New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here - 2023

Hola a mis compañeros expatriados!  My name is Patrick and I live part-time in Atenas (the other half in the States).  We bought here because we want to have a better work/life balance and paradise was the right fit.  So much so that I'm starting a new company with a fellow US expat and two Dutch expats and a Tico attorney - the business is designed to help our international  community thrive by bringing you vetted service recommendations.  (think of it as Angie's List for CR)  I love reading the questions asked in the Forum it is really important to help in ways that make living here truly special.  I know because I'm going through all the same things.  If you live in the Atenas region, let's get coffee.  Regardless I'm excited to meet you all and get to know you!  Pura Vida!

• Patrick

@pjPuraVida Please expand the description of the service you are going to provide. Detailes would help. Taking into account the quality of service here (rather the lack of such), CR could be an opportunity  for honest, quality minded people. Are you aiming at existing or potential expats?

We are Dave and Marcia Murray. We have lived outside Grecia on the side of volcano Poas since 2005. We came here in early 2005 to see what Costa Rica was all about. After a week or so, we were sold. We went back to the States, packed up everything and container shipped it to Costa Rica (highly recommended), and while there began construction of our one bedroom guest house.

In 2006 we built our main house and have rented the guest house ever since. That's been a convenience but I wouldn't do it again.

Every morning, I wake up wondering how our lives in retirement could possibly have turned out better. The social atmosphere here makes life so much more comfortable than it was in the States. Too, there are a few things we've missed but the tradeoffs have been well worth it.

I recently had open heart surgery here in Costa Rica and could not be more satisfied with the experience. In fairness, I should say that I received that care in one of the local private sector hospitals and not via the CAJA (the national health system).

Hello,

I am Chris and my wife is Lesley, we spent 3 months in Costa Rica last winter and we are heading down again in a few months to stay longer. We are hoping to come down to stay for good but also do not want to commit until we have spent an entire rainy season in the the country. We hope to find a long term rental and get into the residency system as Rentistas.

We wanted to introduce ourselves as we will be using these forum and it's members experience as a resource until we're back living the pura vida lifestyle.

Hi Friends, my name is Brayan, I spend much more time in Costa Rica than I spend in Nicaragua, where I am from. I am here to network and connect with people.

***

Pura Vida everyone!

@Julien this newbie first arrived CentAm in 1973...CR 1991 moved the family soon thereafter, and moved south in 2011...as the CR we all loved was long gone.

Hello Marcela R74,

Welcome on board !

How can we help you ?

All the very best

Bhavna

@Julien  Hola Julien and all members of this forum!  I am Jo Anne C. and have spent the last three years seraching for my place of retirement. I'm currently in central NY state and am selling my home at the end of this summer. I will NOT spend another year anywhere there is snow and cold! I have travelled to Scotland, Ecuador and unfortunately had a trip to Portugal cancelled due to the pandemic. I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting Costa Rica, but I'm very certain with all it has to offer, I could live happily there. Researching has led me to think the central valley would suit me best. Climate, accessibility to airports, good nearby medical care even though my health is good. Just a hop to the US where my adult children live. I do not wish to own a car, but love to walk, bicycle, and hopefully public transortation is available. I have an older dog to bring with me so I would need a place to rent where this wouldn't be a problem. My Spanish is limited although I'm working at it on my own with the aid of books. I'm 62 years old and enjoy many activities to include swimming, theatre and all the arts, music and dancing, animals and wildlife, cooking etc.

@Henrych - I unfortunately am not allowed to post my site on Expat (I can understand why) - but here's our site: *** - love to connect!

Hello everyone,

Welcome on board Joannecruz294,

@pjPuraVida,

Please note that any commercial website should not be linked on the forum. Professional should not in any way advertise their services on the forum directly or indirectly.

You may register these services in the Costa Rica Business directory for free or reach out to our marketing department for tailor-made solutions : https://www.expat.com/en/advertisement.html

All the best

Bhavna

@daveandmarcia

Hi Dave and Marcia,

I hope you're feeling better after your surgery and on your way to full recovery.

I'm a woman recently retired living in CA and seriously considering moving to Costa Rica.  I visited San Jose and Guanacaste. I've yet to visit Grecia and its surroundings which I find very appealing from what I hear.  I'm almost convinced it would be the place that would suit me best.

I thought your comment about the “social atmosphere” in your area is interesting.  May I ask you why you find it so?  I've heard going to the town “feria” it's a place to meet friendly and welcoming expats.  Has this been your experience?

I would also very much appreciate it if you would kindly can give me a few tips and your  experience using the container shipping.  What shipping company did you use?  Thank you!

Wishing you both well.

Mary

Hi, Mary,

As to the "social atmosphere", I think there are two factors that contribute to it. First, tolerance and inclusion are taught in the schools. It's part of raising good citizens. Second, the absence of a military and the rarity of privately held firearms colors the thinking of the population in general. It causes them generally to look for alternatives to dispute resolution that do not include violence.

Grecia's feria is a delight, but it's not so much a social event as a place to restock your fresh foods. Having been here 17 years, we've pretty much met everyone locally whom we wish to meet. Others may have a different take on that.

