Travel is not about our preconceived notions,its about appreciating every single experience, cause one never knows what travel has for them the very next moment.

1. AROUND THE WORLD
THE ONE WHOSE LOVE
FOR NATURE TOOK HER
TO COSTA RICA &

2. Author
Stephanie De La Garza is an I.T. professional turned world traveler
after leaving the United States in 2013 to embark on a simpler,
more enjoyable lifestyle. Her love of wild animals took her to Costa
Rica volunteering for a rescue center, then on to Panama to raise
butterflies. Stephanie is the author of Two Brauds Abroad – a book
about leaving home and living in Central America.
You can find more of her stories on her blog. Or her consulting
website.

3. THE LONGING
FOR A
SIMPLER, YET
MORE
ENJOYABLE
LIFETIME
had been tugging at me for
many years. It all began
with a quiet canoe trip
down the Macal River in
Belize in 1998 with a good
friend of mine.Two
inexperienced people in a
canoe in the late morning
with no guide made for an
exciting adventure.

4. We watched amazing birds fly
overhead, iguanas drop from
trees into the water and
women washing their clothes
in the river.
That was the image that stuck
with me the most

5. It was then that I wanted to know more about living without
the luxuries and connecting with the land.
I presented myself with a challenge: Leave the United
States, quit my job, sell all of my belongings, sell my
beautiful house and classic car and go live “simply.” I
decided I wanted to go to Costa Rica and volunteer for a wild
animal rescue center for at least three months

6. A couple of years earlier, I had
established a water filtration business
online which would supplement my
income and was something I could do
from anywhere in the world without
much effort. It turns out this was a
great way to pay my minimal bills.

7. SUPPLEMENT MY
INCOME
To travel as long as possible, I had to
find a way to
C O M P A N Y . C O M
beyond my internet business.

8. IT WAS NOT LEGAL TO WORK ANYWHERE ON A TOURIST
VISA SO I WENT THE HOUSE SITTING ROUTE INSTEAD.
AFTER 9 MONTHS, I WENT TO PANAMA TO HELP A COUPLE
START A BUTTERFLY ATTRACTION.
IT WAS ANOTHER GREAT EXPERIENCE THAT LASTED
ABOUT 4 MONTHS. I THEN HAD TO DECIDE WHERE TO GO
NEXT. IT WAS EITHER GUATEMALA OR NEW ZEALAND. I
DECIDED ON THE LATTER, HAVING NEVER BEEN BUT
ALWAYS WANTED TO GO.

9. After things fell through with a house sit I
had set up months earlier, I found myself
stuck in New Zealand, nowhere to go
and having to spend my first homestay
with a slightly unbalanced woman. I also
found out that rent was incredibly high .
I became a shepherd looking after
thousands of sheep and cows while
working outside every day, no matter the
conditions. It was beyond peaceful with
no neighbor in sight; views of the plains
were like scenes out of movies.

10. Once my experience on the farm was over, I
wanted to see a little more of New Zealand so I
travelled to Blenheim where I was going to do a
week house sit for a man whom I wouldn’t even
meet in person when I arrived.
We warmed up to each other after a few days of
hanging out but I had to work my way up to
Auckland and then on to Australia for three
months. He offered up a place to stay if I ever came
back and we kept in touch while I was gone.

11. Wehaverecentlymovedto
theNorthIslandinHawke’s
Baysoanotherchapter
beginsinmybookoflife.
2017willfindmebuildingmy
I.T.consultingbusinessand
earningareallivingforthe
firsttimeinyears.

12. Make sure you
have money in the
bank for backup
and have a goal.
You should also set
a breakpoint.
The first few
months will be the
hardest so set the
number beyond
that.
SOME THINGS ONE SHOULD KNOW

13. I want to wish everyone the best of luck if
they decide to take on their dream of leaving
their home and that you really can do it if
you’re passionate about it. The rewards far
outweigh the risks! Conquer your fears and
forge ahead. It’s ok to fall down once in a
while as long as you’re willing to brush
yourself off and stand up again.

14. TO READ THE WHOLE STORY
VISIT
HTTPS://WWW.THEREMOTELIFE
.COM/TRAVEL-TO-COSTA-
RICA-FOR-NATURE-BY-
WARMREPTILE-STEPHANIE/