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Scott, we are considering buying some land and building a small home in the Central Valley somewhere between Heredia and La Fortuna after selling the land we bought in Huacas one and a half yrs. ago. My girlfriend and myself along with her three young daughters would like to spend some time exploring the area and renting as you highly suggest in your book. Since the girls are ages 8 – 11 we need to continue some sort of education for them. We are anxious that they learn the culture and language as soon as possible. What type of scenario might exist that would allow us to do a bit of traveling while meeting their educational needs. I don’t feel the need to be closer to San Jose than 1 1/2 hrs. Will we be able to find quality, non emergency,medical care in outlying areas ? Thank you
Hello,
Your plans sound great, until you mention children the ages of your girls. You must remember social life. Yes, children have a need for social life and school is a great part of that. Many people home school, and there is not a problem with that. When you come here just as you will want to establish some social ties, the children will also want to establish some social ties. By doing that, they need to have contact and common interest. Please keep those things in mind or your relationship will not last and you would have just made a move to Costa Rica, spent a lot of money only to develop problems which could have been prevented. We all must get pass that dream and look at reality.
Believe me children at that age have a lot of power. Sure they are young and are not included really in the decisions made about where to live and what to do.
For this surely they depend on your loving and caring guidance. That does not eliminate the fact that they play a major role in the outcome.
What I am saying is not sugar and spice everything nice, but it is reality. If you are a boyfriend, that means you are not a permanent fixture in their lives. Your position is subject to change and they may well be an instrument of that change. Boyfriend, girlfriend, work real well when children are not involved.
With the change in living conditions, social interaction and opportunities, children often feel threatened. Limited mobility, unfamiliar surroundings, foreign language, strange foods, and a non permanent family structure, your stay in Costa Rica as a couple, will be short and sweet.
Now, I know the new modern mode is to have a partner, room mate, significant other, these are all temporary positions, which are subject to change. Children feel threatened, they have no security and now to capitalize that by moving to a foreign country and a culture totally different then their own can cause major problems.
Of course you have thought all of that out and your circumstances will be different. My suggestion is that it will not matter where you go, because you will be moving again. You are not in a permanent situation. Unless your relationship is unmovable and unshakeable, if you purchase property it will be up for sale within a few years.
You can take it to the bank. Stop dreaming and face reality. What you will actually be doing is taking kids out of school and going on a long vacation. It is amazing how people can make these life time decisions without commitment and involve children in the scenario.
Where I will disagree with the previous post is that, you are making a whole lot of assumptions and stating them as facts. You obviously think this couple should be living your version of a stable life style. Of course you are entitled to what ever opinion you wish, but your opinion does not make their life, your reality. You are generalizing about almost every aspect. You kept bringing up reality, well the reality is it can and does work for some people. If this couple is mature and responsible and take everything into consideration then it could very well turn into an incredible experience for the kids as well as themselves. An education that money really can’t buy. Please realize that you do not have the right to dictate to this couple what maturity and responsibility is, or the definition of the two. Again, your opinion is nothing more than your version of reality. I will not argue against the fact that much of what you bring up is advice worth considering. You make many excellent points and bring up a few things this couple may not have thought of and need to consider and plan for. It is not fair of you to guarentee failure for this couple and that is what your statements do. You say they will be doing nothing more than taking a long vacation and basically ruining the lives of the children and you guarentee that if they buy property they will be selling it within a few years. Your statements at the end of your post are very condescending.
Now, onto the questions asked by Westside. First off I would say that you do have to consider in order to do what you are planning it will have to involve a scenario of homeschooling the girls for that first 6 months to a year. I see nothing wrong with taking kids out of formal school for a period of time and homeschooling them while giving them a life experience and education that money and formal education can’t buy. I won’t make the assumption that you are not mature enough to handle this decision. The thing with homeschooling is that you have to take it seriously and it isn’t for everyone, nor is it as easy as some people think it is. There is a lot of great homeschool material available that if you plan ahead could be an awesome experience for the girls. One of the beauties of homeschooling is being able to incorporate every day life into the studies. The geography, biology, social studies possibilities that could be incorporated while living and traveling here are endless.
A major part of success or failure is finances. Your post does not mention your financial situation and it isn’t any of our business. Consider though that if you are still in a position in your life where you have to generate income, you can not move to Costa Rica and legally get a job. You can own and operate a business, but that is a whole nother subject and issues. If money is not an issue,then that is a big hurdle you won’t have to jump over, or an issue that would contribute to this not working out for you guys.
If after 6 months to a year you decide this is for you, then there are great communities with good private schools where the girls can continue their formal education, social development, etc.
What I have told so many people in the last two years since moving here ourselves is “don’t let other people steal your dream”. The fact that there are children is the major thing to consider and plan for, but it doesn’t exclude you from being able to do what you are planning and making it a success for all of you.
