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[quote=”gzeniou”][quote=”Ronny”]The following link is a really interesting video about prohibition and how it doesn’t work.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9077214414651731007#
Hemp has a million uses and it’s a shame that it takes such a bad rap.[/quote]
Great link, I saw the first few minutes, will watch the rest tonight……..thanks for the link![/quote]
I have reason to believe that smoking pot does affect the young before they learn a sense of responsibility but I have to agree with the viseo.
[quote=”JRelon”]Hi again,
My wife needs some serious dental work and we have always heard that Costa Rica has some great dentists. Can anyone recommend a good dentist for her? Please be specific with names and address, phone number, etc. We are going down around Jan/Feb 2011. Thanks again! Jeffrey[/quote]
The key is going to be the area that you will visit. If in the San Jose, Escazu, Santa Ana area I have a good dentist in Santa Ana.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]The secret to running a freezer or refrigerator economically is, in fact, to keep it full. When I was selling appliances, we used to counsel customers to fill their freezers with plastic bags of popcorn (styrofoam popcorn would work as well) to reduce operating costs. The more air that’s displaced the less that needs to be chilled.[/quote]
Thanks for the input David. It’s something I never considered.
I would think that popcorn would degrade over time but the styrofoam is a viable idea.
I can’t think of a reason why it would but does it make a difference whether filler is placed at the bottom or the top?
[quote=”anneliseped”]1. CHICHARONES[/quote]
and Arroz con Pollo, Gallo Pinto and eggs for breakfast. Chifrijos.[quote=”anneliseped”]2.Not being from the United States, I cannot answer that questions.[/quote]
Family. I communicate with the kids, grandkids, brothers and sisters through Facebook. I don’t miss much else but I am not considered “normal”.:wink:[quote=”anneliseped”]3. & 7. You make contact by communicating.
Try one or more language schools with ‘home stays’ in different areas of the country. Your family will show you the local scene and may even have an ‘uncle/aunt’ with a property to sell. Use the week ends to view properties for sale…there are English speaking real estate agents in all areas.[/quote]
We stayed in B&B locations because we thought that was what we wanted to do. We found our home within ten days but that is highly unusual. I would say the longer your stays are the better your chances of finding something that suits you well. For $150,000 you probably wont find a large piece of land but with careful shopping you can find a small American style home. Our place cost about $2.00 per square foot for the land (acre size) and about $50.00 per foot for the house.
The further you are away from the popular places in the Central Valley the cheaper the property.[quote=”anneliseped”]4. Local markets are usually held weekly, but grocery stores have most essentials.(Maybe not U.S.A. essentials?) If you are in the country, the neighbours probably have eggs and fruit.[/quote]
Seems every town population 1,000 or more will have a Pali (grocer). Smaller places have the Pulperias which are guaranteed not to have American foods. Ticos walk or ride bicycles A LOT so there is usually a pulperia within walking distance whare you can find basic Tico foods. All of the towns have a feria or Farmers Market one day a week (the day varies from place to place) that are great for buying fruits aand vegetables.[quote=”anneliseped”]5. ??[/quote]
See David’s response.[quote=”anneliseped”]6. YES[/quote]
Depends on the person you are dealing with. Some can be prompt, others never.[quote=”anneliseped”]7. LEARN THE LANGUAGE!! Attend at least one seminar by ARCR.[/quote]
If you need the contact with English speakers and a social life I guess ARCR can be a benefit.
ARCR is one of those groups who acconplishes things for you behind the scenes. You never find out how things are done. I had an advisor and Attorney who allowed me the freedom of taking things into my own hands for my dealings with Migracion and INS (National Insurance) for my auto and home insurance. I have done the RTV (Reteve or annual auto inspection) with the help of a mechanic.
