What's Next?

Many have been asking what happens next in our adoption process. Our adoption was finalized by the judge's decree a week and a half ago. This means that the adoption has been finalized, but we cannot leave the country. Here is a video update on what needs to happen before we can come home.

Costa Rica Travel Tips: Transportation

After living in Costa Rica for two months, we have found some helpful tools and tips. While I (Nathan) will be sharing about our time in Costa Rica, many of these tips can be used in other countries. (My last Travel Tip post was about Money.)

Every country has it’s own nuisances when it comes to transportation. Unless you have made prior visits, it takes a few days, or weeks, to figure it out. Most large cities in Europe use the metro. In Central America, it is the bus system or taxis. However, we have found an alternative in Costa Rica - Uber! Below are my rankings of the top four modes of transportation for visitors. 

Uber

Positives:

1. Cheap… when compared to taxis. In some cases, it is almost half the cost.
2. No cash. Payments are set up in the Uber app. 
3. Clean. Uber has high standards when it comes to the age and condition of their driver’s vehicles.
4. Accountability. Drivers and passengers rate each other, out of 5 stars, at the end of each trip. There is also a place to leave comments.
5. Safety. To date, we have used Uber 79 times in about five weeks and have never felt unsafe with a driver.
6. Customer Service. You can use the app to dispute charges or ask questions. 

Negatives:

1. Unpredictable. I think because we are using an “app” we expect an immediate response. Once we “call” a driver, it may take anywhere from 1-10 minutes for them to arrive.
2. Technology. Since transactions are through an app, cellular data services are mandatory. A few times we could not connect to the app due to a lack of cellular service, and therefore could not call for an Uber.
3. (Sometimes) unavailable. Twice, when we traveled outside of San Jose, there were no nearby Uber drivers available.
4. Not always as knowledgeable as taxi drivers. Costa Ricans do not use physical addresses, and if a driver does not know the area of the destination very well, it's easy to get lost. In our 79 Uber uses, we had a driver get lost once and we had to be dropped off at a gas station close to our destination instead.  

Taxis

Positives:

1. Convenient. It is almost impossible to go 500 meters without seeing a red taxi (red taxis with a yellow triangle on the side are licensed taxis in Costa Rica).
2. Knowledgable. Taxi drivers know the city. Since Costa Rica does not use addresses, we can only give landmarks or the name of our hotel, but taxis always know how to get us where we need to go.

Negatives:

1. Crapshoot on quality of the ride. We have had everything from a brand new car with a wonderfully kind driver to a jalopy with a driver that seemed to be angry we ruined his day by requesting his services. 
2. No accountability. Unlike Uber, taxi drivers are not held accountable by a rating system. Again, on more than one occasion we have been driven by rude, aggressive drivers.
3. Transactions. Whether you pay with cash or credit cards, there is always a transaction at the end of your trip. 

Bus

I do not have much to say about using buses, other than to say it is very confusing for visitors. While it is the cheapest mode of transportation, it is slow (lots of stops) and most of the time you will have to use 2-3 buses to get to your destination.

Rental Car

We did not use a rental car. However if I were to make this trip over again, I would have rented a car. After 1-2 weeks, I was comfortable to drive myself. 

As you can read, I highly recommend using Uber. It only takes 5-10 minutes to download the app and set up your account. Unfortunately, not everyone in Costa Rica is happy about Uber. Read the article here.

Costa Rica Travel Tips: Money (Nathan)

After living in Costa Rica for two months, we have found some helpful tools and tips. While I will be sharing about our time in Costa Rica, many of these tips can be used in other countries. (My last Travel Tip post was about Travel Apps.)

Currency

As with any other destination, we never exchange money at the airport. The best places to exchange are banks, which are everywhere in San Jose. The major, state-owned banks are Banco Nacional de Costa Rica, Banco de Costa Rica, and Bancrédito. The major, privately owned, banks are Scotiabank, BAC San Jose, and Citibank. ATM’s are available as well, but fees at both the drawing bank and the bank at home will apply.

We have found the most convenient place to exchange money is at the malls. I will choose the bank with the shortest line, which is typically the privately owned banks. My favorite is Scotiabank. Scotiabank uses the line system for waiting, similar to most U.S. banks. State-owned banks use a number system - take a number, sit in the lobby and wait - which takes more time. Another major plus is that Scotiabank, and other privately owned banks, typically have bilingual staff. Here is some information about exchanging money:

• Costa Rican currency is a colon (plural: colones).
• The colorful colon bills come in 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, and 20,000 mil.
• The rate is currently 532 colones for $1 U.S. Dollar.
• It has been easiest for us to exchange $300-$500 at a time.
• Bring your passport, not a photocopy.
• Be prepared to give a CR phone number and the address of where you are staying. (Note: they will not always ask for this information, but sometimes do.)

Cash vs. Credit Card

If you do not like to carry a large bundle of cash, then using a credit card may be your best option. Most places, even taxis, will accept credit cards. However, you will want to bring some cash with you just in case. 

The downside of using credit cards is that you may receive an international fee for each charge. The travel cards that I use (American Express, American Advantage, and Mileage Plus) do not charge an international fee.

