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Costa Rica is the most popular destination in the world for travelers interested in an eco-friendly trip.
71% of Potential Tourists Will Make Eco-Friendly Travel Choices in the Coming Year
[ http://www.multivu.com/mnr/49260-tripadvisor-eco-friendly-travel-survey-voluntourism-go-green ]
COSTA RICA’S A TOURIST JUGGERNAUT !
The secret lies in Costa Rica’s use of 4 branding principles;
•Concentration of biodiversity
•Carbon neutral by 2021
•Eco-tourism
•Funding for education and no military[ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dorie-clark/four-branding-lessons-fro_b_808018.html
[quote=”crhomebuilder”]Costa Rica is the most popular destination in the world for travelers interested in an eco-friendly trip.
71% of Potential Tourists Will Make Eco-Friendly Travel Choices in the Coming Year
http://www.multivu.com/mnr/49260-tripadvisor-eco-friendly-travel-survey-voluntourism-go-green
[/quote]I’m a contrarian. I’m leaving CR after 3 years. Donating my belongings. Went to the local Hogar de ANcianos, Senior Citizens’ Home. Depressing. One woman and the rest men. Not one chair, not one couch. Only wire rocking chairs. No art, no flowers. No arts and crafts. Nothing for activities. One small TV at the end of a huge room. Costs $800 a month for board and room. That’s stiff for the ordinary Ticos.
Clearly your business is to entice Gringos, so you wave a lot of flags and blow a lot of whistles.
It’s sickening when I think of all the Ticos/Ticas who are begging for shoes.
[quote=”barbaracjohnson”] Clearly your business is to entice Gringos, so you wave a lot of flags and blow a lot of whistles. It’s sickening when I think of all the Ticos/Ticas who are begging for shoes.[/quote]
Tom is a homebuilder Barbara so he doesn’t “entice” anyone and if I understand your posting correctly, you’re moving out of Costa Rica to a place were there’s no poverty, is that correct?
Scott
[quote=”Scott”]. . . if I understand your posting correctly, you’re moving out of Costa Rica to a place were there’s no poverty, is that correct?
Scott
[/quote]No, there is poverty everywhere.
Not everywhere is there someone extolling beauty, health, and Heaven on Earth. It’s the latter about which I take offense. The pretense. As I wrote in my first QUOTE: GET REAL.By the way, I bet he’s not building for ordinary Ticos. His clientele is Gringos.
retirement homes, nursing homes, assisted living facilities or whatever you want to call those places where families dump their old loved ones in the States so the facility can milk medicare for their care is an anathema in costa rica. most people are cared for by family members,not dumped into some facility — some of which are pretty sterile in the States, too. they are little more than warehouses for people waiting to die and unless you have $12,000 – $20,000 a MONTH to pay for a really nice place, you will get a place that you described here in costa rica. if you want to see people begging for shoes, go to certain parts of the US where in the very next community there will be millionaires living the high life. there is a great disparity of wealth everywhere these days and costa rica is no exception. i am always amazed at the reasons people have for leaving here. makes me wonder where they thought they were really coming if they didn’t know about life in third world or developing countries. costa rica’s main industry is tourism. would anyone come here if they showed the pictures of the slums, the nica villages that exist in places where no one should even live, or show the polluted rivers that they are trying to clean up but an ignorant citizenry just keeps dumping their crap into the waterways with no thought whatsoever as to where that trash is going to wind up. there is wretched poverty here; there is also mind-boggling beauty. this juxtaposition is the nature of the world and costa rica is no exception.
