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So only your “facts” are right? I read and appreciate “facts” brought up by all sides on this forum, including yours. Some I believe, others I don’t. But to summarily dismiss everything someone says or makes reference to just because it contradicts your argument is a cop-out.
I don’t know what percentage of people on public assistance in the U.S. are “lazy bums”, but in my opinion it’s substantial, PARTICULARLY if you have spent time in truly poor countries. I’m sorry, but children in the developing and underdeveloped world have a thirst for knowledge and yearn to have the opportunity to become educated and to work hard. If there are high drop-out rates where they live, it’s because they’re needed to help out in the family enterprise to survive.
How many Gringo kids drop out of school to help out their parents???
Good God, people come from all over the world, escaping economic conditions we can’t even imagine, to make it in the U.S. They work their butts off, and many are successful. Any Mong communities where you guys live?
But us Gringos, we’re lazy bums. When we’re young we give our teachers and parents crap, and spend our days playing video games. We grow older and buy all sorts of material goods we don’t need on credit, have kids we can’t afford, and then make poor food choices for them. After all that we refuse to take responsibility for our actions and live off the the public teat.
I’m not an extremist. I know that there are many people on public assistance who are genuinely in need through no fault of their own. But we all know there is also a large group of generational “welfare” recipients. To refuse to acknowledge this undermines your credibility. Immigrants, even illegal ones, are WAY more productive and industrious than these people.
Should we care about helping the children from these poor families? Of course! It’s certainly not their fault. And the children are our future. Take care of them and they could be the next Einstein. Neglect them and become their victim when they get older. Surely the government can do more to promote education and access to economic opportunities, but it seems as though it only ends up creating unhealthy and non-productive dependencies, and a victim-based society.
The rest of the world is studying, striving for opportunities, working hard, and catching up. We’re all going to have to grow up and get our butts off the couch if we hope to compete.
Sorry I sound gruff, but seriously, spend some time in the rest of Central America outside of CR. Then tell me you feel sorry for the poor Gringos.
Downtown San Jose. They come and go though. If you walk into the Gran Hotel Costa Rica next to the National Theater they can probably tell you.
Maravilla,
How can you so flippantly dismiss large numbers of “facts” presented by others, while pounding on “40,000,000 children going hungry every day”? I not only question the validity of that “fact”, but I would also say that, given all the opportunities available in the U.S., if a child goes hungry, the parent is probably a lazy bum or a addict who was never responsible enough to have children in the first place. That may sound harsh, and certainly not true in all cases, but given the level of poverty in which much of the under-developed and developing world live, I have little patience for whining Gringos.
As for whether or not the sky is falling, or the U.S. is the “greatest”, as usual the real truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Rome didn’t fall in a day, it took decades of neglect, some might say centuries. Now that we’re the only big boy on the block, the only way to go is down. But I think it will be a slow decline. Even if it were to happen swiftly, people forget that we live in a global economy, and if things go to hell in a handbasket in the US, life in CR, as well as the rest of the world, will get more difficult as well.
JulioScott,
I can’t answer your question, but I think it’s the wrong question. Considering the difficulties of obtaining a mortgage loan in CR, as well as the ridiculous interest rate you’d have to pay, if possible you’re much better off paying in cash. In that case your worry about a 50% LTV is moot.
More importantly (much, much, much more), the trials and tribulations of maintaining security at a detached residential unit FAR outweigh any financial drawback of buying a condo.
I, and many others on this forum, have talked about this issue many times, but it’s very hard for us Gringos to accept it. It’s one of those things that you have to experience for yourself before you develop the extreme level of paranoia necessary to keep your material possessions from walking.
IMHO the most difficult cultural challenge for Gringos living in CR is the fact that you truly become a slave of your house. The best way to avoid a burglary is to ALWAYS have someone there. That means never leaving, or hiring a live-in caretaker. Please don’t make me rehash what happened to us. It’s too depressing. Just listen to me when I tell you that if I had gobs and gobs of money to pay for security, I would consider it once again. Short of that, we’ll be looking at condos and highly secure gated communities when the time comes. If the investment is slightly worse than a detached home not in a gated community, then that’s the price of freedom and tranquility. Cheap if you ask me.
Some things to remember about garbage:
1. It’s Christmas, and public works are pretty much shut down right now. Garbage does pile up during this and other holiday seasons.
2. There was A LOT more garbage on the ground in Costa Rican cities and towns 10 years ago and before. They have advanced tremendously in this area, as well as cleaning up the rivers around San Jose.
3. When I was a kid I remember all sort of garbage strewn across the ground all over the U.S., especially on highways. Remember the Indian with the tear rolling down his cheek? There have been great strides here since then, although go to any inner-city in the U.S. and you wouldn’t think so.
4. In my opinion problems of garbage explode with the growth of packaging technology. 30 years ago many food items sold in CR had natural wrapping – like banana leaves and corn husk. People routinely threw this out, and it was no big deal. With all the new paper and plastic packaging, they’ve had to change this culture, just as we did. Neither one of us are done.
If Costa Rica is your first destination in the developing world, you’ll be disappointed. If, however, you’ve been through other Central American countries, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much nicer CR is. You need to keep it in context.
