It all started with Dave
David Hicks (Dad) embraced the pura vida lifestyle, living full-time in Playa Potrero, Costa Rica, in the 1970s. He chartered fishing boats, befriended locals, and enjoyed every sip of coffee. One of his most famous stories was landing a blue marlin longer than his boat (see picture below- Dave is on the far right). But he believed “paradise isn’t paradise if you can’t share it with someone you love,” so he returned to Wisconsin to marry Shelly (Mom). Together, they visited Costa Rica as often as they could.
Dad’s calm, easygoing nature was shaped by Costa Rican culture, often saying “don’t worry” and “pura vida” while fishing Wisconsin’s lakes and playing cards with friends. In the early 2000s, his son Dustin studied and lived in Costa Rica, giving Shelly and Dave the perfect excuse to travel again. Dustin gathered the family once again when he married Jane on the beaches near Potrero in 2016. This was Dad’s last trip down before his passing in 2021 (see wedding photos below).
Eight years later, Jana (me) followed, drawn to Playas del Coco for its proximity to Potrero, the airport, and pickleball. She and Billy moved in 2024, enrolling their youngest in school while their older kids visited on university breaks. Within three months, they found the perfect place to honor Dad’s legacy- and WiscoAzul was born- "Where Wisconsin roots meet the Costa Rican shores."
Your Host Family
Billy and Jana, with their three children, are excited to have a space for our family to gather for years to come. Our home languages are American Sign Language and English, and our hobbies include pickleball, boogie boarding, snorkeling and scuba diving. Billy is a PPR certified pickleball coach who founded The Deaf Pickler, and Jana is a certified ASL interpreter. We are also proud of our neurodiverse family, and find creative ways to support Autistic and Deaf communities. Come stay with us and see how we do this in Costa Rica!