Every year on my birthday, I make it a point to celebrate it in a different country. This personal tradition started when I was living in the UK, celebrating my very first birthday away from home. Surprisingly, it was a wonderful experience—one I still hold very dear to my heart.
Since then, I’ve promised myself that this would be my new obsession. While others collect butterflies or vinyl records, I collect birthday memories in different countries. The only hindrance was the COVID pandemic, but as soon as restrictions eased, I went back to celebrating my birthday abroad.
Then, one day while bored at work, I dreamed of another personal tradition: volunteering. Once a year, I’d volunteer my services as a nurse in a different country, combining my love for travel with my nursing skills.
That dream led to my first brush with Costa Rica, and in extension, Latin America—a region I’d never given much thought before.
After that special week of volunteering, I made a promise much like Gen. Douglas MacArthur when he left the Philippines during World War II: “I shall return.”
I left Costa Rica with a full heart and a quiet promise — that I’d come back, not as a volunteer, but as a traveler ready to celebrate life itself.
And I did. I returned for my birthday and collected experiences that enriched my life in more ways than one.
The Second Arrival: Same Place, Different Eyes
My first day back in Costa Rica felt like coming home. I was met with familiar humidity, warm holas and Pura Vida, and the polite smiles of locals. My travel jitters slowly ebbed away and were replaced with confidence as I navigated the familiar airport.
Previously, I was stiff with nervous excitement about volunteering. “Where’s my driver?” “Is my Spanish good enough for the hospital?” “What if they send me to a rural clinic?”
This time, I was calmer. Instead of worrying about masks and gloves, I was thinking about beaches, rainforests, and good food.
And above all, I looked forward to reuniting with Marlen, my host mom in San José.
(Mis)adventure #1: The Itinerary That Forgot About Rest
I wanted this trip to be perfect. I planned everything—intercity transport, tours, activities… even meal times. My itinerary looked like a military operation: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, the Jaguar Rescue Center, Monteverde, Arenal, Manuel Antonio—you’d think I had unlimited energy.
It only took one sleepless bus ride and a cranky morning coffee for me to realize: rest is also part of the adventure.
Lesson learned: Slow down, breathe, and let Costa Rica happen to you.
(Mis)adventure #2: Weather, Seasons, and When the Tour Gets Canceled (Relax, That’s Okay!)
My birthday falls in May—Costa Rica’s low season. And the weather? Let’s just say it has personality.
Some of my tours were canceled due to low participation (translation: I was the only one who booked) or weather issues.
The old me would’ve panicked. The new, Pura Vida me just shrugged, smiled, and took it as a blessing in disguise.
When a forest tour got canceled, I rented a bike, grabbed groceries for breakfast, and rode to the beach instead. By afternoon, the skies opened up—proof again that Costa Rica has a wicked sense of humor.
Later in Manuel Antonio, another tour got canceled. Instead, I treated myself to dinner by the sea and people-watched for hours.
Those unplanned moments—those pauses—became the highlights.
Lesson learned: Check the forecast, but also accept that canceled tours make the best stories.
(Mis)Adventure #3: Speaking the Language of Pura Vida
During my first trip, my Spanish was what I called “survival mode”—just enough to ask for food or directions.
This time, I could hold real conversations. My pronunciation improved, and though I stumbled through verb tenses, the locals were patient and kind. I chatted with drivers, tour guides, and other travelers.
The hike up to the mirador for Arenal Volcano was more fun because I could talk to people, not just smile awkwardly.
I learned that language is more than words; it’s the bridge between being a tourist and feeling at home.
Lesson learned: Learning the local language isn’t just convenient—it transforms you from a tourist into a participant.
(Mis)Adventure #4: Getting Out of My Comfort Zone (and Into the Sky)
I used to be terrified of heights. So what did I do?
Zipline through a rainforest at 60 miles per hour.
And, rappelled down waterfalls.
I used to hate hiking. Guess who trekked through a muddy rainforest to see monkeys and toucans?
I used to think horses were scary. Guess who’s now halfway to becoming a vaquera (cowgirl)?
Somewhere between screaming and laughing, I realized travel is about surrender—to fear, joy, and the unknown.
Lesson learned: Courage sometimes sounds like a shriek in the treetops.
(Mis)Adventure #5: The Things the Philippines Taught Me (That Saved Me in Costa Rica)
Costa Rica and the Philippines share a lot in common—weather, food, hospitality. But I didn’t realize how my Filipino upbringing trained me for Costa Rica’s beautiful chaos.
One day, when the sun was beating down, I instinctively grabbed a banana leaf and used it as an umbrella. The locals smiled at me approvingly.
When my rented bike sped downhill faster than I liked, childhood memories of navigating concrete hills in the unpaved barangay roads kicked in.
Even the traffic jams and long bus waits? Easy. Patience is a tropical skill.
Lesson learned: Your roots prepare you more than you realize.
(Mis)Adventure #6: Never Underestimate the Mosquitoes
You’d think I’d have learned by now, but no—I didn’t bring enough bug spray. Costa Rican mosquitoes showed no mercy. The bugs had an all-expense-paid buffet on my legs. I left that trip with more bite marks than souvenirs.
Lesson learned: DEET so you can yeet them bugs!
(Mis)Adventure #7: The One Thing I’ll Always Regret
When I first came to Costa Rica, I lived with a wonderful host named Marlen. She was warm, funny, and patient with my broken Spanish. She introduced me to local dances, taught me new recipes, and showed me what Pura Vida really means—not as a slogan, but as a way of life.
When I returned to Costa Rica for my birthday, I had planned to visit her. I sent her a message, letting her know I was in the country and asked if she would be willing to have a quick lunch when I’m back in San Jose.
She responded.But we never got to have that lunch. Why?
I learned that Marlen had been diagnosed with cancer. The news stopped me cold. I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing. I sent a short “I’ll pray for you” message and went quiet.
That silence is one of my biggest regrets.
I think about her often—the woman who welcomed a stranger into her home and changed her life in small, lasting ways. I wish I had told her thank you, in person, for everything she taught me.
Lesson learned: Never postpone gratitude. Some goodbyes can’t wait.
Pura Vida, Full Circle
Coming back to Costa Rica felt like returning to myself. It reminded me that travel isn’t just about places—it’s about people, animals, and moments that leave marks on your soul.
Experiencing Pura Vida again was magical. I ate more food, saw more places, met new faces, and felt the rhythm of life I missed.
Costa Rica truly lives up to its name—Rich Coast—not just for its landscapes but for the richness it leaves in your heart.
The moments you think are fleeting often become the ones that stay forever.
Snapshots from My Birthday in Costa Rica
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