Newcomers’ Diary – Single, senior, strong and adventurous! Part I

This morning I am in town at Casa de Café, the sweetest café you’ll ever see and I have ordered El Desayuno Del Dia, (breakfast of the day) – my all time favorite of two eggs, tortillas, coffee with milk, orange juice and rice and beans.

Someone just arrived with fresh eggs and my mind immediately goes to my sweet chickens that I gave away in New Mexico. Changes. So many many changes. Finally the congestion in my lungs is appearing to clear and I feel better. I’m having an early breakfast in town and meeting Juan Marco here.

What have I noticed that is so nice here?

• I love that the waitresses now recognize me and ask me how I am.
• I love the softness of paper here. The moisture in the air makes the paper feel soft – like the air. Everything, from the breezes to the very air I breathe – is softer.
• I love the 20 minutes of rain we got last night – the first rain I have listened to in 2 weeks, since I arrived. This is the dry season – and it is dry. This is summer. As I lay in my bed I listened to the sound and was thankful for the gentle rain my plants are receiving. I have tried two sprinklers but neither work. The rain bird ideology seems to center upon high water pressure and here in rural Costa Rica all the systems are naturally drain down systems from a water container on the top of the hill. Another kind of sprinkler is in order.
• I love the Sleeping Angel clouds that come in during the night. They are long, soft horizontal clouds that appear to “sleep” just above the city. I see them most nights if I look out and they remain in the early morning. Then they drift away for the morning sunshine.

Today I am working on my residency here. I want to have a Pensionada residency status so that, after the required amount of time, I can apply for Caja Medical plan. There is a low monthly fee and everything else is covered if you use the Caja hospital, etc. It is said to be slow, but very good medical care and pharmaceutical plan which I can currently qualify for with the following documents.

1. Proof that I bring in over $600/month. My social security just qualifies.
2. Proof that I have a clear police record in the U.S and from Española, NM.
3. Proof that I have been legally divorced.
4. Proof that I have been legally born in the U.S.

So, my attorney, Ana Borges’ son, Juan Marco is to meet me at the Café de la Casa at 8:30 to show me how to get to the office. I cannot for the life of me find the names of streets in San Isidro, but I know they must be there. I get to the café a half hour early so I can have breakfast and right on time I see Marcos enter the front of the café. After paying my bill of $1500 colones (about $2.75 + or -) Juan Marco and I leave for Ana’s office.

We decide to drive part of the way and park near Ana’s office, which is also near R & T Trust solutions, where I have what is left of my meager amount of money here in Costa Rica. We walk past store after store — open and crammed with just about anything you can imagine. Just a tiny doorway marks the entrance among the street front businesses and we enter through a narrow reception room, down some stairs and then up some stairs to finally come to their office.

Juan Marco wanted to be an artist but is following his mother’s occupational direction. Ana is a vivacious and beautiful Costa Rican woman who wears tight jeans and hip outfits. And – she is very very smart. She has attained the position of Notaria, which is above that of Attorney in Costa Rica. This means she handles corporations, land and house sales and Residency applications. She explains to me that we are in a great hurry.

The Costa Rican government is proposing changes to the residency requirements from $600/month to a higher number possibly $2,000/month – I guess because they are responding to the huge number of wealthy immigrants? I don’t know. Ana explains that once we have begun the process I can be “grandfathered” into the numbers as they are now – but we must act fast. She asks when I am planning to return to the U.S. So that I can present my notarized and authenticated documents to the Costa Rican Consulate in Houston.

Because of departure time at Christmas, I was unable to get an appointment. Since I have no other plans yet, she suggests Plan B. Panama.

Apparently the Costa Rican government neglected to specify the “country of origin” when one presents documents. They just said that the documents must be presented “out of Costa Rica” to a Costa Rican consulate. So – for a person like me, who has all the documents ready, it makes sense to go to the nearest out of country consulate in Panama. She has a friend, Eduardo who can lead me through it for $150 plus expenses.

The bus leaves at 6:30 a.m. And she’ll be calling me at 5 to be sure I’m on it. Whoa. I’m still recuperating from my respiratory illness. Do you think we could make it next week? After conversing with Eduardo, we agree that we’ll do the Panama trip next Wednesday… Now the next thing is getting fingerprinted in San Jose. It will be best for me to get them this week. Whoa again – another trip over Cerro Muerte and the chance to get lost in San Jose?

She explains that it is best to take the bus, which leaves every 1/2 hour, costs only $4 each way and then I can take a taxi to the place I need to go. Okay, that sounds better. I’d better rest up this week for next! With the remaining 2 hours, Ana describes in intricate detail all that will go into this process of achieving Pensionado residency. Juan Marco occasionally offers some corrections in her English but I am understanding pretty well. The total fee of a bit over $2,000 is for everything. She will need to go to San Jose at least twice for various parts of the process and will be acting as my representative throughout. The process generally takes about 4 – 5 months.

When I return home, I pass Anita’s house and see Alberto and Brian there for a lunch break. They see me go by and walk up to meet me. They have been working in the house while I have been in town and I’m delighted with the results. The main fan, which is a ceiling mounted affair that looks something like propellers from an airplane swirl through my living area creating a augmented breeze in my bedroom and kitchen!

The moving air cools the afternoon and generally takes care of most of the little flying insects. Talk about pulling out the “big gun” to discourage the one lonely mosquito that has interfered with two nights of rest. And – they have finished my triangular shelves in my bedroom! I love it!

The shelves are a simple response to my clothing dilemma – i.e. Where to put it. Slats of 1 x 2’s and a face plate of 1×3 create enough support for the clothes while still allowing air to circulate. Anita has been here, too – and the house is clean and all of my clothes are stacked nicely on the new shelves. My bedroom is definitely looking great to me. Considering its small size – 8′ x 7′, it feels plenty roomy now.

It is raining tonight and the gentle noise is quieting and peaceful. Still a bit lonely, I yearn for internet access to my house and for a television.

My Cost of Living Budget in Costa Rica

My initial budget estimate is $610/month bare bones

• $75/month to Anita — to clean my house three times a week, take care of my house and dogs when I am away and do the laundry as necessary
• $25/month to the “lawn guy” who will do all my gardening – cutting, hauling away, lawn mowing, etc. – comes by twice/ month
• $60/month for telephone phone – used a lot
• $60/month cell phone (once I get one)
• $10/month water
• $30/month electrical
• $200/month food
• $150/month gas for car

Well, this morning I have enjoyed just poking around feeling comfortable in the house. I tried to set up a transfer of money from Wells Fargo in the states to here and am finding that I need some help. I guess the next time I’m in the states I’ll have to set it all up… Meanwhile, it’ll be ATM’s. Now – where is an ATM? I’ll find it I’m sure. Everything I need is out there somewhere….

Just spoke to my crew who will be doing the Aviary this weekend! We are on! YAY! Soon, I hope, I will have my 4 parrots here with me in addition to my two dogs. I don’t know what I would do without them.

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Written by Jan Hart who is an internationally recognized watercolor artist, teacher and writer who just moved to San Isidro de General from northern New Mexico, USA. At 66, she still plans to teach, paint and write but is hoping to slow her pace in order to enjoy the incredible colors she finds all around her.

For more information about Jan’s watercolor workshops and classes please email here at jan@janhart.com

If you have a serious interest in buying a home, a farm or land that’s for sale in the San Isidro area, please contact our Recommended Costa Rica Realtors: Daveed Hollander, James Drews and John Wieland, by using the simple form below:

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.