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[quote=”Scott”][quote=”costaricafinca”]Hey…some folk don’t understand what I say, as a Scot![/quote]
I took my gal (who’s from Guatemala) and her youngest son back home to visit my parents in Scotland a few years ago.
As we were sitting in the train there was a young Glaswegian man (a person from Glasgow in Scotland – who speak English but with a Glasgow accent – for our non-Scottish VIP Members..,) opposite us speaking to someone on his telephone…
Mayra asked me, what language is he speaking?
Ha!
Most English speaking people have trouble understanding a thick Glaswegian accent, a woman from Guatemala? Nada!
Scott
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That is much worse than a New Englander having a conversation from someone from the south of the States.
[quote=”VictoriaLST”]CR mandates a certain number of years of education. Then they tell you, “but make sure your child has the proper uniform and supplies”.
So, you make c40,000 – 50,000 a week as a farm worker. Uniforms and supplies are c80,000 – 90,000. Or you can buy food. No wonder so many children end up with three years of education.
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That was the situation with the family that lives with us. In return for the emormous amount of help that they provide to us we pay the entire educational costs for their kids.With the cost of rent and inflated prices for everything else thay could never afford the cost of all the extras that the schools ask for on the wages he makes as a messenger and her erratic employment as a domestic.
It costs us about c400,000 per year and we have a bargain. We could never find anyone to care for our acre size campo for that price. The pries we have been given to simply cut the grass and weeds has been c200,000 per month. The additional help we get in acquiring the things we need is priceless.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”] Your only options are either to make an appointment at the U.S. Embassy (bring cash) or to see if the recipient of the document in the U.S. will accept notarization by a Costa Rican Notary. We found ourselves in a similar situation a while back. The U.S. life insurance company did, in fact, accept notarization by a local Notary.
[/quote]Best option is to contact the entity that requires the notarization to see if they will accept a Costa Rican notarization if you have not already done so.
[quote=”costaricafinca”]I operated a preschool and day care for over 20+ years in Canada and provided many stimulating games and puzzles for babies from a very early age. I brought with me, many variations of matching games like dominoes and jigsaw puzzles for children, and when I have visitors with little ones, they love to ‘raid my boxes’ for a new task to try. I have found that some of the puzzles ‘my’ 2 year olds could do, it is a struggle for many in first graders to be able to accomplish, at least until they have visited for a few times.
I have shown many parents just what a child can ‘do’ with one very inexpensive pack of playing cards…
In our town there is a man who teaches some of the local kids to make Robots with all sorts of ‘junk’ that would usually be thrown in the trash. Kudos to him!![/quote]I have one 16 year old who shows promise with things electronic. He is always figuring out how to use them.
I have a 10 and 11 year old who I think are not beyond hope and a 3 year old who can be my best prospect.
I am well beyond average in intelligence but on this subject I appreciate your guidance.
Thank you.
I think Terry is right. It seems that San Jose is the hub for any transportation from one side of the country to any place on the other.
[quote=”costaricafinca”] Agree with Les, the public schools here leave a lot to be desired. There will be a few that may be considered outstanding, but for the most part, I would never advise anyone moving here to put their children into this system.[/quote]
Going back to my statement that parents need to begin the process of teaching their children to think I am finding that many Tico parents are so poorly educated that they are incapable of beginning the process. Both parents come from poor backgrounds that required them to help support the family.
Some way there needs to be a change in the culture.
In my personal experience with the family in our home the father and mother have 5th and 6th grade educations. The father is very intelligent and able to think through problems but the idea of teaching the kids to do the same never crossed his mind.
Of the eight kids in our home all but two are beyond his level of education. I am trying to get the kids to question the teachers on the concepts that they are taught in school. The concept of respect is ingrained in the society here to the point that they fear to question any authority. The kids are taught to memorize what they learn rather than to think and question. The vast majority of teachers seem to be there for the pay rather than having an interest in teaching
Very few or the kids in the poorer families get as far as finishing Colegio much less get to University. It seems to me that the kids in the more prosperous families are able to advance themselves further.
Am I wrong or do others see the same problem? When you get down to it educaton is the reason the Costa Rica is losing these jobs.
[quote=”Scott”]Remember I am British Les! Every time I fly into Heathrow I am greeted by Hindus who make up at least 50% of the staff so I am very familiar with the different accents.
[/quote]You are also dealing with a variety of accents at Heathrow.
It is quite different for someone unused to the accents. Face to face I usually have little problem communicating but over the telephone it is quite different.
It is the same with my Spanish. Over the phone I have a problem but face to face it is easier to understand or request that the other person speak more slowly.
Scott, We have eight kids in various stages of their education living here. When this began the youngest two were in the first grade. We now have one who has graduated, another in her last year and three others in Colegio.
I am not impressed with the education that they are receiving.The education of a child begins in the home with the parents teaching their kids, initially, how to think. The schools are supposed to continue the process by teaching, reading, math and the sciences as well as to inform students about the world around them.
In Ciudad Colon it does not seem that the teachers have much interest in teaching the kids to think but teach them how to memorize the subject.
