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Here we go, again. Usually we have a few months respite between threads about how bad crime is becoming in Costa Rica. It seems that sjm is so hungry for someone to communicate with, that he likes to start these threads to give him something to do. I guess he’ll be beating on this horse even while the bones lay bleaching in the sun.
It isn’t only sjm. There are several members of the forum who won’t be happy until they scare somebody out of their plans to move down to the pura vida. If it were just a matter of them forewarning CR-bound ex-pats that we have to be especially vigilant, I wouldn’t be so angry. Ex-patriots are more desirable targets than Ticos because we are operating in an unfamiliar culture and, on the average, we have more money. Any Gringo who doesn’t realize this needs to stay stateside.
However, it’s not enough to admit that crime is already a problem and that it is increasing at an alarming rate. These doomsayers want us to declare Costa Rica a no-man’s land. Enter and you die. Some of us believe that we can stay alert and avoid the disastrous pitfalls that have plagued GringoTico. The other side argues that, no matter how many precautions we take or how situationally aware we are, all of our possessions will be stolen the moment we leave our houses to buy groceries. Realistically, I expect that eventually I’ll have some things stolen. Why should Costa Rica be any different than Chicago? But the scenario that GringoTico has painted is obviously hyperbole. If a hundred percent of his Tico acquaintances have had their homes broken into, I wish he’d tell us where he spends his time. I’ll do my best to avoid those neighborhoods.
This thread began by asking for anecdotal evidence of the crime situation in CR. Anecdotal evidence is a pretty low rung on the ladder of proof, but it’s an interesting exercise. I suspect sjm expected quite a few stories of burglaries, punctured tire robberies, and muggings. I confess that I did, too. Surprisingly, the majority of responses were from people who say they have not been robbed. Finally, one response from GringoTico about his experiences is enough to convince sjm that his perceptions are the only valid ones and the rest of us “don’t get it.”
Scott only recently started to add dates to the articles from the home page so I don’t know when the following appeared:
https://www.welovecostarica.com/members/1297.cfm?sd=30
Check out the quote by GringoTico at the bottom of that article. And what the heck, check out the following article as well.
https://www.welovecostarica.com/members/1189.cfm
It was written by GringoTico seemingly before he got so soured on this little country. Read his opening statement to this article. He admits that he’s a chronic complainer. He admits it freely, and I won’t disagree. I’ve seen the evidence. Then his article goes on to say why he loves Costa Rica so much. I guess that all of GringoTico’s misfortunes occurred after he wrote the piece. And yet, he states at the end of his last message that he still wants to retire to Costa Rica, but he would “do it differently.” Obviously GringoTico still believes that Costa Rica is a worthwhile place to live, and that it is possible to avoid being a victim. That’s the attitude that a lot of us on this site have.
Disraeli said that there are three types of lies: “Lies, damned lies, and statistics.” There are so many statistics floating around that you can use them to prove just about any point that you want to make. And if you do it artfully enough, you can convince some shallow-thinking people that you are right. You aren’t especially artful, sjm. I don’t know what you were trying to prove by listing all of those Mexican airports, but it only shows me that you have too much time on your hands. You need to get yourself a hobby. Make some friends. Develop a life other than trying to stir up arguments.. At least wait a couple of months before you start another “crime is endemic in Costa Rica” thread. We can all use a rest.
editer
Okay Lotus and maravilla, I know who I want to hang around with once my house is built in San Isidro. I hope you’re not too far away.
editer
Scott, you occasionally provide surveys for members to show their backgrounds or feelings about topics or issues that are relevant to expats or to people who are considering becoming residents of Costa Rica. I’d be interested in seeing the political leanings of the various forum members. Perhaps you could offer a survey in which we rate ourselves according to five different ranges: far left, center left, center, center right, and far right.
I’m inclined to think that most people who are drawn to a socially-conscious country like Costa Rica would be more left-leaning than conservative. I don’t mean this to be a divisive exercise. There are good and bad people at both ends of the spectrum. I’m just curious to know the different mind sets of non-Ticos who are drawn to the Pura Vida.
editer
moonbanks, I’m one of those left wingers you are so worried about. We know about you and we’re ALL comin’ down to getcha! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, haaah! (maniacal laughter)
editer
So you two lads noticed that “editer” is misspelled. Very good. My nickname for myself is a bit of self-deprecating (look it up) humor that I’ve used for more than ten years. It’s on my car’s license plate. I use “editer” as an ID on various web sites.
