The answers are both simpler and more complex than you might guess.
There are lots of reasons my husband and I decided to leave the rat race of corporate America and live as sweaty, sunburned gringos in the land of Pura Vida.
Let me set the stage for you.
We were living in a big, empty house in Seattle. All 4 daughters had launched into their college and adult lives, so our nest was officially empty. We were deeply unhappy.
Neither of us ever *wanted* to be in the Pacific Northwest, in spite of the many great things on offer there. We were there out of kid-related necessity. Both of us grew up in hot climates, and we struggled to get throught the long, grey winters. Seasonal Affective Disorder turned into It's Grey and Cold All the Time Disorder. The struggle is real.
Living in the suburbs, commuting to a job I had grown to hate with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, and being cooped up all the time was seriously wearing on my last good nerve. The sky, the water, the pavement, and my ass were all the same shade of grey.
Furthermore, our living situation didn't support the simplified, authentic lifestyle I wanted to lead. I stongly disagree with the way most of corporate America is set up - undercutting our financial and personal independence at every turn. Gas, commute, work for a soulless corporation, commute, bills, more bills, and then some bills, and commute again. The system is designed to keep people locked into a destructive cycle of unhealthy, consuming desperation.
Plus, everyone was getting rich off me, except me!
And I resented it mightily.
So, on one magical day, we decided to step off the treadmill ... divest ourselves of our earthly belongings ... and Start Over.
We have been traveling around Costa Rica, bumbling and stumbling, slowly learning Spanish and eatng lots of beans and rice a little over 18 months now, with no regrets.
And to everyone wondering if I lost my mind, I say, "No, I finally found it."
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