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I would like to know more about this village. I lived in Puerto Viejo two years ago for several months and loved it, but found the cost of living too high to manage on Tico wages. I’m a single mom with two small children, ages 9 and 10. Do you know if any of the people in this village have children, and is there a school? Does the $100 per month rent typically include utilities?
There were no restrictions on a non-resident enrolling in public school in PV, but you are correct, the language barrier was difficult to say the least. However, most private school in the area also taught class in Spanish so my children would have been in the same boat regardless. I’ve found that, depending upon the ages, children catch on very quickly to the language. I’d say under age 9 or 10 is best, with the preschool years being ideal. Once they are older than say 10 or 11, it becomes more difficult for some reason to pick up the nuances of the language.
Homeschooling is an excellent option, if you have a budget that will allow you to be home to do this. The private schools, as mentioned above, are also very good and reasonable prices – extremely reasonably as compared to US private schools, with most tuition around $125 a month.
Well, when I moved to Costa Rica about a year and half ago, we brought in nine large plastic trunks full of everything from household items to clothing to the children’s toys. Only one trunk was opened by security as we entered the country; the security guard asked what was in the other trunks, I told him, and he waved us on through customs without opening the other 8 trunks.
When we returned to the US, much to my surprise, not one latch was removed, nor one trunk opened upon reentry. I was actually a bit disturbed by this given that it was around the time frame when the war in Iraq began and the war on terrorism was supposedly being fought at all of our entry points. A bit frightening if you ask me.
Excellent post, GringoTico. May I add some of my personal thoughts to yours? Here is a quote from an email I sent back to friends and family in the US after a month living in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. . . it was about the simplicity of life, the cameraderie of a small community, the eclectic mix of cultures and ideas . . . according to a very insightful friend, living in Puerto Viejo was all about living live in Full Color – rather than in Black and White . . .
Things I Love about Costa Rica
Always hearing the ocean.
The birds and butterflies that fly through the living room.
The excitement of a horned beetle buzzing unexpectedly into the kitchen, or a bat that’s gotten into the upstairs bedroom and can’t get out.
The hummingbirds all day long, flitting from tree to tree, flower to flower. Their vivid colors.
The parrots we see downtown perched on the buildings. The parrots you can play with at Hot Rocks, a local outdoor café.
The long walks into Puerto with the beach always visible. The walk back from town along the beach itself as the sun sets on the horizon.
The bus ride into Limon. Watching the people. Shopping at Mas X Menos and reveling in the American products we find there.
The newness of the culture, learning to adapt, finding alternate ways of doing things.
The rapport I’ve built through email with friends and family, even out-of-state family that I haven’t corresponded with in years.
The new friends I’ve made. The way people here become so close so fast. The camaraderie.
The feeling of not always being comfortable. Not always being at the ideal temperature. Getting caught in a downpour. Learning to accept what comes each day.
My children attended in Puerto Viejo, at the Escuela Publica. Here is the email address for the English-Speaking instructor at the private school in Cahuita. She’s been very helpful to me, answering all kinds of questions, from academics to tuition and busing. I’m sorry, I don’t know anything about schools in Limon.
Email: Tricia B. – costaeco@gmail.com
I’m not sure what type of school you are thinking of enrolling your child in, but I can tell you that as a non-resident, I was able to enroll my children in the public school system in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca with no problems whatsoever. I believe a copy of their passports was made at one point, and a photo was taken to create their school ID’s, but through discussions with the teachers and principal, I received the impression that they could attend there indefinitely – residency was never an issue. In fact, there were a few other American and/or European children attending the school under the same circumstance.
As for the requirements of private schools, I am not sure. You would want to check with the administration of the particular schools you are considering.
Very good advice, GringoTico. As a gringa myself, I had only one experience with a tico, and a very negative one. My advice to any gringa, is to save yourself some grief and just simply don’t go there . . . In my case, the man in question was someone I had dated for several months, many, many years ago, when he lived and was attending college – here in the States. He was a very different person then, perhaps because we tend to conform to our surroundings – he was more ‘Americanized’ when I knew him in the early 90’s. My memories of this man were of someone who was very moral, very kind, loving. When I met up with him again in 2005, his attitude was 100% ‘Latino’. Although we had once meant something to each other; the stacks of letters filled with ‘amor’ are proof of that, I was now nothing more than a p—. I cringe at the word . . . Horribly traumatic for me, as I thought I was going to find my long lost love. So much for innocence.
