Mornings in Playa Negra begin without urgency. There's no alarm clock, no traffic noise, no race against the clock. Instead, Ocean wakes up and heads outside to hear the howler monkeys calling from the jungle canopy. Light filters through the palms and fruit trees as he sips his coffee out on his deck.
At 56 years old, Ocean lives at the end of a quiet road in Playa Negra, Puerto Viejo, on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, with his partner Kahlil, age 63, surrounded by jungle and wildlife. Sloths move slowly through the trees while birds fly from branch to branch. "I even downloaded a birding app because there's so much life around us."
Work still gets done—but now work time is used for creative projects focusing on what the couple loves, including running photography classes and writing books. Ocean's current focus is a book that documents life and connections in the New York City subway system. And his Facebook page, Puerto Viejo Through My Eyes, offers a visual glimpse into the world he now calls home.
This grounded, intentional lifestyle didn't come from a long-planned retirement strategy. It came from listening to timing, intuition, and the body.
From New York Subways to Jungle Stillness
Before Costa Rica, Ocean and his partner lived in Westchester County, just outside New York City. Life was full, busy, and demanding. "Everything moved fast. My mind was always going," Ocean says.
That pace began to take a toll, especially on health. While living in the US, his partner, Kahlil, struggled with lower back pain.
"After being in Costa Rica for a few months, that back pain disappeared completely. Costa Rica is better for our mental health, our wellbeing, and for slowing down. We consider it an upgrade in life. We never feel like we've lost anything… in fact, we have gained so much spirit and energy."
Ocean and Kahlil first visited Puerto Viejo in February 2020 and returned in 2021, after borders reopened following COVID.
During their second visit, the couple met the owner of Banana Azul, a small hotel in Puerto Viejo. Through that connection, they took a little real estate tour just to see what was available.
"We were standing there in the rain, looking at the land," Ocean recalls the tour. "It just felt right. We didn't analyze it to death. Instead, we focused on how it felt in our bodies."
Originally, the couple planned to make a five- to ten-year plan to move. But after watching many YouTube videos about expats in Costa Rica, the couple thought, "What are we waiting for?" in October 2021.
The Path Was Clear
Their relocation was less about logic and more about alignment. The couple allowed things to unfold naturally, and once they trusted their feelings, everything started to fall into place.
What they once imagined as a longer plan quickly turned into six months.
"After putting our house on the market, we had five offers over asking price," Ocean says. "Everything happened so fast it felt like a sign. We took the leap, and the net appeared."
Today, their home is surrounded by fruit trees—papaya, banana, citrus, star fruit, coconuts—and dense green jungle.
Daily life is simple and deeply physical. "We spend most of our time outside, even when we're working," he says. "That alone changes everything."
Wildlife is part of everyday life. "Slow mornings in nature are my favorite part of the day. At 6 a.m., the world is waking up, and the peace is so palpable, it's so deep. This is usually the time I write or meditate."
Once back in Costa Rica after a difficult trip to New York in March 2025, Ocean shares how he felt lighter when in Costa Rica. "Something about being here immediately settles my nervous system."
Community Ties
One of the biggest surprises was how easily community formed around them.
"In New York, everything felt transactional," Ocean says. "Networking was a way of life."
In Playa Negra and the surrounding Puerto Viejo area, connections unfold differently. "Here, there's more human connection," he says. "People invite you to dinner. You meet friends through simple things—photography, walking on the beach."
They've built what Ocean considers a sort of chosen family. "People show up for each other here," he says. "It feels natural."
Life in Costa Rica isn't without trade-offs, yet that doesn't make them want to return to the US. Learning patience is key, especially when waiting at the bank or dealing with government paperwork.
"Eating out in tourist areas can be expensive," he says. Groceries for the two of them run between $700 and $800 a month. The internet costs around $115, and electricity is about $130 per month. Since they are residents, they pay around $150 a month into Costa Rica's public healthcare system, the CAJA.
Yet there are other benefits. Property taxes are low. Healthcare is affordable. And they don't own a car. "We use scooters, bikes, or rent a car when we need one," Ocean says.
"When we weigh everything out, we still prefer to be here," he adds. The couple likes to diversify their income, so they also decided to build a rental on their property when they built their 1,300 square-foot home.
The most significant change hasn't been external—it's internal.
"Here, life feels simpler—but richer," Ocean says. "We learned to make decisions based on energy, not urgency. The jungle keeps you present."
Ocean believes this grounding is what allowed true healing to happen. "Once your nervous system settles, everything changes." Now spending time outside is not negotiable.
For Ocean, Playa Negra isn't about escape. It's about alignment—trusting the body, honoring intuition, and letting life unfold in a way that feels rooted and calm.
And in that grounded simplicity, he's found exactly what he didn't know he was searching for. The beauty of Costa Rica and the kindness of its people are known for drawing people to this country.
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