Mankato, Minnesota

May 11, 2013  Mankako, Minnesota. 

People are tall here—I am always looking up.  And they have accents.  Long o’s.  like Noooo for no.  There is a  lilt in every conversation.  Joe found me a book called “Talk like a Minnesotan”—I heard it is a classic.  And it has been snowing up till early May.   There have been a few storms 7 inches each time.  And cold.  I am glad I brought my winter parka.  This week we finally have spring weather and it is gorgeous.

I had a friend for my first 4 weeks here.  An APRN (advanced practice registered nurse) from Oregon.  She had been working here since January and she was able to show me around.  We went to the Schnell Brewery in New Ulm and other things German up that way. Mankato is more Scandinavian decent, I think.  Deb and I also went to several restaurants and hung out and it was nice to have a companion.

The job is great.  It is interesting.  A lot of good staff.  And patients who have serious mental illness.  They have also committed crimes, some serious, and have been found not guilty by reason of insanity.  Except for the crime, it is like the old state institutions .  Most of the people I have met have only committed one crime, either when they were not taking medications, or when they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.   The crime part makes it difficult for people to be allowed back into the community.  I went to a hearing the other day.  There was a three panel judge on a huge video hanging from the ceiling that about 8 of us, including the patient’s  lawyer and the patient had to address.   The patients are mentally ill and dangerous (MI&D)—the D part brings in the legal system.   And there are politics.  Because the patients are at the facility a long time—7 years is the average length of stay-, as a provider, I have plenty of time to research their illness and there is time to try different medications and treatments.  Also, there are  internal medicine physicians, who know the patients and I learn a lot consulting with them.  And pharmacists, social workers, psychologists, nurses, even a foot care nurse!  People get very good care.

I have a contract to be back  here in Oct-Nov for another 8 weeks.  Joe may come with me.  We are trying to decide if it would be enough for him to hang out in the hotel —I have a nice 1 bedroom suite—and go to the malls during the day.  I think it would be OK.  After being in the jungle for so long, the first few days of being in a mall are exciting.! We have Barnes+Noble, TJ Maxx, Walmart, CVS and so many other stores competing for our money.  Plus super grocery stores.   It is hard to find someone we trust to stay in our house in Nosara with the dogs when we are both away.  But there is an Oktoberfest in New Ulm, which is near here,  in early October so that may interest him.  We will see.

I  go back to Paradise in next week.  Joe insisted I buy more English pint glasses.  And I have an assortment of sundries.  We can get most things now in Costa Rica and it is not worth paying the overweight baggage charges.  I will be in New Hampshire for July-Aug, back to outpatient.   I am so fortunate that I have been able to move to Costa Rica AND progress in my career.  I am now considered a provider.  

It has been a good experience here.  And I can’t wait to come home to the tropics.  Love Joe and Helena

Expat living March 2013

March 2013

Before we moved down here one of the expats said: “living here is like being in a Shakespeare play.” Lately it has been vivid with ups and downs.   We had an appointment to renew our residencia.  Well we didn’t really have an appointment but I made friends with customer service over the phone and and after several phone calls to try to make an appointment, she told me when to come.  I was relieved to meet her and find we actually had  an appointment.  We hired a taxi to take us because our car is kaput—more about that later.  And the driver was such a slowpoke, we were half hour late for our “appointment.  I called Cindy and she said’ “Don’t worry.”  This is a common refrain here.  Our appt was going fine except that one document had only my name on it, not mine and Joes.  “We’re married. “ I kept saying over and over.  And they brought in more tellers to tell us we had to go back to Nosara to get a document with Joe’s name on it.  After about an hour it was resolved and we began the drive home.. We stopped in a ceramic store to wind down and look at stuff we didn’t need.  The cab driver came in with us (usually they stay in the car) and he also did not lock the cab.  We were looking around and suddenly he says’  “Come on! Ladrones! They took the bolsa”  Joe’s back pack on the floor in the back seat was taken.  We drove down the road for several miles looking for the car while he called the other cab drivers and the police.  We lost an Ipod and a kindle.  Fortunately the bolsa with the passports was untouched.   The good news is that the cab company is took responsibility and replaced the items , but is still feels shitty to be robbed.

I was not able to land a telepsychiatry job but I do have a spot in Minnesota for eight weeks  starting next week. .My ten year old printer strained to print out the 36 pages of credentialing paperwork, I had to fill out and send back.   It is inpatient psych corrections so this will be different for me.  And I have never been to Minnesota and I hear it is cold!!