Cost of Living

We have found living in Costa Rica is about 30% more expensive than the U.S. Food and clothes, especially, are more expensive in CR than the U.S., which is a bummer as our girls only brought a few outfits with them from their orphanage. We wanted to bring clothes for our daughters, but it was hard to learn their sizes before we traveled. So, we have bought a few outfits for them here and will purchase the majority of their clothes back in the U.S.

It may be more cost effective to book a suite and cook meals in the room rather than eating out. Bringing toiletries from the U.S. saves money as well. And don't forget to add sunscreen and bug spray to your list. 

How to quickly calculate the Costa Rican Colon into U.S. Dollar

When shopping at stores and markets, there is a quick way to calculate colones into dollars. Let’s say you want to buy a shirt for 10,000 colones. You will double the cost (20,000) and knock off a zero which makes it $20.00. So, if you wanted to buy a soccer jersey of your favorite CR team for 45,000 colones, that will equal $90 US. Or, if you wanted to purchase a gift for 12,000 colones it would be $24 US.

What tips do you have for exchanging money or making purchases in Costa Rica or other countries? 

Travel Tips: Phone Apps

After living in Costa Rica for two months, we have found some helpful tools and tips. I (Nathan) will begin a series of posts that highlight what we have used and learned. However, these tips can be used in other countries if you find yourself traveling abroad. Likewise, we hope that these tips will help future Lifeline Families who are adopting from Costa Rica.

Do not leave your smartphone at home, even if you decide not to get an international plan. Since Stacy and I are both here, we knew that it would not be necessary to get international data on both of our phones. We decided to put data on Stacy’s phone, which I will talk about international data plans in a later post. Everything that I list below can be used without data.

Maps.Me is my most used travel app and here is why:

• Maps of countries and regions can be downloaded and used while offline. When traveling, you don't want to draw attention to yourself. Looking at a map on your phone is more discreet than pulling out a paper map.
• The route planning function gives you turn-by-turn directions.
• Save your favorite places by "pinning" them on your map. 
• The app is fast and reliable. We use Uber for our transportation needs. Usually, I open the Maps.Me app to follow the driver’s route. On more than one occasion, a driver has lost cellular service and so we finished the route using my Maps.me app. 

Uber is like a taxi, but much better for several reasons. I will share about transportation in a future post, but for now, the Uber app is a necessity.

Google Translate is even better now that you can use the app offline. There are multiple ways to input words and phrases such as typing, speaking, and taking photos of words and phrases to be translated. Once translated, you can turn your phone sideways to see the translation on the full screen. Which allows the person you are speaking with to read the words rather than trying to sound out the words yourself.

Currency is the app I am using, as of now, to check rates. I am always looking to find a better app, but for now, it works.

WhatsApp is not as common in the States, at least in my area of the country. From Costa Rica to Italy, all my friends are using Whats App. The app is much like the iPhone’s iMessage. You can use it to text, send voice messages, pictures, etc. You can communicate with your friend’s via your cell phone number. However, you do not need data to use it.

Trip Advisor is the app to use when traveling domestic and international. Many hotels and restaurants use the app abroad to attract visitors. The app has all the info you need and wants for a restaurant or hotel.

TripIt has been a long time travel tool for me. An annual subscription is available to use the app to its fullest. However, the free portion of the app is still useful. TripIt keeps track of your flight itinerary as well as hotel confirmations. Simply forward your email confirmation to TripIt and they will automatically organize your itinerary.

What are your favorite travel apps? I am always on the look-out for new and helpful apps. 

Tatman Family: Seating for Seven (Nathan & Stacy)

That title alone will deter us from eating out frequently, but it sounds so sweet. Yesterday, we completed the biggest step of our two-year adoption journey: the final adoption decree!! As many of you know, the last few weeks of our journey have been filled with steep climbs and multiple stops. While our adoption journey will never end, the judge's decree is a major milestone.

Meet our daughters...

Daleska is a beautiful, mature 12-year-old. She has a contagious laugh and a beautiful smile. This girl has overcome so many obstacles in order to be a part of our family, and we are so proud of her! She has more courage and spunk than most, and we are so excited to see what her future holds. In many ways she is still a normal 12-year-old, enjoying shopping, watching YouTube videos, and keeping up on the latest fashion trends. She also loves to spend quality time with others and finds great joy in giving gifts to loved ones.

Emily is an energetic, outspoken 8-year-old with a heart of gold. She loves serving and helping others, and before meals will always be found in the kitchen helping Stacy with food preparation. She is also a little prankster! We have to constantly watch out for her as she tries, mostly successfully, to jump around a corner and scare us any chance she gets! She likes to play in the park go on walks, and loves to dance and swim.

Supper at Quiznos. 

Meeting Day!

Making pancakes.

Getting Angry with the Angry Birds.

Court Date Tomorrow! (Nathan & Stacy)

Admittedly, when the judge postponed our hearing two weeks ago, we deflated like popped balloons. With the wind in our sails already beginning to die down, we didn't know if we could make it for the next two weeks. The few days following were filled with lots of questions and ambiguity. We didn't know what the future held in regard to our adoption. It could have gone either way. Someday we hope to share the whole story. However we need to protect our ticas, and the story is still being written.