I’ve been an educational editor for thirty years, writing and editing student books and teachers’ guides for Language Arts and Social Studies. So I can guarantee you that I do know how to spell “editor.” I’ve worked on projects for pre-school through 12th grade. Of course, the teachers’ guides were written for educated adults. Some of that experience might help me to communicate with you two. I’ll let other forum members speculate as to which end of the spectrum of the experience I’m using.
You both are missing the point of all the people who have responded to your silliness. We all understand that the crime level is rising in Costa Rica, but most of us have weighed the pros and cons and feel that the benefits of moving to Costa Rica outweigh the pitfalls. I’m sure that, like me, most forum members are doing their due diligence. Every day, I read A.M. Costa Rica, Inside Costa Rica, La Nacion, and of course, the welovecostarica forum and articles. I’ve been monitoring these sites (and a bunch more) for about six years. I also receive the Tico Times here in Chicago. If you think that I am a naïve innocent, you’re sorely mistaken.
sjm, you pretty much GUARANTEE that all of my possessions will be stolen shortly after I move to San Isidro. See, that is what makes the average (read “normal”) forum member gag. Why are you two trying to start a panic and why do you both have such a low opinion of Ticos? What percentage of Costa Ricans do you believe are thieves?
soflodoug, you say that you were in San Isidro one time! That makes you an expert…in your eyes. My guess is that someone must have ripped you off while you were there and that has soured you on the area and perhaps on Costa Rica as a whole. That would also explain how you got to talk to the police chief. You went to the police to complain and were told “Si, senor. Crimen esta muy mal in este canton.” I wonder, though. With your predilection for overstatement, perhaps the Police Chief was only a member of the Policia de Transito.
It’s a wonderful thing that you two have found each other. You are so alike in temperament and outlook, I suggest that you two take a page from Scott’s book. Begin a web site called welovepanama or welovepatagonia or weloveiceland. Then you can leave this forum to us poor saps who still feel that Costa Rica is a pretty decent place to live.
Now, I’m going to allow you two cynics to have the last word, because frankly, it’s a chore to read through your tortured grammar and non sequitur arguments. I can usually make out your misspellings. Other than “editer” you won’t find any misspelled words in my messages. I know how to use my spellchecker.
editer
sjm and Soflodoug,
I understand that you two fellows are scared. It’s a scary world, and Costa Rica isn’t heaven on Earth. The first time I visited San Jose in 1971 I caught a kid trying to break into my Ford Bronco. There was crime even then. It doesn’t surprise me that there still is crime in the Pura Vida. It also doesn’t surprise me that the crime rate is increasing although I’ve not had anything stolen during any of my subsequent visits. Crime is increasing in Chicago, where I live. The last figure that I saw was just under thirty school kids have been murdered in my city. That was more than a month ago so I’m sure that the number must be better than thirty now. These are SCHOOL KIDS — high school and grammar school. Every day in the Metro (neighborhood) section of the Chicago Tribune there are at least one or two articles about adults being stabbed to death, shot to death, or beaten to death. Muggings, burglaries, and car thefts are so numerous that the Tribune doesn’t even print them anymore. You have to look in smaller neighborhood newspapers to find the long lists of those offenses.
It might surprise you to know that I love my hometown. I don’t walk the streets in fear or keep myself barricaded in my apartment. I know where and when I can travel safely. The safe areas are expansive and the safe times are extensive. The advantages of living here far outweigh the drawbacks. My intention is to move down to Perez Zeledon during Chicago’s winter months and return for the summer lakefront music festivals, neighborhood block parties, and all the other delightful warm weather activities. In short, I’m not running from Chicago to escape the crime; I just want to escape the cold. Winters are so bad (this past one was the worst in about twenty years) That I am willing to brave the depredations of that hellhole you call Costa Rica.
sjm, you seem to be especially fearful of Perez Zeledon. I hope you’re wrong about how bad it is, because I am planning to build on a lot that I bought next to the El General Mall. I haven’t spoken to the Chief of Police as you claim to have done, however I found the following web site about six months ago: http://www.perezzeledon.net/ . Please visit it. San Isidro doesn’t have a newspaper as far as I know, but this website seems to cover the news and the happenings in the Southern Zone fairly well. More than 99% of the items are about non-criminal happenings. They’re about church festivals, council meetings, school events, sporting events, and a myriad other social activities. I’m especially interested in the cabogatos, the long trail rides that attract hundreds of horsemen and women (and kids) from around the area. The Generalenos aren’t living in fear.
