  - Jay Brodell photo - |
||||
 
|
 Published Monday, October 26, 2020 Finding true love in Costa
Rica
By Jay Brodell A lot of foreigners move to Costa Rica for deeply personal reasons. Some are fleeing a bad relationship. Some seek improved health. Others wish to simplify their lives. And many come in search of true love. There is a great way for an expat to trim that physique, establish a strong personal bond or even gaze lovingly into large brown eyes. Get a dog. Costa Rica, as elsewhere, has plenty of canines in need of adoption. And the expat seeking to care for a combination of a human infant and a petulant 2-year-old can easily find a furry responsibility. The initial meeting might be an informal one on the street or a more formal effort with an established adoption agency. In general, however, a dog is the one doing the adoption just like a dog is the one taking the human caregiver for a walk. Indeed, it is the walking and the extra physical effort demanded by the dog that can help an expat trim down. And then, of course, Dr. Dog knows that a pastrami on rye sandwich is not the best lunch a human should have. That's why the sandwich vanishes during a moment of human inattention. Research shows that expats in Costa Rica forsake a zillion calories a year by providing a bit of their daily diet to their furry charge. And that furry friend also monitors between-meal intake and can be so demanding that the best approach is avoiding those extra snacks. Now some believe that a canine friend will safeguard property when alone at home. That typically is not the case because any good thief knows that a few treats can make a temporary friend. Still, those long walks and playing ball in the park can have a beneficial effect on aging expats. And then there is the alarm clock that goes woof. A canine companion also provides demanding love and can ease ancient pains. But if expats want a more demanding master, they can get a cat.  ---------------------------- Editor's note: Mr. Brodell, founder and long-time editor of A.M. Costa Rica, can be reached at: jay@amcostarica.com  |
|||
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
