Joe hanging out in lounge chairs by the pool with our visitors.
And I am involved in my job search to get back to the states. I am working with two companies and will sign up with a third one soon. My old spot at Beth Israel is not available and in general there are more advanced practice jobs than staff jobs right now. MA is my first choice since I am licensed to do advanced practice there. But I am hopeful about a spot in West Va., Oregon or Arizona. Nothing has gelled yet and I am anxiously filling out applications and calling my recruiters. I am looking forward to doing advanced practice work again—I surprise myself. And we do need the money.
I am continuing to work on my memoir—we have now been here six years. The newness of living here has worn off and we have the conveniences of a gas station, internet and a bank. I ride my quad on the dirt roads, go to the beach and it still feels like paradise. I have started doing breathwork classes at Nosara Wellness Center- a beautiful spot here in the jungle. The method is being well received and the facility is open to including me. So this may lead to something . But the money is in the states, at least so far. Hopefully my next post will be from MA, West Va or one of the other states that are easier to be licensed, like Texas. Every state has their own requirements and application processes. First the job, then the license….Hope all are well. Stay in touch , love Helena and Joe
Joe is in the states for the fifteenth anniversary of NERAX . He was given the opportunity to go as an alumni with the flight paid. Unfortunately he lost his wallet on the way to San Jose. Thefts and losses are common here. And people help out. The hotel lent him $100 cash for spending money. Our cab driver lent him the $26 exit fee. He has his passport and there will be airfare reimbursement for him in Boston. But these things are unsettling.
We had our Saint Patrick's Day party. It was incredibly well organized this time Rock band from San Jose, DJ, a special stout made for us by Costa Rica’s craft brewing Co. fabulous Irish food made by an Italian chef. About 200 people—less than our crazy parties, but much more manageable. Check out the pics at www.voiceofnosara.com. The ale atmosphere makes for a congenial conversational ambiance and we also have the ever present tropical breezes and for the party we had an almost full moon. Somebody called our place Shangri—la. The natural beauty, the pure air, and the clean water endure. (deep sigh).
And we are having visitors. My nurse friends Lorae and Cathy were here from Boston. They went to the resort at the Tabacon Hot Springs first which they highly recommend. Expensive but worth it, they said. Then we had Joe’s nephew, Chris, and three of his friends. They are our first guests to rent a boat and go fishing: we have ocean fishing and reef fishing here and they brought back enough fish for us to last for a couple of months. They also enjoyed visiting the Bamboo Bar in Nosara village. Tourists don’t usually go to the village-- I guess the Pacific Ocean and all the tourist things in the American Beach project are enough when you are on vacation. When we have visitors we pretend we are on vacation too. It was unusual to see Joe hanging out in lounge chairs by the pool with our visitors.
And I am involved in my job search to get back to the states. I am working with two companies and will sign up with a third one soon. My old spot at Beth Israel is not available and in general there are more advanced practice jobs than staff jobs right now. MA is my first choice since I am licensed to do advanced practice there. But I am hopeful about a spot in West Va., Oregon or Arizona. Nothing has gelled yet and I am anxiously filling out applications and calling my recruiters. I am looking forward to doing advanced practice work again—I surprise myself. And we do need the money.
I am continuing to work on my memoir—we have now been here six years. The newness of living here has worn off and we have the conveniences of a gas station, internet and a bank. I ride my quad on the dirt roads, go to the beach and it still feels like paradise. I have started doing breathwork classes at Nosara Wellness Center- a beautiful spot here in the jungle. The method is being well received and the facility is open to including me. So this may lead to something . But the money is in the states, at least so far. Hopefully my next post will be from MA, West Va or one of the other states that are easier to be licensed, like Texas. Every state has their own requirements and application processes. First the job, then the license….Hope all are well. Stay in touch , love Helena and Joe
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Roam, sweet home: Boston Globe article by Brittany Danielson
Roam, sweet home
By Brittany Danielson
Boston Globe Correspondent/ February 27, 2011
NOSARA, Costa Rica — To get to Joe and Helena Wygal’s home in this surfing outpost on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, put your vehicle into four-wheel drive and prepare for a bumpy ride. Cross the gurgling waters of the Rio Nosara — there’s no bridge — and make your way, very carefully, up a near-vertical ascent to the whitewashed hilltop retreat the former Somerville natives now call home. When you arrive, captivating vistas of rolling hills, mountaintops, and expansive ocean greet you.
