🇺🇸017: Steve Michael, USA, 6 years
Photos (left to right): Steve enjoying the outdoors with his son, hiking with his wife, adventures on the motorbike and the whole family at the beach.
In episode 17, Malcolm speaks to New Jersey native Steve Michael. Steve speaks about the moment he found out he was going to be a father, family life in Costa Rica and his love for gallo pinto.
Full name: Steve Michael
Age: 34
City of birth: New Jersey, USA
Residence in Costa Rica: Playa Avellanas, Guanacaste
Instagram: @sicostatrips
Email: sicostatrips@gmail.com
Transcription Details
Date: 4-Dec-20
Duration: 0:50:03
Input Video File: Episode 017 Steve Michael USA, 6 years
Transcription Results
Malcolm Hill [0:00]:
Welcome to the Move to Costa Rica podcast. I'm your host, Malcolm Hill. And today we're going to be speaking with Steve Michael. Now I met Steve, a couple of years ago on the surf. We were surfing on a really good day out at Playa Negra, if I remember correctly.
Steve Michael [0:22]:
Yes.
Malcolm Hill [0:22]:
And for anyone who's ever surfed in Costa Rica, you will know that Playa Negra is like kind of one of the most famous probably beaches in the country because of the quality of the waves. And I remember we briefly got to know each other that day. And I remember looking at Steve thinking, he's another one of those guys who realized, like, getting away from the West, early on in life might be an exciting thing to do. And, everything I'm saying about your life since then you look like yeah you get the most out of it. Which is really cool. But, I know you're a father of a little boy called Alec, who's around two years of age. Is that, is that right?
Steve Michael [01:11]:
Yeah, about two and a half. Yeah, two and a half, almost three, I'd say.
Malcolm Hill [01:15]:
And about this morning, I saw like this cool photo of you taking him, like on a morning motorbike ride for like, check the surf and look for monkeys. My little guy Matt, right. He loves monkeys as well. Like, whatever we got, hoping to see them and like try to point it to the truthful. But Mike, what have been the best things about being a dad in Costa Rica for you?
Steve Michael [01:40]:
Oh, best things about being a dad. You know, the life here is a lot slower for certain aspects of it. But being from New Jersey, you know the East Coasts, we get so caught up, I feel like we’re in a rat race there. My father, he was running his plumbing business and just seeing how fast you know, especially now being a father, especially like, it just goes by so quick, you know? And you see it too, you know. I see the photos of you guys you know, it's just, and it all goes by so quick. You know, as crazy as to say is that even with COVID right now, even just being out here in general with the slower life I mean, you know, I get to watch him grow every day, you know. And it's even with work, you know? What we do is when we have the groups come out, and families here, my son and my fiancé, they come to work with me pretty much every day. And you know, he gets to interact, he's not going to get to just experience this culture, but he also gets to experience like our culture back home and pretty much cultures all over the world, you know from everybody that comes in and visits. So it's been a crazy experience. Again, you know, you really start to see it more from you watch how our parents cared about us so much and wish we were in like a bubble and everything like that, you know, and now I see it. You know, it's your everything. But it's this experience, and especially out here, like you said, we take him on the motorbike in the morning, we take him on the motor to check the surf and it's freer. And now it's kind of like the Wild West, especially out here in Guanacaste You know.
Malcolm Hill [03:21]:
Bro, I totally know what you mean about being the Wild West. I took Maverick to a beach this morning and like, there was no one there. And like, we hung out for like 30, 40 minutes and swam and played in the rock pools. And there was no one around and I just thought to myself, you know, like, they talk about the Garden of Eden in the Bible. Pretty much every one learns about that. And, they talk about how the light is all around. And you know, you don't need much more than like a leaf to cover you because the temperature is perfect that, you know, there's birds and animals and I'm like, man, like Costa Rica feels in certain ways at certain times really feels like that.
Steve Michael [04:04]:
Yes, I agree.
Malcolm Hill [04:06]:
It’s epic. Mike well, thanks for giving a little bit of an introduction there to kind of filling in a gap. Might Steve like just share with people what you and your wife do here.
Steve Michael [04:21]:
So what we do here is families from wherever; the East Coast, a lot of people from California also, we've had New Zealand which is you know, great experience, totally different culture as well. But you know, guests come out here and whether it's with kids, it's all ages and everything we really enjoy the families. But you guys come here, we set you up in you know, in a really nice house. It's either going to be beach front, or at least walking distance to the beach. And really it's we provide you more personalized vacations. You know, you come in you know as you know just a guest but you're going to leave as family with us. We bring in our cook Maria, local woman in town she’s been here all her life and she prepares typical dishes for everybody you know. We do the breakfast, we do lunches, so beach chaise and then a killer dinner. You know, I'm your surf guide and if I'm tied up with other people in the family, I have one of my local buddies here to help me out. And Adrian is around as well. She should take the wives to yoga, if you guys want massages, if you want to just go hang out in the pool. You know it's your vacation so really we're just here to give you advice, feed you excellent food, and transport you to our beautiful beaches. It's really an experience you know. You go out to the resorts, which are great everything like that but this is more of a I moved to Costa Rica for the culture. My fiancé is Tika you know, it's very friendly people and my son now you know, is sharing this culture and sharing everything at Costa Rica is offering something that we really enjoy. You know, so much you know. It's a blessing that we have to do that too. I forget that I'm working sometimes. Actually all the time I forget I'm working because you know I’m either surfing with the families or hanging out at the pool going to the nice pools to check out you know, views you know.
