Suffering through depressive episodes during Toronto’s harsh winters and battling constant stress, Marco and his partner Enrique made the life-changing decision to sell everything they owned and move to Costa Rica five years ago.
Although the couple had well-paying jobs and a stable pension, their decision to move was largely motivated by health reasons, which, according to Marco, had taken a “significant toll” on both of them.
Marco tells blogTO that he was struggling with severe depression and anxiety and found himself engaging in unhealthy behaviours such as excessive drinking, while Enrique, who is originally from Cuba, struggled with seasonal affective disorder.
“We knew we needed a dramatic shift to regain our well-being,” Marco explained.
In 2016, Enrique showed Marco a picture of a property that was for sale in Belize, which inspired the couple to start looking for properties outside of Canada.
Over the course of three to four trips, the couple looked at several properties and land in Costa Rica and eventually purchased an old hotel. In 2019, they sold their Mississauga home along with much of their furniture, bought a shipping container, loaded it up, and moved.
They then undertook a two-year gut renovation that commenced right before the start of the pandemic. Despite facing numerous challenges, the couple finally opened up their boutique hotel, Vayu Retreat Villas.
“While problems may follow you anywhere, for us, the opportunity to slow down and live more connected was a change we couldn’t achieve where we were living,” Marco told blogTO.
Since moving, Marco says he tries to come back to Canada twice a year, and there are some conveniences he misses about Toronto — namely a good gym, food variety, and of course, Costco.
“Life is slower here, but nowhere is perfect. You can’t come to Costa Rica — or anywhere — thinking life is going to be the same as it is in North America (or Europe, for that matter). You have to adapt to the way of life that happens where you live. Many times people move abroad and they don’t like it, you have to in a way let your old self die and start anew,” he said.
Marco encourages anyone in Toronto thinking of moving abroad to really think about the reasons driving them to move.
“There is a huge movement I’m seeing on social media of people wanting to leave Toronto and Canada,” he said. “I think Canada is a great place to live. Nowhere is perfect; perfection exists only in your acceptance of where you are in this present moment. Everything else is icing on the cake.”
Most importantly, Marco says it’s crucial to understand what living in a new country entails and to have a plan B.
“If things don’t work out, have a plan in place,” he explained. “But be easy about it!”