Local Connections Give This Expat’s Life Joy and Texture

In truth, there is no single place on earth that is absolutely perfect. However, there are places that just feel right. There are also long-term expats who find the perfect fit where they land. Those are the folks who integrate into their society, make local as well as expat friends, join groups, take up hobbies, get involved.

Folks like Pamela Lewis. Her introduction to her now long-time home of Costa Rica was a deeper dive than most. She came on a year-long work assignment to Escazú in 2000 (and then spent the next seven years figuring out a way to return full-time).

A native of Harrington Park, New Jersey, Pamela worked for Procter & Gamble in Costa Rica as a chef and project manager. That’s a very different experience than beach loungers and rainforest daytrips. "I have a unique perspective," she says. "I learned about work habits, and how to do business in this culture. Many of the people I worked with back in 2000 are still my friends today."

On returning to the U.S. in 2001, she and her then-husband traveled to Costa Rica every year with the intention of moving to this naturally beautiful country. "We looked at real estate in the Central Valley, the Central Coast, and Guanacaste over the years," she says.

They were captivated by Playa Hermosa (the one in Guanacaste north of Playas del Coco, not to be confused with the Hermosa south of Jacó on the Central Coast). "Playa Hermosa, at first glance, appears as if there’s not much to it. But dig deeper and you’ll find a strong expat and [local] tico community that works together. I love the diverse population there," she smiles.

Their move became reality in 2007. Pamela laughs about it, "It was a well-planned risky move. We were not at retirement age—being in our 40s—and not quite sure what we were going to do once we settled in."

But it didn’t take long to find careers in their peaceful town. Her ex-husband found his groove in the real estate business, and Pamela worked for, then owned, a property-management and vacation-rental business—taking it from 12 properties to 70 in just four years.

Today, life is no longer quite so frenetic, as Pamela sold the business and reinvented her life after she and her husband went their separate ways several years ago.

"I own a three-bedroom, two-bathroom, free-standing home in Hermosa. It has a pool, covered parking, it’s fully fenced with gardens for my dogs, and it’s just a two-block walk to the beach. I paid just $190,000 for it in 2015."

Property values have sky-rocketed on the Gold Coast. I suggest that today, her place would be worth more than $500,000. "I hadn’t thought about that," she muses. "That much? Maybe. I have updated my entire kitchen and I continue to invest in upkeep. And this is where it is important to be part of the community. I used all local workers. Even the cabinet maker is from here," she continues. "I might add a rental casita on the property to contribute to my cash flow."

Pamela also has a steady revenue stream by renting out her two-bedroom investment condo in Playa Flamingo, less than an hour south of Hermosa. "I still own it and survived the pandemic with a long-term renter," she says. "It has been an excellent investment. Rentals have been consistent with just very small pockets of time that haven’t been booked. I have reservations for well into 2023."

The unspoiled nature makes Costa Rica so special.

Pamela has increased her involvement in the community since her days of joining the Playa Hermosa Association in 2009—it does everything from beautifying the beach to saving monkeys and supporting the public school…to working with the municipality to maintain roads, clean beaches, and plant trees.

"The spinoff sub-group I started in 2019 (Recycle Hermosa), has evolved since then. We have gained a lot of ground with education and working with the municipality to provide a recycling program."

There will always be new challenges for Pamela to tackle. "We need a formula for people to give back and contribute. The unspoiled nature, the environment, the things that make Costa Rica so special…they can’t be sustained without help," she explains. But with her energy and passion, you get the feeling that she’ll make it happen.

Will Pamela stay in Costa Rica indefinitely? "Indefinitely is a big word. But at the end of the day there is no place I would rather be," she says. "I miss Hermosa when I am in the U.S. or Europe. Even when I am just in San José, so I’m here to stay."