No place like home

It’s one thing to travel and see the world, and something much more special will always be to return home. As Mercedes Sosa used to say in the song of «Las pequeñas cosas»..»we always go back to the old places where we love life», and how true..I’m so happy when I go back home (Costa Rica & Panama).

It is curious because we migrate in search of new opportunities, other realities and better conditions, but there is something that is undeniable and that is that we come from places that if it were not for the situation and political decisions, and the type of system and leaders we have, I have no doubt that we would be the richest countries.

Rich because of the land, because of what it produces, because of the abundance of water, because of the exuberance. Definitely in my house the color of the sky, the green of the leaves and the intensity of the water is amazing. It is not that I see it with eyes of love because they have been the places that have seen me born and grow, it is just real.

Let’s talk a little about this little paradise that I discovered on my last visit. Bajos del toro is an area that is characterized by the number of beautiful waterfalls that are found only a little deeper into the forest. The color and strength of nature is wonderful.

If there is one thing I was looking forward to back home, it was to venture into one of Costa Rica’s hidden gems, nestled in a valley between extinct volcanoes, and re-experience the richness of life in the forests and trails.

There is nothing that compares that deep sense of awe and wonder at the natural forces that propel hundreds of thousands of gallons of water plunging by gravity in an endless fall.

Movie views

It is no coincidence that the tropics are so admired and desired by outsiders. There is something precious in the strength that the tropical rainforest transmits, with its sounds, its colors, its climate and its great variety of trees, animals, insects and so much more.

There are very few things indescribable, but what I feel when I hear the water of a river running over the rocks makes me feel something so beautiful and special, especially gratitude, for the great opportunity I have to be able to see and experience it.

Time to go back to the city

Panama City is where my parents’ house is. Arriving in this city always brings back many memories. There is something I always tell people when I talk about this city and that is that it is amazing how every time you come back, no matter from which perspective you see it, something new has emerged (it can be a new sky scraper, a new building, a new shopping mall or a new bar). The lifestyle there is like in American movies, with the big difference that the atmosphere is very Latin, cheerful and tireless. Panama is a mixture of so many cultures that the contrasts are always very interesting.

For those who still don’t know and don’t understand why I am here between the forest and the city, I have origins in two beautiful countries in Central America. I was born in Costa Rica and grew up in Panama. I owe a lot to the union of two adventurous parents the fact that I am telling you this today from my couch in Madrid. I have never felt more from one place than the other, I consider myself a citizen of the world, because I am from where I am happy. But it is undeniable that no matter where I go, my heart belongs to these two places that forged me into what I am today.

Appreciating my roots

Living several years outside of your country definitely makes you appreciate things you used to take for granted. Like the strength of the rain, the ability of the weather to change in the same day, the intensity of the flavors in the food, the rhythm of the music and the beautiful attitude of the people in always looking ahead, working and moving forward. I feel very proud to come from where I come from, and no matter where I go, my two countries will always be a great place to discover.

I have no doubt that there is no place like home!