Adelia Ritchie

Published in ILLUMINATION

·Pinned

My Years-long Battle with Undiagnosed Endometriosis

“Patient Reassured” — As a 16-year-old senior in high school, I wore my gym clothes to school under my regular outfits to avoid exposing my skinny, underdeveloped, naked body to the jeering eyes of my much more round and bosomy classmates. Not only a year younger than everyone else — I had skipped…

Womens Health

7 min read

My Years-long Battle with Undiagnosed Endometriosis

Womens Health

7 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION

·Pinned

A New Language, a New Life

The Gateway to La Pura Vida — When I first arrived in Costa Rica to become a permanent resident, I stayed for a while in a gringa friend’s cabina not far from town. …

Costa Rica

6 min read

Costa Rica

6 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION

·Pinned

I Wrote a Poem Just Now

A text conversation between two ancient, stoner friends — Adelia: It just occurred to me that we rely more and more on emoticons in texts than actual words. Who needs words when AI can do it? This is my new panic. Dan: I wrote a poem just now. I know you because I know me I know the despair of…

Seniors

2 min read

Seniors

2 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION

·Pinned

Unseen

Reflections on a new life —

Poetry

2 min read

Poetry

2 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION

·1 day ago

Under the Mosquito Net

Pura Vida Lifestyle —

Life

1 min read

Life

1 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION

·Feb 21

Tico Tales: Tortillas, Huevos, and the Tico Way

Feeding my soul — Remembering visits with my late friend and art teacher, Jan Hart, a long-term Costa Rica resident, and honorary Tica. November 6, 2019, San Rafael Norte, Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica Virginia stopped by again today, her arrival once again perfectly timed to coincide with the onset of my afternoon nap. This…

Costa Rica

3 min read

Tico Tales: Tortillas, Huevos, and the Tico Way

Costa Rica

3 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION

·Feb 20

Tico Tales: A Dessert for the Gods

Atole de Arroz con Leche, with Love — Remembering visits with my late friend and art teacher, Jan Hart, a long-term Costa Rica resident and honorary Tica. In the first week of my month-long Costa Rican writing sabbatical near the end of 2019, neighbor Virginia (pronounced Veer-HEEN-ia) came unannounced one afternoon, setting off the barking dogs and causing…

Costa Rica

3 min read

Costa Rica

3 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION

·Feb 19

Tico Tales: Night of the Flies

Food for thought? — Some years ago, on a visit to the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia, I witnessed a “night of the flies” from the relative protection of my cliffside terrace in the town of Ubud. Suddenly the sky darkened with millions of tiny creatures madly flapping about in a sex-crazed aerial frenzy. …

Costa Rica

4 min read

Costa Rica

4 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION

·Jan 24

Water, Water, Everywhere… but Not Today

This week marks the end of my 90-day tourist visa here. To renew it, we ex-pats make “border runs,” some to Panama, some to Nicaragua. …

Life

4 min read

Life

4 min read

Published in ILLUMINATION

·Jan 18

A Loverly Buncha Coconuts

Losing essential body parts in one easy stroke is easy. Learn how: — Last week my Tico friend Chito was here building a closet in my bedroom, among many other things he has helped me accomplish over the past couple of months. MOVING TO COSTA RICA XII How to Build a Clothes Closet — Tico Stylemedium.com Chito is one of the most naturally happy people I’ve ever known, always smiling, laughing, pulling pranks, making jokes… and teaching…

Costa Rica

4 min read

Costa Rica

4 min read