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vegasknite and jneiman
If you want to find negatives about living in Costa Rica, you can find plenty of them on this board. You seem to be new and may have missed some of the scarier discussions. The “news” article that vegasknite cited actually isn’t news to most of us. I’m doing my homework and keeping track of what’s going on as are most members of WLCR. We understand that Costa Rica is not a Utopia.
I like to contribute my thoughts to the forum when I believe I have something new to add or I have a question that I would like answered by some of the old timers like scottbenson. I’m just a beginner,too. I’m not about to express opinions about topics that I know little about. It makes people who are really knowledgeable laugh. Vegasknite’s axiom about opinions is a good one. Here’s another: It is better to stay silent and have everyone think you are a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
editer
Thanks everryone for the input. I’ll keep my eyes open when we are away from the Central Valley. If any of the inns where we stay have VCRs, I’ll look to rent a tape. The pirated versions sound like a hoot.
editer
Thanks for the information. I will definitely try to rent a tape if the opportunity occurs. However, I’m not interested in finding a lavish movie palace. I’m more interested in watching the audience than the movie. When I was much younger, a friend and I drove from Chicago to Costa Rica. Along the way, when we discovered a theater in some small town, we’d take in a flick (which we undestood very little of). I just enjoyed watching parents and kids watching the movie. Their attitudes were so different than that of audiences in America. It was almost like watching a movie in a playground. Kids were running around all over the place and many, if not most, of the adults were more interested in socializing than in watching the movie. I had more fun watching the cabaret in the aisles than watching the story on the screen.
I hope this hasn’t changed too much.
editer
Interesting. The one or two minute ENGLISH introduction and the thirty second written credits at the end of Destinos don’t seem like too many interruptions to me. I’d say that each lesson is at least ninety percent Spanish. Anyhow, try to find this program for free on a PBS station and see what you think, kimyoa. What doesn’t work for some people often works for others.
Frank
I am not fluent in Spanish by any stretch of the imagination. I have taken some basic conversational courses and have a very rudimentary grasp of the language. Here are some of the ways that I have been trying to improve my understanding.
I bought a few Peanuts books written in Spanish in the foreign language section of my local bookstore. I am already pretty familiar with most of the Peanuts strips and between the pictures in the panels and my basic Spanish (and a Spanish/English dictionary), I am able to remember what each strip is about. Reading Spanish is much easier than listening to it. They all talk so fast! I read aloud the strips in order to improve my pronunciation. I have a pretty good ear, but my vocabulary and grammar are lacking.
I also use the caption function on my TV. The dialog is printed at the bottom of the screen and makes it easier to understand what is being said. This would probably work well with watching soap operas which sounds like an excellent idea. I use it with one program on a local Hispanic channel called Que Dice la Gente? which is like Family Feud. It helps when you know basically what the conversation is about. I also use captioning to watch kids’ shows in Spanish. They talk a little more slowly and use basic language.
There is an excellent instructional program called Destinos on PBS stations. It is like a soap opera, but the actors talk distinctly and slowly (but not unnaturally so). Captioning that program has helped me considerably. The plot is believable and the characters are interesting. The entire series is for sale on DVD. You can google to find it. It’s a bit more than I want to spend, but it does include workbooks which you don’t get with the free broadcasts. And you don’t have to worry about missing an episode.
Nothing beats immersion, though. Fortunately, in America, there are plenty of opportunities to speak Spanish. There are plenty of restaurants serving Hispanic fare. Screw up your courage and try to speak with your server in Spanish. I haven’t been laughed at yet for trying. At least not in my face.
Buena Suerte,
Frank
Oh brother. I’ve reserved a 4×4 from Dean next year mostly because of what I read here. When I first saw the messages in the discussion forum, I thought to myself, “These could have been written by some of Dean’s employees or some of his relatives.” Then I saw the article about his company on this site and thought that he must be on the up and up. There were no other letters to the forum contradicting this conclusion…until now.