I am the type that enjoys the challenge of doing things myself and have a need to know how things are done. Not everyone is willing or able to do things like that.[quote=”anneliseped”]Visit different parts of the country.[/quote]
Climate is the key in Costa Rica. No matter where you are on the Pacific side you will get about 8 monthss of rainy season and 4 months of dry season (verano or summer) late November to late March. The dry season is tourist season and travel is more expensive. It will cost $1,000 to $1,200 to fly here in the tourist season and as little as $400 in the rainy season. I suggest you have to try it in the rainy season. Anyone can tolerate the dry season but the rainy season may be more than you want.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]4. We do not go to the local market every day, but we could.[/quote]
It actually can be entertaining[quote=”DavidCMurray”]5. Internet shopping is entirely possible. You can enroll as a customer of one of the mail and freight forwarding companies that work out of Miami and have mail and packages sent there to be forwarded to you. Or for big items, http://www.shipcostarica.com will put them in a consolidated containerized load and bring them in.[/quote]
We have family in the States who can forward the small stuff by mail or friends who are back and forth who can bring in books and some of the items that are inconvenient to mail.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Plan to turn off all the paper mail you can.[/quote]
A necessity.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]6. Not unlike some Americans, some Costa Ricans show up on time and others do not.[/quote]
Kick back and relax and go with the flow. Learn Spanish and make friends with some of the Ticos. Some will try to take advantage of you financially so a good Tico friend can prove to be a great value. If I find I can’t depend on someone my Tico friends can help me find someone else.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]8. Consider carefully your real needs and your wants.[/quote]
There are some appliances that are very expensive to buy and repair here. Dryers, freezers and such. We gave up our American washer and now use a Tico washer which is different but we use an American gas dryer when it is necessary. We brought a small chest freezer but they aren’t economical unless you can find decent prices on frozen goods (meat) and keep it mostly full.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Make a number of trips here and stay for as long as possible.What’s truly important about where you live? Look for such places.[/quote]
One in a million shot – My wife and I came down here for ten days, fell in love with the country and the people, found our dream home and signed the contract to purchase within that time. Three years after moving permanently we are totally happy with our situation.:D[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Take the time to learn Spanish as well as you can. While it’s not absolutely critical to speak the native tongue, it’ll sure make things go more smoothly.[/quote]
I’ll second that. We came here with no Spanish but my flexibility and ability to communicate in other ways compensated. Ticos laugh at my Spanglish but it works.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Don’t assume anything.[/quote]
Ditto[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Costa Rica isn’t as cheap as you may have heard.[/quote]
Since January the falling exchange rate has cost about 14% of income from 580 colones to the dollar down to 500. You need to consider the possibility of seeing your purchasing power reduced.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]The national health system, the CAJA, has some shortcomings. Don’t assume that it’ll meet all your expectations.[/quote]
Expectations? Better not have any of those concerning Caja. Wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a week in the main hospital. She needed blamket, pillow, wash cloth, soap, toilet paper, fan (no air conditioning), CD player, bottled water, fork (hospital furnishes spoons only).
UPSIDE: she is cancer free. Many doctors are schooled or intern in the States and can communicate in English. Don’t expect nurses or other help to speak English.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Think about what’s really important to your life in retirement and be sure you can find those things here.[/quote]
If you can’t deal with the Tico diet (rice, black beans, pork, chicken, fruit and vegetables) and are into the American diet it can be quite expensive. Beef here is poor quality unless you pay an arm and a leg for it. I recommend trying a variety of Tico dishes. You might find the the bland sounding rice and beans can be quite tasty and interesting.
My wife has a taste for hamburgers (McDonalds or Wendy’s) Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell and such. She is slowly giving up a lot of that in favor of certain Tico dishes but will never be free of “cosas Americano”.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Think about the physical stuff you’ll want here — household goods, tools, a vehicle, etc. Start cleaning out the stuff you won’t bring and acquiring the things that’ll be difficult to find or expensive here. Plan to ship a container, so start making contacts with container shippers based in Costa Rica.[/quote]
I brought an entire wood shop and metal working shop and a 1980 Datsun pickup but we gave up some of the household furnishings we should have brought. Our 40′ container cost between $9,000 and $10,000 door to door. We paid $160 per month to store our goods until we closed on the house but brought the pickup out immediately for transportation.Other thoughts: I deal with most needs and have picked up a bit of Spanish. My contact with Americans is almost exclusively through the internet. In Costa Rica it is solely through the welovecostarica.com web site. I know many of the expats here although we have never met face to face.
