From Costa Rica to the US: An Expat's Longing For Home
A Costa Rica expat in the US searches for the Tico community, navigating groups and reflecting on pura vida moments while missing home.
According to reports, there are approximately 200,000 people of Tico origin living in the US. The author spent a month in an area with a scarce Tico population, seeking to meet and talk with relocated Ticos.
The author found a couple of Facebook pages for Ticos in the area and posted messages expressing interest in meeting members of la comunidad Tico/a. However, the response was limited, with one person saying "Hasta la vista!" The author wonders if their Anglo name raised suspicions, potentially being mistaken for an ICE trap.
Not every Tico in the US is in the US legally, and to any of them, my inquiry may have looked like an ICE trap.
The author understands the reluctance to communicate, acknowledging the fear of ICE, which, for over thirty years, had been associated with the electric company (EE-say), not the immigration authority.
Author's summary: An expat's search for community in the US.