Once, a picture like this would have seemed far away from my life, now it is simply home. This old church, condemned after an earthquake in the early 90's, is something we walk past everyday. We've settled here, taken it for better or worse. Both of our daughters see this place as their home, and their dreams of the future have been sculpted by the agrarian lifestyle. They have friends who are equal to their cousins here, a whole community has watched them grow up.
My husband and I still have a firm grip on the world we left behind. It is wonderful to see our girls enjoy the simplicity of life in a small farming town, but our own dreams of their future does not necessarily stop here. We want them to have opportunities, and we think of the countless ones that they could find in the life we chose to step out of nearly six years ago.
And so begins the debate. Just how long do we hang on to the simple, tranquilo life of the campo? The most obvious transition is to the city, and to be perfectly honest, I am not attracted to the cities of Costa Rica. There is not enough beauty for my eyes in trade for the hectic pace and increased liabilities; not to mention that our cost of living would go up considerably, thus eliminating one of the primary reasons we came in the first place.
Sometimes I feel like a kid sitting in class. It's not only for them, but also myself, that I crave more stimulation. Luckily, the chickens are keeping me entertained for now, and I'm wise enough to see the incredible luxury I have of staying home with my kids. They are still quite young, and I can't believe that the exposure to nature is getting them off to a bad start. I know the day will come when we see they really need more, and life will take us off in a totally different direction.
5 comments:
We hope you find resolution to your questions.
That is a beautiful shot of the church.
Yes, the picture is incredibly beautiful.
My advice is not to rush the girls away from your tranquil environment. Sure, there are great adventures, 'out there' but the more firmly their feet are planted and the more confident their souls, the better they will be able to enjoy the good and withstand the rest.
LOVE<
Lise
I go thru similar ponderings... my boys are teens now, we homeschooled so they don't have a lot of face-to-face friends. But we are not going back to the states and we are encouraging them to take classes at UCR, going to look at Earth University tomorrow.
I couldn't move from Escazú, though, much as I love the idea of living on a farm. I need that stimulation and - I hate to admit it - but I need my gringo girlfriends, too!
We are thinking of getting some chickens for our backyard... maybe I'll come visit and see yours...? Pura vida - this is the best education your girls could get. I don't regret for a moment bringing our boys here. We have not missed a moment of their lives and I am forever grateful. They have benefited as well (even though they would deny that!) They are good boys.
Don't get me wrong. We are in no hurry. What is best for the girls will always be our top priority, and as far as I can tell, right now this is as good as it gets.
The presence of you and your family in Puriscal is a great benefit to the community. I admire your choices and life.
Connie
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