[quote=”maravilla”]retirement homes, nursing homes, assisted living facilities or whatever you want to call those places where families dump their old loved ones in the States so the facility can milk medicare for their care is an anathema in costa rica. most people are cared for by family members,not dumped into some facility — some of which are pretty sterile in the States, too. they are little more than warehouses for people waiting to die and unless you have $12,000 – $20,000 a MONTH to pay for a really nice place, you will get a place that you described here in costa rica. if you want to see people begging for shoes, go to certain parts of the US where in the very next community there will be millionaires living the high life. there is a great disparity of wealth everywhere these days and costa rica is no exception. i am always amazed at the reasons people have for leaving here. makes me wonder where they thought they were really coming if they didn’t know about life in third world or developing countries. costa rica’s main industry is tourism. would anyone come here if they showed the pictures of the slums, the nica villages that exist in places where no one should even live, or show the polluted rivers that they are trying to clean up but an ignorant citizenry just keeps dumping their crap into the waterways with no thought whatsoever as to where that trash is going to wind up. there is wretched poverty here; there is also mind-boggling beauty. this juxtaposition is the nature of the world and costa rica is no exception.[/quote]
Waiting for my last post to post.
I hope I don’t have to rewrite it.[quote=”maravilla”]retirement homes, nursing homes, assisted living facilities or whatever you want to call those places where families dump their old loved ones in the States so the facility can milk medicare for their care is an anathema in costa rica. most people are cared for by family members,not dumped into some facility — some of which are pretty sterile in the States, too. they are little more than warehouses for people waiting to die and unless you have $12,000 – $20,000 a MONTH to pay for a really nice place, you will get a place that you described here in costa rica. if you want to see people begging for shoes, go to certain parts of the US where in the very next community there will be millionaires living the high life. there is a great disparity of wealth everywhere these days and costa rica is no exception. i am always amazed at the reasons people have for leaving here. makes me wonder where they thought they were really coming if they didn’t know about life in third world or developing countries. costa rica’s main industry is tourism. would anyone come here if they showed the pictures of the slums, the nica villages that exist in places where no one should even live, or show the polluted rivers that they are trying to clean up but an ignorant citizenry just keeps dumping their crap into the waterways with no thought whatsoever as to where that trash is going to wind up. there is wretched poverty here; there is also mind-boggling beauty. this juxtaposition is the nature of the world and costa rica is no exception.[/quote]
I’ve lived outside the State for approx 7-8 years of my adult life. Traveled throughout Europe (1 year). Greece (4 years), Israel (1 year), England off and on, and miscellaneous trips from time to time.
I’ve been in Atenas since 2009. I came her impoverished with a social sec’y pension under $1000 a month. The rate when I arrived was 587 colones per $1. Fifteen percent lower now.
In 2002-2004, my mother was in a home. Medicare paid. Oriental rugs, beautiful table clothes and tableware. Flowers on each table for all meals. Activities for residents. Bedrooms like real bedrooms.
The going price for a private home in Mass. was at that time $6,500 month. The prices you quote must be on the golden coast of CALIF, where enhanced show-biz salaries prevail.
Tranquility in Atenas is wonderful, but over time, it is boring. No theatre, no art, no intellectuals –they might exist but I’ve met none.
Old North Americanos — many alcoholics — seek young Ticas looking for secure financial futures. Many of these men would be unacceptable in the States. I’ve not met young family-oriented expats.
According to the Atenas Monthly, the expats seem more concerned about abandoned dogs than they are about senior citizens.
Spending the bulk of my time writing in front of the computer, I’m fairly hermetic and have made no effort to find young OR old people.
As for rivers: I’ve not seen a river in CR which is not either brown or dried out. Very uninviting. Nothing to swoon about.
And food: I never want to look at rice again. I want a variety of fresh fish, lamb, etc.
I have a few important tasks to accomplish in MA. Then, if things work out well, I’ll head to a fishing village in Greece.
Have a nice night, what’s left of it.
Ciao,
Barbi certainly can agree and sympathize with the negatives you enumerate. i suffer from some of those frustrations as well, but luckily i work with some very enlightened people who help stave off the boredom of what i imagine the typical life of a retiree must be. there are intellectuals here but they are not sitting at home; they are out doing things, working on projects, pursuing interests in things they didn’t have time for before. as for the food — i rarely eat rice and have found nearly every single cooking ingredient i need to make whatever type of cuisine i want. i’ve probably only ever made gallo pinto a half dozen times in nearly 8 years. too many other good things to eat. and yes, the dog problem is a favorite past-time mainly because the homeless dogs are right in your face every time you leave the house. i know a lot of expats who are into animal rescue. they feel that is their only way to give back to the community and improve the plight of the 1 million homeless animals here. the goal of attaining pura vida in costa rica is illusive to be sure. gringos haven’t even a concept of what that is really. someone just posted this to my facebook page and it seems apropos to repost it here.
