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There are wonderful thoughts and ideas about a huge range of subjects expressed in this forum–as with everything, some of us have more affinity of thought than others, but we’re all lucky to be able to express them and learn from one another. I have learned so much from many people on this Forum. Thanks for the vote of confidence Maravilla. I tend to think that sometimes we lack information and when we all take a minute to listen to each other, sometimes we realize that we may just be much more similar than we expected in spite of our obvious differences. Alfred, I would never in a million years think you were stealing words from me, we just happen to think alike sometimes 🙂 …Pura Vida!
Roark, Exactly the point I have been making..take a moment to think this through…
Isaiah 5: 20 reads as follows: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil…”
How can a country call someone our friend and good when we’re helping him kill others and 2 seconds later call him evil because now he’s killing us? That has been the case with Bin Laden and many others. How can we call it evil when people try to kill us and then say it’s good when we’re killing many others that had nothing to do with our attacks? Even if politics makes strange bedfellows it doesn’t excuse calling someone that’s a sociopath good when it suits us and then bad when it doesn’t….I agree with you …That’s why we can’t call the illegitimate actions of any government good just because it stems from the US and also we can’t say that everything that’s been done by the US has been bad, because that would also not be true. You obviously trust the Bible and the Bible says that “By their fruits you shall know them.” We don’t get a free pass just because you’re the USA or Mr. Bush or Mr. Bin Laden…Lies, deceit and murder are bad no matter who they happen to be coming from. Your actions and the consequences of those actions are what tell us if something is good or not (and the ultimate criteria cannot be that it’s good as long as it’s not happening to us). We must demand that from ourselves and our government–there are lives that depend on us being good citizens, good people and demanding this of our government…
As far as global warming, scientist have been trying to warn us since the 1970s and we didn’t listen then and we’re now facing those predictions head on. Change is inevitable and nature does not have a moral force, it just is–so when the conditions for our life form is no longer there, then we will no longer be viable either. Let’s think of the worst case scenario and say that global warming has been this incredibly well crafted and deceitful ruse, then what have we lost by listening to the scientist that believe CO2 is causing grave damage to our environment? We have cleaned up our environment of toxic emissions, stopped damaging the ozone layer and are using alternative forms of fuel. If we listen to these scientist, then the planet which we seem to feel we’re in charge of, will be less polluted and more sustainable for much longer–sounds good doesn’t it. Where is the harm in that? Now, if we choose not to listen, continue to pollute, add exponential amounts of CO2 into the environment and deplete our fossil fuel supplies then what have we gained and it will be too late then to turn things around? I’d rather err on the side of making this a better world than on the side of ruining the only planet we inhabit with all of the other life forms that would also be affected by our judgement….
The Zona Sur (Golfito, but mostly the surrounding areas) is just magnificent! I fell in love with that place the first time I set foot there…At night it takes a while to realize that what you’re hearing are millions of singing frogs! The Morpho butterflies and colorful birds fly by, that gorgeous Golfo Dulce, the incredibly deep sea fishing you can do there and so much more to love about that place! If you’re thinking of this area, I can certainly understand the attraction. As far as I know, and I haven’t been there in a while, there are hospitals in Golfito (constructed by the Banana company and in need of much repair), Ciudad Neilly, San Vito and Ciudad Cortes (Hospital Tomas Casas). Now the newspaper (La Nacion) articles mentioned back in Jan 2007 that the NEW Tomas Casas hospital should be completed by August, 2007 so I’m not quite sure if they’re talking about the same thing. However, those hospitals tend to be considered “periphery 1” hospitals which means that they’re good for emergencies not requiring surgery. Maybe the new hospital will have more technology, but there is also a shortage of doctors in that area and they can’t even keep some EBAIS (health clinics) open all the time because of this void. The good news is that you can always take a commuter plane from that area into SJ in case of a health crisis requiring more expertise or technology, but the bad news is that if you have a serious medical crisis and timing is of the essence, you will need to take a commuter plane to SJ because that is one very loooooooooong drive. If you have a serious medical condition, I would suggest you find another beautiful area to live in and visit the Peninsula de Osa rather than live there.
