Looking back at Costa Rica

By Jennifer N. Bacon, Ph.D.

My memories of Costa Rica are powerful, colorful, and magical. Those memories are of my daughter's first steps, a warm and embracing community, the beach sunsets, and picking coconuts from the palm trees. As well as memories of our beautiful friendships, the laughter, the joy, and the building of our dreams. For Ballena Tales I wrote: "Why Costa Rica?" and "La Flor de Bahia." This country is my daughter's home by birth and one of my husband's and my most treasured home places by choice. Looking back, I realize Costa Rica has been one of my most excellent teachers.

Living here prompts you to ask: What needs to be awakened or reawakened within? What calls or speaks to you? What are your dreams? What are the fears holding you back? Some of my biggest takeaways of the past five years have come from these questions.

Be in it (Not as a passive observer but an active participant in this journey… even if it means initially fumbling in the dark, taking some risks, or "failing" sometimes).
Get out of your comfort zone (Let go of your judgments, expectations, and preconceived ideas and get to know different people, places, things, and experiences).
Experience it (See, hear, feel complete.
Laugh a lot (Having a sense of humor and being able to laugh at yourself is the purest part of Pura Vida).
Live without regrets – take those chances and seize those moments. If and when you need to take a different path or make other choices, do it without regretting it.

Costa Rica is a paradise where you can manifest your dreams and reawaken your calling. The best part of Costa Rica is experiencing it!

About the author: Jennifer N. Bacon, Ph.D., returned to the US with her family to accept a position in higher education. She is now an Associate Professor with a background in exceptional learners, literacy, and culturally responsive teaching. She continues to consider Costa Rica one of her dearest homes.

Ballena Tales is an essential free digital magazine in Costa Rica, valid for travelers, residents, and investors covering Costa Ballena in the Canton of Osa in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. It is a fully bilingual, bi-monthly, and full-color digital magazine.

The magazine introduces the reader to the life of the local community with interviews of pioneers, writers, and artists. It also provides extensive information on restaurants, hotels, experiences, natural attractions, and wildlife of the South Pacific of Costa Rica.

We are not just a magazine; each edition (print and digital) is linked to a robust web platform; the editions are published online, and the advertorials are included in our blog and the brand in the commercial directory. We also add links to the advertising company's website and social networks. At this time, the openings of digital publications in all their expressions exceed 80 thousand openings, and the advertised brands have a global reach.

We have a loyal audience of over 8,000 readers in the South Pacific's Costa Ballena region who will view your news in each printed edition.

We prioritize our readers' satisfaction by delivering a variety of engaging content while showcasing the value of our advertisers' brands.