Malcolm Hill [06:32]:
You’re doing what you'd want to do, and you're doing what you do anyway.
Steve Michael [06:37]: Yeah, exactly.
Malcolm Hill [06:38]:
You just taking people along for the ride, man. It's very cool.
Steve Michael [60:40]:
Exactly.
Malcolm Hill [06:41]:
Mike, so let's rewind a little bit and go back to New Jersey. Tell us about your life before Costa Rica.
Steve Michael [06:51]:
So life before Costa Rica, younger I grew up I actually didn't surf much. I guess you could say I pretty much focused on surfing once I moved here about six years ago. But growing up I was actually grew up racing motocross, I have a history of racing motocross. And then after that, and then I graduated high school. And that's when I really started competing more. Then I started running my father's plumbing and heating business which you know, I enjoy doing. Again, it was in the rat race, you know. I had purchased my own house back home when I was I forget, like, maybe 23 years old. And you know, it was fun. We were fortunate enough that my father had a successful business. And then like I said, and then after high school, I focused on work with him. But traveling East Coast, had a bad accident racing motocross, I was in a coma. It took about three months to actually get back on my feet, start walking and talking again. And yeah, and so now it makes you realize in life, it's life's way too short. You know, you wake it's scary that, you know, one day or let's just say sitting at the starting line or just finishing up breakfast, but you're, you know, I remember having breakfast that day, and you're just finished up a great breakfast and then the next thing you know, you wake up in a hospital bed and you don't know what's going on. So, you know, it was the first time I saw my dad cry and then you know, you've been a father now it's like I think about it's like, what am I gonna do if my son says he wants to do that stuff. And then after the coma, got back on my feet, and I started traveling racing jet skis, thinking that water was going to be softer to hit but it's actually not. A couple years MMA I got seven years MMA and then I decided, you know, life is good back home in Jersey. I always swore though, if I were a kids, you know, kids weren't in, I wasn't really planning on it. I always knew I'd be a good father. But I just felt like, I wasn't ever going to be ready for it. And then I thought, you know, I was single, and you know, you live once and life's too short. So I figured you know what, I want to take all the things that my father taught me and I want to put it all together. I want to prove myself that I can start a new journey on my own and maybe you know, do something new and I fell in love with Costa Rica. I came out to the Rio and did a couple of trips there and then decided to venture off one year. And next thing you know, I came home from the trip and I was like Papa, I was like, you know, I think I'm gonna move to Costa Rica. And then everybody was like, Man, you know, you're not doing that. You know, because you always think. You always think when you're in places like this or on a vacation like dude, I could live here. You know, you're always thinking like, oh, why not? I look at the plumbing and places. I was like, Look, I can be a plumber here. You know? And then yes, I sold everything back home. I still had a mortgage on my house, my brother's renting my house for a while, and I sold the toys and everything like that and just decided to move out here. I bought property here and yeah. And now you know life is amazing, but the whole journey hasn't been easy. You know, it definitely hasn't been easy. I do miss Jersey, I do miss the rat race a little bit, don't get me wrong. It is tough to adjust here but you know.
Malcolm Hill [10:31]:
So Steve, how old were you when you made that move back?
Steve Michael [10:35]:
Ah, so six years ago, and I just turned 34 so I don’t know, you do the math.
Malcolm Hill [10:44]:
So you were 28?
Steve Michael [10:46]:
Yeah.
Malcolm Hill [10:47]:
And how many trips down here did that take before you were like kind of pull the trigger? Like what went into that? What went into planning all of that?
Steve Michael [11:01]:
Actually, I came down I would say like three times before that. Three times before that where I stayed at the Rio. Just because I only had a little bit of time to get a vacation done. I was just kind of go and again, I didn't surf. So it was kind of like just come out, you know, with a friend or whatever and just kind of eat and drink like you could for like six days or whatever, then go back to work. Because we got to get back to that race back home. And then I'd say the fourth trip I came out and decided to rent the car with a friend and just you know, we explored and we ended up down in Tamarindo. And I just started getting real friendly with the local people you know, just local vibes. And I felt like it was like the place to be you know? I felt like it was for me and made my decision there. And like I said I didn't put too much thinking into it. I kind of just went home pulled the trigger and just got rid of everything and then September 14 you know I moved out here to Costa Rica. I packed up, I loaded my dog up I brought my pit bull. I brought my pit bull Naya from Jersey for the journey. I've had her since she was a baby and she's been my side ever since. Now she’s by Alec’s side but.