By the way, I’m so thrilled that your trip went well, you gave yourself the opportunity to see the natural beauty CR has to offer and the welcoming attitude of its people. Also that you, your companions and the surrounding fauna were spared any blood curling screams…. 🙂 Pura Vida…
This info is in Spanish, but provide info on the Ciudad Cortes hospital:
http://www.hospitalheredia.sa.cr/nuevo_hospital.html
http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2007/enero/26/pais973168.html
http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2004/abril/11/pais5.html
http://www.ccss.sa.cr/gerencia-operaciones/gdop_dap_hosp_osa.htmFunny, You mentioned needing the US to fix someone’s passport and maybe not getting that assistance–Do you mean that because someone doesn’t back up the political thoughts of a particular administration or many of them their gov’t shouldn’t work for them? Gee, and here I thought that the US government was supposed to by be “BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE” I guess I forgot that Chavez isn’t the only one trying to rewrite his country’s legacy….
Regarding El Salvador, of course people from all walks of life, economic status and political persuasions were hurt by the conflicts there as happens EVERYWHERE, but she had the ability to leave and live with dignity elsewhere. This embassy guide you mention sought out her personal safety from the mess caused by greedy, horrible men in El Salvador and the US, but when someone from the US is doing JUST that you become upset and deem them unfit to carry a passport????? As unfortunate as her circumstances could have been, she was not part of the oppressed, tortured, disappeared and killed of that nation because lunatics thought it should be run under an incredibly repressive regime and many of them were informed and educated under US guidelines. Have you walked thru the streets of San Salvador even now so many years after their civil war has ended? It doesn’t matter how much big business is there and how they have beautiful malls, the people’s psyche has been damaged after so much killing. What do you expect happens to humans when they kill another human for political differences over and over again? It doesn’t matter which side you’re on, that stuff will haunt you the rest of your days and in civil wars, the killing even happens within families, the bitterness of their dead follows them and I was informed that walking a 2 block span would definitely NOT be safe. When I was in my nice hotel, planning my seminars, there were businessmen coming in and out of that hotel, but they were incredibly well accompanied by BODYGUARDS! When you work for international agencies there, you get a sort of “combat pay” because it’s so unsafe there…I am eternally grateful Costa Rica has not had to suffer through this trauma and the US had not been formally (because you may get another response in the barrios/ghettos of large cities in the US) exposed to it on national soil since the Civil War until 9/11. I was in Jersey when those fighter jets were going over our heads, the towers came down and some of the toughest people in the US, New Yorkers, were devastated and tortured by their thoughts, fears and loss, I was here when some of the Muslim community rejoiced in the streets of Paterson over that dreadful day and also when I saw Sikhs and Muslims that had nothing to do with that incident be harassed and even be refused medical treatment at some doctor’s office–Watching people die around you, fearing for your loved ones and watching your children go off to war is a HORRIBLE thing anywhere and it does change you. The problem is that those that subscribe to the business first, people second mentality of the survival of the fittest bunch have the arrogance to think that this will never touch them or their loved ones—eventually this changes and history has proven this time and time again…I don’t blame every wrong on the US, I think that the national people involved in selling their souls for the almighty $ are just as despicable–only we say we stand for freedom and justice, and then help those monsters do horrible things and/or continue to stay in power until it no longer suits us–Ah, then they become bad, but before they were good–Can we say Bin Laden???
A government’s job is to represent (WORK FOR) its citizenry, but I believe that this goal has been clearly displaced and many, including the US, and they are WORKING FOR BIG BUSINESS. Just because it’s happening doesn’t make it legitimate–
According to Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address he said in 1863:
“– that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. “
People DO NOT NEED TO NOR SHOULD THEY EVER blindly follow government (unless your proposing communism or fascism) to be good citizens, because government is supposed to serve us and one that doesn’t certainly does not deserve our loyalties!!