My wife has a need to see and talk to Americans and has joined a women’s group called Newcomers. Some of the “Newcomers” have been here for 20 years or more. Some are Ticas and other nationalities but all speak English.[quote=”Scott”] From the emails I have received from our VIP Members, I know quite a few of them wouldn’t mind seeing this happen on a much broader scale…[/quote]
Like private mortgage CEOs and Wall Street CEO’s. In the end it should include some “deciders” in a rogue administration that let them run roughshod over American hone buyers and investors.
I think David is right though. No sense cluttering up the environment.
[quote=”Jim S.”]Having said that, the vast majority of crime occurs in areas and neighborhoods that you will never even see. So long as you are reasonably cautious and prudent, chances are that you will not feel threatened by crime here.[/quote]
I’ve stated many times that we live without gates and bars which are common to the country.
We had some petty theft when we first moved in 2 1/2 years ago but nothing since. We do not live in an area that attracts attention from the criminal element which is usually confined to the larger cities.
You will find that almost every rental is either barred, gated or both. Living here for 6 months should tell you whether you can find a comfort level.
My wife and I love it.
[quote=”grb1063″]Waggoner & Sprite? Surprised you have not thrown in your economic knowledge on why it may be a mistake to run with a losing horse, not to mention the potential psychological outfall with Costa Ricans’ patriotism.[/quote]
As expats we’re hung with the dollar whether we like it or not. We’ve lost about 16% of our purchasing power since the first of the year already.
The dollar is weakening and it wouldn’t be a good idea for Costa Rica. They are better off with the colon
[quote=”Darin”]I believe it’s going to get bloody ugly and, I do mean ‘bloody’.
Lastly, seeing what’s going on now and what is most likely to happen in the future, if I was in the US, Canada or anywhere in Europe I would ONLY live in a secure, gated community…
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comScott, I tend to agree the freedom and joy of the First Worlders is coming to a low period shortly.[/quote]
Americans are in denial regarding the economic power of the U.S.
The economy is bleeding profusely due to the policies of laissez faire and supply side economics. The wealthy get wealthier and the middle class, which has always driven the economy, is being driven to the poor house.Americans have come to expect instant gratification in expecting the economy to be corrected and to feel no financial pain in the process.
Obama has accomplished in less than two years what took Roosevelt four years to accomplish in the 1930’s.Scott’s comment “I believe it’s going to get bloody ugly and, I do mean ‘bloody’.” is an understatement If it comes down to a war between the classes the walls of those gated communities will be no barrier to the masses.
What people fail to understand is that the military is composed of citizens whose families are feeling the pain and they will not willingly intervene to stop it.
[quote=”bloucas”][ We cannot find info on how to complete this process including how much $ to send to the embassy for their processing.[/quote]
Try this web site: [url=http://costa-rica.visahq.com/embassy/Mexico/]Costa Rica Consulates in Mexico[/url]
It provides phones & addresses in Mexico City and Nuevo Leon.
Costa Rican Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico
Embassy of Costa Rica in Mexico
Rio Poo 113, entre Rio Lerma y Rio Panuco
Colonia Cuauhtemoc, Mexico D.F.
Codigo Postal 06500
Tel: (00525) 55 525 7765 / 55 525 7766/55257764/52 08 99 68
Fax: (00525) 55 511 9240[quote=”bloucas”]
Yes, in Los Angelas. It has to be done in Mexico. We live in San Diego so we may have to drive down for the 1st part but we dont want to go to Mexico City (CR Consulate) for the authentication part.[/quote]Is that an indication that the only CR consulate is in Mexico City?
