Good for you! Greetings from So. California....
My husband and I took our three boys to Costa Rica a year ago in September, and we can't wait to go back. What a trip that was for all of us! Some of the places you have mentioned were places we had gone. The Crocodiles, Playa Herradura, Los suenos and we stayed two nights at the Martino hotel in Alejuela and many more. All we talk about now is how and when we will move to Costa Rica. I can only hope that we can make it a reality! Best of luck to you...
Bob and Char Theilman
City Mouse, Country Mouse That's a children's play I did years ago in Key West... Let's see: who should I play???? Alas, I've always been a city girl. If I could afford Manhattan, I'd have an apartment there in, well, a New York minute! I love the country, the quiet, the scenery. That is why I like Costa Rica - even in the city here, it's still country! But not like San Ramon - it is so beautiful there! When I need a fix, I will come to you. When you all need city fixin's, come to me, ok?
OH - Don Fernando. As you come down the main road past Tony Roma's, you get to Scotiabank and bear right. You will come to a tall older mall on the left - can't think of the name of it, but one of the main signs reads "Don Fernando's" and there is a movie theatre on the lower level. At the far end, there is an underground parking lot. It's 400 or 500 colones to park there but you aren't paying a guard or having to search for a place to park. Let me know if you find it - great place!!!
See you mid-December - we are in Florida now, heading to Key West today. Pura vida, Jen and gang!
Terry, Glad to hear you're still in! You call us or we'll call you ... we need to talk about stuff like uh, where and how to get 0 degree sleeping bags and such.
It's time to get in shape! Read your article and the climb up the mountain sounds challenging. We can make it though, right Bill? Now the road over, that sounds more challenging than the climb! About 6 weeks to get into shape. Guess I'll start tomorrow.........
VICKI !!!! How the heck are you???? I'm so glad you found time to spend on the site. Whether you realize it or not I think of all of you at the school often and am thankful for the challenges it presented. I hope more people use it as a safe place to challenge ideas and step out of their comfort zones. The rewards are/ can be heavenly! Hugs to you and the family.
Encouraging words greatly appreciated Thanks Costabellena! Sometimes my words worry the family but in the end they agree what I'm doing is right even if it can be uncomfortable. Reader comments keep me going when the outside world overwhelms me. I'm thankful for each and every comment made as I know it means that person had to step out of their own comfort zone to write as well.
Thanks KC What a different world it would be if each and every person just took responsibility for themselves and their actions instead of pointing fingers and blaming others. I appreciate your taking time to comment.
You see it like it is! Good for you Jen to see and say it like it is! I, too, can't fathom ex-pats on entended tourist visas, iilegal to say the least, exploiting Costa Rica in the name of the almighty dollar. Can you imagine the baby-boomers visiting CR in the near future and looking for their piece of paradise? Every Tom, Dick, Harry and whoever will be on the frontline trying to bait their fish. Not only will they make a ton of CASH escorting the BBs around but they risk also to make a nice commission or profit on land they bought for peanuts from a Tico farmer or Tica widow in her aging years. Buying land at a fair price is questionable! Just read all the real estate websites time to time and it is flagrant to see a parcel of land in the Central Valley property for sale for 500,000+, which was formerly a family finca. Unless the developer paid to the owner at least 400,000 of the selling price, well, it's manipulative speculation pure and simple and only creates animosity in the community. It's not a question of being in the right place at the right time but more or less disinheriting Ticos of a just $ value to their property. Why do you think the attitude of Costa Ricans concerning petty theft towards Gringos is not an issue with them? Simply because the Gringos have merited this in one way or another. If being disinherited of a just value or knowing of the many instances by rumour or local gossip, Ticos are not going to sympathize with the situation and sadly, ex-pats who have nothing to do with this are penalized and affected.
All of this is supposedly in the name of making a living! What gives them the right to exploit Costa Rica and the Ticos by selling their land at inflated prices and touring around the country vanting the beauty and the tranquility and paraise found for big $$$? Of course, the answer is always the same, ''we are creating jobs in the community''. Certainly, jobs at 800 colones an hour! WOW! Low-end paying jobs such as gardeners, cooks, cleaning ladies created to run their businesses and make even more $$$.
Regulating real estate and tourist businesses laws should be established to eliminate unscrupulous practice. A hefty capital gains tax in real estate transactions, a real estate and tourist business licence for residents only after 5 years of residency and excluding pensionados from working since the first reason they have come to CR is to retire.
In closing, I agree with you on not getting started on the men and the Ticas. That's a Pandora's Box!
Keep up your good perspective and writing!
Couldn't agree with you more ! ! ! Thanks Jen for sharing so much truth! You're wearing blinders? I think it's quite the opposite don't you? Those running helter skelter trying to make another dollar to buy another trinket that they really don't need. Passing the poor and needy on the street without so much as a kind thought for them. Jesus said the second greatest commandment is for us to love our neighbors as ourselves, the first of course is to love God with all our Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength. It's the darkness of this world that has blinded the hearts of mankind. Pura Vida!
reader comments inspire me Thanks Cindy for the compliment but it's my higher power who deserves the credit, I am just a worker bee. I don't preach my faith, I choose instead to be an example of it. Comments like yours help give me the strength and energy to keep writing and living my life the way I do when the outside world tries to force its way in. I've tried living my faith quietly but apparently that isn't the way it's supposed to be. Thank you for supporting and encouraging my way of life.