We had a brush fire. .  It appears someone threw a cigarette into the jungle.   After about two hours, our neighbors and then the volunteer firefighters put it out.  We are vulnerable here without a fire department and it gets very dry.

My quad..fell apart….This could have been a disaster.  I had managed to drive the quad up the hill to Martin and Susan’s place.  Then it would not budge.  Tim came to help me and we noticed one of the back wheels was not turning.  Tim tied the quad to his car and towed it up the hill.  We drove it around a bit and could not figure out the problem.  Then Gustavo arrived to pick up money to fix our car.  He glanced at the quad, shook it briefly, and the rear wheel fell off!!

Tim had already helped me the week earlier in the car.  The car suddenly stopped.  People on the road helped me, I started driving it to the gas station and it kept stopping.  Finally I called Joe who called Tim—the car was in the shop for three weeks. And $2000 worth of work.  We are told that our previous mechanic did a poor job and made it worse..so hopefully the car will run a bit longer with all these new engine parts!

My crawl swim stroke now has momentum.  Tim and Wella swim up here regularly and their son is an Olympic gold medal winner in swimming so I thought if I watch them I might learn something.  Aaron, the champion, had told me a couple of things about hand position which I immediately started using but I always felt I moved too slow.  I began to watch Wella and I noticed she rocks her body side to side with each crawl stroke.—the movement coming from the upper body.  She told me  this is a new method—she learned it five years ago.  So now, I swim this way too.  I told her she should start a swim school “Swim Like an Olympian” (she was her son’s first swim teacher).  but she seems to have enough to do—she  and Tim swim two miles per day—usually after a six mile run and she is getting into fashion design.

We had a great Saint Patricks Day party.  No drama, no bad behavior.  Great conversation and rock and roll.  Joe taught the band “Wild Rover”.  People told Joe the Black Sheep Pub is a legend in Costa Rica.

So I guess the rhythm here is muy tranquillo with drama and lots of time and opportunity to do new things. And  never boring.

Back  to the more predictable USA for a work stint.

Love Helena and Joe

Jan 2013 Ex pat living

Expat living Jan 2013 Perfect weather. Sunny, blue skies, hot but not too hot. Tourists below on the beach. We are 500 feet up enjoying the breezes coming up from the Ocean and from the valley. It is gorgeous here. Gardens everywhere and jungle beyond that. We are 10 families up here now. Or 9 depending on how you count. We hardly see anyone but we always know who is on the mountain. Like we all have our own luxury campsites, our homes, in the middle of nature. Joe and I went to the market today—to Rusvel’s. I go myself at least twice per week to shop and to see people. Our friends the fab four were there today. These are two couples from California who moved down around the same time we did. Seven years ago. We have been here long enough to see changes, people growing up, people leaving, new people coming all the time. We told them about our Black Sheep Anniversary Party Feb 9th. We have been here long enough to learn how to live here. We finally had shelves made for our bodega and now we have a place to put boxes for storage. We found a contractor to do our odds and ends jobs at reasonable prices. We have a very good gardener and housekeeper. I am thinking of what we should plant in the rainy season. We have about an acre of land going down the back of our property. Joe wants to make it into a nature trail again. I would like to plant some fruit trees.. We are going to Arenal next week to look at property. The weather is different there. 60’s and 70’s. We will have a fireplace when we move. It is also rainy and windy—not all the time—about two months of wind we are told. And it rains year round which may make yard maintenance easier though there could be some damp days. During the dry season here, Nicho spends half his time watering. There is a lake there- a very large lake, man made and a lot of houses around the lake. No immediate tourists. And the town, Tilaran is supposed to be very clean and very Costa Rican. I think I will use my Spanish more. I am getting interested in improving it again. My goal is to get a telepsychiatry position so I do not have to leave so much. I have two possibilities but nothing is definite. I keep thinking that we will sell the house and I will get the job at the same time. I have a good internet connection here but there are better ones which I would need. People are coming up to the pub. We let it be known that we will open for small groups and we would like notice. This is fine. We don’t have to wait and wonder if people are coming up. They call and make a time. Our neighbor, Tim, comes down and bartends for us. Joe and I usually socialize with whoever comes up. And the pub is great, as usual. Joe is always redoing it and it is a work of art. Or a working pub museum as someone called it. We have several great reviews on Trip Advisor. I have resumed offering breathwork sessions. I may put an ad up but actually low-key word of mouth is best. There are so many holistic offerings here, and holistic retreats. Structured ways for people to connect with themselves and with nature. I like breathwork the best. Though I do work on my Yoga. And what I like the most here is the clean air and clean water and the muy tranquilo lifestyle. Somedays all I actually do is feed the dogs. The rest of the time is Being. So we have our guesthouses… come visit us in "Pura Vida" land before we move to the damp area…Love Helena and Joe