Now, fight with the most famous words Abraham Lincoln ever spoke–they resound with impact in our minds and our hearts because that is how real goodness feels…imitation government excuses, rhetoric and lies sound hollow and wrong because they are….
BTW, now that Iran seems to be in every TV Anchor’s mouth (feeling oh so familiar to pre-Iraq war days…), using a million fraudelant excuses to go to war with ANY country in order to secure wealth or boost a country’s economy is also NOT acceptable for many reasons, but what should be important to our “elected” government is that the PEOPLE of these United States are not the ones behind such a derranged choice!!
Maravilla, It sounds like wonderful work and there are many people that have been able to build these type of bridges (educational, arts, religious–well, some churches have been fined for actually having fun while in Cuba, but at least they get to go). It’s the families that are severely restricted and told when and how they can see their loved ones, how much money they can send, etc. Restrictions were worse before so I guess I should be grateful, but I’m not. How dare any government tell me if I can meet my grandmother before she dies! As you may have imagined, Cubans throughout the world have found ways to get around these ridiculous restrictions…except of course, if you can only travel from the USA—then you’re stuck begging Washington D.C. for permission and thanking your lucky stars that you can actually get to see your family….
Part of my family actually owns a C21 in NJ and I have nothing against the larger franchises in CR, but I can tell you that such a label will not necessarily buy you the quality, service or experience you will find in a good, responsible and knowledgeable real estate agent with a proven track record in Costa Rica. This summer I tried to network with some of the larger franchises mentioned before and some were wonderful and others, well I cannot tell you how hard it was to get a hold of them and pin them down for a meeting. After meeting some of them, I left with the impression that they still had a lot to learn about the business and I will not be referring any clients to them.
This site recommends real estate agents that really seem to know their busines regardless of their franchise affiliation and act professionally–I would check that out first. They may also have a more local approach/contacts rather than you viewing houses for sale with $$$ pasted to your forehead…
Alfred, did you really buy that the embargo on Cuba was for any legitimate reason? Besides, Castro has found a way to make business dealings with other countries and do you really think that US based companies are going to loose out on that opportunity to make some money? Obviously those companies had no trouble getting permission to “visit” Cuba, but if a US citizen who happens to want to see her family wants to go then she’s restricted to once a year, for a 21 day stay and she can’t take her family to many of the tourist resorts with her!! Heaven forbid ANY US citizen go to Cuba for “pleasure”–it’s literally forbidden according to the current law. Funny, I thought that we had the “right to the pursuit of happiness” by some document that this administration obviously refuses to read or to respect!!!
We went to war with Vietnam, they killed our boys we killed theirs and now we send them TONS of aid and do business with them. The Chinese are more economically, politically and militarily able to challenge the US and by the way Scott B—THEY ARE COMMUNIST– Yet we have NO problems doing business with them. Hell, in the US there are children in commas and dying in hospitals because the US does NOT control the toys coming from and being made in China. Read for yourselves:
http://jackandjillpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/11/toy-contaminated-with-date-rape-drug.html
“NEW YORK (CNN) — U.S. safety officials have recalled about 4.2 million Chinese-made Aqua Dots bead toys that contain a chemical that has caused some children to vomit and become comatose after swallowing them.Scientists have found the popular toy’s coating contains a chemical that, once metabolized, converts into the toxic “date rape” drug GHB, or gamma-hydroxy butyrate, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission spokesman Scott Wolfson told CNN….”
********Now, either the Chinese are really bad with their chemistry formulas or they have adopted the ruthless formula the US seems to be proposing regarding capitalism. What do you say? Did you know that it wasn’t Darwin the one that coined the term “survival of the fittest” it was a man named Spencer? Did you also know that this adage was actually used to justify ruthless capitalism and Darwin was mortified that his theory of Natural Selection had been so bastardized as to come up with this and to boot–they were giving Darwin credit for the little slogan that he detested?
