About Me
The Past
Four score and seven years ago….oh wait, I think someone used that. Well a few years ago - over eleven now - I stumbled on this gem called Costa Rica. I flew here with a husband, three dogs, and a cat. At last count, I have one guinea pig and two kids. The rest is, as they say, history. Funny how things work. I’ve run my own business, taught, produced radio documentaries, dabble in film, and now I’m following my destiny, which I tend to loose in the mail occasionally. If you find it, could you email me?
The Present
So what’s it all about Alfie? Charlie? And Sophie? I think the secret to life is…well….I’m pretty sure it’s about you and me, and this moment. I’m quite serious about this. I’m so grateful that you take the time to click over to my site, that I want to provide you with a moment you can take away something. Something funny…something touching…I don’t know, something ludicrous that might bubble around and spread like a germ of joy. As you may have read on MotherJungle, my son has Down Syndrome, and it is an “extra:” extra chromosomes, extra help, extra energy, and this site is here to give to that little guy a life. So your time pays our way. Thank you. I am grateful and hope you’ll stop by again.
The Future
Resumes are almost useless in my line of work, so I’ve decided to rewrite what it means to be writer, mother, human. Would you hire me?
I’m quite sure of great things to come, just watch and se
Renee Lurie on 10 Mar 2008 at 9:44 am #
Susan, I love the new look of your site! And, find myself inspired and uplifted after reading much of what you have to say. I miss your company and am so glad that we got to know each other in Costa Rica and remain friends. Keep up the awesome work and give Coco and Addison a kiss for me.
Pura vida!
Renee Lurie, currently residing in Puerto Rico
Todd & Ralitza on 13 Mar 2008 at 3:06 pm #
Hey on dat side da rock down under in da swamps of sweltering hotness….
Maybe that is not an effective description of Cost Rica as Ralitza and I sit on our couch in the Germanic country side village. But, we are quite the tired parents with two lovely kiddies. Everyday we plop and wonder if parenthood was supposed to be this challenging?
Danke Zehr und ein gute tag von uns hier in Deuthcland.
Medelise on 19 Apr 2008 at 12:01 pm #
After a long and scary health battle…just your about me section touched me somewhere deep inside especially the..”you and me, at this moment” Originally I was attracted to the title of your blog site and the fact that you are in Costa Rica…the subject of many of my posts. but clearly a greater force drew me to it. I will be back. I can relate to what you are presenting.
Medelise
Claudia on 20 Apr 2008 at 11:13 pm #
Your life story and unique circumstances are incredibly touching. And your blog is very special and genuine. Please keep it up!
Best,
Claudia
Dan on 14 May 2008 at 12:58 pm #
Susan;
Consider your page bookmarked. Stay strong and happy. Know that you are not alone out there.
-Dan
elle on 17 Aug 2008 at 11:40 pm #
Susan…I was researching ’stuff’ about an upcoming trip…my 3rd…to Costa Rica when the strangeness of the internet led me to your blog.
I consider it amongst the best of the good karma I’ve had thrown my way in quite a while.
Reading your postings gave me a real sense of peace and an appreciation for the quiet crazy-ness that can happen to a urban norteamerican when set down in sub-urban Costa Rica.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with the world…we are better for reading about your life and please know that caring thoughts go out to you and Coco and Addison from mothers everywhere.
I make this assumption knowing it must be true.
Be well, continue to think good things and if you need something brought from the states then let me know!
I’m coming for 7 weeks in January 2009 and would be honored to bring anything you might have run short on. See how easy it is for me to try and fit into the world of sharing?
Very best..elle hayes. Plantcrone, wise woman and aspiring world traveller. Beaverton Oregon
Martha Cooper on 17 Oct 2008 at 9:24 am #
Moved to Playa Junquillal in Guanacaste from small town in North Carolina. The goal was to slow down. Though small town life in the south is characteristically slow, we were experiencing sudden explosion of growth reminding me of Florida where I grew up and left for the countryside of NC. We were right, and happy to have met our goal of slow and simple lifestyle. I have been a potter in NC for over 40 years, and opened by new studio and gallery last year. Looking forward to returning to my craft and the community of fellow craftspeople. However, it seems difficult to find them. There are few directories of local craftspeople. Would appreciate any information you may offer.
lizzie on 18 Oct 2008 at 11:58 am #
hi, i wanted to email you but could not find an email address on the site. may i?
thanks,
lizzie
Martha Cooper on 20 Oct 2008 at 6:34 pm #
Martha Cooper e-mail: coopermays@racsa.co.cr
If anyone has advise, love to hear from you.
