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If you go to http://www.arcr.com they have a link on the home page upper right hand corner called learn spanish free. If you click the link you will be introduced to Visual Link Spanish where you can take some free lessons and see if you like it. You can also order a free limited course DVD/CD or the complete course for a 130.00 fee. The cool thing is you get to try it out without buying anything just like a test drive in a car. If it seems right for you or not is free and easy to decide.
Good luck
Scott:
I don’t what what they are talking about in this post, but, I do know many years ago in Florida especially on the West Coast developers built canals from the landside of the intercoastal inward and then built homes on the canals so you could dock a small to medium size boat at your house now you could navigate through the canals to the Gulf/Ocean. This was a long term project and increased the value of the inland land.
kimyoa650:
You are right on with your post. Its not only normal but its healthy.
I further agree let’s leave the Kings in their current Kingdoms there is no place for that anywhere.
Good morning Alfred and other members:
I waited 24 hours to respond to you to see if we could get some others to voice their words. Either they are entertained by our stories or they have nothing to add. Let me continue with some more coincidence: My father’s youngest brother nicked named Babe real name was Alfred. He passed away very young by my family standards at the age of 51. I never met him he moved to Florida when he was married as a young man. I did meet his 2 children who are much older than I am when I was 12 or so. His son and my older brother have the same name reversed they were both named after our Grandfather. I am the only male sibling that had a male child my son is our family name sake at this point in time and at his birth my father requested that we name him after his baby brother. After a little negotiation with my ex-wife we agreed to give our son the middle Alfred. He is still our family’s only name sake my cousin never had any children nor has my younger brother and my older brother made women LOL. This is very scary for me because my son is an active duty US marine and although I could keep him off the battlefield due to him being my namesake I chose not to which is his wish.
I have no knowledge into DNA other than knowing it is used to identify paternity and aids law enforcement in solving crimes. I am interested in learning more about the way you used it for genealogy I find that very interesting. Several cousins and I spent a lot of time making a family tree that we started with our Great Grandparents who were the first to immigrate to the US the brought 3 children with them and had 11 children more after arriving through Ellis Island in 1903. Talk about strange stuff you learn they gave one of their fourteen children to a sister and brother-in-law to raise since they couldn’t have kids. Pretty weird stuff, no one knew this as until we started doing our research and working on our family tree. I have learned so much from creating our tree and we maintain it every 6 months. What I really like is having it blown up 4’x 8′ in color I stand back and study it on my office wall I can see the changes in trends like divorce which never entered my family till post 1960 and family sizes which slowly dropped from 14 children to a steady 6-8 all the way down to 0-2 in today’s generation. The other thing that made all the work we did priceless is being able to show my children where they come from and how easily they can check their extended family at a glance. This is not some simple tree either we have illegitimate children on here along with the other parents name children brought into the family by marriage. Maybe one of these years I will work backwards from my great grandparents till whenever. I thought you might enjoy that bit of my history. Did 5151 hit if not play it for a few more days before you give up. I wish you luck with it.
I would suggest you get a handle of the two major insurance offered and their coverages and residency requirements. I know they both differ as far as if you need to be a resident and which one covers pre existing conditions. Unless you intend to go out of pocket for all your expenses which will still be reasonable. I have medicare here in the US and will be keeping it but I will also be getting one of the two major plans once I have my residency completed. GringoTico shared some great information a few posts down and there are some excellent sites that explain both types of insurances their monthly costs and benefits including exclusions. I don’t have them in front of me but would be happy to find them to supply you with their links or address if you ask.
Same here Alfred most people think I am making a crazy move. Even my 2 brothers show the contrast you stated. My younger brother who visited CR with me on one of my trips believes it’s a great move and wants to join me there in a year or so, while my older brother who has never been to CR tells me you’re crazy what’s there that you can have here and you’ll be back you can’t get any of the things you need there. But all of his comments are based on his opinion of something he knows nothing about. LOL hey but they both followed me to Las Vegas years ago after telling me Vegas isn’t NYC you are going to miss everything and everyone from NYC blah blah blah. I never went back to NYC to live and I will never leave CR to come back to the US to live. I don’t make decisions without doing my reseach in detail and having my mind 100% certain first. I follow a simple plan do your research make a plan follow the plan. I have been coming to CR for over ten years staying for very short visits at first just basic vacation then extended visits to make certain that I wasn’t just in love with the idea of living out my vacation. I also varied when I came and where I stayed, so I know 100% for certain where I want to live and that I will be not content but happy once I make my move. And now it’s just a month away and I am filled with excitement and not one drop of fear or concern. I am still finalizing some details confirming some things I don’t have a complete handle on but they are all the small things and I never sweat the small stuff I take care of the major issues and know all the rest will fit into place or I will adjust to those things that don’t.
