Many thanks to Feed Spot for recognizing Young American Expat and this new initiative as the top 20 American expat blogs and websites to follow in 2018!

See below here for ours and also the other amazing 19 blogs:

https://blog.feedspot.com/american_expat_blogs/

Hello, my name is Jason, some friends call me Jay and my journey started in July of 2014 when I sold my house along with all of my possessions to move to Costa Rica and start a completely new life 5600 kilometers away.  The only possession I did not sell was my truck because I still plan to ship it to Costa Rica one day, it’s my baby because I don’t have any kids.  To be frank my adventure started about 15 years when I first took a vacation to Costa Rica with my girlfriend at the time, her uncle and grandparents owned a hotel so we had it made.  This trip is what sparked my love for this amazing country and also implanted a travel bug.  I always felt the urge to go live in another county so one day I just said F it, I’m going! 

​I have always been an entrepreneur and have owned a few businesses back home in Canada so when I came to Costa Rica I had big plans to start a business.  My initial plans of having a cable wake board park fell through because a business partner and I had a falling out but I have met some amazing people along the way and ended up opening a ropes course adventure tour in Jaco, Costa Rica which is very exciting.  This business is cool because it is really rewarding when a client comes a little scared but you get to see them face their fears and at the end of it all they are so happy feeling this sense of accomplishment.  I think that in life you have to face your fears or you will not grow and I would be lying to you if I wasn’t a little bit afraid of starting a drastically new life in a country so far away, not to mention that I didn’t even know how to speak Spanish.  I now understand maybe 40% hearing, can write 50% and read 75%.  Watching movies with subtitles on has helped me a lot.  My best advice for people looking to travel or move abroad is to learn the language especially if you are going to start a business.  If you are starting a business abroad you will want to plan to have a lot more money than you initially planned on paper in your business plan, you better have a business plan!  My money ran out quicker than I had imagined, this is usually the case with start-ups but I think especially abroad because there are so many unknowns. 

​I would recommend that you actually visit and spend some time at the place that you plan to move your LIFE to.  I went for 2 vacation/business planning trips before I made the move but I had a condo lease agreement on the 2nd trip and the whole time I had it in mind that I was moving here.  I kind of jumped in but that’s just my personality.  I have no regrets but I hear stories of people that do regret moving to such an immensely different country.  I think most people have a hard time with the language barrier and I will be honest it’s tough but that’s motivation to learn.  

Costa Rica has been a great country to make a new home, the people are friendly and it is very safe.  I mean there is some crimes, mostly robberies but I don’t know many places where that’s not the case unfortunately.  I have never felt threatened but our office has been broken in to a few times, nothing major got stolen and one time they only got the milk.  The hardest part about having a business in Costa Rica is dealing with “tico time” ticos are the locals and they don’t really seem to understand how time works.  After living here I am partially convinced that time is just an allusion.  I will say that the country is amazing and I would recommend moving here but don’t expect it to be easy.
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 “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

About Jason:
​Jason is an entrepreneur and a world traveler who enjoys getting to know new cultures and new people. His roots in Canada have taught him to be adventurous and explore new experiences. This leads him to travel to and move to new countries. Currently, he is enjoying his life in Costa Rica and is almost certain that he will never return to Canada as a home but will visit lots. His company A-1 Auto Transport helps expats relocate around the globe which he is proud of. He enjoys writing about his experiences as an expat to help others make the move from their mundane life. When he is not writing he enjoys relaxing at the beach and surfing with his friends. He believes that life is short and everyone needs to make the actions to live a life that is worth living and you need to follow your dreams. Being an expat and traveling is Jason’s dream along with new business ventures.