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Giving Back While Living Abroad: Connecting with the Bribri Indigenous Community in Puerto Viejo.

How to get to Puerto Viejo from San Jose

ABOUT ME

Creative Mind Behind

Welcome to Brooke the Creator! I’m Brooke, a licensed esthetician, beauty entrepreneur, and content creator living in the tropical paradise of Costa Rica. After years of working as a Mobile beauty business owner in the States, I decided to trade the hustle for a life of intention, creativity, and connection.

Now, I spend my days running a virtual skincare business, homeschooling my vibrant teen niece, and exploring the beauty of this incredible country with our loyal chihuahua, Titus. From the lush greenery of a family-owned compound to the vibrant surf culture along the carribean coast, my life here is a constant source of inspiration.

Through my blog, I share a glimpse into my world—a blend of beauty, travel, and family adventures. Whether it’s creating natural skincare routines using local ingredients, crafting educational experiences for my niece, or diving into the joys and challenges of expat living, my goal is to inspire others to live life boldly and authentically. Join me as I navigate the journey of blending work, family, and creativity in a way that celebrates the beauty of life—both inside and out.

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Gia got a speaker for Christmas to take with her when she goes to the beach so she can listen to her music. She's been bumping that Lil box speaker in the house and playing her Lil playlist.

I knew Gias music was all over the place like me, I just didn't realize how much old school alternative she had in it. I know her cousin is smiling down on her. It was like having my teenage Jonathan in control of the radio in my Toyota Tercel again!

But for real...who told Gia about @beck ? Who told her about @weezer!

Yo girl has linkin park, smashing pumpkins, system of a down, Nirvana, Radiohead and the gorrillaz in her playlist mixed in with her new folks like @tvgirl

She says she's emo, so I turned her on to Bjork, and she realized she's not as emo as she thought...but she knew Portishead?

There is hope for these young generations z's and gen alphas. They like real music...don't let these artist in her playlist fool you she loves her old school r&b too. Don't play loves train by @confunkshunusa4real, she will start singing and dancing round like some body's auntie!!!

Go thru your kids playlist and see what they are listening too. You might be surprised or turn them on to what you used to listen to when you were their age.

I'm a proud auntie right now.

I'm so proud of her! She's gotten so much better on the road with her bike. It's alot different from riding in the parking lot with Golden in our old apartments. Cars, motorbikes, tuktuks, trucks and all kinds of traffic. She's doing damned good! Still not ready to let her go by herself yet. Maybe soon. Cuz Nina be riding her bike everywhere..but she's a pro...even at 12.
...also who told Gia about "the white stripes?" I thought I was turning her own to something. She already knew them.

On Saturdays she plays basketball and rides her bike!
#puravida
#livingabroad
#costarica

Whatchall know about that "Puerkin"?

The Birkin of Puerto Viejo!

I wanted a new beach bag. All the volleyball mamas got em. I wasn't gonna get one cuz everybody had one. But I'm tired of bringing sand home in my bag from the beach. This will be easier to clean. I got the laaaaast one. The girl said they won't get anymore till Sept.

#junglefashions
#puertoviejo
#Thejunglebirkin
#Puerkin

I left the house!
#CostaRica
#PuertoViejo
#rainyseason
#runningerrands

Chores still have to be done in the jungle. She was 38 hot. Sam got in the trash and had it all over everywhere in the laundry room. She had to clean it up, re bag the trash and go get Mr. DANNYS wheelbarrow. Last week it was raining too hard so we had a lot of trash and we had some Amazon packages come this past week.
...now Titus has been outta pocket lately. Thank God we got "the beep beep" ( thats what we call the collar now)

Some of yall have been around since she 1st got here and I started posting pics on fb. Now look at her! Look at us!
#blessed

On the weekends she has basketball practice. He wore them out yesterday.
We love behind a church. Ms.Janets brother is the pastor. That's who spoke to me in this video.
We've gone to Thursday night Bible study before. Gia wants to go more. So we will.
We love it here.

#livingabroad
#Puertoviejo
#thecarribeanside

Mama always wore a red or a rust lip.

Been wearing red lips since 1994/95
This one has been brought to yall by @maccosmetics and @patmcgrathreal
Ole boy is a hater and needs to mind his business!
There is a red lipstick out there for all women...go get one.
Wanna wear red lips but need help choosing the right one?
Hit me up! I can help you out!

