I promise, once we find our house and get settled we’ll get some design work done on this site and make it a little prettier to the eye. But until then, you’ll have to buck up and take it.
As it turns out, our hotel is only 10 minutes away from the Mormon temple, which became our first stop this morning. We were just walking up to it from the parking lot when we passed by a senior missionary couple on their way out. After quick hellos and the “where are you from’s,” the Elder mentioned that they’re mission is nearing its end and they will be heading home (Lovell, Wyoming) shortly. He literally couldn’t finish his sentence because he got so choked up describing how beautiful this country is and how much he’s loved his experience here. His wife had to step in and take over. This is their fourth mission, all of them in Latin America, but special experiences happened here that have touched them both deeply.
Turns out their home was just on the other side of the wall from the temple parking lot. They invited us over so he could give us the address to the mission office. Their place was one of the tiniest apartments I’ve ever seen, no more than eight feet wide, a straight shot front to back. With all the space they have back home in Wyoming, they were heart broken to leave this tiny apartment and the mission work here in Costa Rica, which they have to do because the business they run at home needs their attention again. But for that devil called money they’d be staying right here to keep on working.
They were an amazing example of service and dedication. Their love of missionary work and the Costa Rican people beamed from their ceaseless smiles. They gave us hope of finding more meaning to our travels than mere self-indulgent adventures. No coincidences.
Later, we did a walk through of a house in a city called Grecia, billed as the cleanest city in Latin America. It’s not clean. Raise the bar, Ticos. Raise the bar. Beach house hunting tomorrow.
[First bit of trivia for you. If you don’t know what a Tico is, google it.]
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What do the Costa ricans think of your Celine Deon fan club?
Everything goes in Costa Rica. I finally don’t have to hide my like of Celine Deon in shame. That’s why we left, right? I’m free to be me!