Also waiting: a cold pint of ale.
The Wygals, who packed up their Massachusetts lives and relocated to Costa Rica in 2005, are among the more than 1 million Americans who have found their piece of retirement heaven abroad. Lured not only by the prospect of sunnier skies and palm-lined beaches, the chance to live a life of comfort — or even luxury — for less is enticing many retirees to take a look at foreign locales.
The Wygals, for example, live in Costa Rica on a budget of around $2,000 a month — including a gardener and housekeeper. They bought their custom-built home and its 2-acre lot for just under $100,000. Their furniture, handmade from native hardwoods by a local artisan, cost half of what it might have stateside, they said.
But the best thing about life in Costa Rica, the Wygals say, isn’t the low cost of living, but the spectacular natural setting. “Instead of the traffic in the morning, I wake up to the sound of howling monkeys,’’ said Joe Wygal. “It’s like a little symphony.’’
The Wygals first visited Costa Rica in 1989 and fell in love with its natural beauty and welcoming people. When the time came to buy property, they decided on Nosara, where surfer dudes, yoga enthusiasts, and a growing community of retirees mingle. An estimated 40,000 to 50,000 Americans live in Costa Rica.
Once they were settled, Joe Wygal, 64, the former owner of the Arbor House Bed and Breakfast in Somerville and a craft beer enthusiast, got to work building a small, English-style pub on the property. The pub, called the Black Sheep, is open only on Saturdays for members and their guests.
Complete with a gleaming bar of local hardwoods, Tudor-style walls decorated floor-to-ceiling with European beer paraphernalia, and casks of hard-to-find brews, the pub has become a favorite watering hole of the expat community. With patrons spilling onto the outdoor patio, the Wygals can accommodate well over 100 people.
“I wanted to take what was important to me down here,’’ said Wygal, who operates the Black Sheep as a not-for-profit business. “We do it for fun. It’s one way to form your own community.’’
While the economic advantages of retiring abroad can be many, it’s best to investigate carefully. Cost of living can vary widely depending on location. The Wygals, who traveled back and forth to Costa Rica over the course of more than a decade, recommend that others seeking to retire abroad visit the country more than once — and visit often.
Another consideration: Medicare doesn’t cover US citizens once they’ve crossed the border. Nonetheless, savings on health care can be significant. Depending on where you settle, you may be able to join your adopted country’s national health care system, according to American Citizens Abroad, a Washington-based organization that advocates for expatriates.
Even if purchased out of pocket, health care in many of the countries where retirees tend to relocate tends to be very affordable. Doctor’s-office visits, hospitalization, and medications are often a fraction of the US cost.
But it isn’t all good news. US citizens are still required to file federal income taxes no matter where they reside — although there are exemptions for some income earned abroad. As for foreign taxes, specialists say, it’s best to check with a local tax attorney to be sure you understand what’s in store.
In addition, culture shock, language barriers, and estrangement from friends and family can all be factors that adventurous settlers never bargained for. The Wygals advise that if you’re not patient and ready to deal sensitively with differences in culture, cuisine, bureaucracy, and business, don’t move to a foreign country.
The Wygals are already looking ahead to the future. Helena Wygal, 60, still spends three months of the year working as a psychiatric nurse at Beth Israel Hospital in New York, but wants to completely retire from nursing within a year or two. And while they’ve enjoyed the seclusion of their hilltop paradise, they are planning to move closer to San Jose, the capital, for easier access to medical care, goods, and services as they get older. With their home — and the Black Sheep Pub — up for sale, the Wygals are enjoying what may well be their last season in Nosara. But after five years living abroad, they consider their adopted nation to be home.
“We’ll always be faithful American citizens. We’ll pay our taxes and keep our passports,’’ said Joe Wygal. “But we always plan to stay in Costa Rica.’’
© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.
