This morning as I was heading to the southern beaches with Eve Kohlman, we stopped at a corner store in Las Delicias (a neighborhood just south of town). The store was adorable, starting with the bright colors and the fountain out front. Inside there were cakes and flan in the cooler, pepperoni, tonka trucks, birthday candles, placemats and cutting boards. It’s a fully stocked grocery store with a scale for buying bulk rice and beans and a cooler with chicken. I was wandering the aisles with my mouth wide open. At the counter, I recognized Cinthia Membreño who used to …

One thing about being an Expat in San Juan del Sur, and possibly anywhere else, is the constant saying of Hello and Goodbye. My friend Sara McCoy, a close friend from college who was visiting us for two weeks from the States, left, leaving an emptiness behind her. We don’t know when we’ll see each other again. Or where. My friend Lynn, who I met here a year ago this month, packed up her bags and moved back to the States for good. No more yoga classes together. No more lunches and Writer’s Group and book studies and long conversations. …

To my friend who’s flying in to visit me this week from the States: I can’t recall where all you’ve traveled outside of North America (Canada, USA, Mexico), but I’m going to guess that Nicaragua will be the poorest and thus the most exotic destination for you yet. Nicaragua makes the Baja California Sur Mexican town of Loreto, where you last visited us, look nearly as upscale as parts of the United States in comparison. Despite the poverty, you will surprisingly not see beggars or homeless people. But you will see hard working hawkers of sunglasses, ceramics, cashews and woven …

One of my best friends from college is coming to visit us next week from the Northwestern USA. This is the Packing List I made for her. Can you think of anything important I should add? • Swimsuits (I suggest 2 so that you don’t have to put one on that’s wet – you’ll be wearing them that often) sun hats, sunscreen • Sarong or swimsuit cover (and/or a pair of nylon shorts and top which you can wear straight into the ocean over your swimsuit) • Tenny shoes, fanny pack with water bottle (daypack is too sweaty for our …