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I think you all have made very good points. I would hope everyone would take their time to checkout a possible new home. I can tell you from experience that even in the states it is the same. Having moved to Florida 10 yrs ago I still remember 1/2 the people moving into my complex would be gone in a year and many in less time. Florida is a great place if you can live on less than you did up north, if you don’t mind things happening at a slower pace. The is in a state with the same laws and language we already understood. We look forward to many more visits to Costa Rica before making the big move and have several years to work on it. Thanks to everyone who shares their experiences with the rest of us.
What [b]jckincy[/b] is more or less what I posted a while ago, that “…because the wife misses the kids, grandkids, family, etc. For many of these people they thought moving south to warmer weather and golf year around would be great but the culture shock and missing the “old country” is too much”. And personally I think this is the main reason they leave.
With the price of the Florida condoS, etc, it is much easier & cheaper to purchase property there, since as low as the price may be, financing is available and they don’t have to ‘secure their funds’ as they do here for residency purposes.
Of course, this is comparing apples to oranges.
And some just miss the change in seasons.I realized Scott that I didn’t answer all of your question, although I did reply to a similar question from [b]maravilla[/b]”For one of the couples it was a ‘financial decision’ after 5 years of living here and the others was ‘life was not what they envisioned’ so after a year and a half they are going home”. And I know both of these couples, not just [i]’heard it through the grapevine…[/i]’:lol:
One of the ‘husbands’ participated in a couple of ‘discussion sites’ but not this one.jdocop,
Having read your segment about the airports in CR, in particular, Liberia airport. Could you expand on your assessment of the Liberia airport, and its loss of revenue. If I am not mistaken, my understanding was that there is planned expansion and increased arriving international flights. Take care.The expansion project is currently going ahead, as we pass it often, and there is lots of equipment at work. I also wondered what [b]jdocop[/b] meant by his statement
I meant what I am finding in the real world. Fewer flights offered into and out of Liberia to the destinations that matter to me and mine. Higher fares for those fewer flights as compared to San Jose. They may be expanding, but why? Another example is Worry Free Vacations/MLT Travel. They used to fly into Liberia from St. Paul/Minneapolis, DFW, et al, but now they aren’t even coming into Costa Rica any more.
[quote=”maravilla”]I can predict with uncanny accuracy… who will make it here and who won’t after only a few conversations..[/quote]
I don’t think the accuracy part is uncanny it’s just reasonable understanding of human nature.
I love Costa Rica and the people but the changes stressed me to the point of losing 25% of my body weight until I understood that they think differently than Americans do and you have to go with the flow.
If you had known me that first year you would have bet that I wouldn’t make it but it was important enough to me to understand my dissatisfaction and make changes in my outlook. Since that realization I have had no problem and enjoy the life here very much.
I think that many expats don’t have the ability to make that adjustment.
My attitude towards statistics about how long retirees last here is “Who really cares?!” Can YOU make it here? Why compare yourself to others as you aren’t them. Another thing too: People are often looked down upon who don’t make it here. I think it’s better to know and get out rather than hanging on forever if it’s not for you. I’m over 5 years now and still going strong, but can I say forever? Nope, hard to know as “forever is a long way away.
[quote=”Andrew@CR”] People are often looked down upon who don’t make it here.[/quote]
I don’t think anyone looks down on those who dont make it. Culture shock is a big part of why they go back and there are many things that go into that. The pace is more deliberate and things we feel should go quickly (Migracon) dont. Customer service is not a widespread concept and that is difficult for some. It depends a lot on the life that we want and some can accept the radical change in culture.
That isnt looking down or placing blame in any way just trying to understand why some people stay and some give up. Its just a matter of the relative importance of things in your life.
An [url=http://www.insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2010/june/14/costarica10061401.htm]article[/url] written by John Holtz last week mentions that 40% return. I contacted him, asking where he received his info, and he replied that [i]’he got this from the US Embassy, two years ago’.[/i]
I would think that some returnees have found that their pension that they were receiving under the old, old law, are no longer sufficient to live on.I had a chat with the owner of one of the container shipping companies last week. That person disputes the assertion made here that a large percentage of those who ship a container actually leave Costa Rica and ship one back. So whomever has been quoting whomever might want to recheck their facts.
And I must second what Andrew said above. You can assert all the generalities you like about what “they” do, but the only thing that matters is what [u]you[/u] do. Whether or not a drove of expats goes back home or not is immaterial. What’s important is whether life in Costa Rica is more attractive and comfortable to you than the available alternative(s) or whether it’s not.
[b]David,[/b] you are correct, as is Andrew in stating that what you do, can live with or without, should be your only concern.
a lot of people who return to the States don’t ship a container. they sell everything here before they leave. on many of the other boards, there are a plethora of house/garage sales with people ditching all that they brought with them, including their cars. one woman who lived in our community had spent $12,000 shipping all her stuff here, and didn’t have that amount to ship it to wherever she was going in the States, so she sold it all, and will use the money to start over. so of course, the shipping company wouldn’t necessarily have any accurate stats because that isn’t how it usually goes.
[quote=”maravilla”]a lot of people who return to the States don’t ship a container. they sell everything here [snip] so of course, the shipping company wouldn’t necessarily have any accurate stats because that isn’t how it usually goes.[/quote]
Actually, the person you’re referring to who “sold everything instead of shipping it back” DID ship a smaller amount back, as do most people. It’s not accurate that we don’t know who goes back since we tend to stay in touch with our clients and almost everyone who shipped a full container down will have SOME things that are personal and important to them, and they do want to ship those back. So while I agree that many people do not send back a full container due to cost, I don’t think it’s accurate to say that “shipping companies don’t have accurate stats.”
Ironically, just as with shipping down here, the logic of selling everything here (at large discount since that’s the only way people will buy) is misguided since then after returning to Canada or the states, they will have to replace everything for more money than they got for it here.
I *do* wholeheartedly agree (and have an article being published here on the very subject) that some people, especially those who might be in “higher risk groups” should consider putting their stuff in storage “up north” and spend time to come down for a substantial “trial run” to see if it’s a good fit. Yes storage costs a bit of money, but much less than shipping both ways.
I discuss this at length in my book Unraveling the Mysteries of Moving (due out in August) and it’s an important topic. Those of us who really love it here can accidentally leave the impression that everyone’s experience will be the same, and that’s doing a huge disservice to those doing their research.
Interesting discussion.
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