Happy New Year 2013

Ex pat living. January 2013 Genesis, my last job in New Hampshire, gave me a videoconferencing camera to bring back to Nosara to check my Internet possibilities. They have a hard time hiring prescribers and are now considering telepsychiatry. There are a lot of logistics but it is doable. Fingers crossed big-time—if I can work from Paradise I may never have to leave for work again!! Have already started researching vacation packages-ie I could go to New York City for one week in February—air and hotel—for under $$1000. So send me your good wishes that this will work! We are still hoping to move from here to the Lake Arenal area. It would be more practical. We have lowered our price dramatically ($475). And we are hoping with the lower price and the market opening someone will show up. We have had some interest but no offers. In the meantime we are enjoying the time we have left here. New Years Eve was great up here at the Black Sheep. Lively groups of people-about 250 total. A great band—Mumbleriot from San Jose, ritual Irish car bombs throughout the evening, great food and fireworks at midnight. Our best New Years Eve Party ever—we told people it may be our last. We will have our anniversary in February and our traditional Saint Patricks’ Day party in March. Since coming back from New Hampshire, we have visited Lake Arenal and Mexico city. We have a favorite lot in Tilaran, near the Volcano Brewing Company. Joe has plans for an English style cottage, a guest house and a pub. (There will always be a pub!!) Arenal area is practical for us: closer to San Jose and Joe’s doctor, scenic, year round temperatures in the 70-80’s, no dry season, paved roads, and easier to have things fixed. Also, we liked all the people we met there. If I can do telepsychiatry from home, we can visit Tilaran regularly and take our time about when to move. And we can visit other cities on vacation. I thought Mexico city would be a natural. It is close, airfare was inexpensive and we were invited for Christmas by Joe’s Mexican family. Joe was an exchange student in High school and is still friends with the family. Mexico City was beautiful with all the parks, landscaping, and art but it is dangerous. Our friends would not allow us out unattended and there were many gated communities. Still it was great to be in a Latin Culture that has more art and culture than Costa Rica. I will find out soon about the telepsychiatry. Another company is hoping to get me into a telepsychiatry spot in Oregon if New Hampshire doesn’t work out. And there are other possibilities. So visualize the possibilities for me!! And come visit. It is beautiful here…and it is Paradise. Love Helena and Joe

Missing Costa Rica-Oct 2012

Joe stopped smoking at 3am August 8th. Evidently he had a middle of the night epiphany that if he wanted to see 70, he had to stop. He had had several episodes of being awakened during the night by being unable to breathe. What it was, we figured out later, was that he had blocked nasal passages. But he was convinced for a while, that he had emphysema and would have to carry around an oxygen tank forever. When he stopped smoking, he became very restless. First , He began taking the Costa Rican Klonapin equivalent, something he calls “Rev”, but after being advised by both his brother Bob and his Doctor Alejandro, he began walking, instead. One day he found himself up at Mike and Lena’s house—the spectacular round house with infinity pool way up on top of the mountain. They were surprised to see him and after a pleasant visit, they gave him a ride home. Joe had become increasingly inactive over the years,-- this walking is new behavior. On September 5th he was walking around our compound—again, new behavior, this walking..He was in the guesthouse and the ground began shaking. He managed to stumble outside with the dogs who always follow him. He walked down the road with Freida to see if there was damage and to see how the neighbors fared. Well, our neighbors dog, who is trained to be a guard dog, attacked and bit poor little Freida.. Everyone, of course, felt bad about it and Freida is OK. She is back to her usual behavior of not following Joe past our property.. There have been 2000 aftershocks (one was 5.6—the original quake was in the 7’s), Ainsley disappears a lot and Joe goes crazy looking for him. We have a small amount of superficial concrete damage in the side of our guesthouse which is easily reparable…And we lost some olive oil off a shelf and some glasses in the pub. Joe said the aftershocks are extremely unnerving-he slept a few nights in his bathrobe in case he had to run out.. We have new neighbors, Francie and Barry, from Minnesota. They are house-sitting at Tim and Wella’s and then they plan to rent from us. Joe often goes walking with them and for a while their son and a German girl visited them. They hung out with Joe often and made bread at our house since we have an oven. The thunderstorms are ferocious. Joe said the thunder is so loud, the ground shakes, and the lightning is so close, it might be hitting things. Freida is a nervous wreck…Even Nina is affected, jumping up on Joes lap and trembling. As long as everyone stays indoors it should be safe enough, but one time Joe was on his way back from San Jose the rain and thunder and lightning were so bad that Gunter who was driving and Neicho who was watching the house had to stay overnight. So in many ways Joe is doing fine on his own but he does not like me to be here working. I say it is only five more weeks and we have money coming in.” He says:” Money is not the most important thing. You should be here.” Once we sell the house, we can regroup but there are still no prospects. I am currently being considered now for a telepsychiatry job in OR where I would set up a web cam in our guest room and work from home 24 hours per week. My site in NH is also considering doing this but telepsychiatry is new and there may be logistical barriers. If I don’t do telepsychiatry, I will want to come back to NH next year but of course, this is not certain. Back to Nosara in five weeks….Can’t wait..Love Joe and Helena