It would seem that there would be a consulate in the state in which she was born. I would have e4xpected closer ties between the Central American countries.[quote=”*Lotus”]I think a lot of people on this board are probably buying part time homes. Condos and gated communities are a good option for this lifestyle. If I were living there year round I would prefer to live outside of such a community. Also for those who are buying with an eye on resale, an investment in a community with a certain amount of security and amenities “could” offer the potential for greater return as well as an easier resale.[/quote]
Admittedly there can be reasons why you would need a more secure situation but when you consider those who live here full time I think the tendency is to avoid the culture as much as possible.
We came here because of the people and elected to live among them. That isn’t possible for all people for a variety of reasons but I think they are missing something That, for us, is one of the the main attractions of Costa Rica.
Different strokes for different folks.
[quote=”bloucas”] Then we send it to Mexico City for [b]authentication[/b], but for this part there is no information any where on how to pay for this service. [/quote]
Have you tried the nearest Mexican consulate?
[quote=”plasticbrad”] There still is a loss of community that they are comfortable with. Are you really trying to say that everyone that moves to a new culture is elitist if they tend to congregate with cultures they relate to?[/quote]
Pardon me while I get down to a personal level and express some differences in environmental effects.
[b]Chicago, [i]the big city[/i].[/b]
Like all large cities, overwhelming numbers of people crowded into the smallest area possible. Barrios of like minded people immigrating and creating what were essentially closed communities even though they didn’t have the gates.
I grew up in a rural community in the 1950’s, not even a town, outside of Denver which over the years experienced the ever expanding population that eventually overran the area in which we lived. From living in wide open areas of natural grassland to living within the city limits in 1/2 a generation I was exposed to constant change, new people and an attitude that accepted the changes with open arms even as it changed our way of life.
During my adult life I transitioned to the smaller town, then to Denver and finally to Los Angeles. Through it all I never changed in my acceptance of what was new and different without fear although I have always disliked big cities.
It was the same with the move to Costa Rica. We live in a semi-rural area on a property without gate or fence without fears and with a feeling of comfort in the community.[quote=”plasticbrad”]I don’t know Sprite, maybe you have it all figured out, but I would think that there is a little more deviation in judgment when you consider that people are going to pursue what is most comfortable for themselves. As long as their comfort does not impede mine or yours then great, have a wonderful life.[/quote]
[b]No one [/b]”has it all figured out”. We live with the same joys and fears which we have experienced since childhood and base our views on what has gone before.[quote=”sprite”] We have gated communities here in the States everywhere and I suspect for the same reasons. We have always had them but lately, I see more and more of these walled in and guarded communities. We have always had about the same level of crime so that would not be the reason for the sudden increase. It has been exposed to economic class division,[/quote]
The economic division that is becoming so prevalent now in the States, I believe, is creating an elitist/segregationist attitude anong the “haves”. There is much more depth to the idea of living in a condo community but… gates?
Gates present the idea that “I am capable of living here and you are not allowed.”[quote=”sprite”] Both of those gringo imports infect the society to varying degrees because you can’t have one without the other. I am not advocating that moving to Costa Rica requires that the immigrant also adopt the same standard of living.[/quote]
My wife and I chose a property which is upscale for the area in which we live but our choice was made because we first fell in love with the people in Costa Rica.
The saddest decision that I have had to make is that there will be a gate and fence in our future because we salvage animals in stress and they can be a nuisance to strangers in our neighborhood.[quote=”sprite”]But there is standard of living and there is style of living. If your style of living is behind a wall and guards, what are you saying to those who live outside those walls?[/quote]
We have lived for nearly three years without the gates and fences and have had minimal problems with the criminal element. The neighbors know those who are responsible for these problems locally and the area does not attract the professionals. Our Tico neighbors are truly wonderful people.