Frustration revisited and more Jen, I salute and applaud you. I'm not very good with words, but I want to thank you for sharing your heartfelt feelings. You hit the nail on the head EXACTLY. How wonderful it is to know someone who feels the same as I. I feel so out of place and alone living in the US. I can't wait until I get to CR, only then do I feel I can truly open my heart and completely enjoy life. Thank you for being such an inspiration.
Thanks Jose I appreciate your comments. My opinions are based my conversations and dealings with people newer in the area than yourself without the track record you speak of. Unfortunately, there are bad apples in every bunch. It's just the way it is. Those bad apples reflect badly on good guys as well. Perhaps the good guys should band together to to drive the unscrupulous out? My blog is simply one persons opinion perhaps soured by my experiences but none the less a valid opinion. I sincerely appreciate your comments and encourage others who have strong opinions to have their comments published along with mine for blog readers to consider. Something everyone should know if they don't already is that I speak, write honestly from my heart. I welcome the opportunity to share my life's philosophy with anyone who cares to listen. Perhaps then it would be easier for some to understand where I'm coming from in my opinions. Sincerely, Just Jen
Valid Points Jen, you make valid points, but the picture is much bigger and can be quite different from what you say.
I have a small B and B in Alajuela, I built it from the ground up with a lot of hard woirk, and I´m proud to say it´s done well and provides a needed service for a fair price.
I´ve also bought land here in San Ramon and have had a part in building over 17 houses for very nice people who are enjoying life here in their retirement years, in a safe and secure area. The land was bought at a fair price from a local farmer who is still my friend and who has seen how hard I have worked to make his cattle pasture a good place to live. He has seen the caliber of people I have brought to their little community, and who provide employment to a handful of locals who celebrate events with us.
The dozen or more people who are living here because of my activities are but a small fraction of the total population, are quiet and well mannered, and their lifestyles enrich our total community. Most of them are trying to learn Spanish and enrich their own appreciation of Tico culture.
I do not have a lot of money, the activities I do I have to do to make a living, and I hold my head up as I walk through town, knowing I am doing it as well as I can. I run Solo Bueno, an Internet Cafe and Bookstore frequented by the local expats, and I hope you will come by and say hello sometime.
I can understand your sentiments, but most of the bad apples are not in this area.
Of course: if no one can stay in your house during that time, we would love to have Bear here. We'll have at least two dogs by then... it will be like summer camp! Good luck finding someone to stay there - i know that's your first choice. See you!
Frustration Jen, I'm so glad you wrote this. We were there in April, fell in love with Costa Rica and bought a lot from George, whom we dearly love. I feel the same as you about not wanting to let any more people come into the country. ha! I can't help worrying about the bad Americans/Foreigners stripping the innocence from CR and it's people. I just hope what we love does not get ruined by money hungry insensitvive people. Hopefully, the majority will be people like you and the other nice people that have written in this comment column. We will be there permantly in six years (after we retire) and we would love to meet you. Cindy
Honest American Realtors I can say the American Realtors honestly want your money. :) I'm hoping most of the people with the bad attitudes will just move on. By not going to places many of them hang out we really are sheltered from the garbage. We went into "their" territory the other weekend that's why I was fuming. It is possible to stay away from the negative type. We've made some awesome friends from the states here. Great people with great hearts. Keep the faith, we don't want to let "them" win.
We haven't even moved there yet and I was already feeling the way you do. We've noticed so much attention to the area that we thought maybe we were making a mistake...I don't want San Ramon to change into a million dollar tourist trap... it's in jeapordy of becoming the very thing we want to leave behind. I wish something could be done.
We haven't met any honest american realtors to help us and we're getting FRUSTRATED right along with you!!!
Arenal is one of our favorite places This country continues to fascinate us. Baldi was a fav spot until we found Termales del Bosque near San Carlos, no tiles and more natural, not made to look natural. Did you see coati's up there? Our friends just returned from there and saw tons of them. Thanks for reading and commenting.
love costa rica My son and I go to Costa Rica each year to visit with his dad and family. Each year we have the oppurtunity to see a new part of this amazing country. We visited the Baldi Hot Springs this trip(august 2006) I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to everyone. Just make sure you bring a waterproof camera during rainy season because it poured on us part of the day. We are looking forward to our next trip probably in March 2007
Thanks!! Hubby was nervous I'd get tons of negative emails on my rant but I've gotten nothing but support! Thanks for commenting, it means a lot and encourages me to keep writing, the truth as I see it!
Momon chinos Sorry, I still can't eat koosh balls, or pudding... It's a texture thing. Hubby is hesitant now as they are still at the feria but kinda late in the season. He had a couple of bad ones. Did you eat the frog egg, snotty stuff too? Genadina or something like that... they make the chan drink from it. Thanks for commenting!
From the Arizona desert our family (Bill, Jen, Callista 10 and Bear) began a new life adventure in Costa Rica, January 2006. We live near San Ramon de Alajuela. This journal is a way for us to share our adventures with family and friends both old and new. This travel blog is for our travels , our website http://www.anewlifeincostarica.com will give you a glimpse into our lives in Costa Rica. Our photo journals let you see Costa Rica and our lives thru my eyes. http://community.webshots.com/user/jennifsh0701
We look forward to your comments and questions. PURA VIDA!
... full info
Char Theilman
non-member comment
Good for you!
Greetings from So. California.... My husband and I took our three boys to Costa Rica a year ago in September, and we can't wait to go back. What a trip that was for all of us! Some of the places you have mentioned were places we had gone. The Crocodiles, Playa Herradura, Los suenos and we stayed two nights at the Martino hotel in Alejuela and many more. All we talk about now is how and when we will move to Costa Rica. I can only hope that we can make it a reality! Best of luck to you... Bob and Char Theilman