Back to Nosara- July 2012

Nosara 2012 We had our fourth of July party but it rained—torrential rainy season rain…thunder and lightning and trembling Freida hiding under the bed. We had at least 30 people and in between the storm eruptions, we talked to everyone and it was a fun party. Joe put together a play list and got to practice being a DJ which he used to do in college. We were unable to set off two boxes of fireworks so we had another party for our 22nd wedding anniversary on July 28th. Since we had prepared for the first party, this one was easy. Dr. Alejandro set off the fireworks, we had a good showing of friends, seven beers on tap, and no rain. And now we know where to buy fireworks!! It took me about two weeks to be fully back in Nosara…to be fully present to the nature and the tranquility..before that, I was still unwinding. My luxurious Nosara routine includes getting up at six, doing errands early before the mid-day heat, swimming at noon to keep the lethargy that comes with the heat at bay. yoga, riding the quad, reading, and going down to La Luna to look at the waves. Gunter moved out. I had asked Joe to talk to him about leaving for one week so I could have the place to ourselves and he decided he was ready to move out. He found a place in the pueblo close to his kids. So I had my week guest-free and it was great to go down to the guest area and walk around. The place is large but too small for someone else to live here all the time. So we now have plenty of guest accommodations. (Come visit!!) After six years, we finally have mangoes!!.. And we found out that our palm trees produce seeds that will grow into trees. We could have a palm plantation..or at least a bunch of palm trees in a row. It takes years to get used to a new house and coming here to Nosara was a big move for us. We still plan to move but we do not have a marketing plan. It would not be terrible to stay here- I still have to learn how to surf!! And the pub is still great! I have (or maybe had) a new computer guy. He installed fast internet and fixed my desk top. He then agreed to help Joe edit some videos. Between his grandmother dying, computer emergencies, and just not answering his cell phone, I figured he was gone. Then he came over and put in a lot of hours and the edited video was not playable, at least so far. We now have a friend helping us. I have a great eye doctor in San Jose. I saw him yesterday. It is as much like a social visit as a medical procedure. He spent at least an hour talking and joking and then I got my shot. I have macular edema in my right eye which is controlled by regular shots of Avastin into the eyeball. His lighthearted attitude helps this gruesome procedure and my vision is stable. I go back to NH today!!. And I start work on Monday. Another company had me interview for a spot in Oregon for next year. My career is going forward. Moving here only helped and I don’t work as much. Joe will be Gunter-free on the mountain for the next three months..Call him!! 011-506-8928-5752. I am back in early November..Pura vida..Joe and Helena