Over the past two weeks, we have had to remind ourselves that we have gone through too much to stop now. When we think about all the obstacles on the road to us getting here, there is no doubt that God's provision brought us every step of the way. He provided the finances, in-country lodging, ability to learn a new language, as well as a tremendous support system both in Indiana and in Costa Rica. 

Through sheer determination, we had to accept that God knew what was needed, that He spoke through the judge, and that He would continue to provide for our family as we prepared to extend our stay in Costa Rica. There were times when we didn't know how, or what, to pray. In those moments, we had to lean on the prayers of others to get us through. We heard from our friends, family, and supporters via Skype, text messages, emails, and social media. Because of God's faithfulness we knew that we could keep going by putting one foot in front of the other. We focused on just the next step - the minutes and hours in the day ahead - because it provided the only clear way to move forward.

And now we have come to today. So much good has come in the past two weeks, and we praise God for little miracles every day that have added up to a whole lot of positive change. Tomorrow we will hear the judge's final decision on our adoption. As of now, we feel confident that it will proceed without further complications. However, we want to continue to give this process over to God and desire His will to be done.

Will you join us in prayer today and tomorrow as we prepare for our hearing?  Our appointment will be at 3:30 EST tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. Thank you, in advance, for your thoughts and prayers!

Food Fight!! (Nathan)

Dinner: tomatoes, sausage,
and plantains with sour cream. 

Every meal is under constant scrutiny. Every dish is in question. Every bite, if taken, is met with hesitation. Welcome to our lives right now. Whether we eat in a restaurant or at home - and it makes no difference if they ordered it or asked for it -  anything food-related is under close tica surveillance.

We have tried a variety of tactical strategies. "Maybe if we let them pick out the food at the grocery store?" Strike One. "Okay, how about we let them help cook the meals?" Strike two! "Alright, we are both well-educated adults, let's search pictures of Costa Rican food online with them and create meal plans from that!" Swing and miss.  Strike three!!!

Along the way, we have discovered foods they like (mac-n-cheese...made with water, not milk) as well as foods they detest (as in all vegetables). There have been a few surprise foods as well. Who would have thought one of these picky eaters would like liver and onions?! (Gross!?!?!!) Or that both girls would want to eat a handful of prunes each day. (Thumbs-up for healthy digestive systems!)

With our biological children, we have been able to direct them towards eating healthy from a very young age. Back in the US recently, on their first trip to the grocery store by themselves, our oldest three stockpiled the fridge full of vegetables, yogurts, fruits, lean meats, and other healthy foods. With only a few exceptions, all three bio kids will eat almost anything we put in front of them.

We hope that our ticas will adapt to a healthy way of eating over time. We shall see whose army wears down first. As of now we have the resources and strategic planning. However, they possess sheer willpower and survival instincts.

Who will win the Food Fight? Stay tuned!

"I like pizza, I don't like pizza, I like pizza, I don't like pizza..."

Lunch: Fried cheese, plantains, and watermelon.

Dessert: Tres Leches, something
we can all agree upon... sometimes.

So Thankful for Grace (Stacy)

Sunday School at Centro Christiana Esperanza Viva

Yesterday we attended church here in San Jose, and at the request of our 12-yr-old, we sat in on the youth service instead of the adult service. I listened yesterday morning as a sweet young lady from the group spoke. I only understood about half of what was said (that might be generous), but the message to my heart was loud and clear...we live changed lives because of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us. Friends, seriously, I'm just so thankful for the grace of God.

When I decided to become a follower of Jesus Christ by accepting the sacrifice he made for my sins, I committed to living a life that was different in light of that sacrifice. Seemed reasonable - Jesus died to take the penalty for all the ugly things that I had done in my past, and I agreed to be an active participant, along with his Holy Spirit, as my heart and mind were changed to reflect Christ.  But that wasn't the end-all-to-be-all. This process keeps happening - over and over and over again.

I can get pretty content with myself, feeling as though I'm good enough, loving enough, kind enough, merciful enough, patient enough, joyful enough, gentle enough, peaceful enough, self-controlled enough. The truth is, it just isn't ever ENOUGH. And then there are times that it's really obvious that I've failed miserably.

Thank you, LORD, that there's GRACE!!

Where would I be without grace? Anxious about the fact that I will never live up to perfection. Always striving to please people instead of realizing my worth in the eyes of the Lord. Living a life of regret in lieu of seeking forgiveness and forgiving others while also seeing my rough patches as opportunities for better perspective.

I really can't imagine life without the grace of God.

I look at the faces of these kiddos that we're hoping to bring back to the States with us to welcome into our family, and I can't help but wonder what their futures hold. Each one of us has all kinds of life experiences that mold us into the human beings we are at any given moment in time. I'm praying really hard that by our words and our actions, these young ones get a glimpse of the love and grace the Lord has shown to us, and they crave more and more of it in their own lives. After all, "we are all broken people in need of healing, and He is putting us back together." (Shout out to our home church, County Line!! Watch CL's Welcome Video here.)





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