#respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022 “PURA VIDA literally means ‘pure life’ in Spanish, a Costa Rican philosophy that encourages the appreciation of life’s simple treasures; to live a peaceful, simple, uncluttered life with deep appreciation of nature, family and friends. It’s more than just a saying, it’s a way of life.” When I moved abroad ( 10 years ago! ), I looked forward to every holiday, as I often had something new and exciting planned. A big part of the benefits of being a teacher and working abroad is without a doubt the numerous holidays and opportunities to travel; yet, I suddenly wasn’t taking adventage of these perks anymore. Over the last few years, when the holidays approached, I have felt anxious and disappointed, with nothing overly exciting planned. I could blame it on Covid, or on not having anyone to travel with, but realistically, I kind of just wasn’t disciplined enough to plan anything ( I think I got spoiled in the past with friends planning amazing trips for our gr