Sound like Christmas Eve at either my house or yours and New Years at the others. And if anyone else wants an invite they better start posting. It’s a NY thing no work no food LOL.
Hi mediatica:
Yes I want someone looking out for my best interests and that is why I posted the question I want someone looking out for my best interest not their own. I would expect if I contaced a Realtor with my specific information to tell me based on what you wrote mediatica; “hey Steve I normally charge my client a direct fee, but in your specific purchase we have a relationship with the seller and they will cover our fee. We also may be able to have the selling price reduced”. Or to say “hey Steve I have a relationship with this developer and they will be paying my fee. I will represent you at no additional expense to you. I’ll make sure the sale goes smooth and everything is done properly for you”. They may also say “you have your attorney in place and they will handle the contrac+t and title search issues for you, so I don’t see any need for you to pay for my services”. Or lastly they may say. “Steve my fees to you are X% this is my normal fee and is paid to me by you however, as you know the seller has listed the unit you want for X dollars I have a relationship with the seller/developer and while they won’t discount the price on that unit to you they will reduce the price by the same X% for to to cover the expense of having me represent you”.
In 1999 I had a profesional realtor show me over a dozen homes for sale in Las Vegas, some resales some new developments. I didn’t find any of them to meet my needs. Then one Sunday afternoon while I was driving I saw a new development and drove in on my own to look at their models. I liked what I saw and told the developer’s agent I want to purchase the house I liked, I also said I was there last night late with my realtor but the office was closed so the realtor that had showed me the previous dozen homes could collect a fee. I negotiated the sales price direct with that developers agent and left a binder for my primary home. I called my realtor and explained to him what had just transpired and he thanked me. He then got involved in all the details through my closing along side my lawyer. I also purchased 4 other homes as investment properties in this same development, my realtor received his fees on those, My realtor was and is very appreciative of what I did since he wasn’t entitled to earn a fee based on me finding this development on my own but I felt he was since he spent 3 or 4 weekends previously driving me to MLS homes trying to help me find my dream house. Subsequently in a market that all I had to do is say I am selling my house out loud in my living room and would have 5 offers, I gave my realtor the listing for my 5 houses. My realtor Bill is the only person I would use to buy or sell property in Las Vegas because he is knowledgable fair and honest.
If a Realtor stated any of the above they would be my Realtor of choice through all my real estate transactions and someone I would recommend to everyone.
Hey Alfred “51” I am 51 my father was 51 when I was born I wonder if there is something to that number. You grandfather came here in 1903 and my father was born here in 1904 a year after my grandparents came here. Yeah I would say we have a lot in common and would laugh till we cried if we ever started talking although I know they will be tears of joy remembering what NYC was like 40 years ago and what our childhood memories represent. The traditions that were started by our grandparents that we probibly still do today. My favorite two nights of the week were and are Christmas Eve and New Years Eve where we shared macaroni every type of fresh seafood and for desert Strufoli (fried dough with honey and sprinkles)and pastries from Cafe Ferrara Grand Street Little Italy NYC expresso with lemon twist & annizette.
We may have been middle class but on those nights we were the rich and famous as many as 50 people walking in and out eating drinking and laughing till late into the night.
They may have closed down the stores built their malls and big box superstores priced us out staying through retirement but they can’t steal or erase those memories. I am sure we will make a lot of new memories living in Costa Rica. I agree with you I also feel like a kid there and I really enjoy shopping in the farmers market and the taste of fresh fruit and veggies but mostly I love my cup of cafe con leche smoking a cigar no AC the breeze and the sounds of kids playing in the background. I guess that is the silver lining to them squeezing the middle class and the way I choose to deal with it.
Scott:
You actually never gave me a reason other than to state you couldn’t recommend the developer I asked you about. I found your comment to be profesional and respected your choice not to explain. I said that was good enough for me and it was. Reading what I just read though I have to admit I am not surprised having met and interacted with that developer I use to count my fingers after we shook hands every time thus my reason for asking you about him/his company.
