Arrival - with obstacles, but we made it!

We dared again to go abroad for half a year - this time to Costa Rica. Martin will take on a position in the German Lutheran Church in San José. We are very excited about our time here, but during the preparations, we occasionally felt uneasy, with some doubts about how we would manage.

Now we have been here since Thursday, right in the rainy season, and we have been warmly welcomed by the community. We are living in a spacious parish apartment within the church complex, everything is surrounded by high fences, and you need quite a few keys to get in or out. The apartment is very sparsely furnished, and we have collected quite a few things to make it as cozy as possible. Meanwhile, we feel comfortable in 'our' apartment.

In the first few days, I had significant doubts about whether the decision to go to Costa Rica was right. There were many technical problems - eSIM for the phone, internet, Wi-Fi, setting up the computer, and the main issue: none of our credit cards worked. Only with the help of our son in Zurich could we load a virtual card onto our phone. Great relief!!

On the first morning, there was a communal breakfast with the church council. And on Sunday, we had a harvest festival service at the church, followed by a meal where we could introduce ourselves. Many people approached us. There are very interesting people here, most of whom have a lot of international experience and a diverse background.

Shopping at the Feria (weekly market) was exhilarating for us, where there are countless fruits available that most we didn't know. We felt like we were in a land of plenty. And there, prices are extremely low compared to grocery stores. They are often significantly higher than back home.

The rainy season can last until the end of November. However, it mostly starts raining in the afternoons. In the mornings, the sun predominantly shines. And it is always warm. We usually eat outside in the patio.

This morning, a small group met for an intensive exchange. There will be a project choir here, to which I immediately signed up. And it's not far: right from our kitchen to the church. Now it can really get started.