Malcolm Hill [12:16]:
So bro, tell me about how you transition from kind of selling all your stuff, coming down here solo, I think you said you were on your own. You know, you purchase yourself a piece of land whereabouts?
Steve Michael [12:32]:
I purchased the land in Avellanas.
Malcolm Hill [12:35]:
In Avellanas. So Avellanas, for those who don't know, is on kind of a northern Guanacaste coast. And it's a beautiful area. It's called Avellanas if I'm not mistaken, because of the almond tree or something like that.
Steve Michael [12:52]:
That's it.
Malcolm Hill [12:54]:
Yeah, I only learned that recently.
Steve Michael [12:56]:
You know, just about as much as me bro.
Malcolm Hill [13:01]:
But Mike, I guess did you go straight into running a tool business immediately or tell me about that transition into moving here full time.
Steve Michael [13:12]:
So it's actually been quite the ride. You know, people hear stories of like nightmares that happen out here, you know, scams and whatnot happening, you know and it's not even the local people. You know, it's something that happens to us in the US too. So when I purchased that land, I had the intentions of partnering up with somebody in the property next to me. Long story short, he ended up you know, taking advantage and everything like that. So that was, the first lesson learned, you know. And again, not to scare anybody from moving out here or anything like that, or you know, make a decision, but it's just something we deal with everywhere. People you know, that's their job I guess. They find you when you're vulnerable, and you're surrounded by paradise. So yeah, you're alright, you're a sucker, you got me, lesson learned. Through that, I was introduced to another person which I ended up before this business now that we have before Sea coast, we are with another company. And that kind of got me. It was the same idea as we do now. Focus more on like the hardcore surfers, but I didn't need a lot of families. Now going on, I've had families here now coming six, seven years in a row. You know, because they love Yeah, I get to watch their kids grow up. You know, the kids get excited. I know things as much as them when they get you out there, their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the crust cut off and ready for them. So yes, they come and so I was in that other business too. Again, that didn't work out so far for me either because it's I mean, a lot of people agree that you know, being in a business, you know what you don't want partners. So that was the next lesson learned. All right, so I got burned on that one, what you're actually still trying to get out of now. So, the biggest thing out here that you learn is you know, that I've learned is that, you know, karma, it exists, you know? And it's why I'm talking to you guys now. I'm still here you know, we're still here. One thing about being out here is it's a journey. It's quite the adventure, you know, but, you know, and yes, yeah.
Malcolm Hill [15:33]:
Like, I continually tell my wife. I'm like, you know, there's gonna be just as much stuff tomorrow that blows their mind and it's challenging and, you know, sometimes difficult to overcome, like, just the, you know, feel Costa Rica challenge of things not getting done on time or not working or breaking down or whatever, you know? We're not in a society where like, everything works all of the time. It's just not, it's not that part of the country. But yeah, it's always good to remember like, that stuff is still gonna be there tomorrow. Right.
Steve Michael [16:10]:
Exactly, exactly.
Malcolm Hill [16:14]:
So Mike, I'm interested to hear how you and Irina, how did you two meet and fall in love?