Perez Zeledon is not perfect. There is crime. Last week a homeless drug addict was stabbed to death outside of a bar. I read about it first on the La Nacion web site and then I saw it on the Perez Zeledon site, so the PZ site doesn’t filter out bad news. There is also a piece that talks about the 450 cases of domestic violence that have occurred in San Isidro so far this year. The piece decries the high number and compares it to the much smaller numbers that exist in surrounding towns. Neither of these news items is going to scare me away from Costa Rica.
sjm you keep insisting that we must do something. I intend to be cautious and always exercise situational awareness when I am away from my San Isidro home, as I do in Chicago. When I am home, I intend to be on good terms with my neighbors and watch for any suspicious activity in my neighborhood. If I see a crime being committed or if I see any potential criminal activity, I’ll cooperate with the police. I’m not sure what other actions you think we should take. If you think that all of us gringos should sign petitions, bring one around; I’ll sign it for you. If you think that we should form vigilance committees and ride around in masked groups, count me out.
Every once in a while you guys or others of your ilk start a thread in the forum screaming that the sky is falling. Now you claim that women can’t walk the streets any more and people have to imprison themselves in their homes to avoid having all their worldly possessions stolen. If you truly believe this malarkey, I have some advice for you: stay out of Costa Rica. It’s as simple as that. Try Panama or Patagonia or any of the other places that you claim are safer than Costa Rica. I won’t miss you and I doubt if many of the other forum members will either. Frankly I’m amazed that Scott allows you to keep screaming fire in this movie house.
editer
Hi Tom
George Lundquist’s tour is a great way to familiarize yourself with the possibilities available to those who want to retire to Costa Rica. I took the extension tour into the Southern Zone and found a place that fits my needs for the moment. It is on the outskirts of San Isidro Perez Zeledon beside a modern mall called El General. The development is a Tico community that is still in its early stages. If there are any lots left, you can have a home built for about 100k, including the lot. The roads are already in as are the electric and water lines.
Perez Zeledon (the name that Ticos use for San Isidro) is a bustling town that is (according to something I read somewhere) the fastest growing town in Central America. The natives are very proud of their city as can be seen at the town’s website http://www.perezzeledon.net. They have a competitive futbol team, beach volleyball team and many community activities. There is a very strong horse culture in the area. There are dozens of photo galleries showing all these activities.
The El General Mall next door to my community has a nice selection of stores including a modern supermarket and a three-screen movie theater with reclining chairs. The movies are usually in English with Spanish subtitles. Across the Panamerican Highway is a fine restaurant and hotel with a casino. I’m not a gambler, but I intend to make use of the huge swimming pool and tennis courts. This project suits my needs very well and gets my foot in the door to la Pura Vida.
Keep you eyes and your mind open. If you can’t find what you want, you can at least find what you need…and then you can turn it into what you want. George can help you to visualize the possibilities. Be prepared to be worn out by the end of his tour.
Frank
Que lastima! It is good coffee. Where can Buho Sabio be bought In Costa Rica? I’ll look for it when I come down. I’ve also found another source of excellent coffee that turns its profits over to an indigenous tribe near Mount Chirripo. It has a link on one of George Lundquist’s pages.
I don’t WANT to visit government offices. I just assumed that I would need to for various processes connected to moving down and becoming a resident. I’m happy to hear that, if I do decide to get a gun license, I can do it without making the trip up north.
Thanks Scott,
Frank
One of the biggest disadvantages that I can see about moving to San Isidro de El General is that I’m going to have to take a three hour trip to get to most government offices. So if I want to take the gun registration courses that the articles describe and I need to arrive at 6:30 a.m. (recommended to ensure a spot in the classes), I’ll have to make the trip the day before and spend the night in San Jose UNLESS there is a similar program the the Valle de General. Does anyone know if this is the case? I have a feeling that I’ll be take be taking a lot of bus trips between San Isidro and San Jose before I get settled in Costa Rica.
editer
dehaaij, when you say that people literally “die for this ‘interchangeability,'” you have to explain exactly how this happens.
editer