Larry wrote: “After 15 years of visiting the pura vida of Costa Rica, we finally made the move from California to here 2 years ago. We wanted the perfect climate, the breathtaking natural environment, the tranquility—we wanted the pura vida; but we can’t have it, can’t get it and you probably can’t either.
You see, it’s another state of mind; maybe even another dimension, like a Twilight Zone place. Pura vida means pure life, but here it also means letting go, something very difficult for most of us. We’re so trained to ‘control’ our lives or ‘get control’ of ourselves that letting go often requires some form of bungee jumping, be it mental or physical.
Where is the pura vida?
First, you have to get out of the city because the breathtaking surroundings and tranquility don’t exist there, and even if they have the perfect climate, you’re too stuck in traffic to enjoy it. For some of us, “living the dream” here means being part of a caring, loving community—the ticos and ticas we fell in love with when we visited.
We’re blessed enough to live on the Nicoya Peninsula, ( Di that is where Playas del Coco is) yes, a Blue Zone, and we are surrounded by the pura vida, but we still can’t get it. We can only watch others have it. Why?
( this says what i feel) One of our precious locals says we have “muchas cosas”, and that may be one of the reasons—we have stuff…too much stuff…and with stuff comes problems and with problems come stress and with stress you get no pura vida.There it is in a nutshell. For example, those with the pura vida don’t have cars; therefore they don’t have riteve, marchamo, car payments or insurance; nor do they have worries about the prices of fuel, parts, labor and of course the stress of driving.
Have you ever had such a bad day with “Murphy’s Law” in full effect that when the last straw finally hits, you either cry or laugh or both? Well if you ever laughed, that’s it! Laughing in the face of adversity, right? That’s the pura vida, and that’s probably as close as you or I will ever get.
It’s a state where you either have no worries, you are too numb to recognize them, or you don’t let your worries have you. I was at my absolute wits’ end the other day, completely losing it—mad, crying, wanting to hit or kick something, when a tico neighbor showed up.
I explained in my best Spanglish my day of disasters, only to watch him go from a grin to complete knee slapping hysteria. I could not believe it; and I could not understand it. A few days later he experienced a minor disaster of his own, and again he laughed. That’s when it clicked. There it was—there was the pura vida!
Letting go of the disaster and turning to laughter to lighten his dismay.
My stressing was destroying my health while his prescription of laughter brought a peace and sense of acceptance that he experiences the bad, but good would return to his life, so why get upset. Wow. Seems pretty simple. What an eye (and heart) opening experience.
This spirit of contentment is a key to the pura vida. While I could recognize the peace he allowed himself by laughing with his tears rather than raging, as I had done, it was still elusive to me.
It reminded me of a quote by Billy Graham, “I’ve seen the effects of the wind, but I’ve never seen the wind. There’s a mystery to it.”
My problem is my mental state is still far too north of the equator; I want to go to the store or pharmacy and buy some pura vida. As I begin to understand and learn about this mystery, the transitioning is sure to be intense—so I’m in pura vida training, which could take awhile, but no doubt worth the time investment. Maybe I’ll go catch some wind while I’m waiting for the pura vida to take effect.
*This article graciously contributed to The Costa Rica Star by Susan Elliott”[quote=”barbaracjohnson”]It’s the latter about which I take offense. The pretense. As I wrote in my first QUOTE: GET REAL.[/quote]
And I take offence to someone telling us to “GET REAL”
What’s REAL to you Barbara is clearly a different REAL to many of us…
I know Tom – who has lived very happily in Costa Rica for many years – his reality is clearly not the same as yours and…
I have lived very happily in Costa Rica for 12 years and clearly my reality is not yours – and I cook and eat lamb (my favourite protein) every week 😆
You chose to create a new life for yourself in Costa Rica and it’s unfortunate that this appears to have not worked out for you however, based on what you are saying here, I can’t see that Costa Rica is to blame for your unhappiness.