Most important for the students here is to LEARN math, the sciences so that they can advance themselves technically and how to read and write English to give them advantage with the U.S. corporations looking for competent help.
I fault parents, teachers and educational administrastors for the failings of the children and the loss of the ability to fill needed positions.
The entire system is failing from end to end.
If you have never tried to get technical support from an Indian technician be warned…their pronunciation is like something from outer space.
[quote=”aguirrewar”]One thing I considered about retirement in CR was at what age
I am not 30, 40 50 but in the 60’s and I don’t need to see the Beach anymore, or the secluded areas
living right across the best hospital in CR is fine with me
did the beach, camping, hunting, swimming deals
now is the time to live in the City with the negatives that are included
you might not think about it but at some time in your life YOU WILL DIAL 911[/quote]
At age 71 I have never needed 911. I live too far out in a place too poor for the ladrones to bother with us and Cruz Roja has been called once but they are only a mile away and response is immediate.
City living sucks with all the crowds. I love it here and have many friends.
[quote=”aguirrewar”]I lived in CR in the 1970’s
left and visited in the 1980-1990
Now 45 days away from a FULL retirement and heading south in the 2013 year
I will not be carrying a suit case this time and will not be in CR for a couple of weeks but for the rest of my life.
Born in a small island in the Carribean, raised in Verdun, France then joined the US Army and was stationed in Europe and Central America, did I TRAVEL??? many times
But the road ends at some point and that point is very close now
NO alarm clock and NO uniform to wear besides I will not have to CLOCK in anymore
Other things that must be done is set a Bank account in CR and most important is to let go of the DOG eat DOG mentality of the USA and understand CR
you might think it is a JUMP in Faith but I have a cushion, have a house already in CR and a CR wife
Gallo Pinto will replace the Burger King, LOL
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Welcome home!
[quote=”maravilla”]but you are going to take advantage of the Obamacare we have here in Costa Rica when if you ever get residency?????? and i suppose you think it’s okay that America is the only first world nation that has NO health plan for its citizens and that 50,000,000 are uninsured and to get even basic coverage for two people, not even a big family, costs upward of $500 a month and that’s if you’re healthy!!! it’s truly scandalous. and of course, if you aren’t living in country and paying taxes, why SHOULD you be entitled to healthcare in that country? people can’t have it both ways. they move here because they want the same life they had up there for half the cost, but they still want a toe-hold in those countries just in case they get sick? sheesh.[/quote]
Once we got to Costa Rica and found out that we could get into Caja we found out how bad we’ve really had it in the States.
The idiots who complain about “Obamacare” don’t realize that every major piece of legislation that has been passed by congress has been amended to correct it’s ills. When all is said and done “Obamacare” will be a boon to everyone.
Medicare is, and always has been, a joke and everything that has been added to it has been a boondoggle just like Bush’s Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act legislation.
The problem that I see with the Caja is that no one pays what it is worth.
Just have a medical emergency and have to be transported to one of the Caja hospitals and you will find out what I mean.
I am totally happy with “Obamacare” in Costa Rica.
I’m sure that their purchases of highly prized art, wine, vintage cars, jewels, watches and other collectibles will put many of the unemployed back to work and all will be well in the world.
As for me I think I will pass on going back to the States and stick with the friends I have made among the Ticos.
This is a totally laughable situation.
While living in the U.S. we refused to be enrolled in Medicare while I was employed. Immediately on retirement we moved to Costa Rica and found that we could use the Caja.
We have been totally satisfied with the service that we have received through the Caja. We do not wait in line at 5 in the morning to ask for an appointment and we do not wait until the last moment to get preventive health care. We go to the clinic in the afternoon to ask for a preventive health care appointment and are given an appointment time that is within two days.
The cost is much less than we would have to pay for Medicare in the U.S. and one tenth the cost of medical insurance.
Canadians incur the cost of flying to Canada when they need medical services which in itself is more than paying for Caja.
[quote=”Scott”]A businessman and resident of San Miguel de Santo Domingo, [url=http://www.nacion.com/2013-01-31/ElPais/demarcacion–con-todo-y-cadaver.aspx]criticized the line painting work[/url] performed by Conavi on Route 32, which leads to Guápiles.
A dog had been run over 100 meters east of the Riteve vehicle inspection station however, instead of removing the carcas the work crews simply painted yellow stripes on top of what was left of the dead dog…
[img]https://www.welovecostarica.com/public/images/Dogs_Body_Road_2.jpg[/img]
Is this how they do it in your home town?
Jee! Jee![/quote]
It is typical of how everything is done in Costa Rica. “It’s not my job.” to remove the carcass!
[quote=”VictoriaLST”]Too many opinions…
Is it 72 hours as one group of friends say or do we just cross into Nicaragua for a few hours and then cross back into CR as another group claims?
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Seems like it would be totally easier to present the necessary documents to Migracion, get your expediente and avoid the necessity of leaving all together.
I lived here for 19 months before I got my cedula and was never required to leave the country.
