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[quote=”pranaspakeywest”]And if they DO work, just on snakes, then you better look into a rodent one to take care of your ensuing invasion. Snakes are not our favorite things to have around, but I dare anyone to find a situation, in nature, that improved by upsetting the balance.[/quote]
Hear, hear. Live and let live. God put snakes on earth to control rodents.
Removing the snake to a remote area is the best tack. If you are inexperienced try to find someone to help. Having said that and being equiped to handle the situation, we have not seen a snake larger than 12″ and certainly not any Fer de Lance.
[quote=”tiffen”]A big concern for me in contemplating a move to Costa Rica is learning to speak Spanish. I have never taken any language courses and although I always try to know the basic words for any country that I visit it doesn’t come easy.
How did this go for you?
[/quote]
1st question is “Where is your sense of adventure?”
1st response is language is not as important as finding a means to communicate.When we moved to Costa Rica neither of us spoke anything but a few words of Mexican Spanish. My first efforts were at the B&B where we stayed for the first 10 days I was able to use the Langenberg site on the internet.
Two years+ down and I am able to deal with most simple issues face to face but never over the phone. Sometimes it requires a lot of hand signaling or examples of what you need.
Biggest problem for me is the rapidity of speach and Tico’s dont seem to comprehend the concept of “despacio” (slowly).
We have a family living with us with whom we communicate in “Spanglish” and they help with difficult issues.
Additionally when you are caught needing help with translation you may find a Tico nearby who has enough English to help.
We have a Spanish/English teacher who comes to the house every Saturday to teach an hour of Spanish to us and an hour of English to the family.
Accept the challenge and find out how wonderful life can be. It is PURA VIDA.
[quote=”2BNCR”] Oh and by the way – have fun in La Uruca getting your plates with your Gringo scruples intact – me and my missing diez mil colones truly sympathieze (not). And in case you forgot – Money Talks – BS walks /// that’s how we rolled in my hood.[/quote]
When I was still naive and late making the run for the border I got caught by trafigo within 10K of Sixaola I was threatened with los of my pickup, a fine of 100,000 colones and a long bus ride back to Uruca to pay and pick up my plates then find out where my vehicle was and retrieve it. All would have to be accomplished after the exit was taken care of.
The words (in English) “I can help you out if you can help us out” were welcome indeed.
I still had my pickup, the plates and avided a ton of inconvenience.
All my life when I was wrong I accepted the consequences but if I was right I fought till I won but being faced with being wrong in an impossible situation changes ones attitudes. Cost…10,000 colones.
They probably had a couple of cevezas and congratulated themselves on being able to get a little something for their families.
One word of advice – MAKING AN OFFER can get you into something deeper than you want.
[quote=”ronny”]With all respect to the above posters and your preferences..isn’t there an extra percentage tagged on by renting cars at the airport?[/quote]
We pre-rented out vehicle from Dean Krieg’s http://www.renta4x4incostarica.com/
They met us at the airport with a Kia 4×4 at no extra charge. Cost $35 per day and cell phone for $10 per day.
Check them out.
[quote=”gzeniou”]Perhaps I am way off on this? but I’m sure there gotta be some way to get around it.[/quote]
Sure, there [b]IS[/b] an easy way around this new law. Do your banking in tne U.S. and pay the taxes that you owe.
The intent of the law is simple. It is intended to stop those who are illegally avoiding paying taxes due the government. If you are within the old law you have no worries. If your actions are to avoid paying legitimate taxes you have a problem.
[quote=”harvcarp”] As to your question, sorry its not that simple, but you may use romex .[/quote]
I have yet to encounter Romex in Costa Rica. Is there any information as to where it might be purchased?
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]If that’s the case, then whoever is looking for lemon trees should start their search at Central Vivero. It’s the beautifully landscaped nursery you can see from the autopista and the first one you encounter when you exit the autopista and turn toward Alajuela.
They have an incredible assortment and selection of nursery stock.[/quote]
Thanks for the directions David. there are no large viveros on this side of the valley except the UCR in Santa Ana and none that have the varieties that we are familiar with in the States.
