This is an article I’ve long wanted to write. Time flies. When Costa Rica recently opened its embassy in Türkiye, I thought, “The time has finally come.” I’ll be sharing all that I’ve done as the Honorary Consul of Costa Rica since 2008 in this series. Each year will be a topic of its own. First, I’ll walk you through how I became the Honorary Consul of Costa Rica and what my first year on the job was like.
Back in 2007, I couldn’t have imagined that the journey that began when Ekhart Peters, a Costa Rican diplomat my father knew, introduced me to his circle would eventually bring me here. Among the people Ekhart introduced me to was Ana Maria Herrera, Senior Advisor to the President. During one of our pleasant conversations, she invited me to Costa Rica, and in August of that same year, I had the opportunity to visit the country for the first time. That very evening, I found myself at a gathering at the President’s residence. That night, Nobel Peace Prize-winning President Oscar Arias asked me whether I would be willing to represent them in Türkiye, as they needed someone for the role. I told him it would be a great honor to represent Costa Rica in Türkiye. And just like that, the process began.
In September, a formal letter regarding my appointment as Honorary Consul was sent to then-President Abdullah Gül. Presidential approval came in January 2008. Once my accreditation was finalized, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. To succeed in this role, there were three things I had to get right from the beginning.
First, I needed a hardworking, results-oriented assistant who was a native Spanish speaker and could function as my right hand. I immediately began holding interviews. None of the candidates met my expectations—until I met Ninoska, a Venezuelan who came with a reference. Her husband was Turkish, and within the first 15 minutes of our interview, I thought to myself, “This is the one.” We made her an offer, and she started in July.
The next issue I needed to address was learning Spanish. While I could manage things in English, I had to understand the subjects deeply, which meant continuing the Spanish lessons I had previously paused. So, I enrolled at the Cervantes Institute and resumed my studies.
Lastly, the Honorary Consulate of Costa Rica needed a dedicated physical space. While I was brainstorming options, I noticed an underused area near the entrance of our office that had been used as a kitchen, bathroom, and storage room. I immediately called in the architects and had the space converted into a proper consulate. From then on, the Honorary Consulate of Costa Rica would have its own premises.
Shortly after Ninoska started, we took a 10-day trip to Costa Rica in August. The main goal of this visit was to meet Costa Rican officials and undergo a special training program designed for us. After successfully completing the training, we were fully ready to serve.
Our next big milestone was 15 September 2008, Costa Rica’s Independence Day. To make our presence known, we had to organize an impressive event. And we did. Together with my accredited Ambassador Noemi Baruh, we hosted an extraordinary celebration. In addition to the traditional cocktail reception and dinner, we surprised our guests by transforming the ballroom into a tropical forest setting, where Café Britt staged a theatrical performance. The show depicted the history of coffee, how it arrived in Costa Rica, and how it’s made. Steve Aronson, the owner of Café Britt—one of Costa Rica’s best-known coffee brands—generously supported us by sending his theater team to Istanbul.
We also created a special video for the evening that introduced Costa Rica and highlighted Costa Rica–Türkiye relations.
Alongside all the routine consular tasks, 2008 was, in every sense, a strong year of beginnings for us. All the diplomatic circles in Türkiye had heard about us, and the necessary connections had been established. In my next post, I’ll share what we accomplished in 2009—a turning point for our Honorary Consulate.
Tag: honoary consolate