We shipped our household goods here in 2005 with a company I would not recommend. What I do recommend is that you deal ONLY with container shippers who are based here, not those based in the U.S.

Almost anyone can arrange to have a shipping container to be delivered to your home, to have your goods (if you wish) packed and loaded, to have that container shipped to a port of entry and bound for Costa Rica. That much is done on a daily basis. The trick comes in getting that container through Costa Rican Customs and delivered to your new home. For that part of the trip, local knowledge and local contacts make all the difference. So find a Costa Rican company to arrange everything.

Our recommendation is to bring everything but the snowshoes. The cost of the container is fixed, full or empty. Customs duty on used household goods is minimal and may be avoidable altogether. If you get rid of all your household goods, except maybe the heirlooms, etc, you'll find that replacing everything here will be more difficult and more expensive than you'd guess. You'll never get in a garage sale, for example, what replacing just your kitchen tools (pots, pans, mixing bowls, silverware, cutlery, countertop appliances, etc), linens, will cost here. Too, the selection will be more limited and you don't know where to begin looking.

Keep it simple. Bring your stuff.

Hi Dave and Marcia,

Thank you for your very informative reply!  Very much appreciated.  I had been debating whether to take my belongings or buy there.  I found your information very helpful!

Mary

Hi everyone, My wife and I are planning on making the move to Costa Rica in the next few years. We have been traveling to CR routinely for the past 17 years. Obviously vacation is not real life. I look forward to reading and learning from your experiences.

Pura Vida..

@koenigsjck .......If you don't mind sharing, where in Costa Rica do you plan on settling ?

@edwinemora  The Central Valley seems to be our top choice because of the easy access to medical care. Last fall my wife fell in love with Palmares so we are focusing on that area. After a lifetime in Houston we are definitely looking to get out in the country.

Hola!

My name is Renii. I am planning to spend three months in Costa Rica at the end of the year prior to determining my move date. However, I do have a 7 day visit planned for October. I hope to find out information about communities to rent so I can explore the communities in October. Next, I would like to learn more about efficient ideas to make a move like this with my two dogs (Frenchie and Chihuahua). There are so many things, I eager to learn what I don't know.

Gracias

Hi! I am Rhonda Mackey and my offer on a house in Guanjabo has been accepted. I'll be moving to GuaJabo in a few months.  Any advise at all is welcome!

Hello and welcome @Renii and Rhonda Mackey,

Warm welcome to you both on Expat.com !

We are very pleased to read your introduction. It helps us get to know our members and their needs a little better.

To benefit the most from the forum and our members, I invite you to open your own topic on the Costa Rica forum so that members may reach out to you and provide their insights on your queries.

In addition, here is a little guide worth reading for newcomers : Living in Costa Rica guide for expats

All the best

Bhavna

My fiance and I were amped up about visiting Costa Rica and seeing if it was a place we'd like to retire to. 1st. It's no cheaper than the U.S. 2nd San jose is a nasty joke of a city mess. Drivers are rude. Worse than new York city. Nobody let's u over and they laugh at u when they cut u off. Lucky for them my fiance was driving, I would have plowed my full coverage car into them. 13% tip is automatically included. I usually leave 20% and rarely 10 if it's bad service. But if they want 13% they get 13%. Service is non existent. We were in Tamarindo and this guy seats us and some other people, hr dissappears, nobody is workimg, literally nobody comes over, we wait for 20 minutes then We walk out and he is standing there flirtimg to the hostess lady.

To top it off, our tour guide "Eddie" was a ***. He took ud on an atv tour, I gave the 14 o kid who fixes ATVs a tip. He goes back in and takes it!!! Then takes his tip at the end. He tells u some ***romantic story how his grandparents were married in the woods, blah blah. Like costa rica is some magical place, Then we get home and he hits my fiance up on Facebook asking her of she wants to videochat so he can show her his big *^*(.   The place is a***. Tijuana Mexico is better

The eastern side is used by drug dealers, it's starting to spill into San jose and its only a matter of time before its west.  Do yourself a favor? Go to a bario in Florida. You'll find better food and nicer people.   The trip wasn't all bad but I saw enough and can tell the direction it's going.  Save yiur time and money and don't dump it into these ungrateful people economy. Alot of them don't like you anyway because you create demand that increases their prices.

@hwrdsutcliffe125 ,You verified it buddy, everything I've been writing about for years. Even my 90 year old Costa Rican mother says 'oh dear God,these poor American people that sell everything for this place !'.......I have to say for most who vacation here on a higher standard will have some of the best experiences of their lives.Along with meeting some of the most refined, educated people working in the tourism industry.......But outside of that----it is real life and they are going to get you----Big Time ! Once you live here it is open season on gringos at every level(other foreigners are generalized as gringos too).......

That's what I genuinely felt. Glad to hear from a citizen.   I've read it in some other boards.   