The income I brought with me was from the sale of a home I had owned for 18 years; not much, but it was enough to live on for awhile. I had been offered a job with a local non-profit, but due to funding constraints, the founders were not able to hire me on – at that time. I basically took a chance when I moved down, as the job was not ‘set in stone’ so to speak. I took a chance and it didn’t work out. So, I basically lived on my savings, spent about $1,000 per month for the three of us, maybe a little more because we bought things like bicycles for transportation purposes, household items that we had not brought with us, etc. After a month or two, I did go out and seek another job – any job – in town and found the pay to be about $100 per week, no matter what type of job – unfortunately, not quite enough to support both myself and my children. The reason, and the ONLY reason, I’m back here in the States now is that I could not find a way to make ends meet in Costa Rica. As a single parent, I believe my situation was exacerbated somewhat. I’ve seen many couples move down, and open up a business, such as a small hotel, restaurant, any type of small business and most of them do very well. But without the support of a significant other, and without substantial capital to start up (and an ingenous business idea/concept), I found myself struggling with basic survival. Back here in the States, at least I have the skills to make a living. Se la vi.
Edited on Sep 17, 2006 09:51
Wendy, I lived in Puerto Viejo last year for a few months and am now back in the States. I moved there for probably all of the same reasons you did, the lifestyle being more conducive to raising well-adjusted, well-rounded children. The major issue I ran into, and the reason we returned here to the US, was the inability to juggle a job and the erratic school schedule in PV as I did not have the funds to enroll the children in a private school. I’d love to be back in Puerto though, I’ve thought about it every day since I left. I was wondering if you might offer any recommendations or advice as to how I, a single parent, could make this transition once again, perhaps you know of a business opportunity, or job opportunity that would be flexible enough to manage the kids schedule. Email me directly if you wish, at michele001@excite.com. I would truly appreciate any information or advice you can offer. Thanks much.
Edited on Sep 09, 2006 07:35
Edited on Sep 09, 2006 07:36
We had one of the high pitch sonar devices in our home in Puerto Viejo. These are great and do work; however, they reach a very limited area so you have to plug one in every room with the bat problem. They also have the tendency to drive you crazy as the high pitch is audible to the human ear . . .
I have an old friend whose name is Enoc Rivas. He lives in Valle de la Estrella about 45 min. south of Limon. His father is a very talented furniture maker. You might want to check them out. I don’t remember his exact address, but if you inquire at the bar at the entrance to town, the proprietor is a friend of Enoc’s and could direct you to the shop.
I lived on the Caribbean coast last year for awhile, in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. To me, the Caribbean is the most beautiful, because it is still so untouched. There are no gated communities. Puerto Viejo and the area to the south, including Punta Uva, Cocles, etc., all the way down to Manzanillo, is dotted with Caribbean style homes. These are made of wood, sometimes colorful, and mostly open air living and kitchen area, although the bedrooms are sometimes screened. You’ll find most people in the area living in communion with nature. We had horned beetles and bats fly through the living room in the evening, hummingbirds in the morning. The basilisk and the iguanas climbed the tree in front of us as we ate breakfast. We watched one day as a sloth made it’s way up the screen on the neighbor’s bedroom window . . . The lifestyle is very laid-back, kind of like the 60’s back in the States. You’ll find an eclectic mix of cultures, including Tico, Caribbean and indigenous. The neighbors were very kind people, the people are what make the community. Also, there were quite a few European and a few American transplants, some unique individuals who also contribute greatly to the feel of the community. It is, admittedly, hot most of the time on the Caribbean but the beauty of the area makes it all worthwhile, and living on the fringes of the rainforest, it is quite humid and has a longer rainy season.
I’m so glad you have found this beautiful area, it is truly unique. I’m looking at coming back soon and am hoping to be close to the Cocles area so the kids can attend school there at the escuela publica. . . we may very well be neighbors!
