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The reason I am enlisting advice on the areas first rather than our daughter’s education is because I am more concerned with our family’s safety. We have no problem hiring someone to homeschool our daughter as that may be what we end up needing to do regardless. She has special needs and our original thoughts were to hire someone to homeschool her if private schools were not close enough or met the needs that she requires.
I would like to give my sincere appreciation for everyone who has made suggestions and replied to my post. It really means a lot.
Thanks,
OliviaSafety concerns must be dealt with. Unfortunately, crime is a problem here in some areas.
Again, it depends on what exactly you want in types of weather, hospitals, etc.
And with a special needs student, there may be other concerns/professionals that you may need access too. Very few schools, public or private will offer what she needs. as additional staff members/teachers aids in the classrooms are not usual/common.Costa Rican schools have had special education since 1939, however there is a chronic shortage of qualified professionals to meet the needs of the 75,000 SE students in the country. In the last 5 years there has been a big push to enhance the program. There is even a Special Education Department in the Public Education Ministry that was established in 1968. UCR offers a Masters degree.
As far as private schools it appears American International has a SE program.So I have recieved some really great information from some very delightful people, (special thanks to Bill Knight & Lou & Family) I can say that the communication with everyone, offering their 2 cents and experiences has really made me feel very good about Costa Rica.
San Ramon looks like a great area, we would like to live close to the beach, I have been looking at a very well done website http://www.samarabeach.com This looks like a very gorgeous area along with a lot of ammenties we would find in the States.
Have any of you lived or visited this area and what are your thoughts?Any other suggestions of great communities is always welcomed.
[quote=”Miss O”]So I have recieved some really great information from some very delightful people, (special thanks to Bill Knight & Lou & Family) I can say that the communication with everyone, offering their 2 cents and experiences has really made me feel very good about Costa Rica.
San Ramon looks like a great area, we would like to live close to the beach, I have been looking at a very well done website http://www.samarabeach.com This looks like a very gorgeous area along with a lot of ammenties we would find in the States.
Have any of you lived or visited this area and what are your thoughts?Any other suggestions of great communities is always welcomed.[/quote]
I am living in Houston but planning a move to CR in the near future. I havent experienced the pacific coast in much depth due to the temperature being well above what is comfortable to me. I am certain if I found a place near the ocean, I would need a/c which is expensive with the high electric rates in CR. My preferred temperature range is a low of 60 and a high of 80, so higher elevations in the central valley match my needs best. Atenas area is less humid than San Ramon from my experience but San Ramon is cooler as it is a higher elevation.
I would recommend you visit the Santa Ana area on your trip. With the new highway, the central pacific is about an hour away. The climate is on the warm side of the range that I prefer as is Atenas. But it is close to a lot of infrastructure you might prefer and I always feel safe in there.
The schooling options should be good in this area as well. The major downside is it is a more expensive area than other central valley locations but less so when compared to the pacific coast at least for real estate if not other things as well.
Hope you have a good visit and enjoy CR as much as we have over the past 15 years of visits
[b]Miss O[/b] as you mention you are “…looking at a very well done website” and that is exactly what it is. An advertisement.
Some friends has stated, that around this area, there is ‘excessive and ongoing crime’ and they have lived there for over 10 years.
Areas around San Ramon tends to have has lots of low-lying fog so it is often, very very humid. Beautiful scenery abounds though…when you can see it!If you search this site you will find information about George Lundquist’s tours. I have not done his tour but did the southern add on tour with Jane and Mike. It concentrates on the San Isidro area. I think it is a little more easy going than George’s part of the tour and we just traveled in two 4wd’s – they really tried to tailor to our interests. Also Jane rents small apartments and is very connected to the gringo and costa rican communities there. We enjoyed the tour and the area – but do not have children so cannot comment on schools. If you are not wedded to the central valley it might be worth doing the add on tour to see if that area captures your interest.If you google George, you will find info on his site about his tours and the southern add on tour. The regular tour would likely be too much for your child but you could ask if they could tailor something that your daughter could stand.
My fiance really wants to live on or near the Pacific coast. We have map of C.R. and he circled the Guancaste & Gulf of Nicoya area for his first choice for us to visit. It’s every town from Golfo de Papagayo all the way down to Tambor.
I circled the San Ramon, Atenas, Grecia, Palmares towns and for the coast Jaco, Play Hermosa, Manuel Antonio but I do like what I’ve read and seen of Samara Beach also.
Now knowing that all of you have your choice areas; with that said, if anyone has any advice on areas and towns that I can mark off the list or ones that are better than others that would be great. Obviously, we will not be visiting every town on the Pacific but as far as beach towns, my focus is finding one with a strong community.Every one of the places is different. Sounds like you first should go to Samara and see that part of the coast. Staying there for a month should give you a good flavor of the heat and what is available in a beach community. For the central valley, of course I prefer Grecia, but I have been in Atenas (a bit hot for me) Palmares (great craftsmen there but not many gringos) and San Ramon (brilliant views but much cooler). For me, Jaco, Playa Hermosa, and Manuel Antonio have their own distinctions but are not primary places to settle. Much of this boils down to: what do you think are your daily plans if you move here. Will you and fiance be working somehow? Will you be traveling much? What do you mean by strong community? Focusing on location is important, but what other items are important?
[quote=”GreciaBound”] Much of this boils down to: what do you think are your daily plans if you move here. Will you and fiance be working somehow? Will you be traveling much? What do you mean by strong community? Focusing on location is important, but what other items are important?[/quote]
Daily plans, probably wouldn’t be much different than our daily plans here…Sunny days by the pool or beach, grocery shopping, finding a teacher to home school our daughter, yard work…ect. As for work, we are retired and as you are aware we wouldn’t be able to work legally in C.R. until we recieve permanent residence so that isn’t an issue for the first 5 years. As for what I mean by Strong Community, is that I would like for us to be somewhere that is friendly, that the neighbors look out for eachother. Somewhere that we are able to be involved with locals and other expats live.One of the main things to check when you visit the beach towns is the availability of fresh produce, especially on the peninsula.
[quote=”costaricafinca”]One of the main things to check when you visit the beach towns is the availability of fresh produce, especially on the peninsula.[/quote]
Is there a lack of fresh produce in the beach town markets?On the peninsula, yes, according to friends who live near Nosara. Around the other more populated beach towns it isn’t a problem.
[quote=”Miss O”]My fiance really wants to live on or near the Pacific coast. We have map of C.R. and he circled the Guancaste & Gulf of Nicoya area for his first choice for us to visit. It’s every town from Golfo de Papagayo all the way down to Tambor.
I circled the San Ramon, Atenas, Grecia, Palmares towns and for the coast Jaco, Play Hermosa, Manuel Antonio but I do like what I’ve read and seen of Samara Beach also.
Now knowing that all of you have your choice areas; with that said, if anyone has any advice on areas and towns that I can mark off the list or ones that are better than others that would be great. Obviously, we will not be visiting every town on the Pacific but as far as beach towns, my focus is finding one with a strong community.[/quote]I like the view of the coast but to be higher elevation so cooler temps. I have been searching the last ridge before the land drops down to the ocean. I am focused on west of Aetnas currently. There are some smaller towns along that ridge. With the new toll way this area is not too far from the coast for my needs but might be for your finance’s desires. My concern is if its cool enough for me. I know a few places where you can see the pacific coast while in the mountains and where you have a view of lights in the towns along the coast at night too. Good luck.
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