It’s possible that Rent a 4×4 is legit and just had a couple of bad days, but now I’m worried. I hope that we can get this cleared up with some other input. Has anyone else had dealings with Dean? I’m really looking forward to my trip and would hate to have it ruined because of an untrustworthy or second-rate vehicle. I still have time to cancel my deal and have my credit card advance returned. If I do cancel and have trouble with my refund, I guarantee you’ll hear it on the forum.
HELP
editer
I’m sorry Joe and Ayn. I don’t have any answers for you. I just want to expand the topic of your thread. Like you I have contacted several real estate companies about properties on their websites without receiving any replies.
I’m wondering how common this is. Could the reason that my queries are ignored be because I say that I am planning to come down in January to actually look at the properties? Perhaps the agencies are lax about checking their e-mails. Whatever the reason, I feel like I’ve been wasting hours and hours looking at the websites.
Can anyone let Joe, Ayn, and me know why our queries aren’t answered? With all the hype about how everyone in Costa Rica trying to sell real estate, I’m baffled as to why people with websites are indifferent to serious buyers.
I thank you, also.
editer
Geez, I just finished reading the website provided by Bill Maes. There are already seven U.S. military personnel in Costa Rica. (I presume they are embassy guards.) That is seven more U.S. military than Costa Rica has. How could the Ticos allow a foreign army on their soil when they don’t have any of their own?
editer
I’m just a novice about Costa Rica, trying to learn as much as I can before committing to buying property. I’m wondering, though, if you are talking about a non-Tico squatting on land to gain title. As I understand the law, squatter’s right to title is not for expatriates. I think this is right, but I know the “old-timers” will clear up any misunderstanding on your part or on my part.
editer
I’m just a novice about Costa Rica, trying to learn as much as I can before committing to buying property. I’m wondering, though, if you are talking about a non-Tico squatting on land to gain title. As I understand the law, squatter’s right to title is not for expatriates. I think this is right, but I know the “old-timers” will clear up any misunderstanding on your part or on my part.
editer
Gracias GT,
I have a well-worn copy of the Tico Times from May 10. I hadn’t considered the Calendar as an expat resource, but now I see that it can be useful.
The problem is that I’ll only be in Costa Rica for two weeks. I’m trying to map out a loose itinerary before I get to there. It would be difficult to “shoehorn” in events from the calendar. Before I buy property, I’ll want to rent for 6 months or so. That’s when the calendar will do me the most good.
Saludos,
editerI picked up the idea that you were in a relationship because you wrote that you both wanted to leave the States. You didn’t mention that she was half a continent away. That makes your story even more bizarre.
I’m still having a problem understanding how you were reported for non-payment of support. If she agrees that the child isn’t yours, did some third party report you? I also don’t understand how the states are supposed to get the money. Isn’t support money supposed to go to the mother and child?
I apologize if I’m jumping to the wrong conclusions, but that’s a common problem when you make a long story short.
editer
So you never met the mother until you were told that you were the father or her child. This was ten years ago and you and she have been fighting this “computer glitch” ever since.
Now, you and she have a relationship. It sounds as though you’re living together. What I want to know is, who’s been reporting you for non-payment of support?
Your story sounds fishy to me. If you need to leave the country, try Mexico or Canada. You won’t need a passport.
editer
I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to recommend this excellent book. “Costa Rica by Bus” by John R. Wood
lists routes, schedules, and fares throughout CR. It tells you where to catch your bus, any special directions you may need to give your bus driver and phone numbers of the various bus lines to get up-to-date information about the routes. It also supplies useful information that is not usually contained in other books on Costa Rica.If you want to get a sample of the info, go to http://www.costaricabybus.com
If you want to order the book, go to http://www.ebookstand.com/m/johnwood.
The book is self-published softcover, well put together, and well-worth the 17 bucks for people who intend to use the Costa Rica system.
editer