Spring in New Hampshire-2012

New Hampshire—April 2012 After two weeks at the Marriot, I move into my condo—three bedrooms if you include the loft. On Lake Winnipisocki but no lake view…Doesn’t matter—I live in Paradise most of the time. I miss my heavenly views in Nosara. But mostly I miss Joe and the dogs. And of course I miss my daily noon swim under the bright tropical sun. It is a chilly Easter here. Buds are beginning to show on the trees—nature is close up here like in Nosara..and the paved roads don’t take away from the pristine beauty. These are curved country roads and unlike Nosara, they are paved. The job is good. I am very busy. I have been oriented to two outpatient facilities and three nursing homes—being spread thin to cover the huge psychiatric needs. I see patients one after another for not nearly long enough. So far, I am doing well. I learned my meds in the five years I prescribed in Boston. But I do better with more time. *************************************** June 2012….Back to Paradise in two weeks!!. We will have a Fourth of July party with fireworks!!! Joe survived without me while I was in the Inferno—(the world of work). I will only be in Nosara for one month..Then back to NH for three more months. This job is a good fit for me, so far.…Hopefully we will pare down the credit card a bit—I can’t work like this forever—or maybe I can..We have one doc here at the clinic who is 80 and doing fine. I am now licensed to prescribe in Oregon, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts . Joe had some medical problems the last couple of months…Nothing serious but it underscores our wish to be closer to medical care. We do have daily flights to San Jose from Nosara but so far Joe has been hiring Gunter to drive him to San Jose for medical procedures. Summer is arriving here in NH. Trees green and lush from all the rain. Sun is getting stronger. This week was Motorcycle week where hundreds—probably thousands of motorcycles descended on the area. I met my friend Lorae in Wolfboro last week and she showed me some of the good shops which I never would have found on my own. When I come back I will find out more about hiking and boat trips. When my family visited we had a lovely 2 hours on a lake cruise, and I have since found out about renting smaller boats to go to the lake islands.. Now I am packing for my return. Joe talked me into buying a box of English pub glasses. And the new DVD’s to get him through the rainy seasons…And an Ipad 2… Come visit us in Nosara…Joe and Helena

March 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Proper Breathing Can Be Therapeutic--by Fritz Elmendorf

Yoga-Wellness Voice of Nosara January 2011
Proper Breathing Can Be Therapeutic, by Fritz Elmendorf

By focusing on proper breathing under the guidance of a trained therapist, a person can distribute subtle energy throughout the body and heal emotional issues or restore lost vitality, according to Nosara practitioner, Helena Greaney.

Greaney said the breathwork practice resonated with her own explorations of Yoga, Tai-Chi, ChiKung and her own studies of body-oriented psychotherapies as a psychiatric nurse and therapist. She learned the technique from Samvedam Randles, founder of the Inner Arts Institute, who synthesized it from Eastern and Western body-oriented and psychological practices. “I thought it was pretty amazing.”, said Greaney.

In breathing more fully and deeply, under the oral guidance and sometimes guiding touch of the therapist, “Things happen in the body and in the person. I am looking for where the breath is going, and where it is stopping.” Energetic or emotional blocks can be released, “Making room for joy and love and qualities that we seek. Most people have restricted breathing, and need to let go of tensions and negativity, bringing breath into the whole body,” Greaney said.

According to a description of breathwork in Wikipedia, there are several schools of breathwork therapy, with a strong connection to the yogic breathing practice of pranayama. Wikepedia also notes there have been several criticisms of breathwork’s safety, “ with critics pointing out the well-known physiological dangers associated with hyperventilation.” Further, there is a lack of peer-reviewed studies of its effectiveness, Wikipedia notes.

According to Greaney, “It tends to be intense because people are not used to breathing this way. It’s not forced, it’s a rhythm, and some go on an internal journey. It’s an active meditation, very individual, very personal,” she said.
Increasingly, the medical and scientific establishment is examining alternative medical practices. Neurophysiologist Candace Pert states that there is a wealth of data showing that changes in the rate and depth of breathing produce changes in the kind and quantity of peptides that are released from the brain stem.

Consciously altering the breath can cause the peptides to diffuse rapidly throughout the cerebral spinal fluid in an attempt to restore homeostasis. Many of these peptides are endorphins, the body’s natural opiates, as well as other kinds of pain relieving substances, according to Pert. She reports that peptides may provide the scientific rationale for the powerful healing effects of conscious connected breathing.

The sessions can be used to address anxiety or depression or as part of a therapeutic process, but Greaney said that often clients are just curious. “Sometimes people go to old memories that haven’t been sufficiently processed, or experience active dreaming. It’s not a spiritual practice, “But people do have spiritual experiences, “Greaney concluded.

February 2011

February. We had a fantastic party featuring four draft ales, all fresh from Costa Rica’s Craft Beer Co, Costa Rica’s premier microbrewery. Segua, an amber ale is the favorite, Libertas is catching on as alternative to Stella. Especially made for us for the anniversary, we had a dunkel weizen served in wheat beer glasses and an IPA. The brewer, CS, is from Dogfish Brewery and all his beers are all truly amazing. We had about 100 people here which is a more manageable group than our larger parties. Some of our regulars had other commitments and they were missed. We were glad to see our friends who could come and there were many new people who came primarily for the beer. The Black Sheep is becoming an ale house.

