My study abroad journey took me to the Universidad de Costa Rica, where I immersed myself in the language and made lifelong friendships. Over time, I mastered Costa Rican Spanish so well that, when I speak on the phone, people often assume they’re talking to a local.

As part of the program, I had the opportunity to explore some of Costa Rica’s most iconic destinations, including La Fortuna, Monteverde, and Guanacaste. I was also incredibly fortunate to live with a host family from Drake Bay, near Corcovado National Park. Spending time in such an extraordinary natural setting gave me a firsthand appreciation for the stunning diversity of Costa Rica’s culture, landscapes, and cuisine. It fueled a desire to explore every inch of this beautiful country—and I’m happy to say, I’ve nearly done it!

During these transformative years, I met someone who would change my life forever—Ricardo, the man who would become my husband. We first met on the dance floor, and before long, we were performing traditional folklore dances together. Now, as we approach our 20th wedding anniversary, we’re the proud parents of two beautiful bilingual daughters.

My husband Ricardo immigrated from Costa Rica to Colorado, where I’m from, in 2005. He came on a fiancée visa, and after we were married I took a job teaching high school Spanish. It was Ricardo’s turn- he didn’t speak a word of English or know anyone besides me here in the US.

Ricardo made an incredible transition to American life- in every aspect except the food. He missed home-cooked Costa Rican food so much! As soon as we had the chance to go back home and visit his family, I started learning how to make all of his favorite dishes. That’s where my love of Costa Rican cooking began.

When our first daughter was born, we made it a priority to take her to Costa Rica as soon as possible. At just three months old, she was already experiencing her father’s homeland, and I quickly learned the ins and outs of traveling with a newborn. Two and a half years later, we did the same with her sister. While these trips were challenging, they were essential to us—we wanted our daughters to be deeply connected to their Costa Rican heritage, no matter where we lived. Along the way, I picked up plenty of lessons on what NOT to do when traveling to Costa Rica with babies!

While I was home in Colorado with the girls, friends and acquaintances constantly asked me about taking kids to Costa Rica, knowing how often we made the trip. As major airlines like Frontier, United, and Southwest began offering direct flights from Denver to San José and Liberia, the curiosity only grew. People wanted to know how to plan family-friendly trips to Costa Rica, but I quickly realized there was no go-to resource for parents.

I found plenty of articles about romantic getaways or backpacking adventures in Costa Rica, but almost nothing on how to plan a family vacation there.

In March of 2016, I decided to fill that gap by creating Pura Vida Moms—a website designed to help families of all shapes and sizes discover the magic of Costa Rica. Since moms typically make most travel decisions, and being a mom myself, I became a natural expert in guiding other parents through vacation planning the process.

Then, in February of 2019, we made a big leap and moved our entire family to Costa Rica. This allowed me to expand the website further by adding a section on relocating to Costa Rica. Thanks to my background in education and personal experience, I now offer no-nonsense advice for families looking to make the same transition—from vacationing in Costa Rica to living here full-time.

My goal is to help families plan a memorable trip to Costa Rica with information tailored specifically to them. I’m so glad you are here with me!