Thanks
Scott Eby on 23 Oct 2008 at 1:27 pm #
I stumbled upon it (thanks Google) and I ‘ve enjoyed your writing. I am a Costa Rican that currently lives in Chicago from an american Dad and a Tica Mom; One that longs for those Costarrican moments. Even though I try to go every 3 to 4 months, it never seems enough for me. I have a 5 year old and a 5 month old girls. Keep up the good work. Thank you,
-Scott
Julie on 24 Oct 2008 at 12:07 pm #
Hi Susan,
Tamara from doodlesofajourno recommended you as someone that might be interested in trying out nextstop.com - a brand new travel site that just launched. I work at a tiny startup company in San Francisco and we are building this site. It enables people to recommend places that they like (e.g. your favorite restaurants and activities where you live). You can share your recommendations with friends, and people traveling to your area can browse them to find cool things to do.
The site is now live, so if you’re interested in checking it out, please feel free to visit http://www.nextstop.com. If you want to create recommendations for places in Costa Rica, just email me and I’ll send you an invitation.
Regards,
Julie
Marina on 06 Feb 2009 at 11:17 am #
Hi Susan,
My name is Marina, and I work with GlobalPost.com. I wanted to bring this recent article by correspondent Alex Leff in Puriscal, Costa Rica that you might find interesting to your attention. It’s about the Costa Rican tradition of tamale making: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/costa-rica/090124/costa-rican-tradition. The article was published on GlobalPost.com, an upstart international news organization based in Boston. GlobalPost has a section dedicated to covering Costa Rica and a network of 60+ correspondents in over 40 other countries, reporting on the real stories from the ground. I would love to hear your comments on this story, and would be glad to pass on any other relative articles GlobalPost.com published in the future.
Thank you.
Marina Test
Outreach Agent
GlobalPost.com|Street Attack
Nancy on 19 May 2009 at 3:34 pm #
Found your blog by happy accident and have enjoyed reading it. I made my first visit to CR last December and can’t wait to go back. One tiny quibble, though — if you’re interested in writing as a career, you might want to invest in a good spell checker. I haven’t found an entry yet that doesn’t have at least one misspelling, which doesn’t look very professional.
Christi on 02 Jul 2009 at 9:19 am #
Susan - I love your site! I just came across it when I was googling Costa Rica and Down syndrome. My family is considering the move to Costa Rica but my biggest concern is the well-being and acceptance of my 7 year old daughter with Down syndrome. Sure would like to be able to talk to you more about it via email if possible. Thanks!
sally carter on 04 Aug 2009 at 2:08 pm #
Susan - wow! You write superbly. Like the PP, we are also looking into moving to Costa Rica, and also have a daughter with Down syndrome. Not that sunny Switzerland isn’t nice and all, but having our special kid has made us realise there’s more to life than designer bling and posh jobs.
Inspiring stuff, thanks so much for sharing - you give me hope for a sunnier future….
Katerin on 30 Jan 2010 at 1:04 pm #
Hello Susan,
I just “fell” into your website: I was reading an article that someone shared on facebook and then it linked it to your website, I decided to check it out- and bang!
I simply had to thank you.
I was born in Costa Rica but apparently we almost switched places: my immediate family (including 12 year old me) moved to Canada 11 years ago… I do not mean to bore you, I simply really enjoyed reading and admiring the pictures of your website: it really touched me.
After reading your “About me”, I would like to let you know that, most likely, you are meeting your goal: “I want to provide you with a moment you can take away something”. Bravo and thank you!
Que Dios la siga bendiciendo (as you must have heard already:)
K.
Kristen on 20 Jul 2010 at 8:08 am #
Hi Susan, I just posted your article on my facebook page.http://www.facebook.com/pages/Naturally-Better-Kids/301994012776?ref=ts#!/pages/Naturally-Better-Kids/301994012776?ref=ts
Kristen
I have a similar story / experience with my son.
your site is lovely, well done.
Melbourne, Australia