Steve Michael [16:27]:
Oh, excuse me. Actually, when I first moved out here, I moved to Tamarindo. I wanted to well, just outside Tamarindo. I didn't want to be right inside the railroad. It's a busy town, you know, kind of partying all the time. But again, I came out, you know, single and just, you know, I kind of was trying to figure it out. Trying to get on my feet, I didn't have a job here. It’s really hard to find a job so. So I was living in a two bedroom apartment that I rented. I had rented and I actually ran into Irina. I was actually outside most of the days. I was building surfboard racks out of PVC pipe for people around town. And I would post on Facebook and just to make some cash for food and stuff. I go to a hardware store, pick up all the pipe, come back home and then I build them a surfboard rack. And at the end of the day, I go meet up with them for a drink and get paid and there's your bike now with you know, nice rack on it. And it's cool not because you still go down to town I see people pedaling around with the rack sounds really cool. But yeah, Irina came out here. And in the apartment, one thing I did was I was always immersed with costa Ricans, with just like the culture. I didn't really hang out Americans too much out here. I didn't speak any Spanish, you know, and my way of learning is just immerse myself. And that's what I did. I have friends in the apartment complex that, you know, I became real close with and then Irina actually moved in, she's a dentist. She was a dentist down in San Jose, which is about three and a half, four hours away from us. And she was filling in for one of the guys in the apartment complex. And I forget it was actually one night we were all getting ready to just make dinner at the apartment used to have barbecues and we dance on Saturday nights and Sundays. And then after dinner at the apartments, you go down to Tamarindo, go to like a club and go hang out with friends play pool. So I went and knocked on her door, you know, one night, you know, just to get her part of the crew. You know, it was just friends. And you know, months went by and we just became closer and you know not to it's kind of crazy, but like, I would always come home from party and even if Irina was working, I'd always come home from partying. And she was in a whole another you know, kobina and I would always find Naya, you know, the pit bull I brought out sitting outside her door. Or, she would be inside you know like lying in bed with her. It's like she always had this like connection, you know. And then, time went by, you know, months or even like maybe a year and then and then I was going to move from Tamarindo. So eventually, you know, she didn't want to do that. She lost her job doing dentistry over there because the guy came back. So it was her option to move back to San Jose, to go do dentistry work, you know, or what she decided to do was she, you know, asked me. She's like, do you think you would care if you know, she wanted to stay so she stayed longer. And then we ended up finding her job at a surf shop. And then she ended up renting. I left Tamarindo and I needed to have Naya live with somebody so I gave her to Irina. I said look, I said if I leave Naya here with you, I said I'll split the apartment, you know, and I'll come by and each time I'll go shopping for guests. You know when I was working in I eventually was working with this other company doing the surf tours and two days out of the week, I'd come to the food shop for guests and Irina wasn't making much money at the surf shop. So I filled the fridge up with food you know and I go and spend a couple nights down there and hang out with them and all the friends all you know all the boys and then we'd still do the same thing. And then eventually, you know, it got down to where it was like Irina, I was like, we make a perfect team, you know. It's like right under my nose the whole time. You know, so it's kind of just time to just, you know. I see myself with her and I don't want to see her ever going back to San Jose. So I said, look, I said, why don't you come out and work with me? You know, doing the surf tours, you know? And you know what, it was the best thing to do. When guys would come out with their husbands come out with their wives, she would hang out with them. And then Irina was cooking the meals and everything for them. And it was just one big connection, you know? And then yeah, it was it, you know? And now we have a beautiful baby boy.
Malcolm Hill [20:48]:
Yeah, like that, that obviously went from, you know, sounds like you two fell in love pretty quick at which is awesome. And look where you are now, obviously. But for you, I guess getting acquainted with the norms of, you know, falling in love with the Costa Rican girl, I imagine was very different to the dating experiences you've had in North America. So I'm curious to hear your take on what stuck out to you the most when you were you know, falling in love with your wife.
Steve Michael [21:31]:
What stuck out most, it's just the way that she would always, it was an exciting experience. You know, like me being an American being the gringo out here, you know, not speaking much of the language, she was patient to me for that, even our friends. But even like, when it came to, you know, we have the most fun if we went to just like one of the little typical bars, you know, just to get like a bocca and a beer and a little snack. And then she would always sit, we just start dancing, it can be just us in there. And just, there's so much, you know, excitement, you know. Again, not being able to speak language and get around, you know, thank God, you know, thank God for her because she has the patience you know. It was always the excitement you know. And the family, you know, her family, you know, the culture, they're just so you know, welcoming. You know, no matter, you know, where you're from, they just want to share with you everything. It's the same way now. It's been five years now. And I look forward to around San Jose now at our family's house. And, you know just the respect and the way they treat you, it's like I'm home. You know, it's like I'm back home.
Malcolm Hill [22:43]:
I'd love to hear about that first moment you found out you were going to be a dad.
Steve Michael [22:52]:
That was a wild one. That was I mean, it was a special moment for sure. But you know, we're, I remember it. And so do my friends, you know, like I don't know if you'd ever be ready for it. But we were actually at the fiestas. We didn't know for a while, you know. We didn't know for a while that Irina was pregnant. I think she was about five months, already pregnant four months or five months pregnant. So we had no idea she wasn't shown anything. I just noticed that she could eat like two packs of bacon. And she was just eating like a monster. So I'm thinking like, man, it's kind of weird. And then yeah, every year we go to the fiestas for it was actually New Year's, New Year's Eve. And then I guess you could say when the ball dropped in the US or when it was happy New Year here, everybody does dance around. Irina was like, tell me go home. And I'm like, No, like, No, we can't go home yet. She's like, and she's like, I'm pregnant. And I'm like, and that's when I was just like, you know, and I kind of like, freaked out. I didn't freak out at her but I kind of just like took a big gulp. I sat down and my friends they laugh about it you know, to this day. I just sat down, I actually hugged Naya because Naya was at the fiesta. I just hugged her and I was like, all right, you know, now it's time to you know, get ready, put those daddy pants on. And, you know, life just got even more real, you know, like, whoo. But best thing.