#blackwomencanweearredlips

🌴✨ Living the Dream in Paradise 🌞💼

Hi, I’m Brooke! 🌺 A board-certified esthetician living the pura vida lifestyle in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. 🏝️ I combine my love for skincare and adventure by offering virtual consultations to help clients achieve their healthiest, most radiant skin no matter where they are. 🌿💻

I proudly use GlyMed Plus products to create customized routines tailored to your unique skin needs – because glowing skin is always in. ✨

When I’m not helping clients feel confident in their skin, I’m busy being a homeschooling auntie to my amazing niece, Gia, and exploring the world with our sweet and protective pup, Titus. 🏄‍♀️📚🐾 Life here is a beautiful blend of family, passion, and tropical vibes. 🌺🐚

Want to learn more about how I can help you level up your skincare game or follow along on our Costa Rican adventures? 🌴 Slide into my DMs or book a virtual consult today! 💌✨

#VirtualEsthetician #SkincareJourney #GlyMedPlus #LivingAbroad #HomeschoolingAuntie #CostaRicaLife #TropicalSkincare #LifeWithTitus #BlackWomenInBusiness #SkincareGoals

(That is not glymed plus skin recovery mist...that's the daily skin clarifier...Chile this content creating is wild!)

So last night I made reservations for 1. Sat at the bar as my future self. No mumu. No naked face. No unpolished toes. Smelling like Viktor Rolf flower child. I felt amazing. My dinner was even better than what I had expected. I was giving Twinkle McCoy-Pierre last night...and that was alright by me.❤️

2025 is gonna be a great year!

Im gonna take my content creation up a notch...gonna take it over to my youtube.@brookethecreator1970
I'll still be posting to my ig stories.

Enjoy this 1st day of 2025...we gonna be alright!

Boba is life!
This is what the end of 2024 looks like in Puerto Viejo.

People have been asking me how do I plan to make money while living abroad. Here is a list of a few ways I will make money while we are here in Costa Rica.

For those new to my page. I'm a board certified esthetician. I have over 30 years experience in the beauty industry. I started out as a nail tech in the 90s...then added make up artistry. I was a freelance make up artist with M.A.C cosmetics for 10 years.

I was licensed in Texas and started doing lashes in 2012. I went back to school for skincare for the sole reason of learning how to understand and correct my own skin issues. I graduated from International School of Skin and Nails top of my class in 2020. (Also the same school I went to for nails)

Now I'm leaving abroad making plans to live off of all the beauty skills I have attained over the years, cuz why not? Beauty is GLOBAL!
So to celebrate my new beginnings and new year I'm gifting you all my "Radiant Reset 2025" skincare routine so you can jumpstart you New Year goals by treating your skin right all year long and starting off on the right foot this year.

My skin is still a work in progress but it is 100 times better than what it used to be. My hyperpigmentation is down, my pore size has reduced. My cystic acne is not an issue for me anymore. I still deal with an occasional breakout, which is normal.

If you have any skin concerns or questions book a virtual consultation station with me for $29.99 you can find the link in my stanstore with your FREEBIE!

This IS Christmas!
This is Ms. Jenneth(janet), the matriarch of this family compound we live on She's the sweetest lady in town! She prayed over us and asked God to guide and protect us while we are here enjoying their country. She blessed the food, Gia had some egg nog and ate till her belly was full! We both drank the eggnog in remembrance of mama, she loved it. We had good conversation and shared memories. Last night was just what we needed.
So what did we get for Christmas?
We get to wake up in a new country with new experiences and new opportunities everyday.
We get to share these new experiences with new friends that we've made in these four months we've been out here.
We get to experience a new culture and a new way of doing things , expanding our minds and outlook on the world everyday we are here.
Thats our Christmas present!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY,
FROM PUERTO VIEJO, COSTA RICA🇨🇷🎄

@heingeldiaz been telling me about these trees by the house. Yall see it's so much greenery I didn't know which one. She said I can use these to grow our hair. I'm finna pick these leaves omw back.

My friend Mirjana is my connect formerly out her in CR. She told me about the "chicken lady" who has natural free ranged chickens without anything bionics that will butcher, cut up and deliver to you. I got me 2. One cut up and one whole. I had her take the innards out for Titus. We friend a few pieces last night and they were amazing. Of course I had my Korean fried chicken batter I brought from Hmart and my Mike's hot honey and my Texas Pete. Lol!
I'm on Pinterest now looking at biscuit recipes. Ima have to start baking biscuits and putting them in the fridge to pop out later. I want some buscuits. It's still raining so I probably won't be leaving out anytime soon. But I got my chicken. I'm good.

On Wednesdays she surfs!
#puravida
#blackgirlssurftoo
#livingabroad
#homeschoolinginthejungle
#costarica
#fromforestcovetopuertoviejo

I think I'm gonna post gias funniest moments on YouTube. She is funny!