[quote=”jerseybob”]my wife and i are receiving 1,700 a month. can we live here on that. everyone talks about how cheap it is to live there , while they’re trying to sell you a million dollar home, lol. any info would be appreciated.[/quote]
My wife and I each have SS incomes totalling $2900. We own our home outright but are able to help a Tico family by providing educational expenses for seven children as well as quite a bit of fruit and vegetables. In return they help us to find what we need at decent prices.
Care must be taken to avoid paying too much for things simply because you are an expat. Many Ticos think that you are fat with money.
I think that there is agreement on this forum that those in our position financially need the help of Tico friends.
If you can adapt to the different way of thinking it is a wonderful life.
[quote=”maravilla”]there are so many different kinds of citrus here that you won’t miss those yellow lemons. [/quote]
Don’t you miss the pure yellow color of the lemons grown in the States? From the color orange to green and mixtures in between the variety of subtle differences in color and flavor of the acidic citrus in Costa Rica is still an amazement to me. I still miss the flavor of a Meyer or others similar.
I did see a post simply titled “Lemons” to which I thought you had a response listing viveros in La Garita and Orotina where these could be purchased under the name Berdelli.
What the different flavors of the many types found here add to the flavor of the dishes is subtle and pleasing.
I have to go check out what is on the stove for tonight.
[quote=”twin200″]As an outsider looking in,I wonder why the drugs are brought to the costa rican shores for distribution through four more countries and then the us.There has to be a reason?:roll:[/quote]
The area around the States is getting pretty hot for aircraft and boats and Costa Rica may be an easier entry point than other nations because of tourism. Just guessing at the latter.
[quote=”ronny”]
Does anyone know of a place where I can learn about sustainable living? hehehe[/quote]depending on what you want to do the internet is a good place to start. There is not a question I have had on any subject that I have not found an answer. Alternative energy, gardening, animal husbandry, reforestation or anything else you could ask for.
After relying on magazines and books for 30 years I found I have everything at my fingertips.
If searching the internet is a weak point send me a PM, I have like interests.
[quote=”ticachica2″]My residency application got in under the March 1st deadline. My attorney at ARCR said I’d get a file number soon as papers went to Immigration and that I wouldn’t need to leave every 90 days after that. I know they went through the Consulate.:?:[/quote]
We went through two attorneys who essentially did nothing for us. Finally found Barbara Jimenez at Costa Rica Expertise. She got my wife’s residency within three months but there were unknown issues with mine and I have finally been approved after 27 months.
[b]Call the office of the Consoloria at Migracion (2299-8109) and have them look into your status. If you have no Spanish ask for Maria Jose Lizano, Monday thru Friday. You will need your passport number.[/b][quote=”arce”]hola todos
anyone had experience with
http://www.renta4x4incostarica.com ?
they look more affordable
thanks[/quote]
Reliable and will deliver your vehicle to the airport for you and provide a cell pone for $10 additional. We rented a Kia when we first arrived.
[quote=”johnr”]I haven’t been down since March but tourism seemed good but real estate bad. Hopefully it will rebound soon.[/quote]
Rebounding real estate will depend very much on economic conditions, mostly in Europe and The States. Investment losses in the market have removed some from considering purchases here and others are shaky about the economic future.
March is the tail end of the tourist season so if you were here later than that it would normally be slower. The packaged vacation providers have taken over much of the tourist trade and the smaller B&B operations are slower than they were in the past. A friend with a B&B in San Jose is surviving by word of mouth alone.
[quote=”rosiemaji”]It would be helpful to know what it costs to ship household items in a container. Are there different sizes of containers? What are the prices? From what port is it shipped from the US and to what port in Costa Rica?[/quote]
We useda very reputable shipper, Charlie Zeller at shiptocostarica.com. Although we found him ourselves he does have an association with ARCR.
Contact him at info@shipcostarica.com and he can answer all your questions then you can use him or find another of your preference.
Our situation required that he warehouse the majority of our good for 6 months and we shipped a pickup as well.