I agree and understand my education and employment background gives me a different edge but even with my construction/development history I would still hire a Real Estate Profesional without question if I weren’t 100% sure where I wanted to buy and didn’t already have knowledge that it is a top rated developer based on an excellent source (Scott Oliver of WLCR) who’s knowledge I trust 100%. But I still have no knowledge if I will save money and/or better protect myself by hiring a R/E profesional for my transaction thus my questions. Thank you for all of the knowledge I gained on this site plus all of the advice and information you shared personally with me.
Lotusmama: Nothing in life worth having is ever easy. I remember wanting to relocate to California from NYC and I heard so much negitivity from family and friends at the time. I can’t imagine what I would have heard if I wanted to relocate to Costa Rica back then. I am certain of this anything that you want is doable with proper research and planning so let the ney sayers speak their piece and go for that which you and your husband believe will make you happy. My father may he rest in peace was born and raised in Brooklyn NY and he believed that was the only place in the entire universe to live and work. He didn’t travel very much until his later years and remained in the same area till his death. I guess that may explain why I have this gypsy spirit and have traveled the globe and relocated many times pre children and even a couple of times after my children were born. I did all I have done without regret the only driving factor was I believed it was the best thing for me and my family at the time. Best of luck in whatever you decide.
I think it is wise to have a relationship with other expats as you are seeking William. It will allow you to reminisce with and may ease the separation anxiety that most expats have to mourn when relocating. I agree it will be much easier to learn Spanish if you are subjected to it 24/7 and take language lessons also. I think your plan sounds smart and well thought out. Relocating to a foreign country is stressful and you should do what makes you feel the most comfortable, if you look at the US history you will see those who immigrated here lived in enclaves with their former country people. Most of them assimilated very well to American culture while maintaining their heritage. I wish you luck on your move and go with what you believe will make your transition the easiest for you. You can always adjust your friendships and circles that you run with.
Bank of America has a flex CD which allows you access to your money without penalty and is also internet friendly and can be linked to other accounts that you may have with them such as a checking account or several accounts so you can tranfer funds between them. See a personal banking rep wich will help you as your own private banker. All they require is a minimum deposit of 100,000 dolars. I am sure other major banks have similar types of accounts. You may want to choose a bank that has an international banking relationship with a Costa Rican bank for easier wire transfer from both in the US and Costa Rica. If your bank doesn’t have this type of relationship than you have to be at a branch in person to make wire transfers. You can arrainge wire transfers in either country if the bank has a branch or a relationship in both countries. I know its wordy I just hope you get the point I am sharing to try to hep make things easier for you.
Man Alfred I’m not sure if that’s a smile or a tear on my face remembering how great life was then. Yes it sounds like we shared very similar upbringings we are Sicilian and Sunday dinner hasn’t changed thru today. The smell of gravy simmering in the background with beef and pork or eggplant frying and the pasta waiting to boil fresh bread and rice balls giving off their aroma on the sideboard. But I am still preferred; peas. beans brocolirabe, or spinach and macaroni at least 2 evenings a week.
I grew up on a dead-end street in Brooklyn where we used a garbage can cover for a sled to slide down the hill at the end of my block into the train tracks where freight cars once rode. We made forts in front of our houses and stored our snowball ammunition for all out attacks on each other. After an afternoon of not realizing we were all wet and freezing we were called in for dinner to complete our homework take our bath then to bed. And yes I had melted many a soldier or cowboy on my desk lamp in fact the bulb had green brown and red plastic stuck all over it. We didn’t have a care at all it seems to me neither did our parents besides us getting our diplomas.
Our parents never were involved in our entertainment either except to advise when it was meal time or the end of the evening for it to come to its closure for that day. We never heard of a play date we rang each others door bells and said can Tommy or Billy come out and play. We always had enough kids for a game of stickball punch ball stoopball stoop baseball football hide and go seek or tag. All played right there in street outside of our homes we would go to the school yard for basketball softball or hardball. Simple life I guess it was for me it was a good life filled with awesome memories and friends I still see today. There were the drug users but we all knew who they were and they knew what would happen to them if they robbed anyone or their homes in the neighborhood too. That’s not to say they didn’t but they always got what they had coming to them when they were caught. We didn’t have one superstore franchise fast food restaurant or major chain store in the neighborhood in fact the first shopping mall didn’t hit Brooklyn until I was 14 or so. We knew our pharmacist grocer baker bread man milkman butcher and fruit/vegetable store owners all by name. We shopped without money it all went on the tab till Friday when our fathers got paid and straightened out the week’s expenses.