Ciao from Sicily! My husband and three young children and I are currently stationed here and have just started researching the possibility of moving to CR once he completes his tour (another year and a half).
dkt2u, I appreciated your post in response to westside’s request for information but I was wondering if you would clarify one thing? You say that you cannot move to Costa Rica and legally get a job. Not even for an American firm?! We will need some income while we work on setting up our own little entrepreneurial venture…
westside, I wish you and your girlfriend and her children much luck. We are preparing to face many skeptics (family among them!) who think that everyone’s life should fit neatly into the program they are most comfortable with. If I may be so bold as to offer a little advice, I would recommend that you find two or three restaurants or cafés that you enjoy with the kids and frequent them. We felt like such gypsies in the beginning of our time in Sicily but our oldest was able to feel connected because she knew the familiar faces of a handful of spots. Doing this helps with language development and intercultural skills AND there is a good chance that the restaurant owners and staff will have kids anxious to make some new friends!
There are many books on homeschooling out there. Take a look at TEACH YOUR OWN by John Holt (considered the father of homeschooling) and Patrick Farenga. Is there a better classroom in the world than Costa Rica??!!
I am anxiously awaiting more posts with answers to your questions as we will be on a similar journey soon. All the best!
Edited on Jan 22, 2007 12:14
Sicily…..what a great adventure for your family. I wish you great success there and with your future dreams.
In regards to the employment question, I was speaking in general terms as to the labor laws here in Costa Rica. I am definitely not an expert and there will most likely be others that can fill in the blanks as to the possibilities and options you might have, but I believe they are slim when it comes to being able to come down here and find employment. There are American firms operating here. However from most people I have talked to they may only have a handful of their own people that they brought from the states. I believe with most companies such as Intel which is the largest US firm here that the vast majority of even management are Tico. I say this as second hand knowledge, so again, hopefully there will be others here that know first hand. I believe though that companies whether foreign owned or not still have to operate under the same laws as your small Mom and Pop business, where under the law in most cases you can only hier Tico’s. I believe in most cases you are not even allowed to work in your own business. You can own it and manage it, but you can’t work behind the counter, waitress, cook, etc. etc.
It is so true what you say about the skeptics. We experienced the same, but mostly from friends. The family on both sides were cautiously optomistic I guess is the best way to put it. One of our best friends while having dinner with us the last few nights before we moved down here said “I really admire what you guys are doing, it takes guts, and I could never do it.” Well 6 months later having kept in touch with us and continually checking out our website and following our adventure they started realizing they might have some options. Long story short. With in another 7 months they had sold their business in California, have been here 4 or 5 times, purchased property and are starting on a beautiful home in the mountains with a view from Esterillos all the way to Manuel Antonio. Most people just never think outside the box. Best of luck to you and your family.
In general, a non-Costa Rica may not compete for a job with a Costa Rican citizen. In order to work, you must obtain a work permit, which is not guaranteed and which hardly happens overnight. And part of that process entails demonstrating that no Costa Rican is available to fill the opening. I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.
I have to second the last two posts! If you look at the CR embassy web site you will find the requirments. In CR it dose not matter where the company’s orgin is from (North American, Canada, what ever)You have to have a work permit to make money if you are not a citizen of CR. If you want a work permit under the Temp works catigory you will have to show that as stated in the previous post. The employer will have to write a letter stating why a Ticos job is being replaced by a foreginer. The only other way to get a work permit is to be married to a Costa Rican or a citizen of CR.
Even after you get a work permit, don’t think that most Tico companys will give you a open arms welcome and hire you before a tico! Many companys will be protective of Ticos jobs.
This topic has been addressed before extensivly maybe scott could have a link to the embassy rules regarding work permits?
The best option is to become self employeed!
Edited on Jan 22, 2007 08:03
Thanks to all of you! We are still early in the research phase but it is good to have our eyes wide open. I am a writer by passion and profession and would love to make a great living at it however we’re just not there yet. We will need to have other income so the search begins! My husband will be getting out of the military after 12 years of service in logistics and has an MBA but we are thinking self-employment is going to be our best (if not ONLY) option.
Lotusmama: Nothing in life worth having is ever easy. I remember wanting to relocate to California from NYC and I heard so much negitivity from family and friends at the time. I can’t imagine what I would have heard if I wanted to relocate to Costa Rica back then. I am certain of this anything that you want is doable with proper research and planning so let the ney sayers speak their piece and go for that which you and your husband believe will make you happy. My father may he rest in peace was born and raised in Brooklyn NY and he believed that was the only place in the entire universe to live and work. He didn’t travel very much until his later years and remained in the same area till his death. I guess that may explain why I have this gypsy spirit and have traveled the globe and relocated many times pre children and even a couple of times after my children were born. I did all I have done without regret the only driving factor was I believed it was the best thing for me and my family at the time. Best of luck in whatever you decide.
Lotus,
If you husband is in logistics, ask him to get a hold of the U.S. embassy in CR. If you want some more info you can email me since I will be doing a short tour there in August to October I have found some connections that might help.
scottbenson@hotmail.com
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