But getting back to Cubans, now those are REALLY bad communists the Chinese are GOOD communist, we can visit them, do business with them and make all sorts of political alliances with them, we are even allowed to experience “pleasure” in any way we choose there—-Heck, they’ve only been poisoning American children and making US companies filthy rich in the process–NO BIG DEAL!! Casualties of capitalism I guess…well, that “survival of the fittest” and all…..
Ethics is not college course that people have to take, ethics is what people know even in the remotest parts of El Salvador or Guatemala and that governments should have not just in discourse, but in their ACTIONS. BTW, Scott B, some of the most profound lessons I’ve learned were taught to me by people in the countryside of El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. When I stayed in the parish of Monsignor Romero in El Salvador (who publicly denounced the death squads which WERE in fact backed up by US money and power)–it was those people that were not formally educated, but were profoundly and bitterly educated by their experience of US meddling in their country that educated me. I agree, life experience trumps book smarts any day and I can quote you times and places throughout Latin America where the US might have directly or found indirect ways to get the jobs done. Can we say the backing of Pinochet and the assassination of Salvador Allende in Chile, can we say the slaughter of Cubans at Bay of Pigs in the stupidest attempt to overthrow a heavily supported gov’t on that island , that the US just left them there to die or be imprisoned. Did you know that the geniuses from Washington D.C. did not even try to communicate and organize with the existing counter revolutionary movement that was inside the island at the time? The Cubans on the island did not know of the plan and had to hide or exile themselves after the attempt because even though they had not been involved they were being made to pay for it!! My family found themselves eating documents and crashing into Brazilian embassies to stay alive! Can we say the backing of Somosa in Nicaragua or the backing of the Contras when they were just as brutal in their methodologies–not to mention that little ditty of the Iran-Contra shingding?–I guess the Iranians were GOOD to do business with then but NOT now!! Can we ask why Honduras is in such a shambles if our presence has been so strong there? Can we ask ourselves about the people in Chiapas in Mexico have to be so repressed and if anyone in the US listens when one of them is murdered on a bus? Can we say Rigoberta Menchu still having difficulty today living in Guatemala today because of what she has had the NERVE to tell the world and how the US & Guatemalan gov’t officials asked the Nobel Prize committee that she NOT win the prize? The list goes on and on and it’s too sad to depict, but I’m sure you have access to information and can look this stuff up. Try various sources so that your info doesn’t come straight from the State Dept and you will also find much more reliable information. I know people directly related to these instances–real people, not just quoting books to you…But can we also say the millions of displaced people throughout Latin America because stubborn, greedy men without an ounce of compassion decided from their dictatorships and from Washington D.C. that what they offered, no matter how cruel, how inhumane and how counter productive that it was better than HEAVEN’S FORBID another form of gov’t? If you think I’m proposing communism, the answer is a resounding NO, but I do not blind myself to the damage that has been created in Latin America or are we now going to also pretend as some mentally blind folk would have us think that the Holocaust never happened???
When someone is killed because he or she happened to dare to think differently from us, we should mourn not cheer–Life is precious and should never be for sale or at the will of the strongest because there always comes a time (ALWAYS) when the many who are oppressed will turn on the few that have brutalized them and also turn on those that sat idly watching…That’s how revolutions are made…If people are not abused and taken advantage of, then there will never be an extremist group that could get the population behind them–The US has created and supported a million messes around the world and who will be there for us when it’s our turn to face the piper after the disgraceful way we have behaved as a government? We the people of the US have tacitly and some not so tacitly given our government the right to act like lunatics and it’s time we demand sanity and accountability from those we have placed in office!!!
