Escape Artist
  • Features
    • Interview
    • Expat News
    • Field Notes
    • Trending
  • Your Plan B
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Second Citizenship
    • Digital Nomad
    • Healthcare
    • Plan-B Summit
  • Destinations
    • Europe
      • France
      • Germany
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Scandinavia
      • Spain
      • United Kingdom
      • Rest of Europe
    • Central America
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
    • Others
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Australia
      • North America
      • South America
      • Middle East
      • Rest of the World
  • Travel Tips
    • Know Before You Go
    • Packing List
    • Food + Culture
    • Health + Wellness
  • Subscribe
Escape Artist
  • Features
    • Interview
    • Expat News
    • Field Notes
    • Trending
  • Your Plan B
    • Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Second Citizenship
    • Digital Nomad
    • Healthcare
    • Plan-B Summit
  • Destinations
    • Europe
      • France
      • Germany
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Scandinavia
      • Spain
      • United Kingdom
      • Rest of Europe
    • Central America
      • Belize
      • Costa Rica
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
    • Others
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Australia
      • North America
      • South America
      • Middle East
      • Rest of the World
  • Travel Tips
    • Know Before You Go
    • Packing List
    • Food + Culture
    • Health + Wellness
  • Subscribe
👤

THE NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR BUILDING A LIFE ABROAD

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Posts by author

Tam Matthews

10 posts
Semi-retired teacher and theater professional Tam Matthews moved to Costa Rica in January of 2023 with her two dogs. She writes about expat life on Substack.
Cyclists riding along a lush tropical road in Costa Rica surrounded by palm trees and flowering plants
View Post
  • Costa Rica

What Nobody Tells You About Healthcare in Costa Rica

When I first started planning my move to Costa Rica, healthcare was one of those topics I kept pushing aside. Not because I thought it didn’t matter, but because it…
Share
Two people sitting on a beach at sunset with waves rolling in and rocky coastline silhouetted against the golden sky
View Post
  • Costa Rica

Why Some Expats Leave Costa Rica (and Others Stay Forever)

Many people move to Costa Rica announcing, often, that they are staying forever. But a few years later, some pack their bags. It rarely happens all at once. There is…
Share
Female traveler standing in Bali rice paddies during golden hour
View Post
  • Costa Rica

Costa Rica or Bali? A Tale Between Two Paradises

A Life Shaped by Travel As an avid traveler, I find it ironic that I was raised by parents whose world rarely extended beyond American borders. Yet two of their…
Share
Daily life in Costa Rica moves at its own pace, shaped as much by culture as by policy.
View Post
  • Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s Digital DIMEX, Explained

The Pura Vida Approach to Progress Anyone who has spent time in Costa Rica quickly learns that the local rhythm is guided by a unique internal compass. Here, life is…
Share
A small squirrel monkey with a white face and orange fur clings to a vibrant green palm frond, illustrating the daily presence of wildlife in Costa Rica.
View Post
  • Costa Rica

Top 10 Culture Shocks You’ll Notice When You Move to Costa Rica

Even if you’ve visited a country many times before moving there, the experience shifts once you live there. Vacations offer a curated glimpse, but living somewhere reveals the unedited version.…
Share
Families and children playing soccer and enjoying beach activities together in Costa Rica, demonstrating community bonding and social connection
View Post
  • Costa Rica

Building Community in Costa Rica

Community matters everywhere, but in Costa Rica, it feels even more essential. It’s a gentle net that rises beneath you on the days when the power flickers out, the water…
Share
Costa Rica Rainy Season - Rain clouds gather over a quiet Costa Rican road as the season begins
View Post
  • Costa Rica

When the Rain Falls in Costa Rica

Walking Into the Storm In the Costa Rica rainy season, I like to walk in the rain. Not the drizzle you tiptoe through with an umbrella, but the real thing,…
Share
Palm trees sway under a blue summer sky on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula.
View Post
  • Blue Zone