The Costa Rican Shan-Gri-La is a fantasy. There are many things there that will challenge a typical Gringo’s sensibilities, but once you get beyond this you will also find a host of differences which are positive. You will then be in a position to see your own country in a different light, and your criteria of what is good and what is bad will change.
Luv that computerized translation. I’d get a real translation if possible. As I said, perhaps the CR Consulate has an updated list of requirements in English they can fax you.
Example: “will have to designate a resident proxy in Costa Rica”…
Actually, it says you need an “apoderado” – Power of Attorney.
http://www.costarica-embassy.org is not up to date either. The text I provided it the recently passed legislation, by which all other entities must now abide.
Sorry Marcia. Welcome to your first big hurdle.
Here’s the pertinent excerpt from the new rules. I don’t have time to translate it all for you now, but it does say that all applications for residency must be made at the Costa Rican Consulate in your country of origin. Perhaps if you call the CR Consulate nearest you they can give you a list of requirements in English.
TITULO TERCERO
De las categorías migratorias
CAPITULO PRIMERO
De los residentes permanentes y de los residentes temporales
Artículo 58.- Para obtener el status de residente permanente en el país, el extranjero deberá cumplir con los siguientes requisitos:
a) Solicitud del interesado dirigida al Director General de Migración, presentada en las oficinas del Consulado de Costa Rica de su país de origen o residencia.
b) En el mismo escrito deberá designarse un apoderado residente en Costa Rica e indicarse las razones o motivos por los cuales el solicitante, desea residir permanentemente en el país y señalar casa u oficina dentro del perímetro judicial de San José, en donde recibir notificaciones. No se recibirán las solicitudes que no cumplan con este requisito.
c) Aportar certificación de nacimiento, de antecedentes penales, de matrimonio si el solicitante fuere casado, títulos académicos y de estudios realizados o de idoneidad para el ejercicio de otras actividades. La certificación de nacimiento deberá contener el nombre de los progenitores.
d) Fotocopia certificada del pasaporte incluyendo todos sus folios.
e) Aportar certificación de nacimiento de cada uno de los hijos menores amparados a su solicitud.
f) Aportar cuatro fotografías de frente de fecha reciente, tamaño pasaporte.Artículo 58 Bis.- En casos excepcionales, en que para el extranjero sea imposible materialmente presentar las certificaciones de antecedentes penales y de nacimiento con el nombre de sus padres, estipuladas en el artículo 58 del presente reglamento por no emitir las autoridades civiles de su país de origen dicho documento u otras debidamente fundamentadas, podrá omitirse de ese requisito previa gestión por escrito del interesado donde se demuestre de manera fehaciente a criterio de la Dirección General, tal imposibilidad. La procedencia de una petición en ese sentido será analizada por la Dirección General de Migración y en esos casos muy calificados el Director podrá someterlo al Consejo de Migración, para definir lo que corresponda.
(Así adicionado por el artículo 1° del decreto ejecutivo N° 29878-G de 25 de setiembre del 2001, publicado en La Gaceta N° 207 de 29 de octubre del 2001)Artículo 59.- Todos los documentos exigidos deberán venir debidamente autenticados por la autoridad consular costarricense respectiva y los documentos que no hubiesen sido emitidos en español, deberán aportar la correspondiente traducción a este idioma.
(Así derogado por el artículo 4° del decreto ejecutivo N° 32696-G-MTSS publicado en La Gaceta N° 201 de 19 de octubre de 2005)That website’s info is outdated. Try
http://www.migracion.go.cr/planificacion/index.html
“Reglamento Ley de Migracion y Extranjeria”
(Spanish)
Deb,
The new immigration regs state that no application for residency status will be accepted when your on a tourist visa. I took this to mean that residency applications had to be submitted prior to your arrival.
Tell me how it goes with your husband. Maybe I missinterpreted it.
Absolutely, the average Gringo is definitely worse off economically now than 20 years ago, as I agree with the race to the bottom theory. The rising tide lifts up the heaviest boats last.
Globalization inevitably costs the demise of many jobs, and even whole industries, in all countries that participate. However, it also offers the opportunity for countries to develop their own unique economic niches which provide them with sustainable competitive advantages. If the country’s government does its job to help insure a more even distribution of the resulting wealth, and avoid the sharp edges of capitalism, then their citizens will thrive, providing them with the buying power to then purchase American products and services.
That’s the theory, anyway. The problem is the distribution of wealth part. But that is a political issue for each nation to debate.
What is the alternative for a country that does not want to participate? Economic isolation, continued reliance on government subsidies to prop up non-productive industries, expensive and low quality product pawned off on consumers, and forever being behind the curve of modernity. As I see it, you either get on the train or get left behind. While I admit, getting left behind can at times sound enticing, especially if it’s on a beach in Guanacaste, eventually you have to play catch up.
Are the people of East Germany better off economically now than prior to its absorption into “greater” Germany? Yes. Was the process economically painful for the average West German. Yes. Did both sides come out of it stronger in the end? Yes. Globalization is the same kind of integration (albeit not to the same extent as the German example), and while we will all lose something, we will also all be stronger for it.