It’s not about given up the passport, it’s about ACTING OUR OUR CITIZENSHIP IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER! Or are you suggesting that Germans should have just given up their German passports when the Holocaust was taking place and people had actually started fighting back? NO–even those of us that choose to move to find a more peaceful place to raise our families are always going to hope and do whatever is in our power so that the US behaves in accordance with the dignity expressed in its founding documents…
Much good and much not so good has come out of USA aid to other countries. No one is denying that the US gives money, but it’s certainly not a case of mere charity there are political implications and considerations in each and everyone of those instances. The other day a dear friend of mine shared an article about Cuba with me. Even if I don’t agree with some of the Cuban VP’s declarations, the facts are that when the UN has voted on whether or not to stop the embargo to Cuba there have most recently been 3 countries taking the US’s side to continue the embargo: Israel, Marshall Islands and Palau. Now what the heck does Palau, Marshall Islands and Israel have at stake in their votes (see below)—Well, it sure isn’t the well being of the Cuban citizenry nor the US people, their stake is the huge amount of aid the US sends their way (see below) and in the case of Israel, it’s also the political & military support the US provides for them every time all hell breaks loose in that area–even when Israel has clearly been in the wrong (and before you accuse me of being anti-semitic–let me tell you that I’ve studied and have great interest in the Middle East and that part of my daughter’s heritage is Jewish–I most certainly am not an anti-semite–I’ve just always detested the actions of bullies anywhere, anytime).
From the article that was sent to me, “Cuba’s Sin” by William Blum: “the annual vote at the United Nations on a General Assembly resolution to end the US embargo against Cuba. This is how the vote has gone:
Yes-No
1992 59-2 (US, Israel)
1993 88-4 (US, Israel, Albania, Paraguay)
1994 101-2 (US, Israel)
1995 117-3 (US, Israel, Uzbekistan)
1996 138-3 (US, Israel, Uzbekistan)
1997 143-3 (US, Israel, Uzbekistan)
1998 157-2 (US, Israel)
1999 155-2 (US, Israel)
2000 167-3 (US, Israel, Marshall Islands)
2001 167-3 (US, Israel, Marshall Islands)
2002 173-3 (US, Israel, Marshall Islands)
2003 179-3 (US, Israel, Marshall Islands)
2004 179-4 (US, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau)
2005 182-4 (US, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau)
2006 183-4 (US, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau)
2007 184-4 (US, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau)
********************************************************
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/23/24/1882099.gifIn 2004-5 we gave an average per year to Marshall Islands of $43.50 million, out of the top 10 donors, we were #1 and we gave 4 times more than what the other 9 put together gave them!
In 2004-5 we gave an average per year to Palau of $13.62 million, out of the top 10 donors, we were #1 and we gave 2 times more than what the other 9 put together gave them!
Are you starting to get the picture here???
Do you also see an interesting correlation of timing and countries looking for military backing and not just monetary aid (Albania, Uzbekistan, Israel). If not read this article from the Washington Report on the Middle East: http://www.wrmea.com/aboutwrmea/index.htm
You might also want to take a look at this report on the reasons & distribution of aid:
http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Debt/USAid.asp#ForeignAidNumbersinChartsandGraphsIf you ever want to pinpoint the type of aid, who gives it and to whom, check this site out: (It’s a data base on aid). Great statistics of every kind–you just have to sift thru it! http://www.oecd.org/document/33/0,2340,en_2649_34447_36661793_1_1_1_1,00.html
You’re right, statistics can be used to skew the true meaning behind what they’ve measured but not if you read the fine print, that’s why need to see the details and also the big picture to use your judgement–just as statisticians do and something we should also rely on. We’re in such deep economic troubles these days that the US hasn’t been able to even keep its word regarding the aid already promised to other countries. Not to mention how the real estate and mortgage markets have been reduced to crumbs. Just because Rome stood tall and powerful once doesn’t mean that one day it didn’t also loose it’s power. I have great love and respect for the ideals under which the US was founded. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for what we have been representing as a political entity these days. It’s shameful and the one thing I continue to be proud of is that people in the US and elsewhere recognize the gravity of the current situation and are doing what they can to bring about change. For me, that change has taken way toooooooooooo long.
