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Maravilla,
When my husband was in the military I thought these things only happened to unsuspecting military personnel. It is unfortunate some have left and became discouraged with Costa Rica. It does have bugs but we have and exterminator, it does rain but then flowers are beautiful. We can visit home and that is what we do. Lately our visits have gotten shorter and shorter.
We love Costa Rica but of course I may be a little weird, I loved Germany, we lived their for 10 years. I turned 20 in Germany, 30 in Japan, 40 in Germany 50 in the US and 60 in Costa Rica.
If it had not been for my husband and mom I would have loved to stay in Germany. The thrill of jumping into a car and traveling to so many countries is exciting.
Maravilla,
Thanks for sharing your great experience with us, that is good news. The things you said about people just not thinking it out. I’ve thought about all sort of conditions. My husband and I have travelled a lot and we have lived in several countries, but most of the people who are leaving the US now have never even visited a foreign country. When they get here and they can not understand the language or read any of the signs, I think they feel insecure and with this feeling they are frightened to a certain extent. Someone, talks to them in English and communicates in terms they understand, they drop their guard.
What makes it difficult is that they really trust and hope they can trust. It is sort of like saying why did that woman marry that man, well he knew the right thing to say. I am hoping someone reads these notes and see the encouragement but then also see some of the warnings. Your story is very encouraging, but as you said you did your home work and you are blessed with people that have treated you fairly.
Jessica,
There are more mixed marriages in Costa Rica. Costa Ricans are mixed with almost every race that has come here. There are, Chinese, Africans, Indians, Whites (a lot of European) the Costa Ricans are a beautiful example of a cross culture of peoples.
The men are good looking and the women are beautiful. Now around the North Americans, those that I know will not care. Most of them are educated people that have travelled. In fact most people that have come here to live are looking to enjoy life.
The stories about the problems of people from Limon are conflicting when you read stories written by foreigners and when you read the stories written by people who were born and raised in Limon.
We went to Limon when we first came so we could be with black people, it is to hot and humid in Limon for me. It rains more there then it does anywhere I know of in Costa Rica. Property in that area is still not real expensive but it is hot and you do need airconditioning.
Where are you planning to visit? Look at my web page one of the pages you will see our lawyer he is a Costa Rican black married to a Costa Rican white. We are friends of theirs and he never talks about not being accepted. You can meet them when you come. He has a successful business and he has never mentioned not being accetped because of his complexion.
Jessica, Where are you going and have you rented a house yet? We may have one you can rent or put you in contact with someone. Costa Rica is a warm loving country, some areas people are more cordial then others. We have had to just unpack some of the feelings we had a home. Some junk you have to just throw away. I have found myself saying to myself not here it is not necessary.
Costa Rica has it’s own problems and I am not really part of them, so why bring problems from one country into another. We have enjoyed our life here, of course we have had challenges. One for me is people trying to make me speak Spanish, that is so funny.
When you come here you will not want to go home. There are so many advantages to living here. Somethings have changed in our country but a lot has not. We have a choice to bring them here or to leave them at the border. I hope we are included in your visit to Costa Rica. My husband and I just love people. When you love people you have to accept everyone, even the ones that don’t accept you.
I’ve not been in your position and the types of problems you have experienced I can only imagine. It can not be one sided because I know many blacks would not like your husband being married to a person of another race. So you can get it both ways.
Relax, we have friends that are just people who have come to Costa Rica looking forward to enjoying life. You will establish new relationships here, with people from many backgrounds and cultures. It is great, we love it.
It is not heaven so of course there are difficulties but they are not black and white. Those types of difficulties exsist only if you refuse to unpack it at the customs entrance in the airport.
My husband came here taking a lot of blood pressure medicine and his blood pressure was still high. After being here one month he started taking less blood pressure medicine and his blood pressure stays great. He checked his stress at the customs office. That is a choice.
Look forward to your arrival.
I am from Olympia, Washington but orginally born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. Currently living in Costa Rica
My objective is to help someone and not to argue. The person that started this forum, started by saying thank you. That is all that matters. The rest of this is just mess.
Not idiots, they feel like that themselves. They were quoted and agreed on a price of $15,000.00 but by the time they got telephone calls telling them about land prep and a lot of other problems they had already deeply invested. You can say they had a choice to just forget it after spending a lot of money or finishing it.
Lets, not call them idiots. Perhaps they were ignorant of a lot of things. You know in the US in most states you can not sale property to a person to build a house on if the soil is not tested first. That must not be the law here and if it is it is not practiced. Some of us have purchased constructed house and we are not aware of needing the soil tested and many other things about preparing the land to build on. This is where the money was spent.