I agree with you Costa Rica takes me back to almost that same feeling and era where people mattered life was simple we ate fresh food purchased today’s menu and families were families. I hate shopping in all the big box stores and impersonal chain stores. I watched as they forced all the middle class shop keepers out of business. Even medical care went from the family doctor who made house calls to medical offices where you may or may not have the same Doctor caring for you each visit. I bring that up because I understand why its like it is; the cost of mal-practice insurance and lab equipment but, its one more nail in the coffin of the middle class. My plumber makes as much income as my Doctor and he doesn’t have the same student loans to deal with. I don’t no what the answer is maybe it really is progress if this is progress I want to go back to a time and place that progress hasn’t hit yet.
Alfred News Flash we can never trust these politicians at least we can’t take them at their word. I think they are trained at birth to tell people what they want to hear. I remember going to listen to a guy running for the Senate at two different places with opposites in their views this guy told each group he agreed with their views and would support both sides of the argument. I was young and didn’t confront him with a question why he told the union he was in favor of unions last week and now he is telling this group of business owners he agrees that unions have too much power and business owners should be able to offer good benefits doing away with the need for unions any more. I felt like I was on Mars or somewhere on another planet. That’s when I learned to look at their voting records and disregard all of the rhetoric they spew.
I agree if society doesn’t change and stop the me me me thinking we are in big trouble as a people. We stopped taking responsibility for our actions nothing is our fault any more the world owes us everything. We have lost touch with reality in my opinion it’s everywhere from the top to the bottom. I don’t feel like I am that old but it seems like it was a lifetime ago when people cared about each other and looked out for one another. I grew up in a house with my parents and my grandmother siblings one TV dinners together talking to each other about our lives and the world. We volunteered at the Salvation Army every Thanksgiving serving dinner to less fortunate people. We also worked as children selling raffles for different charities. It was fun but it also gave us the opportunity to feel good about ourselves. I still volunteer at the Salvation Army almost every year. It’s not any big deal for me to do it and it makes me feel like I am doing some good. So to me it’s all about how you were raised, today with so many single parent homes or 2 wage earners so families can make ends meet children aren’t getting to experience doing family things this is all part of the break down of the middle class. Latch key kids unsupervised children and children hearing how hard their parents have to work just to buy them their new computer or video games. All the changes of specialty clothes and sneakers today’s kids have are screwing them up too. I had a bag of plastic army men and I was happy as could be maybe 3 changes of clothes including my Sunday outfit never felt like I was missing anything and I wasn’t. Plus we were middle class we didn’t want for anything but we didn’t have everything. It was such a different time and way of thinking and living. I don’t know when we started keeping up with the Jones and when he with the most toys wins I really can’t remember but I know it’s been all down hill since then.
Today its cable TV Pay Per View avoid social interaction take care of thyself screw him first. But, we all get laid to rest the same now as we did then and that’s reality so why go through the journey with so much stress slow down and the heck with the material stuff and enjoy the ride it’s a very short one. But, that’s just my opinion. Pura Vida !!!
I am not sure how many people see other peoples financial issues. We live in a me society and if the increases in the cost of living doesn’t affect me because my income is keeping up with it I might think so is everyone elses. Pre Katrina how many Americans knew we still have a poverty issue as vast as it is. The entire world got a birds eye view into the great American secret and most of them were shocked by what they learned it wasn’t limited outsiders the majority of US citizens didn’t have a clue either. I would almost bet a lot of our politicians didn’t know the extent of the plight of the working poor. As far as the middle income goes I believe we will become extinct into the lower income with very few moving into the lower end of the wealthy. Between taxation increases in energy insurance housing food healthcare salary increases won’t keep up. So save and invest now if you want 1/2 a chance to live beyond existing. If inflation and increased housing costs continue in Costa Rica it won’t have the benefits we see today unless we buy a home there today for when we retire. I am not sure how much any individual can do to eliminate inflation other than conserve and voting for fiscally savy people but we can invest properly to stay even or get ahead of inflation with proper planing. The other thing that a middle class person should do while they are young is earn as much as they can while they are young and spend less than they earn invest the difference safely. If you are close to retirement age and aren’t prepared for it get prepared.