Regarding a national economic plan, I can only say that depending on a government entity to come up with the best possible “plan” for its economy is sure to be a big disappointment. Governments can and should provide an economic environment where the private sector can thrive, but the (kind of) free market should govern how businesses invest.
That said, I sorely agree with the statement that the U.S. squanders its economic resources and its political will on all manners of non-productive (as well as anti-productive) initiatives, while many other countries do things like actually investing in their youth.
While you may find a small handful of laundromats in CR as we know them (there used to be one in Los Yoses), we take our clothes to Lavanderias where they do it for you in a matter of hours for a few thousand colones per kilo. I’m afraid they saw you coming a mile away.
Don’t feel too bad, I’ve been conned every which way at least once in CR. Which one was it so we can all stay away?
Great posts by everyone. It’s a conundrum.
Outsourcing and globalization take some jobs away, but add others. Change doesn’t come cheap, but it’s less expensive that stagnation.
Economies can’t afford to subsidize failing industries, but removing the subsidies may mean their demise. It has to be done slowly, but in many sectors the special interests keep it from happening at all.
Protectionism may be good for a country in the short term, but ruinous in the long term.
There is a race to the bottom, but given all the global economic development, over time the tide will raise all ships.
Healthy economic advances will promote peace, but political frameworks, both national and international, are still stacked against the little guy.
Thinking globally and acting locally doesn’t work when the local problems are global in nature.
If the U.S. wants to remain an important international economic power, then it must get in the game. For decades the US has been such a large and thriving economy that companies didn’t have to think about making money elsewhere. Now that the rest of the world is starting to catch up, unless we get a move on they will surpass us.
I always use the most startling example – the auto industry. Celebrated as one of the most American of all enterprises, how many GM, Ford and Chrysler cars do you see on the road in Costa Rica?
In lieu of renting a laptop (which may or may not be possible in CR, I don’t know), you might consider simply stopping in at one of the hundreds of internet cafes there. You’ll find them all over the country, as purchasing computers and internet access are too expensive for the masses.
If you can avoid bringing your own laptop, definitely don’t. The likelyhood of damage and/or theft is very high, and even if nothing happens to it, you’ll spend your time worrying about it (as you should).
Scott gave you a list of the top tier schools. As I said, there are many, many more small private schools around, all bilingual. While these smaller schools may not be able to compete in quality, my feeling is that for the elementary level, they’re good enough, and a heck of a lot cheaper.
For high schoolers, I’d try to place them in the top tier if I could to better facilitate the transition to college.
Here’s what I know about these schools:
Lincoln School has perhaps the most exclusive reputation. It’s maybe half Tico, and half mixed gringotico (I like that name!). As a result, it’s primary “flavor” is still Tico, but the environment and infrastructure are very americanized. Lincoln School is one of the few schools accredited in the U.S. (I don’t know which others are), which means there are no problems getting into a U.S. university upon graduation. Lincoln school is also one of the few schools in CR that has a school year compatible with the U.S. All other schools in CR follow a calendar year schedule. Placing kids in these schools from the U.S. (or vice versa) means either skipping or re-doing a full semester. Lincoln school is expensive, several thousand per year plus an up front $4,000 – $5,000 membership fee if I remember correctly. Also, they’re finally getting out of their old digs in the middle of Moravia, with all the associated traffic, and building near Santo Domingo, on grounds currently surrounded by coffee plantations. Should be very nice.
St. Francis may have the best reputation among the purely Tico schools. I don’t think many gringo kids go there (which may make it a good choice!). It’s very Catholic, and very strict.
The American International School of Costa Rica, FKA The Costa Rican Academy, is an American school. Mostly gringos, many children of diplomats (i.e. transient). Very good reputation academically, but frankly, you might as well stay in the U.S. One of the purposes of moving to CR with kids is socialization with calm, gentle, courteous, Tico kids hungry for learning, not bratty, rebellious, rude Gringo headbangers who take life’s gifts for granted.
Country Day School is more American but has some Tico students as well. It has a very good reputation, small classes, and a remote campus near Flamingo Beach!
Humbolt also has a stellar reputation, but their emphasis is in German. There is a large Tico population with German descendancy in CR, dating back to WWII, and this community founded this school. Silvia and Claudia Poll, two tico sisters who have won olympic medals in swimming, are both blond, blue-eyed, and over six feet tall.
SEK is a totally Tico school which excels in science and engineering. A-one reputation.
I would say that the above mentioned schools have truly top tier status.
Marion Baker school is very small, and has mostly international kids.
St. Gregory and St. Paul are very Tico.
The Anglo-American, Pan-American and British schools have also been around for a long time (more than 20 years), have mixed Tico and foreign kids, and good reputations, but I don’t know much about them.
The other schools on Scott’s list were established more recently, although St. Jude is a part of la Escuela Católica Activa and el Colegio Bilingüe San Judas Tadeo, which have been around forever.
Again, if your kids are elementary school age, there’s probably a decent, small, inexpensive, private Tico school wherever you may decide to live, as long as it’s in a populated area. You’ll just have to come down and see for yourself.
