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Hey Scott,
I first want to tell you that I truely have enjoyed your web site and your book too. I am writing because, like you I fell in love with costa rica years ago and have been wanting to move there for quite some time, infact I also fell in love with a tica too, which since then have brought her to the states and now have three children. My question to you is how to make a living in a third world country and yet not being able to speak hardly any spanish? is it possible? I am a resturant supervisor and a photographer-(hobbie). could you please help me? please tell me what you think,
thank you,
scott talbotWell Scott, many of us might be in the same situation. Some questions have to be answered first.
Are you married to this tica? If so, it makes getting residency much easyer. You will also be able to get a work permit because you are married to a tica.
Do you travel to Costa Rica for your wifes family? I know this helps alot just on learning spanish it has helped me because I have to learn it to interact with my wifes family. They really have pushed me the greatest to learn because they want to include me!
How ever most employers want and need you to speak spanish if you are going to work for a Costa Rican company still the natural language of Costa Rica is spanish and isn’t going to change anytime soon. hahaa
I have been married to a tica for the last five years, my wife and I have just found out that my wife is exspecting our first child! This has change our future goals a lot because now it has speeded up the time frame for us to move back to CR, since we want our children to live next to her family. So I do understand what your question is how to make a living in CR! First I would have to say is learn spanish! Second start net working with her family! Third look at all the posibilitys like self employment or different careers, because resturant supervisors dont get paid a lot and they have a lot of ticos going for those jobs. Another issue that you will come across is that a lot of employers will discriminate against you because you are a gringo!
In our case we are lucky because my wife dose have a job opertunity with a international organization that she worked for before she left CR. How ever for myself I am thinking self employment is the way!
There are definitely too many ‘Scott’s on this websire
PS. Thank you for your compliment Scott and Scott, you should take notice of what Scott said because it’s just about what this Scott would have said.
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.comwell, thank you scott and scott for your input, and thats some what of what I expected, so I better learn spanish now. But I do have one other question, considering some of my skills in the job market, what or do you think there is something I can contribute there in costa rica or in other words, is there a shortage in some type of job field?
again, thank you for your response,
scott talbotScott T,
You may be a good candidate for employment at a resort or hotel that has a restaurant. Owners of remote hotels may be interested in you for a general management position as well, although their very remoteness demands quite a change in lifestyle. As a Gringo you have an edge in the tourism industry, because you’ll understand your clients better than a Tico. Prospective employers will recognize this. However, Spanish will also be required to enable you to supervise your Tico staff.
On the side, Costa Rica is a nature photographer’s wet dream.
How old are your kids, and where does your wife’s family live? If you want to live close to your in-laws, this will impact your employment prospects. If your kids are older (coming up on high school age), the availability of good schools will be another factor.
If your lifestyle is lavish, you’ll be disappointed. The pay will barely get you by. Also, it may take a while to land a job, so you’ll need money to live on in the meantime.
Truth be told, with a wife and 3 kids depending on you, you’re taking a big risk. Unless you have some substantial savings or revenue flow in dollars from the US, your economic situation in CR, even with gainful employment, will probably be precarious. If you and your kids are still young, it might be a great adventure, after which you’ll still have the opportunity to make your way back to the States in time to gather up your nest egg for the kids’ college and your own retirement. That’s basically where I’m at now.
It seems to me that most people visiting this site are either retiring or have older kids that they’ll leave behind when they make the move to CR. Moving with kids opens up a whole new can of worms. As I said, when they’re young, it’s easier. But as they grow, new concerns arise. These are primarily:
1. Am I limiting my children’s professional potential by remaining in CR?
2. Am I limiting my ability to successfully retire by remaining in CR?
Unfortunately, the answer to both questions, at least for me and my Tica wife, was YES.
As such, we’ve since moved back to the States. When I feel we have enough to make a go of it again down there (as a retiree), we’ll once again confront concern #1.
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