Jon and I recently got together with friends, J & K, for brunch. They have a home on the coast of Costa Rica that they built from the ground up.
It wasn’t all that easy. The redtape and hoops one must jump through in order to get anything done in Costa Rica is enough to test even the most patient of people. While their home was built in a relatively quick time period, they had to wait years for a phone line (not sure it’s even installed yet) and it may take days for a repairman to come fix a problem.
J relayed a story about attempting to motivate some of the landscapers for his property. “If you work hard now, just imagine what you’re life might be like later. You can sit back and relax. Retire. Spend time with your family.”
His landscaper responded with, “Why would I want to work hard, I can do all of those things now.”
I’d rather be surfing!
I think of this often with regards to my own life. I tend to add more things to my to-do list than I can possibly manage, all in the name of travel. If I work hard on “this” project, it will give me the opportunity to have some cash for that next trip. Or, if I work my A** off now, I’ll be able to, like J recommended to his landscaper, retire early, spend time with those I love and travel the world, untethered to my laptop and my own landscaping.
I do carve out time every day to cultivate things that are important to me: the relationship with my sig’o; time with family and friends; working out at the gym; learning classical guitar; and learning to cook (yes at 40-something I’m learning to cook). But my task list rarely has less than 100 things that I “have” to do. Now.
Costa Rican Coast – even a gray day is beautiful!
I often joke about moving to Costa Rica and leaving my task list behind. But I’m wondering if there’s a way I can stay in Seattle and still leave it behind. I may not have palm trees swaying in my yard or a view of the (warm) Pacific Ocean, but I might be able to sip on my morning tea a little longer and linger over my new Vegetable Soup cookbook as I think about what to prepare for dinner.
How does one cope with the ever-growing list of must-do’s when most people have time only for connecting through 140-character tweets? And then STILL have time and money for a worldly adventure?!
Travel Well!
Beth
Related links:
The Cost of Travel – Is it Worth It?
Time to Join the Expat Community?
10 Tips for Trip Planning
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