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Much of the above for certain.
Interesting how this blog sort of devolves into a relationship men-women rant.
Back to the subject at hand…
I tell all my curious sixties-something friends in Canada and US that it costs the same to replicate one’s North American environment in Costa Rica. Perhaps even a bit more.
Then you MUST learn to speak Spanish, which is actually a lot of fun when the right attitude is applied. Exercising one’s brain is still the most fascinating pastime in life.
Also needed to make it in Costa Rica is the hard decision that when you come here, you leave things behind and must be prepared to let them go. Grandkids? I have them and love them dearly. But they grow up and when they hit adolescence, you might just as well be in Costa Rica or the South Pole for all the meaningful contact you’re going have with them. They haven’t stopped loving you… just distracted by other stuff. So move on and do the SKYPE thing once in a while to get your fix.
As far as day to day creature comforts and conveniences go… it gets down to money. If you have enough, you get to purchase your comfort levels in Costa Rica and the sky’s the limit. If you have the means, Costa Rica offers a lifestyle way more exotic and interesting than U.S. or Canada. How much do you need? That depends on all the “stuff” you need to be happy.
Want a real great and cheap life enhancer here in CR? Get a Quick Pass at Banco National. You haven’t lived till the first time you slide past twenty cars you couldn’t pass prior to arriving at the first peage (toll booth) with that handy little device up on the windshield. “Beeeep …” and it’s adios mi chachos as you wave good bye to the rest of them sorting through change at the “manual” gates.
If you are still struggling with day to day interactions with people here, take a Dale Carnegie course. For those with substance abuse issues, lots of twelve step groups here as well. Still works perfectly in any country. I suspect that those who cannot get along with Ticos (yup – really annoying some days) also cannot get along back home with fellow Americans and Canucks (also really annoying at times.) A smile, humility, and good intentions go a long long way here in Paradise the same as they do anywhere else.
Finally… during a recent trip back to “the old country” of Canada, I was musing with my son-in-law (a successful biz consultant) and the subject of pains-in-the-asses came up. He buttoned up the brief exchange with this: “In all my experiences motivating high powered winners who make millions annually, and then contrasting them to those who don’t, it all comes down to levels of conscience. Some folks get it and some don’t. Those myopic types who are intrusive, annoying, stubborn and negative can never accept correction. When confronted, they only get deflective, angry and more entrenched in their negativity. So I quietly leave them be.”
I guess some of them also just pack up and go home.
For those still open minded but frustrated… it takes an average of 2 years to get used to Costa Rica. That’s 8 seasons “back home.” So just about the time you feel like packing up but still wish you could have made it work… give it another year.
And keep reading this site. (unpaid endorsement!)
Pura Vida …eh!
