Traveling This Blog

To read A Broad In Costa Rica from the beginning, start here: 1rst Costa Rica post. At the top of the page, you'll see the previous post on the left and the next-in-sequence post on the right. Keep clicking the right one and you can read the posts in order. (The previous posts are about the hurricanes that batted us about just before the move!)

Comments

[Nile]

Hi Saratica

Thanks a ton for your both informative and often hilarious blog. A longer stay in Costa Rica is definitely on the cards for my family and me in 2008. Still haven't made up my mind whether it'll just be a really long summer vacation or in fact a proper escape for a year or longer. (We live in London and to say we're a bit fed up with it it is a major understatement). I know you mentioned somewhere that you guys were looking into applying for residency. I was wondering how that's been working out for you. Is it as daunting a process as it sounds? Have you had to do these infamous 'border runs' ever since you came to Costa Rica to stay legal?
Thanks for all your help.

All the best to you and your family..

nile

[Saratica]

We did apply for residency, but since we applied, the amount to hold in a cd for five years has gone up dramatically (it would be $180k for my family now!!!) The paperwork is a pain in the butt, but manageable. We worked with www.arcr.net but there are lots of companies that do this. They basically hold your hand thru the process.

If you are coming for a trial period, I would just do border runs. You can go to Nicaragua for under $500 for your 3 days. Lots of people go to Bocas del Toro Panama and we'd like to do that one day, but haven't yet.

If you are fed up, why not try this for a year? If you can afford it, you have nothing to lose and so much to gain. Even if you go back... pura vida, Nile!

[nora]

Hello,
I am so excited to read your blog. We are moving to Costa Rica next month for one year, from Southern California.
Thanks for all of the great info on your site.
Nora

[Saraticaf]

Hi Nora - You are in for the time of your life! Welcome!!!

[Cara]

This site speaks to my heart and is an invaluable source of information. My husband and I left Key West two years ago after losing everything in Wilma and, during the resounding depression afterward, feeling like we were just treading water after 5 years on the rock. We moved to another island on the East Coast, and though we miss Key West terribly, have since reproduced. Now - rather than look back toward KW - we have set our sites on Costa Rica with a moving date of November 2010. I'm requesting suggestions, having never been, for a few non-touristy towns that will be safe and convenient for our year old daughter. We are going to rent a house for four months while we travel around and get a feel for where we really want to be in the long run. I'm worried about air pollution and we don't need the beach really. We love mountains, but want to start in a central local with access to DSL and phone lines, etc. I appreciate your time if you're able to offer information. Having a hard time getting an answer to this precise situation.

[Saratica]

Hi Cara, boy, have I been there!!!! I would recommend renting here in Escazú just because you will have the least culture shock for your initial period. That's me. If you want internet, make sure it's at the place you are renting before you move in. There are some great apart-hotels, good place to start. They have everything you need, just move in, then you can travel about from there. Great idea to rent for four months!!!

I don't think air pollution is much of a problem. In the city, you have diesel - gross. Everywhere else, you have to be aware of people burning their trash. There is some nasty shit burned here! I've taken to closing my windows when I smell a fire. Who knows what crap I've inhaled over the past couple of years?

But I think for the most part, the air is pretty clean. Not much industry, just buses, trucks and planes. I could be wrong on this - maybe there's something going on I'm not aware of, but that's my perception.

Are you a member of the Costa Rica Living yahoo group? Join that - try not to ask too many questions at first, just lurk and read. You'll learn a lot! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CostaRicaLiving/

Good luck. Thanks for reading, keep asking questions. Sometimes I don't answer right away, but I keep the questions I can't get to until I can respond. Pura vida!