We have had some interest in our house— three parties looked last week. And John just sold three lots in the A section so there is movement here on the mountain. The people who bought John’s lots are from Florida and one of the women is planning on building soon. I have a link on the side of this posting about Finca Dona Cielo, where we all live--in the most natural environment I have ever experienced.
We are considering another spot to move in Costa Rica—Orotina. Temperate climate ,located halfway between San Jose and the Pacific and on the main road to San Jose so we can get in easier for medical appointments. We will visit soon.

Here in Nosara, it is sunny, hot, with blue skies and delicious gentle breezes. Usual when it is stormy in the US, we get the strong winds—but not this year. We keep the gardens around our house watered so they are green, but the area will get dried out until the rains begin in May. My pool gets warmer every day and I continue with my midday swims and occasionally a mid day siesta. My friends, Lorae and Cathy from Boston were here last week visiting and enjoyed the tranquility

We were interviewed by a Boston Globe reporter late January for an article about people who move abroad for retirement—we are the example. It will be in the Sunday February 27th issue in the travel section.

Internet was down for a couple of days so I went to the library to use their free Wi-Fi. The library has books for Ticos and expatriates—I borrowed a couple of bestselling memoirs to continue my writing education. Also, it was good to see the local children learning how to use the computers and it was good to be at the library and to be reminded of the diversity here in Nosara.

We are beginning the preparations for our Saint Patrick’s Day party. We are hoping for Zopolit from San Jose but it is hard to plan things with certainty, here. We had a great crowd last night at the pub—40 people for a pre wedding party. Our water was out….but we managed…Costa Rica is the land of “Pura Vida”, and besides the “ Pure Life” of living here, every day we are also grateful for water and electricity. Pura Vida, Joe and Helena

January 2011

Best New Year’s party yet. We knew everybody or we did by the end of the evening. About 300 people. Having a young punky rock n roll band from San Jose gave a great energy to the place. Drums, bass, and guitar…that was enough. They were practiced musicians and their name was Zopolit which means “Roadkill”. They were all 19 years old. Panchos did the food—Steve brought up a pizza oven and this was the best food ever for our venue--really good pizza. Preparations were nerve-wracking--We had several new staff, a new source of beer, and a new process for getting our liquor and Joe remodeled the pub. The preparations were well worth the results. Now we prepare for the fifth anniversary of the Black Sheep on Feb 5th. “Celebrating five years of Pub-luv” is our slogan for the party copied from two British girls who loved the pub on NY eve.

Have been going to the Costa Rica Yoga Spa two-three times/week. I do Breathwork sessions for them and I take classes. I like the reciprocity. They have excellent teachers and I learn new things. Thai massage. Acro yoga. I do private breathwork sessions at my house.

We have internet here now. I can get it on my phone and I can hook up my phone to my computer so it works as a modem. It changes being here. The convenience is wonderful and there is a trade-off with nature being more in the background. I am glad I was here for so many years without the internet. Makes me think of the original expats in Nosara who only had electricity four hours per day on a generator.

Our finca community in the wilderness is growing. Tim and Wella moved in. They are a couple from CA whose son is an Olympic swimmer. They have been using my pool while theirs is being built. They have a lot of questions about how to get things done. We answer their questions and tell them to gather information from others also since what works for us may not work for them…Even something as simple as deciding to get a vacuum cleaner—do you need one? Would something else work better? Where to get one? It can be overwhelming to make all these little decisions and there are different rules for getting things done. We have seven families on the hill so far and 1-2 more houses under construction. We are a unique group. What we have in common is John and Hotel Playa Nosara. We all came here through the hotel, met John, and here we are in Paradise.

The dry winds are here…so far they are light breezes. Sunny and warm every day. No offers on the house. Soon, we hope. www.nosaraparadise.blogspot.com Send us a buyer and you get a finders fee. And thanks to Costa Rica’s Craft Brewery, the Black Sheep Pub is reborn as an ale house. We have two ales on tap. The Brewer is from Dogfish Ale. Joe is in heaven. And an ale house makes for a convivial atmosphere with a lot of conversation.

More later. Love Joe and Helena