By Brittany Danielson
Boston Globe Correspondent/ February 27, 2011
NOSARA, Costa Rica — To get to Joe and Helena Wygal’s home in this surfing outpost on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, put your vehicle into four-wheel drive and prepare for a bumpy ride. Cross the gurgling waters of the Rio Nosara — there’s no bridge — and make your way, very carefully, up a near-vertical ascent to the whitewashed hilltop retreat the former Somerville natives now call home. When you arrive, captivating vistas of rolling hills, mountaintops, and expansive ocean greet you.
Also waiting: a cold pint of ale.
The Wygals, who packed up their Massachusetts lives and relocated to Costa Rica in 2005, are among the more than 1 million Americans who have found their piece of retirement heaven abroad. Lured not only by the prospect of sunnier skies and palm-lined beaches, the chance to live a life of comfort — or even luxury — for less is enticing many retirees to take a look at foreign locales.
The Wygals, for example, live in Costa Rica on a budget of around $2,000 a month — including a gardener and housekeeper. They bought their custom-built home and its 2-acre lot for just under $100,000. Their furniture, handmade from native hardwoods by a local artisan, cost half of what it might have stateside, they said.
But the best thing about life in Costa Rica, the Wygals say, isn’t the low cost of living, but the spectacular natural setting. “Instead of the traffic in the morning, I wake up to the sound of howling monkeys,’’ said Joe Wygal. “It’s like a little symphony.’’
The Wygals first visited Costa Rica in 1989 and fell in love with its natural beauty and welcoming people. When the time came to buy property, they decided on Nosara, where surfer dudes, yoga enthusiasts, and a growing community of retirees mingle. An estimated 40,000 to 50,000 Americans live in Costa Rica.
Once they were settled, Joe Wygal, 64, the former owner of the Arbor House Bed and Breakfast in Somerville and a craft beer enthusiast, got to work building a small, English-style pub on the property. The pub, called the Black Sheep, is open only on Saturdays for members and their guests.
Complete with a gleaming bar of local hardwoods, Tudor-style walls decorated floor-to-ceiling with European beer paraphernalia, and casks of hard-to-find brews, the pub has become a favorite watering hole of the expat community. With patrons spilling onto the outdoor patio, the Wygals can accommodate well over 100 people.
“I wanted to take what was important to me down here,’’ said Wygal, who operates the Black Sheep as a not-for-profit business. “We do it for fun. It’s one way to form your own community.’’
While the economic advantages of retiring abroad can be many, it’s best to investigate carefully. Cost of living can vary widely depending on location. The Wygals, who traveled back and forth to Costa Rica over the course of more than a decade, recommend that others seeking to retire abroad visit the country more than once — and visit often.
Another consideration: Medicare doesn’t cover US citizens once they’ve crossed the border. Nonetheless, savings on health care can be significant. Depending on where you settle, you may be able to join your adopted country’s national health care system, according to American Citizens Abroad, a Washington-based organization that advocates for expatriates.
Even if purchased out of pocket, health care in many of the countries where retirees tend to relocate tends to be very affordable. Doctor’s-office visits, hospitalization, and medications are often a fraction of the US cost.
But it isn’t all good news. US citizens are still required to file federal income taxes no matter where they reside — although there are exemptions for some income earned abroad. As for foreign taxes, specialists say, it’s best to check with a local tax attorney to be sure you understand what’s in store.
In addition, culture shock, language barriers, and estrangement from friends and family can all be factors that adventurous settlers never bargained for. The Wygals advise that if you’re not patient and ready to deal sensitively with differences in culture, cuisine, bureaucracy, and business, don’t move to a foreign country.
The Wygals are already looking ahead to the future. Helena Wygal, 60, still spends three months of the year working as a psychiatric nurse at Beth Israel Hospital in New York, but wants to completely retire from nursing within a year or two. And while they’ve enjoyed the seclusion of their hilltop paradise, they are planning to move closer to San Jose, the capital, for easier access to medical care, goods, and services as they get older. With their home — and the Black Sheep Pub — up for sale, the Wygals are enjoying what may well be their last season in Nosara. But after five years living abroad, they consider their adopted nation to be home.
“We’ll always be faithful American citizens. We’ll pay our taxes and keep our passports,’’ said Joe Wygal. “But we always plan to stay in Costa Rica.’’
© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.
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