Malcolm Hill [24:18]:
To give the listeners some perspective, the fiestas, las fiestas is a yearly event that every town in Guanacaste almost even the very little towns that might just have a few thousand people. They will put together a like a rodeo. And then you go along to this rodeo and you know, you dance and you drink and you watch people on bulls and there's music and there's food and it's like, the most traditional local thing. I feel like anybody can experience around here. It’s super fun. But that's crazy that that's the environment you were in when you found that you were going to be a dad.
Steve Michael [25:02]:
Yeah, it was cool.
Malcolm Hill [25:03]:
Like, what was that journey to then the birth? Like did you guys head back? Did you head from Guanacaste to San Jose for the birth?
Steve Michael [25:13]:
Actually unfortunately with the previous company, I had a bunch of bookings, I had a group coming in. And at the time, it was pretty much just me. Irina was super pregnant but when it was closer to time, you know, we did find out the baby’s, you know, the sex, we found out there's a boy, you know, so that was another special moment there. Not that I was saying I was you know, it's, but that's what some guys really hope for. And so when the doctor gave us that news, I was excited. And then as we got closer to when she was, we were actually out in San Jose, visiting her family, and we came out for the baby shower. And it was still pretty early though. But I had to get back for work. And I had a big group coming in. So I told her and I said, look, babe, I said, why don't you stay out in San Jose? I said, just in case. You know, Alec comes you know, comes early or something you never know. And sure enough, man, you know, I was super bummed to not be here for the birth, but I went home. And the group, I had the group come in, and actually, you know, I was going to surf, we were getting ready to go surf one morning. We had just finished up like the pre surf breakfast and I had a call. Irina called me and said, babe, she's like I think my water broke. And I'm like, it's like, so many weeks ahead of time. I said, I'm on the computer. You know, I'm getting ready. I'm like, no babe I'm like Google says, you know, it could be like a little tear or something. And I said, you know, I said, I got I got to go there. I gotta get to work. I said, you know, I'll be back in a little bit. Sure enough, you know, I took the crew out, hanging out with everybody, you know, making sure the kids were on the beach. And then sure enough, I get back to the house. I got phone calls. And her mom says, you know, she's going to labor. I'm like, oh, my gosh, you know. So I'm kind of like freaking. I'm four and a half out, you know, four hours away from there. So I get off the phone. I'm like, guys, they're like, I'm like Irina is going into labor. They were like, well, dude, they're like, you gotta go. I’m like just make sure the house is locked up, you know, like, I'll be back, you know, like, I just got to go. Bro, I made that drive. I like literally to San Jose in probably like, an hour dude. An hour and a half. I just missed it by like, 40 minutes or so getting to the city. But Bro, I hauled to get there. And man that moment, I'll tell you, it's like everything, just, you know, when I went up to that room and, and saw them for the first time and he was you know, he was a preemie. He was like five and a half weeks early. So he was very tiny. You know, he's pretty small. But I still you know when I got in there, I held him. I held him for probably like, you know, four hours or five hours, you know, I didn't want to let him go. And then, you know, got to be nighttime. So I had to leave, I had to leave at nighttime to get back to make sure everything was all good over here so. But yeah, man after that moment of, you know, I mean, you know man, when you hold your baby for the first time, it's everything just. That's what's important now, you know.
Malcolm Hill [28:37]:
And it changes in an instant.
Steve Michael [28:39]:
Just like that.
Malcolm Hill [28:41]:
I definitely think for fathers, it's really, I should know, nothing is hard for fathers compared to mothers. I need to rephrase the way I say that. Sometimes for men, because we don't carry the baby, it's harder for us to realize that the kind of seriousness of what a child is going to be and how it's going to change your life. Whereas I think mothers feel that a little sooner because they have a baby growing inside them.
Steve Michael [29:11]:
Yes.
Malcolm Hill [29:12]:
And then yeah, like you said, Steve, you hold that baby in your arms and you're like, oh, okay, I better start thinking seriously about life. That’s the immediate thought like, Oh, crap, okay, I've got a lot more responsibility than I used to have. It's just immediate. Yeah.
Steve Michael [29:33]:
Yes.
Malcolm Hill [29:34]:
That's definitely how I felt.
Steve Michael [29:37]:
However, though you know, you do have that responsibility, but I feel like those first you know, the beginning of it is it's a lot of mommy time. You know, it hasn't really hit us all that and we'll change diapers here and there, but most of it's on the mom, you know. I give moms credit you know, after the whole process for sure, women, it's tough, you know.
Malcolm Hill [29:58]:
Man, yeah. Like I heard a guy say to me once, he was like, you know the male human experience doesn't have anywhere near that, like, intense highs and lows of what a woman, what ladies go through with like pregnancy and birth. It's just so much more extreme than I think anything. Yeah, I know we have to gather. A lot of photos on your social media mate show you and Alec and Irina, like exploring, seeing Costa Rica like just getting out and like really like living it. there's a lot of different climates in Costa Rica and some of our listeners might know the region of Guanacaste, where you guys live, it's known for having a dry season and then what we call the green season or rainy season. Can you tell us a little bit about the two seasons? And what would you say to travelers who are considering visiting during one of those wetter months of the year.