Scott
Maravilla…….an excellent description of Pura Vida. There is a Costarrican saying that goes like this…. “no hay ningun mal de que bien no venga” which basically means that there nothing bad that happens that doesn’t bring some good. Pura Vida
[quote=”maravilla”] . . . We’re blessed enough to live on the Nicoya Peninsula, ( Di that is where Playas del Coco is) yes, a Blue Zone, and we are surrounded by the pura vida, but we still can’t get it. We can only watch others have it. Why?
. . . don’t have cars; therefore they don’t have riteve, marchamo, car payments or insurance;
[/quote]I live alone. Apparently you don’t. You have the company of someone I assume you love, if not only like.
I don’t have a car, but a bad leg. I can walk down hills, but not up them. Cannot conveniently get anywhere. Also hate traveling alone.
As for lamb, about which one of the other respondents wrote, I can only say, Where did you get it?
Nicoya is too hot. Was there once, when a friend came rented a car. We were almost drowned by the fast flood that developed when we were on one of the dirt roads. The new maps I bought stunk. A brave Tico led us to safety. An amazing event.
Ciao,
Barbarai don’t live in nicoya — the person who wrote the article i posted lives there. i live in the highlands outside of san ramon. i did not have a car for the first 7 years i lived here. just bought one two months ago, and i felt my stress levels increase dramatically. i’ve seen lamb at every auto mercado i’ve been to. but there is also a local butcher shop that sells it — you have to ask. considering the terrain of costa rica, with hills everywhere, i would imagine that getting around is difficult. basically, this is not the place you live if you have limitations unless you live in the middle of the city and can easily walk to whatever you need. i don’t think people factor in this info when choosing to come here. i know 80 year old ticos who are in better physical shape than gringos 20 years younger. that’s because they are moving constantly, don’t have cars, and walk everywhere. americans, by and large, are just plain unhealthy and out of condition from years of depending on an auto. half of each year i live alone with my two dogs. but even if i didn’t have a SO i would be happy being single here. bottomline is that this is not an easy place to live for most people.
This is a good lesson for many of us. Looks like a failure to assimilate to me. On her bad leg. You have to take in that much of Costa Rica is hilly and there are not many amenities for handicapped people to help get around in Costa Rica. I know that and accept that. I have a bad leg as well. Being a female alone in CR can have some negatives as well.
Be sure to try CR out before moving to CR. I think she messed up there. I wonder why she has lived in so many other countries and was she happy in any of them?[quote=”Versatile”]This is a good lesson for many of us. Looks like a failure to assimilate to me. On her bad leg. You have to take in that much of Costa Rica is hilly and there are not many amenities for handicapped people to help get around in Costa Rica. I know that and accept that. I have a bad leg as well. Being a female alone in CR can have some negatives as well.
Be sure to try CR out before moving to CR. I think she messed up there. I wonder why she has lived in so many other countries and was she happy in any of them?
[/quote]Yes, the year in Europe traveling around was when I was 19-20 with my family.
I adored Greece. The happiest years of my life. Loved the people. the food, particularly the music, their kefi (energy), their culture. Best love affair aod my life. Arranged marriages there at the time. We probably could have avoided that, but I didn’t want to start breeding again. I already had two sons. He wanted children. He eventually did enter an arranged marriage. I heard from him. He wanted me to return to Greece from Israel, where I thought I could work. Since then he married and not has five grown children. He still wants me to return to Greece, but I no longer look as I looked in my 30s. You can’t go home again. I’ll end up in Greece, but I won’t let him know.
Israel was very tense. Police told kids not to play on the grass. Lots of pros and cons. Could not afford to stay their on one salary–assuming I could have found a job.
Italy would be great, too.
For the last 10 years, until I came to CR, I’ve had an affair with a much younger man. He came to CR to check it out. He didn’t like it, so wants me to return to the States. How long I’ll stay there is up in the air. It’s about time I recognize my age–77 years.
Life is complicated. Drawing conclusions from incomplete information is always dangerous and wrong.
Barb
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