Speaking of shameful, as far as Central America goes, please don’t go there. The US has backed dictators and corrupt/abusive governments from Guatemala on down! I know a lot of Salvadorians that would vomit to hear that the US was actually what saved El Salvador when they still have relatives that are “missing” and of course others they can only now remember since they’re dead. Not to mention the other countries devastated by US meddling such as Guatemala and Nicaragua. There are many books written on just this subject, but if you want to read a brief but disturbing book about what the US knew and supported in Guatemala, read a NOBEL PRIZE WINNER’S account of her family and her country’s struggle in “Me llamo Rigoberta Menchu y asi me nacio la conciencia” by R. Menchu (“MY NAME IS RIGOBERTA MENCHU AND THIS IS HOW MY CONCIENCE WAS BORN” ) or ask yourselves why we back a military training school called “School of the Americas”, who has been trained there and to do just what….
For me, just like Castro is no Jose Marti, and Chavez is no Simon Bolivar, our current government (Congress and all) falls incredibly short of what the Founding Fathers thought of and tried to create for this country!! And you have to pay the piper somewhere along the line….
Edited on Nov 10, 2007 13:46
Well, the issue is that there are wonderful things about the USA that many of us love–important symbols such as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights that are being shredded to pieces in order to support the unhealthy need for control and attention this government has displayed in the past few years without the slightest regard for others. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) would classify a person portraying these behaviors as suffering from a variety of pathologies, but of course we’re talking about a government so the label doesn’t apply??? Of course, that’s not to say that the USA has not implemented other despicable foreign policies throughout time, but I do believe that if they could, the founding fathers of this nation are rolling over in their graves and hoping that the PEOPLE for whom the United States of America was created for remember why and how the country came about. I never thought I would see the day when I lived with the same personal safety concerns about my government than people that have lived under communist and fascist regimes! Under the Patriot Act, I have lost so many rights and can still loose so many others if someone decides that this 5’3″ lady is a national threat or heaven forbid a terrorist. If you think that is a ridiculous thought, let me tell you that I personally know of a 14 yr. old teenage girl that was charged with TERRORISTIC ACTS in my town because she and another girl were having a catfight over the Internet! It’s the FEAR word of the day like being a communist was in the McCarthy period just with greater consequences to the national and international population–not to mention our economies. God forbid anyone today or any country today has a dissenting opinion because that automatically makes them the enemy or even worse it makes them terrorists and terrorist lovers! I believe in many of the freedoms, rights and responsibilities this country was founded on and I refuse to sit idly by and just be complacent.
What is goodness is understood cross-culturally even if we all have subjective ideas of what we prefer so instead of a definition, I prefer to look into synonyms to clarify this point:
According to Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Synonyms for goodness:
“Integrity, honesty, uprightness, probity:”
Now with all of the dishonesty, omissions and misleading statements that have come from this administration to its constituency and to the world–Are they examples of goodness which would at least give them some moral ground to say who may be evil?
“Goodness, morality and, virtue refer to qualities of character or conduct that entitle the possessor to approval and esteem. Goodness is the simple word for the general quality recognized in character or conduct:”
How does the world feel about the USA right now? I think it would be fair to say that the majority of other nations and their peoples do NOT hold us in high regard due to our actions since our attack on Iraq and all of the information that has become available since.
“Virtue is a rather formal word, and suggests usually goodness that is consciously or steadily maintained, often in spite of temptations or evil influences: of unassailable virtue; firm and of unwavering virtue.”
Have we been considered virtuous before, I would say yes (as much as any political group deserves to be labeled that and certainly as a people), but this needs to be maintained–it is NOT a virtue written in stone, but rather one written in our everyday discourse and actions.
“benevolence, benignity, humanity.”
How much humanity has there been in our treatment of “suspicious” people and even our enemies? How much “benevolence” does every US citizen and the citizens of this world need to endure so that someone feels in control of how others think, feel, do, say and act—even when that is on foreign soil?????
I also want a USA I can be proud of and right now the this country has lost its way. It’s up to its citizens to stop closing our eyes and demand our country and the values it stood for back…
As far as I’m concerned the “axis of evil” is anywhere we allow basic human values to be lost in order to blindly follow a “means justify the ends mentality”….