Steve Michael [31:10]:
If you're looking to visit the Guanacaste area, as you know, when it's rainy season here the surf can be not as consistent, you know? But it's still, you know, the rainy season, it's beautiful. it does get a little boring depending like over by us in like an Hongqiao area and find a rare area. It's all dirt roads, you know. So like I said, it's always an adventure, but when we get rain here during rainy season, especially like right now, it can be pretty heavy. So, you got to be prepared to deal with you know like Malcolm said, we're spoiled in the US, you know. You got to learn to just go with the flow here and what happens happens, you know? It's a beautiful time of year, though, like I said, it's green, you know. You know, you’ll see more wildlife out there. And you can still do tours, you know, let's just say the surf is not, you know, happening, you know, but we can go out. You know, there's ATVs there's so much more to do you know. It's really enjoyable. The dry season again, you know, I mean, the only complaint I guess you could say for the dry season is like when you're doing what we do is, so the roads by us with all the rain and the mud, it makes it tough to commute, you know. So it's like, we complain about the mud and all the rain or anything like that. And then in the dry season, we complain about the heat, and then you know, it could be a little dusty. Now you complain about too much dust on the roads, you know, so it's like, we got to like, what do you want to deal with, you know? It's little things but when traveling out here in rainy season, if you're into just like nature, and if you don't come in to Guanacaste, you know, like you said the climates. We went up to Cartago you know, we went to go check out. The elevation is higher and it's just, it's cold, you know, like in the mornings, you wake up and it's just fresh, and it's beautiful. There's coffee we were walking through, there's coffee fields everywhere, there's you know, plantations all over and then there's the volcanoes. It's just and again the wildlife is different, you know. And then we you know, we're gonna head back to the beach and now we're in San Jose, a little bit of rain but at nighttime, we're kind of wearing sweatshirts and just you know, the climates beautiful here and then next week we're going to be back in Guanacaste where it's going to be pretty hot but you know, that's what we enjoy, you know, exploring that area. Guanacaste is great. The dirt roads again, every day is an adventure. You hop on the motor, you hop in the truck, you know you guys want to go to the estuary, you know you want to or just hang in the tide pools like you guys do. It's you know, it's just something new. Every day is an adventure here. You know, that's for sure.
Malcolm Hill [34:00]:
What are some of the staple foods or dishes that are a part of your daily diet now that you didn't eat before moving here?
Steve Michael [34:08]:
Gallo pinto, rice and beans. Yeah, I mean to me the gallo, I was big I love oatmeal and everything like that. But gallo pinto that's like your that's a staple for breakfast, you know. Rice and beans mixed together, which is you know, it's delicious. You know, fried eggs, you put out some fried eggs or scrambled eggs however you like it. Some meat maybe some fried cheese and that's your typical breakfast right there and man. Yeah, rice and beans. I really never ate too much of you know, but now you find yourself eating, you know, breakfast, lunch, and dinner most of the time. You know so you have your breakfast the rice and beans are together. And then for lunch time and so yeah, it’s rice and beans but the casado which is your main dish here, the casado is gonna be rice and beans, but it's separated, you know? And then you have your veggies, your salad. But yeah, I would say that's the staple here would be the Pinto.
Malcolm Hill [35:14]:
I love it as well mate, I really love it. I love rice and beans and I love gallo pinto. And I love all the local foods. And sometimes I'll be eating local food and I shock myself, because I think, you know, I never thought there'd be a period of my life that I ate this healthy this consistently.
Steve Michael [35:34]:
Yes.
Malcolm Hill [35:34]:
Because I didn't eat healthy when I lived in Australia. I used to eat fast food all the time, like just constantly and didn't care about my diet whatsoever. So moving here, yeah, it's almost like you're forced sometimes to eat healthy because that's what there is. And that's tastes good. That’s good then.
Steve Michael [35:56]:
No, I agree. You know, every once in a while you get a little treat some teacher on us here and there. But for the most part, you really did what was there? Yeah, your salad your veggies and rice and beans and, and nice, like a nice patio a nice natural juice to go with it.
Malcolm Hill [36:10]:
Yeah, it's good. It's great. And that's why the area was like Guanacaste, we've said this in a couple of other podcasts, but it's a Blue Zone. So like people live to an older age than they do in other parts of the world. And so much of it has to do with the diet.
Steve Michael [36:30]:
Yes.
Malcolm Hill [36:31]:
Yeah, just because the rice and beans I could tell that bad boy you say it all the time. All right. Steve, now that you've been here for six years, you've seen I'm sure in your area many foreigners come and go who perhaps thought they were going to live here in Costa Rica. Some of them have stayed. In hindsight for you, is there anything you would have done differently in your moving process? And my follow up question after that is that any advice you'd have for people who are considering relocating their lives here?