Costa Rica, the Largest Blue Zone

The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, with its rolling hills, verdant green farmlands, and breathtaking Pacific Ocean, has changed my outlook on life. Its beauty was one of the main…
Share
Arenal Volcano National Park, with Arenal Lake in the foreground.
View Post
  • Expat News

Top 10 Things to Know if You’re Moving to Costa Rica

Two years ago, I took a leap of faith, packed three suitcases, grabbed my two dogs, and moved to Costa Rica. I had visited several times and done some research,…
Share
How to Move Abroad
View Post
  • Expat News

How to Move Abroad Without Losing Your Mind or Going Broke

As an American expat living in Costa Rica for two years, I have seen many people jump headfirst into the adventure of how to move abroad, only to end up…
Share
Trending Posts
  • Cyclists riding along a lush tropical road in Costa Rica surrounded by palm trees and flowering plants 1
    • Costa Rica
    What Nobody Tells You About Healthcare in Costa Rica
    • July 24, 2026
  • Liyongo resort rendering showing lagoon-style pools, stone walls, palm trees, and shaded villa terraces 2
    • Zanzibar
    Why Serious Investors Are Looking at Zanzibar’s North Coast
    • July 27, 2026
  • Woman in a sun hat walking beside an infinity pool overlooking the ocean under palm trees 3
    • Plan B
    Could You Retire Five Years Earlier If You Moved to the Right Country?
    • July 29, 2026
  • Aerial view of a palm-lined Dominican Republic beach with turquoise water and beachside umbrellas 4
    • Dominican Republic
    Residency in the Dominican Republic Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
    • July 31, 2026
  • Hiker walking along a rugged coastal trail in Andalusia overlooking the Mediterranean Sea 5
    • Spain
    Why More People Looking at Spain Are Beginning to Look Beyond the Cities
    • August 4, 2026
Advertise
Know Before You Go
  • Hiker walking along a rugged coastal trail in Andalusia overlooking the Mediterranean Sea 1
    • Spain
    Why More People Looking at Spain Are Beginning to Look Beyond the Cities
    • August 4, 2026
  • Woman in a sun hat walking beside an infinity pool overlooking the ocean under palm trees 2
    • Plan B
    Could You Retire Five Years Earlier If You Moved to the Right Country?
    • July 29, 2026
  • Liyongo resort rendering showing lagoon-style pools, stone walls, palm trees, and shaded villa terraces 3
    • Zanzibar
    Why Serious Investors Are Looking at Zanzibar’s North Coast
    • July 27, 2026
  • Cyclists riding along a lush tropical road in Costa Rica surrounded by palm trees and flowering plants 4
    • Costa Rica
    What Nobody Tells You About Healthcare in Costa Rica
    • July 24, 2026
  • Monaco city skyline and coastline representing one of the world’s highest life expectancy countries 5
    • Longevity
    The Countries Where People Actually Live Longer, and Why It’s Not What You Think
    • July 20, 2026
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
Why Subscribe

The newly imagined Escape Artist brings you fresh content with a global focus, and sharp, up-to-the-minute coverage of the joys, challenges, and opportunities of life abroad.

For a limited time, we’re offering a special discount on all subscription deals, so be sure to lock-in these incredible savings and start receiving top-notch travel and expat content today!

Sign up for the EA Newsletter

Get important news delivered directly to your inbox and stay connected!

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Escape Artist
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimer

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Escape Artist

The Newsletter for a
Life Beyond Borders

Practical insights and real stories for those building a life abroad, trusted by 75,000 readers worldwide.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Before you go, want $50 off your Summit registration?

Subscribe, and get $50 discount code for Plan B Summit registration.

Download Your Free Guide

Fill out the form below to get instant access to your guide + receive a $50 discount code for Plan B Summit 2026!

Download Your Free Guide

Fill out the form below to get instant access to your guide + receive a $50 discount code for Plan B Summit 2026!

Download Your Free Guide

Fill out the form below to get instant access to your guide + receive a $50 discount code for Plan B Summit 2026!

Newsletter Subscription