Many aspects of functioning in Costa Rica require that a person or entity be qualified to obtain services or do business in Costa Rica. As a simple example; to obtain a cell phone line and number in Costa Rica the applicant must be: a) a Citizen, b) a Resident or c) a Costa Rica Corporation. If you are not a Costa Rica citizen or resident, setting-up a Costa Rica corporation with yourself as the principle is the least expensive way to get started in many aspects of Costa Rica living. For the one-time reasonable cost of approximately $450.00 you can have [View Full Entry]

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If you are going to live or spend allot of time in Costa Rica, you will more than likely appreciate having a cell phone. Unlike many other countries, Costa Rica does not allow private companies to operate cell phone systems. In Costa Rica you have one source for cell phone lines or numbers - Costa Rica's own Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad or ICE (pronounced - "E-say"). "Grupo ICE" consists of three divisions; ICE and RACSA (Radiográfica Costarricense) provide the sometimes overlapping services of landline phones, cellular phones and Internet while CNFL (Compañía Nacional de Fuerza y Luz) provides electric service. Types [View Full Entry]

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Costa Rica Holy Week: Easter Cowboys (or Vaqueros Tico) This week was Easter or Holy Week in Costa Rica. Like Christmas, most of the country was shut down as Tico's headed for the Pacific or Caribbean/Atlantic beaches, gathered with friends and family and even headed for destinations outside the country for vacations at the likes of Disney World in Florida! Our new home of Las Nubes de Coronado is located inland within the mountains to the east of the Costa Rica Central Valley and its capital of San Jose. We are surrounded by dairy farms (fincas), cattle, etc. Having just gotten [View Full Entry]

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Finding a truly bilingual grade school (primary school) in Costa Rica that is both good and affordable can be a challenge. I have a nine year old son that although he is a native Costarricense, only speaks English because he has been living in the United States since he was three years old. A big part of my decision to move to Costa Rica was my desire to have my son receive a good bilingual education so that he will have more options later in life. In looking for bilingual Costa Rica primary schools I spent many, many hours researching. I [View Full Entry]

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I am experiencing Costa Rica from the ground-up - literally. Due to my semi-remote location and the fact that I don't yet have a car means I am putting my soles to the ground and hoofing it up and down a mountainside in search of daily necessities. During my first week, all of my time from waking to sleeping was spent taking care of little things to make a new house and location feel like home. We are living in Las Nubes de (the clouds of ) Coronado, Costa Rica. To get to our location; start in the Central Valley of [View Full Entry]

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Costa Rica Pictures from February 2008 have been posted online featuring 2 albums: 1. A small album containing a few pictures from our relocation flight from Chicago to San Jose, Costa Rica 2. A larger album of pictures showing our new home in Las Nubes de Coronado, San Jose, Costa Rica. My good friend John has extended us the use of his beautiful home until his return ... Junior and I are anxious to make the house and the country of Costa Rica our home. We hope you enjoy the photos! Full link: http://bienvenidoscostarica.dotphoto.com [View Full Entry]

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Moving day... Fact: there is absolutely no adequate preparation for moving to a new country. Sunday, February 24th, 2008 was my moving day from the Chicago area to Costa Rica. The finality of the situation did not really weigh on me until my day was almost finished. When I realized what I had done, the panic was not so much acute as it was; what the hell have I just done to myself. Where was my safety net?! I spent all day Saturday, February 23rd, 2008 packing. Trying to fit my life into four (4) checked bags. Current airline rules maximize [View Full Entry]

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Now that my relocation from the United States to Costa Rica is eleven (11) days away, the questions regarding my move are regular. For the record: Costa Rica is in Central America, one country North of Panama My move to Costa Rica could be classified as a calculated gamble ... this from a man that doesn't buy lottery tickets or gamble even when staying in Las Vegas. I have been visiting Costa Rica over 7 years, married a Tica and my son is a native Costarricense - my love of Costa Rica includes all it has to offer (topographically, culturally, etc., [View Full Entry]

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