Steve Michael [37:16]:
So for the first question, no. I mean anything differently No. I mean, kind of jumping into it like I said, it's been one big lesson though. Everything like you've mentioned, it's not easy. And especially Guanacaste again is the Wild West. But everything from truck repairs you know, we enjoy those dirt roads, but we don't enjoy how every time I go on that you know, there's new sounds coming out of the vehicle that you're driving or you know, and or something break in the middle you know, and when you're like halfway you know, down Mr. Day or whatever, you know. So it's always something. So it takes that type of person I guess you could say like a MacGyver you know, type of person like back in the day we used to watch MacGyver you could pretty much make anything happen with you know. Right about now my favorite thing is zip ties and you know, and duct tape to get us home at least you know. You have to have that kind of almost like a skill and patience you really need patience here you know. I've had numerous times you know, on tours in the previous company with guests and just with things breaking in the middle of nowhere and you know, you don't want to panic. You don't want to panic because then it's going to you know, kind of freak everybody else out but it still turns into an adventure. Yeah, I've had shocks snap on trucks and then the exciting part you know, the guests find more exciting is that my Spanish getting better but we just find a mechanic or we find somebody in a garage with a welder somehow and we buy him a couple beers and next thing you know, the guests are all hanging out in the garage and everybody just hanging out you know. We're all watching this guy work on this truck and we’re walking around just seeing, it’s beautiful. They're watching monkeys and it's just an exciting, you know, it's exciting, but it's not for everybody. Again, the people usually lasts maybe a couple months I would say, you know three months is good for some people. It's great for vacation I'd say for most people. It takes a different type of person to actually live here and to make it through all the seasons you know. That would be advice too is to get down here and make it through the rainy season you know, and see how you enjoy it you know. Of course different areas Tamarindo, Flamingo they're more built up you know. There's more to do. You have your shops and everything but again, low season, everything's closed. So it becomes like it's pretty dead here at that time of year so. So now you're gonna be home or you got to find things too. My mom is one of those people, she can't stand. Like she always says that move here and this and that I had stayed on here for three months one time. And, man, she couldn't handle it. She can't handle it. Even just simple things like getting the perfect shampoo you want or just, you know, those things that you're so spoiled with getting back home. I mean look back home, you can go on Amazon and order what you want, and it shows up at your door the next day. In here, it doesn't work like that. So yeah. And, it's difficult. I've had so many times where yeah, I have questions. I have question times where it’s just like man, what was I thinking? You know it's like, wow. Also you know, it's like when the people that are around, you know, it's just, and when we do like when we're catering to our hosts, and the guests and everything, you know, you're worried more about them being comfortable and being happy, you know. So now it's more stressful for you. So, yeah, one thing I would say is, if you were thinking of making the move out here, do a couple trips. Do three months, you know, start out with a week to three months, then do six months, and then see how make it you know, before you go, selling everything like that. I don't regret, you know, I don't regret what I did. I think that would have been the way I did it was the way I learned fastest. You know, especially out here many in the homes, what we do is not on a property manager, like I kind of am but getting around and fixing stuff in houses when they break for gas. And it's just, you kind of get thrown into it. So you're forced to learn it and you learn the mechanics; the carpenters, electricians, you learn, you know. You make so many connections in town by just, you know, like, I guess learning the hard way.
Malcolm Hill [41:57]:
And stuff break all the time.
Steve Michael [42:00]:
All the time.
Malcolm Hill [42:01]:
All the time, stuff breaks at your house, stuff breaks on your car. And it's part of life here. And because you can't just purchase and replace like you can in other countries, you learn to fix because you have to fix. For sure mate.
Steve Michael [42:23]:
You know everything in the construction out here to the mechanics for cars, you know, you need patience, and it's good to have a little bit of those skills that from you know, bring from home, you know, or have some with you they can do to kind of just keep an eye on things, you know? When you go to mechanic guy here, you kind of want to do a once over and double check everything, you know, maybe even check it over three times. It's not gonna hurt. You know and then like in the construction houses, yeah, things break all the time you know. But I enjoy the excitement. It's something to do.
Malcolm Hill [43:05]:
I mean, nothing in life. Like, there's no such thing as like, have your cake and eat it too, right? Like, absolutely everything…
Steve Michael [43:11]:
Right.
Malcolm Hill [43:12]:
Has trade off. And like some of the tradeoffs of living in Costa Rica are you don't have Amazon, you can get whatever you want at an instant. It depends. I mean, if you live in San Jose, and San Jose has everything. San Jose is a big metropolitan city that has department stores that has, you can go find and purchase pretty much anything you want there. But in some of the more remote areas, yeah, you just don't have that same commercial access. But that's what many of the foreigners that I know, that's what many of them wanted to escape anyway.