I say, God bless everyone and God help us ALL return to some semblance of sanity….
Edited on Nov 10, 2007 08:03
Edited on Nov 10, 2007 08:07
Not to mention that there is certainly “no free lunch” for anyone–the American public is a generous citizenry when it comes to the need of others, but the the US gov’t has never given aid without strings attached…I’m not stating this, history has shown it….
Igloo, Even though the population is predominantly Catholic, there has been a growing transition in CR where more and more of the population have converted to other religions, mostly of the Protestant type. There are various well known Protestant groups such as the Methodist & Baptist (among others) that have been in CR for a long time, have large congregations, various locations, have respective private schools and country camps to Born Again Christian groups and there are also other religious groups such as B’hais, Jews, Muslims and other Asian based religious groups. Once upon a time, it was very uncomfortable to be anything other than a Catholic in CR, but today the Costa Rican people are aware of the religious differences practiced in their country and this does not seem to be a point of contention with them as long as you’re respectful of their practices. I don’t know which Protestant group you belong to, but my sister’s family is very involved in the Protestant community if you should need more info.
Edited on Nov 10, 2007 10:16
OMG, that sounds incredibly scrumptious!!!! You are an amazing woman Maravilla and I’m sure your organic chocolate masterpiece will give all of my old favorites intense competition. Now, you can’t tempt a chocolate lover like myself that way and not say where we can savor a little bit of that heaven in CR…BTW, the date of my next CR trip is a bit uncertain right now so do you FedEx? 🙂 See that, one more reason to hurry up and get to CR….
It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad how they’ve managed to make people’s idiosyncrasies and quirks such as shaking your leg now into an illness (restless leg syndrome) that needs to be treated with meds that then may really make someone ill. Af few months ago I heard a commercial that made me want to jump thru the TV screen when they said that high blood pressure was causing an epidemic of impotence in men. Well, they forgot to mention the “middleman” causing the impotence wasn’t being hypertensive, but the medications prescribed to treat the high blood pressure! What an ommission–I couldn’t believe this was allowed to air! Something must have happened later because I haven’t seen the commercial again, but it’s disgraceful that such misleading information was allowed to air at all.
Alfred, I hope your son gets to see Dr. Kokayi soon so he can figure out how your son’s meds should be dealt with because I assure you that he will feel much better once he’s off of them, but this should only happen under a doctor’s care and with the appropriate alternative care because asthma is nothing to play with and neither is going on or off of some of those medications he’s probably on.
That’s just how I feel about chocolate Alfred! I take this delicious chocolate drink that is full of antioxidants, has no sugar or cocoa fat, but every now and again I do love to eat a piece of chocolate cake. There are three places that make the most wonderful chocolate cakes, two in Costa Rica (Cafe Mundo and Bread & Chocolate) and one is in Red Bank, NJ (but I think that might have had more to do with the company than the cake :-). For me, chocolate cake is just one of the many reasons I have to move to CR (LOL)….
If you search this site, you will find a wealth of info on a variety of topics that can help you thru this transition. Take a look at the thread under Receiving Mail. You could always use Aerocasillas http://www.aeropost.com/sjo/home.htm which are much more efficient and expedient when receiving even small packages than the CR post office. Frankly, the CR PO was much worse before, they’re pretty good right now.
Opening up a bank acct in CR should not be problem, they usually ask for various form of id and they have become more diligent about reporting large deposits to Uncle Sam after 9/11. Prior to that they said they did, but most would agree that they were much more lenient. There are national and private banks throughout and you just need to make sure you know the bank policies ahead of time regarding any issues that may arise so you know what your path of recourse would be in case of a problem. There are different regs regarding government backing for national banks and for private ones. I found BCR much easier to deal with under all types of situations than BN. I also worked with Banco Cuscatlan for some of my student’s accts and they were incredibly efficient and courteous back then. Best of luck on your move…
