Costa Rica Retirement – Friends & Neighbors in Grecia

It is still sometimes difficult to believe. I have left California and the United States – and moved to a small town in Costa Rica to enjoy my retirement.

A small town in the central part of Costa Rica, in fact, far off the beaten path of tourists.

So who do I have for friends now? You might be surprised! Many of them are folks just like me!

I have come to know many Ticos, native Costa Ricans. They are warm, welcoming, helpful, generous people quick to smile and share small pleasures with anyone, neighbor or stranger. The majority genuinely appear to like those of us from the United States.

A Tico friend finally admitted something to me – after quite a bit of coaxing on my part (because Ticos are not given to bragging on themselves or their country. They are modest to a fault and see brogadoccio as a sign of “mal educacion“). Unlike many people in Latin America, my friend told me, Ticos actually like folks from the United States, “because we aren’t jealous of them. We know we live in a special place.”

I have lived in this small city of Grecia for a while now. I have met quite a few expatriates from the United States and other countries who live here.

There is Janet, the cafetalera (coffee farmer), who lives up in the hills. There is Lynn, a woman from Seattle who lives in an even smaller town nearby. There is Ann from San Diego. Jan from British Columbia. Single women, all.

There are my neighbors, who share two of the other three apartments in the beautiful building I call home. (A delightful young Tico couple has moved into the fourth apartment.)

Lawrence is in his 70s, originally from New Jersey, and has been married for many years to Maria, a Nicaraguan less than half his age. They are delightful individuals and very good neighbors.

Donald is from upstate New York, is almost 70, and lives alone in the apartment below. He’s been here for almost ten years and still speaks hardly a word of Spanish but manages to get along just fine.

I also have neighbors who are originally from Israel, Columbia and Italy. It’s a regular international enclave we have here!

Then there is the “park gang.”



That is what I call the group of gringos who meet every morning on the benches of the Parque Central to solve all the world’s problems. When everyone has arrived, the group walks a couple of blocks to a small soda (a mom and pop caf+¬) in the mercado comercial to drink coffee and fruit drinks together.

You never know who might show up – just a few guys or perhaps as many as 15 people, male and female, permanent residents and temporary residents alike. Heck, occasionally even a wayward tourist joins us!

On Monday, the group included Robert, a man in his 80s who has lived here for almost 40 years, is married to Maria Cecilia, a tica with whom he has raised two totally bilingual sons. Originally from North Carolina, Robert has managed to hang on to his southern accent after all these years.

Three other men and a woman also joined the group on Monday. Irvin is almost 80 and has lived here for nine years. He hosts tea on his terrace every day at 4 p.m. (Happy hour begins at 5 p.m.) Irvin lives alone in a cottage on a beautiful finca. He appears to know everyone quite well.

Lou, another longtime resident, is in his late-80s but quite spry. Shirley is a “youngster” in her 60s, originally from San Antonio.

What I like most about the expatriates I have met here is that they are, without exception, exceptional people. Unique, free-thinking, brave, intelligent, with good humor and a sense of adventure.

Of course they would be!

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.