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Pura Vida

#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 group) and I sort of wasn’t brave enough to travel alone (even though I’ve done it several times before, it had been a while and some of the places I wanted to visit were places that weren’t necessarily the most ideal for solo female travellers).
All that said, this summer, I just knew I had to get it together and just go for it. When I began ‘planning’ (I say that loosely as I planned alot of things as I was travelling rather than beforehand) my holidays, I started thinking of all the things that make me happy; family, friends, volunteering/helping others, travelling to new places, learning about other cultures (especially Latin American), living new experiences…and of course, eating food and working out! I was lead to book flights to New York City, with intentions of going back to Canada, as well as travelling solo to Costa Rica and Panama (two countries that had been on my radar for a while). I went into the holidays with a very rough plan of what would take place and I had close to no expectations; I was ready to just ‘go with the flow’! Soooo unlike me!
My trip was so far from ‘perfect’ (…lost luggage, stuck in the airport, unable to get a taxi or Uber in a ‘sketchy’ part of town and in the rain…), but it was exactly what I needed. It checked all of my boxes (within that list of things that make me happy) which made for a pretty balanced and successful trip.
One of the reasons I have always enjoyed travelling so much is because I often gain new perspectives on life. This summer trip was no different. Throughout my travels, I got to speak with lots of people (family, friends, local Costa Rican/Panamanian taxi drivers, tour guides, waiters…as well as fellow travellers from all over the world). I absolutely loved hearing peoples stories and learning how their past impacted their choices and lives.
In keeping with the idea of gaining new perspectives; when I was travelling through Costa Rica, I got use to hearing the phrase “Pura Vida”. These two words were used regularly, to say ‘Hi!’, ‘OK!’, ‘Yes!’, ‘How are you?’, ‘I’m fine!’, ‘Thank you!’, ‘You’re welcome!’ and ‘Bye!’. When I looked into what this mantra meant to the locals, I learned that it meant being thankful for what they have and not dwelling on the negative. I absolutely loved how the Ticos (the natives of Costa Rica) could see a world filled with such optimism and I started thinking that I (we) could learn alot from their stress-free and laid-back lifestyle.
Sometimes people dread the idea of the holidays coming to an end, but I actually am looking forward to returning to my home (Dubai). I am feeling like I got so much out of my break this summer. Not only did I finally get to travel, but best of all, along the way, I found my courage and confidence, I gained a new appreciation for all that I have (family, friends, job, health, opportunities…) and I came back with a much more positive outlook on life.
“PURA VIDA: A real living that reflects happiness, well being and satisfaction.”

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