Moving? What (not) to Bring to Costa Rica

I get a lot of mail asking about moving here, especually about what to bring and what to leave behind. I thought this Post from the Forums

of the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) might be of interest to those heading for the wetter spots in CR. My wife and I live in San Jose, and while occasionally we get a humid day, it is nowhere near what folks experience who live in or near the rain forests or beach areas. Anyway, here is an interesting story about the moisture problems one couple experienced.

We moved to the tropical jungle part of CR, and within one green season we have had to toss out: things made of cork, lamps, clocks, some books, clothing, etc. The mold and mildew is incredibile! We brought down family hierlooms, i.e. pictures, books, furniture, handmade quilts, all because we had no place to keep them in the US. Most everything molded. Wood items i.e. cutting boards, furniture we brought, book binders even warped! Teflon coated baking pans even rusted completely. Aluminum is better here. Even prints under glass and sealed frames molded. Clothes sealed tight in plastic boxes! Not only were we disappointed in having our most valued things ruined, we became sick from inhaling the mold spores. Also, in many areas, the bugs will eat wood (from the USA)…it’s best to buy the furniture here, with the local woods!

Leave your stuff in a safe location in the states. Stay in CR for awhile “learn” the enviroment. Wish we had! Now I understand why they say you should live simply here…don’t bring much. And you can by most everything you need here!

To read the entire thread, click here.