Learning Spanish

July 1st, 2008

Planning to move to Costa Rica to live, retire or work? Regardless of how well traveled you are, culture shock almost assuredly will be a big factor in how much you and your family will enjoy living in a foreign country and whether you will be able to adjust and enjoy the experience.

I was speaking to the owner of one of the larger moving companies some while back, and he told me that he is now moving back “home” more than 50% of the customers he moved here originally. That is a helluva statistic, and he should know. I tend to believe this as I get more and more email from people who have made the decision to move here after spending little and sometimes no time in this country. Sadly, some have no option as they are just now realizing that they simply cannot afford to retire and live in their home country. This is true especially of many folks from the USA.

Filed under Costa Rica, Culture Shock, Learning Spanish, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Retire in Costa Rica, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (3)

A Reader’s Opinion of Costa Rica – Change and Perspective

June 11th, 2008

As you might imagine, I get a pretty fair amount of email. I try to reply, but I am often a few weeks backlogged as the stuff is arriving at the rate of maybe 200 emails per week. When I get a “good one”, I like to share it with other readers, and Neal from Canada has granted me permission to print his email.

I first came to Costa Rica maybe 15 years ago. It has changed significantly. My 15 years pales, however, next to Neal’s long term perspective of 46 years. I hope you enjoy it. Click continue to read it.

Filed under Costa Rica, Culture, Culture Shock, Expatriate Life, Humor, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, My Readers Write, Susan Lutz (Carmichael) | Comments (3)

Gasoline Crosses $5.00 per Gallon Threshold

June 10th, 2008

Today Costa Rica awoke to gas prices that now exceed $5.00 per US Gallon. Before I delve into this more, it is worthwhile discussing world gasoline prices.

Caution! Rant coming!

As most expats, I watch the current political battle for the Presidency of the United States. I watch as Barrack Obama and others make their stupid claims that they will “do something” about the price of gasoline in the US, now over $4.00 per gallon in 23 states. They just don’t get it. To me, it as is stupid as their claims that they will stem the outflow of jobs from the USA to other countries. I have news for them. The first will not happen without strong leadership and new ideas (which neither candidate has even remotely shown) and it is years too late the do anything about the second.

Filed under Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Expatriate Life, Gas Prices, Gasoline, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Rants, Tourism, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (2)

The Change to 8 Digit Dialing draws near

February 29th, 2008

On March 20, 2008, how you dial a number in Costa Rica is going to change. This not only affects those of us IN Costa Rica, it also will affect those in foreign lands who make call TO Costa Rica.

If you fall into either of the above categories, by all means read on!

Filed under Cell Phones, Communications, Cost of Living, Cost Of Living Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Tourism, Expatriate Life, ICE, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Technical Stuff, Tourism, Travel, Travel to Costa Rica | Comments (2)

Importation of Birds – Rule Change

January 18th, 2008

I know this topic is of interest to many. For many months, Costa Rica has forbidden the importation of birds, pet or otherwise, because of bird flu fears.

I can now say that this law has been changed and the news is good and bad.

The good news is that you may now once again bring your birds to Costa Rica.

The odd part? You may NEVER export those birds to any other country after they are here! I guess this should be called the bird version of Hotel California… You can check in, but you can never leave…

Therefore, as I have written at least 1,000 times before, if you are not 100% SURE that you will want to live permanently in Costa Rica (currently about 50% leave before first year), I would urge you NOT to bring your pet birds until you have lived here at least 6-9 months and are sure this will be a lifelong move.

For further information, I would suggest contact ARCR . I am sure members can get the hot skinny on this topic.

Filed under Costa Rica, Costa Rica Law, Expatriate Life, Importing Birds, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica, Other Stuff, Pets | Comment (0)

Books and Reading in Costa Rica

November 17th, 2007

I get a fair number of questions from people who ask about bringing their books to Costa Rica when they move.

I have been fond of reading all of my life, and when I first came to Costa Rica, moving all my books (maybe 2,000 or so) was a big decision. Most were hard bound, but I had a fair number of paperbacks as well.

On the one hand, I really wanted my books but was not thrilled with the idea of packing those babies. Then, there was the cost of shipping them. Books are not exactly light, and when you are paying by the pound for an international move, you start to re-think every item in terms of its weight (cost to ship) and duties (taxes) that will have to be paid upon entering the country.

Sadly, when I was planning the “big move” there were NO Blogs to help me and very few resources other than the ARCR to advise me on the realities of Costa Rica.

If I had just know then what I know now, the decision making would not have been such a big deal, and my long term solution to reading (see below) would never have been part of my decision making. I would have brought far fewer books. That is because many of the books I brought with me are now gone.

Filed under Audio Books, Books and Reading, Costa Rica, Expatriate Life, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Moving to Costa Rica | Comments (10)