Arrival - with obstacles, but we're here!

We've taken the plunge again, going abroad for six months – this time to Costa Rica. Martin will be filling in at the German Lutheran congregation in San José. We're very excited about our time here, but during the preparations, we also felt a bit uneasy at times, with some doubts about how we'd manage.

We arrived here on Thursday, right in the middle of the rainy season, and have been warmly welcomed by the community. We're staying in a spacious parsonage within the church complex, which is surrounded by high fences, and you need quite a few keys to get in and out. The apartment is very sparsely furnished, so we've gathered a few things and are trying to make ourselves as comfortable as possible. We're feeling quite at home in "our" apartment now.

For the first few days, I had serious doubts about whether going to Costa Rica was the right decision. There were many technical problems – eSIM for the phone, internet, Wi-Fi, setting up the computer, and the main problem: none of our credit cards worked. Only with the help of our son in Zurich were we able to download a virtual card to our phone. What a relief!

On the first morning, we had breakfast together with the church council. And on Sunday, there was a harvest festival service in the church followed by a meal where we could introduce ourselves. Many people approached us. They are very interesting people here, most with extensive international experience and thus eventful life stories.

Shopping at the Feria (weekly market) was exhilarating for us, where there were countless fruits for sale, most of which we didn't even recognize. We felt like we were in paradise. And the prices there are extremely low compared to supermarket food, which is often significantly more expensive than at home.

The rainy season can last until the end of November. It usually only starts raining in the afternoon, though. The sun shines most mornings, and it's always warm. We usually eat outside in the patio (courtyard).

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