All I did was make a conscious decision to move out here and everything else fell into place.
#costaricanlife
#livingabroad

The more we stay here the more magical this place becomes.
Last week Gia was oohin and ahhin about this boy now they have all become friends with similar interests. The girls invited him to dinner. He came on his lil scooter bike. I hung out with my new friend I met last week.
I can't explain to yall the fact that we all really didn't do much of anything today but we also did so much.
The girls played basketball, went to the beach and had dinner. I did some work at my bakery spot, met my friend and went to the beach and had dinner. Those few things took up the whole day. Lol

...oh wait I forgot. I negotiated a deal with my landlord and new friend from Canada. They gave her a great weekly deal on the air bnb next door. Shes been livong deep in the jungle for the past 6 weeks. It's a 3 mile walk just to the main road from the house she's renting. She just wants to stay close to the beach and everything for a week before she leaves back for Canada. We made it happen!
I'm slowly turning back into "that go to girl" like I used to be in Atlanta but now in the jungle. Lol. Being inquisitive and resourceful is working out for me.

She wants to act like these old videos of her 5 year old self are cringe, but sends me pics like this yesterday!
She is the same little silly girl, she's just 14 now.
🤣🤣🤣

A time was had last night. Gia and her new friend were out being teenage girls. Me and the mom were living thru them. Gia met a boy. Her friend Nina was the "wingman"(girl). Gia got his number. It was so cute. Me and the mom was running around trying to catch them talking. It was so cute. I'm just glad Gia has made some friends.
Oh.so apparently there is a monthly meet and greet at Johnny's by the beach. It was nice to see people I see in passing daily and get to meet some of them. All kinds of people. I loved that! I'm gonna make sure we go next month. Christmas and New Years is a big thing here. I can't wait to see how they celebrate!

We need to get those talking dog buttons cuz Titus needs to ask for permission to go outside. I'm tired of his ass! Ole chicoon!!!

This property is amazing. Full of all kinds of fruits, herbs and vegetables. There are all kinds of animals that room around this property freely as well as some horses too (they don't room freely, lol)
Ms Janet always has a plate of fruit at here outside table for us if we want it. We wake up with branches full of starfruit on our porch, bunches of bananas or plantains all the time. It's so lovely just to go out and pick limes from the tree whenever we need one.
My most favorite thing is watching the birds out my window. There are two that I'm most fascinated with. I need to find out the names.
Living here has been an amazing experience for us. We still can't believe it.
#livingabroad
#travelingwithteens
#blackgirltravels
#puravidalifestyle

Here is Pt.2.
This is the hotel we stayed at this past summer on vacation. @caribluehotel Wonderful stay. It's half a mile from our house. Right across the street from Cocles beach. We're at that beach all the time for surf and volleyball or just to hang out. There are plenty of places to eat by this hotel and downtown Puerto Viejo is a little over a mile away. There is another hotel on the other side of me @lecameleonhotel it's really nice too.
So if you wanna come down and see Costa Rica and visit us, this is where we are and where you can stay. It's high season now, so flights and hotels are a little pricy. After high season they will go down.
I'll make another video about the tours and activities that are available down here in PV and also some you can do in San Jose before you leave back out.
#puertoviejo
#costarica
#blackgirltravels
#puravuda

I've had several friends ask about coming down to visit. You all are more than welcome, but just know it is a commitment.
There are 2 amazing hotels bot half a mile each way from me. Both are across the street from the beach. Amazing food. Activities nearby and beautiful scenery all over.
This is Pt.1
#costarica
#blackgirltravel
#puertoviejo
#carribeansea

Cacao! The taste was unusual straight from the fruit. It tasted kind of fruity. Citrus and salty. Now you can take the seeds out. Dry them in the sun or oven and that's when the magic happens. You peel the top layer skin off and thr bean inside tastes like dark chocolate. You can take that same bean and put it in the blender with milk and create milk chocolate. It's all in how you prefer it.
@heingeldiaz thank you.

🎉 CYBER MONDAY ALERT! 🎉

It’s the sale we’ve all been waiting for! Today and tomorrow only, snag up to 50% off GlyMed Plus skincare products and give your skin the love it deserves. 💖✨

But wait—there’s more! 🎁 This holiday season, I’m offering virtual skincare consultations for just $29.99! Let’s create a customized routine to help you glow all season long. 🌟

🖱 Ready to level up your skincare? Book your consultation through my Linktree in my bio. Let’s make your skin flawless and fabulous for the holidays! 🎄💆🏽‍♀️💆🏾‍♂️

Don’t miss out—this sale ends when Cyber Monday does! Tag a friend who loves great skin deals. 🛍💸

#CyberMonday #SkincareSale #HolidayGlow #GlyMedPlus #VirtualConsultation #FlawlessSkin #ShopSmart #SkincareGoals #blackskincare #virtualesthetics #yourjungleesthetician
#skincareatyourdoorstep

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Giving Back While Living Abroad: Connecting with the Bribri Indigenous Community in Puerto Viejo.

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