Costa Rica is a verdant, picturesque and wildly diverse wonderland. In just a few hours, you can drive from sparkling beaches to mountaintop cloud forests, from spewing volcanoes to class IV rivers and almost anything in between. Some call Costa Rica a paradise. Others call it their personal hell.

An oft-quoted statistic, and one that I cannot back up with any facts other than those batted around online, is that 30-70% of expats pack it in and move out of Costa Rica within one year of their arrival. This doesn’t refer to exchange students, international interns or those looking to temporarily live abroad, so even 30% is a huge number: three of every 10 expats who sell their things, uproot their lives and change their world will decide that Costa Rica is so bad, so absolutely intolerable, that they have no choice but to flee.

Even if it’s not true, even if the real number hovers lower than 30%, most expats, whether they live in Costa Rica or elsewhere, know someone who has thrown in the towel and gone home. Usually, culture shock is what does it — in Costa Rica, many cite unexpected crime rates, infuriating bureaucracy, racism or some combination of factors that make the adjustment more trouble than it’s worth.

Of course, my opinion is that Costa Rica is worth it. Because what, if not our wildest dreams, is worth our hard work and perseverance? Too often, we get caught up in the 9-to-5 daily grind, working to fulfill someone else’s dream, and stop to pursuing our own. When did we forget that things aren’t always easy, or that the things we want most deserve (and often require) the biggest effort?

Costa Rica isn’t for everyone, of course. We do have crime, the government has made an art out of pushing papers (even if it is ugly, paint-splatter art) and foreigners are the subject of racism. But there is no country, no place, not even a tiny town in this world that doesn’t have several cons to balance out its pros. If living in Costa Rica is your dream, pursue it. But do so wisely.

Dreams are valuable, and they deserve patience. Don’t rush toward the reward before carving out a path to your goal. I admit, I am meticulous in this regard — I take days, weeks or even months to flesh out each idea, decide if it’s viable and then chart each step toward its completion. Call this the logical, practical and even boring side of wish fulfillment, but it’s a necessary part of almost any goal.

In my case, moving to Costa Rica required planning, research and then more planning and research. My advice is to forget the glittery guidebook prose and read about real expats in Costa Rica — there are many online resources, including blogs, internet groups and informational websites. We love to complain. Read about the annoyances, assess the risk. Use your imagination, and put yourself in those situations — would you, could you tolerate those conditions? Be honest with yourself. Costa Rica isn’t perfect on paper, and it’s even more flawed in person.

The road to happiness is bumpy, especially in Costa Rica. (Have you seen the potholes?) You may have morose days, petulant moments and weeks of monumental frustrations, but if this country is right for you, you’ll find that it is all worth it. Which brings me to my point: though I fully intend to reboot this blog and get back to my writing roots, I also want to provide a resource to those interested in Costa Rica living.

Let’s talk about life in Costa Rica. Let’s talk about what pisses us off. Let’s talk about what makes us happy. Let’s talk about it all. For a bit of fun and a preview of what’s to come, there’s a short list I like to call…

You know you’ve adjusted to life in Costa Rica when:

-Eating mashed potatoes, fried yucca, and rice all in one meal is completely normal. In fact, the first two count toward your daily vegetable servings, even on that weird, new pyramid.

-You’re not surprised that a new 3 bedroom home costs only $40,000 more than a 1990 Toyota.

-You know that “Tico time” is a euphemism for “I’m going to be at least an hour late,” and you make plans accordingly.

-You hear somebody say “de nada” and wonder what country they’re from. It’ll always be “mucho gusto” to you.

-Spiders, cockroaches, scorpions and tarantulas don’t belong inside, but no longer cause you to run screaming from the room.