@edwinemora My girlfriend Tica isn't patriotic at all! What a pity! She says it is a s.hole and the only thing that may attract others is nature. Can't argue based on my experience. People here when defining the price for their services consider me a rich idiot. I never realized thay I can make such an impression. So, their "ojos verdes" drive the price. However, I had to explain her that Canada is converting into an even worse s.hole, so we'll better stay here for now, especially when we have land and are going to build a house. Yes, either one adjusts to this culture (or rather mentality) or leave. My main magnet here is golfo Dulce and the new way of thinking is to ignore all!

Hello everyone,

Please note that the New Members thread is dedicated to the Introduction of new members.

Should you want to discuss about Costa Rica, you may consider opening a new thread on the Costa Rica forum.

Thank you in advance

Bhavna

Hello Everyone,

My name is Steven and I'm from the DFW Texas area. Last week I spent a few days driving around San Jose, Escazu area to see if it's a good fit for a moving date of September 11th to Costa Rica. My plan is to find a 3 month fully furnished place first before committing to a year's lease. Today I'm in the Guanacaste area for a few days checking out the beaches. As a retiree of American Airlines and the US Navy, I'm looking forward to the adventures ahead in Costa Rica. 

Hello Steven, welcome on board !

That's the right way to go before renting long term.

Feel free to participate on existing threads of the Costa Rica forum or to open your own thread should you need any info.

all the very best

Bhavna

@Henrych - so sorry for delay, this got missed somehow. Here is our website for your review: *** We hope to help those looking to move, as well as those already in country.

@stevendsmallwood - welcome!  Have you found your place?

Hello! My name is Lauren. I have lived in Monteverde for two years, working as a teacher. I had decided to move to San Ramon, but the specific plan I had seems to have fallen through. I'm considering other places in the central valley. I'm here to learn more about living in the country and to connect to people.

Thanks!

Marcia and I have lived outside Grecia for eighteen years. If there's anything we can help with, you need only ask.

***

@pjPuraVida Not yet, I've stop looking until the end of August, first of September.

@pjPuraVida My husband and I are very interested in the Atenas area. Likes? Dislikes?

@Julien I'm not here looking for help. I'm here to help. I've lived in Costa Rica 33 of the past 42 years. I've read some of the threads. For example, the threads advising people about visas, plane tickets, etc. Everyone advises differently. Virtually no one knows what they're talking about.

Gringos and Latinos both do the same thing when it comes to the topic of visas and traveling. Everyone is born with magical legal thinking and is only too willing to tell you, advise you about the law regarding questions of immigration, visas, airline policies etc. And nobody knows the first thing about what they're talking about. Nobody reads the simple laws clearly given on government (Costa Rica) websites. No one has enough experience to give advice. It's a cluster hump.

Someone from Canada introducing themselves as an 'immigration attourney'. Saying, "I'm not here to advertise myself, but....". And then advertising themselves. Its a joke. There is no such thing as an 'immigration attourney'. It's just an 'attorney'. A lawer. There's no specialty in law. This isn't a children's hospital where doctors specialize.

Then, there's real estate, other threads. Just as ridiculous. The blind leading the blind. It's always been like that in Costa Rica. I've watched this nonsense for 42 years.

The English speakers who so generously insist that thier opinion is the end all be all don't even speak Spanish and know nothing. The local who speaks English knows squat about traveling on a northern passport.

Blah, blah...

@Marie Victoria14 You are right except the quality of CR laws. They are maybe somewhat clear but often don't function unless  a lawyer (an honest one) is involved, however good luck finding an honest one though. You can't make a step without a lawyer here. I've experienced quite a few situations when government bureaucrats bluntly ignored the exiting laws (many of which aren't thought over) and only personal visit or relationships can help. This is a very 3rd world, so, get adjusted folks...

@Marie Victoria14 Hello and welcome on board !

I would like to add that we are an online "mutual aid" forum. Members share infos from their personal experience most of the time. It can go from casual conversations, to debates to of course as you pointed out "advertising".

The forum is a valuable source for support and information and we are grateful to our dear members for taking the time to participate, to help and try to guide in the best possible way they can.

We are not an alternative to immigration services neither want to replace them. Members should contact immigration services to verify information they have gathered.

Regards

Bhavna

Hello fellow members. 

I am born and raised in Canada of Italian origin.  A decade ago, internet related business had me relocate to Costa Rica for tax purposes.  Initially it took some time to forget the rhythm of execution of back home and eventually understand the cadence of things in Costa Rica.  Seeing friends and family back home, I could not be happier that I learnt how to live in Costa Rica.  Currently I am building out a series of sandwich shops in the San Jose area with one menu item; a Angus Panini Sandwich.  I started May 2023 with my first location and in process of opening up a second location which will be complete by the end of September 2023.

It is a pleasure to join here and help contribute on sharing past mistakes and experiences to avoid other expats future ones !

@carnevida Hello and welcome on board !

Thank you for your help, it is very much appreciated.

Feel free to have a look a the threads of the Costa Rica forum .

All the best

Bhavna

@Julien I have multiple chemical sensitivities and was wondering if there are any facilities, housing, for mcsers. That would include no fragrances, pesticides or solvents, and safe building materials. Is organic food available in the stores?  What are the policies regarding insecticide, herbicide and other pesticides spraying?