Steve Michael [43:52]:
Yes.
Malcolm Hill [43:52]:
They wanted to escape their ability to have so much right at their fingertips. Because it can distort, you know, it can distort reality a little bit.
Steve Michael [44:02]:
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it's been a number of times, we have guests that come out to stay like two weeks, you know, and then when they first get here, like, we're on our way back from the airport, take them to the house and like, Oh my gosh, it's so beautiful. I'm thinking about making the move out here and doing it and you know, it's easier said than done. You know when it comes time to make that move and to actually go through with it, and once you're here, you know, it's and so then they're here, but then they see what can go on in a matter of a week or two weeks. And they're like, dude, you know, they see what we deal with and they’re like, yeah, maybe you know we're spoiled back home. Maybe we just like what we have, and we'll see you next year for you know, maybe we'll do three weeks next year, you know so.
Malcolm Hill [44:52]:
There's times I notice myself thinking like why do I have to deal with this particular thing today? But I'll try and give an example. But like, I have to drive on this particular road because that other one washed away last week when there was a lot of rain, you know, things like that. And I just think that's something I never thought would be part of my life like having to make decisions because of the severity of weather, but regularly.
Steve Michael [45:26]:
Exactly.
Malcolm Hill [45:27]:
Because anyway, maybe that's a strange example. But it is what it is.
Steve Michael [45:33]:
No, no, it's good. That's a good example.
Malcolm Hill [45:37]:
We're gonna wrap up in just a sec. I think from everything you mentioned, like you wanted to start a new life here, in Costa you wanted to kind of do something different, as you said to kind of the path that had been trod before you in New Jersey, with your family. And it's really cool by that you've done that. You’ve achieved that in many ways. And you know as day by day goes, you're living what you wanted. So well done Steve.
Steve Michael [46:11]:
Thank you, man. Thank you. It's been tough. And especially with COVID, and everything that went on, but we haven't had travel out here for five months now, you know. So now, it just got even tougher. It's like this wasn't in the books, you know, this wasn't supposed to happen. Now, we've been out of work. And now we're trying to get by out here, you know, and it's just you just have to cherish those moments, you know. I mean, yeah, it's sad what's going on. But you know what, if the time is spent with family, and what we can get to do out here, and being where we are now. It's like, we were watching TV the other day, and they did a special on like Costa Rica and so you look at it, it's like, wow, we live here. You know, like, it's amazing to think that you live in a place like that, you know. Like who would have thought? And it's amazing, you know. So yeah, grateful, you know, and should just be grateful. And it's just amazing, you know. And then the ride is not over yet, you know, who knows what is coming up. You know who knows what the future is gonna bring? I think it's actually I know, it's gonna be great for all of us you know.
Malcolm Hill [47:22]:
Somebody said to me recently that Costa Rica doesn't receive really any negative press in foreign news. You know what I mean? Like, for sure there's some internally here with politics, people on both sides and they will have heated discussions about those things. But like from a foreign perspective, like, you never really hear too much negative stuff about Costa Rica. And it's because it just has so much going for it. And obviously, I started a podcast about people moving here. So I've drunk the Kool Aid, as they say.
Steve Michael [47:58]:
Yeah you did.
Malcolm Hill [47:59]:
But, it is really pretty dank here. It's pretty rad. You know, like, life is extremely exciting. It's never dull. And yeah, it makes you want to just get more and more out of it every day.
Steve Michael [48:19]:
That's why I always say sorry, I always say that there's never a dull moment. You know? There never is, you know?
Malcolm Hill [48:31]:
Steve, where can people find you online?
Steve Michael [48:36]:
You could search. You can visit us at sicosta.com. www. But that's si. Like Steven and Irina, I guess, like sicosta. So sicosta C-O-S-T-A.com. You can find us on Instagram at Sicosta Trips, which I would recommend guys, follow us. Keep an eye on what we're doing out here, it’s exciting. As Malcolm says, we're always trying to find some new adventures and, or Facebook. And we hope to hear from you, you know? Come out and experience it. See what we're talking about. You know. So for Malcolm, we will meet up at Witch's rock and show you good time.
Malcolm Hill [49:22]:
Sounds like a plan mate. Steve, thank you so much for your time for chatting to me today. And whenever I get to speak to someone like you who shares you know, many of my passions was on the ocean and you know, you're a passionate father and passionate husband and passionate about the culture here. It makes me feel a little more normal like hey, there's other people out there who like.
Steve Michael [49:49]:
Yes.
Malcolm Hill [49:51]:
So thanks for providing me with that personal experience. It’s very nice.
Steve Michael [49:55]:
You got it, buddy. Thanks for having me, man. This is exciting. This is awesome.
Malcolm Hill [50:00]:
Whatever you have.
Steve Michael [50:02]:
Proud of you brother.