If by this forum we can help anyone, that would be a blessing.
Bitter, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,. Now I am crazy. Feel sorry, no do better then that pray for me, feeling sorry for me will not change the situation but prayer will.
No you do not have to be an African American to know prejudice. You have to be an African American to answer the question Scott asked me. What is it like to be an African American living in Costa Rica. You have to be an African American to answer that question.
Sure, I am just surrounded by people that have purchased property and are building houses. One just left my house sharing her experience about a small cottage that is 400sq feet that cost her $40,000. Sure, and you know that was the same attitude most of them had when I tried to help them. They thought I was trying to rain on their parade. Well, no skin off my teeth, it is their money. So, just let me keep my mouth shut. Last year we had 4 out of every 5 visitors that purchased land or built houses. They circle my area, some of them talk to me or call me at least once a week. Sure I am reading a funny book when I comment as I have. Sure and Santa Clause is real. Or they are all liars.
What would profit me in discouraging people trying to live a dream, none.
No one is going to protect your money and care about you as much as you care about yourself. So to get off a plane and come here hand someone a lot of money to do the right thing by you is crazy. Just plan crazy, and I do not care who does it. Having that kind of faith in a person because they are a fellow American is crazy. Like Scott has said most if not all are North Americans ripping off North Americans.
Wisdom, sure I have not lost a dime. That is wisdom.
What did you use to come up with that evaluation. I am almost positive that they have experienced some form of prejudice. They may not dwell on it or let it stop them from accomplishing their goal.
Since you just wrote in perhaps you do not know that the discussion started because Scott asked me to write about what it was like to be an Afro American in Costa Rica. What you are reading are comments to my experiences.
Now if you are African American living here perhaps your experience has been different. Having a ten year old, who is not probably and Afo American in a household that is Canadian and Tico was not the subject, nor was prejudice really the subject.
We have been treated very good by the Costa Rican people. In fact some of them have lived and worked in the US and they know what prejudice is, they have experienced it first hand.
Jessica, Scott is correct in Costa Rica we have not really felt the prejudice because of our complexion from the Costa Rican people. It is some fellow North Americans, who refuse to grow up, on average most of the North Americans we have come in contact with have been just great and the others we leave alone. Charles and I know for a fact how North Americans feel. That is why we put our picture on our website so they would not be amazed when they come. We know for a fact that many will not book with us because of the fact we are black, but who cares. They will miss out. We have made our place one of the most comfortable vacation spots here. It is very clean, comfortable, friendly, beautiful and safe. Our staff is the greatest, we practice hospitality.
We have not had any African American visitors other than family or friends visit us and not many of them. So when you look at http://www.tripadvisor.com and see those things written about us, they are from white North Americans that have come to visit. Charles and I keep counting the good, it far outweighs the bad. We have been blessed and no one can keep God from blessing, He neither sees black or white.
The Costa Rican people have never showed us any prejudice other then the same prejudice that they show other North Americans.
The difference is they really do not think we are North Americans. You must come and experience it for yourself. We have been blessed to have many friends and Charles and I may be walking in a day dream but we refuse to dwell on the problems of others. It is a problem if you are prejudice. What a way to live. I am partial to people who look like me but I am not prejudice towards others.
We have been blessed above measure with friends and friendships. Just come to Costa Rica looking to find the best.
Jenny is 63 as I said if you have the money spend it. Enjoy your money, what is better then enjoying the fruits of your labor. That is not ignorant, that is doing what you want to do. It may not be my idea but then again who cares. Enjoy yourself to the max, be comfortable, bathe in luxury. We will stay around longer.
I just wanted to see if anyone was awake. Thanks for the come back.
What I said may be true in some cases but not in all. One womens opinion.
Crazy when right outside of your development are houses worth about $10,000. You have to pass them to get to yours unless you are having a helicopter pad built. Location, Location, I am begining to think North Americans are crazy.
If you are about 40 years old then it is great. If you are sixty, you are crazy. The older you get the less house you need because no one visits you much . All of your friends are in the senior home or kicking the bucket.
Your kids are to busy most of the time to come visit. Your grandchildren have a social life at home and enjoy a vacation here once in a while but not much. If you have it to spend go ahead because you can not take it with you.
Does it make sense to spend that kind of money here. Sure if that is what you want to do.
Plus you have to count on fees of at least $200.00 a month for security and development maintenance fees.
