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Please" Playa Hermosa / Jaco

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DesertRats
  9/4/2017 21:59 EST

Hey all...
We will be in Play Hermosa on the 2nd, 3rd & 4th, Lake Arenal on the 5th, Play De Coco the 6, 7 & 8 and in Jaco on the 9th, 10, 11th of October. We are very seriously considering retirement in CR. we would love to meet some Expats (any nationality) but English speaking please that would like to enjoy drinks & conversation that can provide the ups & downs with personal experiences. reading blogs and books don't cut it..

We don't intend to live on small change but want to make the most of what we have.

We have lived abroad before but Australia is not quite CR:):)

Had ENOUGH OF US POLiTICS, US BS political correctness. ALL lives matter damn it!

Please respond.

Patrick & Linda

NothingButNet
  9/5/2017 06:22 EST

Patrick & Linda, there is no paradise on earth. Yes, U.S. politics suck, but Costa Rica government ineptness mixed with a dozen political parties that agree on very little will also drive you mad.

I suppose you could move to a remote area of CR without TV or internet so you won't be bombarded with all the daily BS you mentioned. But then, you could live off the grid in any country...

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DesertRats
  9/5/2017 10:15 EST

Thanks or the reply.
I've been involved in multi-state & international business management and really want to get away from it. Tico politics don't worry me since they don't have an major impact in the overall world, no army or anyone wanting to bomb them.

Actually it is a lifestyle change we are looking for. Hiking, fishing, at least semi affordable beach proximity, walking to markets and slowing things down. Perhaps making some like minded freinds, sharing old & new BS over a drop O wine..

Roseanna
  9/5/2017 10:42 EST

yeah we moved from Oregon here because got sick of the political bs that started dividing America and segregating us in to white or black or Hispanic ... republican or democrat fighting... Here in CR we tend to live by....Live and let live pura vida... If ya want to see people on the west coast side it is nice over here too... I am in Uvita. We speak English and are learning Spanish... albe it slowly but learning.

LongHammer
  9/5/2017 15:11 EST

It is said that Costa Rica abolished the military to use funds for health and education. But the reality of it was in 1948, it was obvious of the military might of a few countries. A military in such a small, minor population country with not much wealth could not really fight much of anyone. So a military would amount to a band and a red carpet to simply greet any invader and hope to strike up some friendly deal. Worked well for nearly the past 70 years.

carolvaughn
  9/5/2017 15:41 EST

Whoa! This is both untrue and ununder-standable. Where did you get
your information on this subject??

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Chucklesg
  9/5/2017 16:42 EST

"cause he's a know-it-all!

mzseptember
  9/5/2017 19:08 EST

It always gives me a chuckle when someone says they want to leave the US because of politics, us against them, etc. I work in a physician's office where a lot of our patients are world travelers. Those that visit CR always tell the most wonderful stories extolling the beauty and culture of the country and there people. After 7 years only one couple did not like CR out of hundreds. They said they will never visit CR again because the Ticos/Ticas only speak Spanish. They were so rude speaking Spanish. The majority of the people who live there are Ticos/Ticas. And there were hardly any Americans. There were some Brits and some Canadians. The couple stated there stay was made miserable by "those" people. If you are looking for a singular experience like your neighborhood maybe you should stay where you will be comfortable. Just my opinion..

lindyluvsCR
  9/5/2017 19:36 EST

MzSeptember - Amen! The kind of couple you are talking about needs to stay in US or wherever they were from.

I believe it is so rude to come to Costa Rica and not learn Spanish. To just go in the stores and blurt out English like it is the only language on earth.

DesertRats
  9/5/2017 20:09 EST

We are feeling a bit misunderstood. Although my command of spanish is not completely fluent I can get by well enough. Many of my employees & friends over the years have been Mexican, Indian,Vietnamese and middle Eastern. I have assisted several to get citizenship in the US. I also can communicate in a couple of other languages.

We are not going to leave the US just because of politics though the onslaught of political correctness may be a good reason.:)

We have "survived" :) outside the US before and if Costa Rica meets our expectations with friendly people, reasonable cost of living, good fishing, perhaps a golf course or two I am sure we will make friends with Tico / Tica and expats alike . Hell I may even be the only one legged surfer some people have ever seen and the mossies have less flesh to bite.!

As long as people have a sense of humor we love them all.

shermanwc
  9/6/2017 10:18 EST

DesertRats, I'm not sure why mzseptember thinks that because you want to talk to someone who speaks English to learn more about CR living, that must mean you won't learn Spanish and try to communicate with locals as well when living here.

I do agree with others that moving to CR just to get away from US politics is not a good reason by itself, but it sounds like you do have other reasons that are common for people moving to CR.

It is good that you are doing an exploratory trip. Continue to read as much as you can online and in Expat boards, but "feet on the ground" is still the best way to learn. If you find an area you like, take another trip to visit for an extended period and rent a condo so you can cook at home - to get a feel for daily living. Avoid doing many tourist activities to get a feeling for daily living.

Each town will have its own "vibe" and only you can find the vibe that you like.

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DesertRats
  9/6/2017 13:02 EST

ShermanWC;
Thanks for the kind reply. We have a good friend from Arizona that bought a small hotel & restaurant on the beach in Playa Hermosa and he's only 36. We have been doing research on every aspect of Costa Rica since I decided to slow down a bit a year ago. My wife does not speak any spanish yet but she will.

Should we see what we think we will after a couple more trips (this being our first) we will likely buy a managed investment property and make the move in a couple of years.

You advice is along the path we planned. First trip in October to see the rainy season. We plan to be back in January / February for 3 - 4 weeks and take it from there.

I try to get all of the insight I can before making a big decision. IT takes all kinds of different people to make a world interesting:)

mzseptember
  9/6/2017 14:40 EST

Shermanwc if you read my post correctly, I did not say desertrats did not speak Spanish nor did I mention his/her Costa Rican experience. I did state the reaction the couple who was my patients did not enjoy their visit to Costa Rica because of an assinine reason. I just advise desertrats Costa Rica is not the good old USA. If they want an enjoyable experience they need to keep and open mind to a new experience.

shermanwc
  9/6/2017 14:54 EST

mzseptember, perhaps your wording could have been better - in your last sentence of the previous post, you stated: " If you are looking for a singular experience like your neighborhood maybe you should stay where you will be comfortable."

That sounded like you were talking to DesertRats, as you were writing a response to their post - but perhaps you meant a "global you" referring to people in general?

DesertRats
  9/6/2017 15:01 EST

MZSeptember / ShermanWC;
I guess I took it wrong as well. We are, like some of those of you that have "been there / done that" looking to make acquaintances on line and perhaps in person to get "the real story".

We have always "fit in" where ever. We spend considerable time in Mexico and although don't want to live there have made many friends with locals where we have been made welcome in some of their homes and they in ours.

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