8 Reasons Why Americans LEAVE Costa Rica [Why I Left]
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- Опубліковано 3 тра 2024
- The TRUTH about living in Costa Rica: Why do so many Americans leave Costa Rica after moving there? In this video, I explain what causes expats to change their minds about retiring abroad and why I left Costa Rica after 8 years. Some of the initial reasons that people want to move to Costa Rica include the moderate climate, laid back lifestyle, fresh and healthy food, friendly people, beaches, medical tourism, and the low cost of living. But is Costa Rica really a safe and friendly country or is it actually dangerous and expensive? Once they arrive, many people realize that living in Costa Rica wasn't quite what they expected. Unfortunately, that results in people returning home quite soon after arriving.
After helping more than 500 foreigners move to Costa Rica and living there for eight years, this video explains the top reasons why people move back to the USA and why I left, too, so that you know more about what to expect BEFORE you get there. This is the real and sometimes dark truth about living in Costa Rica. What do you think are the biggest pros and cons of living in Costa Rica? Let us know in the comments.
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction
00:32 How many Americans live in Costa Rica?
00:53 Why people retire in Costa Rica then leave
1:03 #1 High Cost of Living
3:30 #2 Inability to Adjust to the Culture
5:45 #3 Unrealistic Expectations versus Reality
6:45 #4 Healthcare and Health Problems
7:10 #5 Missing Family and Homesickness
8:20 #6 Crime Rate - Is it Dangerous or Safe?
10:58 #7 Negativity from Other Expats
11:53 #8 Misc Things: Infrastructure, extreme weather, and "too much Pura Vida"
15:04 Why people stay in Costa Rica forever
15:38 Why I left Costa Rica to become a digital nomad
18:15 Why I don't regret moving to Costa Rica
18:50 Conclusion
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👱🏻♀️ About: Kristin Wilson is a digital nomad, online entrepreneur, and expat relocation consultant who has lived, worked, or traveled in 60 countries over the last 15+ years. In the past decade, she has helped 1,000's of people move abroad or travel full-time while working remotely.
Kristin is also a writer, public speaker, podcaster, and TV host who has been featured on The Today Show, HGTV's House Hunters International, Huffpost, Bloomberg Businessweek, The New York Times, Business Insider, ESPN, and more.
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NOTE: This video is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not individual consulting or advice. Please consult the relevant authorities such as your local government, airline, embassy, consulate, and/or tourism providers before booking international travel, moving abroad, or applying for a work permit or work and travel visa.
#costarica #livingincostarica #whyileft
Why I Left the US (new video): ua-cam.com/video/HJ4oh7IAaeE/v-deo.html
This video explains so much. Thank you for making it.
At time stamp 11:53, is that you?
That's a very nice video.🙂 I am Thai. I wanted to live in Thailand but there are some reasons that forced me to change my mind. Thailand is the paradise for many people from Western. I realized there are so many great things in Thailand. But unfortunately, it's not my place. Sometimes there are unbelievable exceptions for someone.
I'm from a country neighbor of CR and I some have friends living there, and all of them coincide that it is kind of tough to get use to their culture and bound with the people because general speaking, Ticos feels that they are in the top of the world.
I was almost murdered in puerto vallarta 2021
Rule of thumb: If you're moving to another country because the cost of living there is much lower than in your home country, remember...you need to live like a local when you move there, not like you lived in the place you moved from.
There re fancy areas in all countries. You can live as fancy as you want in any country as long as you can pay for it. There re 3rd world areas in USA and 1st world areas in developing countries. It all depends on the area you can afford and that's in any country in the world.
well said
@@susanafernandez4164 What he wanted to say, is bea local, not an expat, If you want to live like rock star will be expensive in everywhere, but if you live as a local is more affortable the cost of living
@@javierreina3364 PRECISELY
@@javierreina3364 He did say that. He's assuming that to be happy you must put down roots, and not become a constantly vacationing rich brat like Susanna Fernandez.
People just need to realize that a vacation is very different than living somewhere!
Exactly, I never got to see a manager of a country club playing golf. I am living in a most wanted place in the world for fishing big games in Brazil - Pantanal - My house is three bolck away from Paraguay River, and I don't do any fishing! LOL Cheers from Brazil.
Facts
This is true
@@TravelingwithKristin Saying "the neighbor's guavas are always sweeter" No, no, in reality these are far from been sweet. We should appreciate the country we born, because despite the problems, we always will be foreings somewhere else. We can mingle, but we will not blend in. Go travel!
@Frances God bless your heart
I moved to Costa Rica in 2009 and will never leave. Not even for a holiday.
I don't get robbed, but I don't really have anything to steal.
I live in a simple cabin with only 3 walls. I do have 3 big dogs and my 1 acre lot is fenced.
I grow around 40 different fruits and veggies and have 40+ chickens for eggs and meat. I like the simple farm life.
My transport is a mare and once a week I take a taxi to town for shopping.
This is a great country for those who like the simple life.
Sounds amazing. I'd like to do that some day. Do you have any recommendations for how to go about the move?
I need to come visit yo ! LOL I was just there in the jungle Feb 2024. I love the simple farm life as well since I grew up in Texas on a farm. The jungle is beautiful.
Kristin, you show a practical, experienced and multifaceted and beautifully eloquent explaining of Cost Rica’s plusses and minuses. Thank you for your stimulating beauty in- and outside. Rudolf.
You think myself and my teenage son could live simple on a 2200$ USD monthly pension? I don’t really care to dine out and I don’t drink booze anymore. Also is kava popular drink there?
I'd love to know more about your place and how you live!! Contact info?
This was very level-headed. I'm Costa Rican and lived in Canada for 7 years, going on for 4 in Germany. The cultural dip part is so spot on. Adjusting to other cultures is tough.
Thanks for watching the video, Sebastian! Indeed it can be tough.
I lived in Costa Rica for about a year in 1975. The first three months in Dominical, one month in Santa Ana, seven or eight months near the top of Volcan Barva, and a few weeks in Puerto Limon. It was a great time to be there. Not much in the way of tourism and very little ex-pat-ism. We never had hot water for bathing. We had logs for heating (it was cold at night at 7,000 feet) delivered by a cart pulled by oxen. I baked bread in the small cast iron stove we used for heating the place. In Dominical we had electricity for three hours in the evening, a shower with water from a hose whose other end was secured in a stream up the hillside, windows with wood shutters and no glass or screens, and our weekly 40 km shopping trip by school bus to San Isidro took four hours in each direction. We travelled by train to Limon, sitting on the back of the caboose watching the track pass under our feet and taking in the spectacular mountains, farmland, flower farms, and finally the lovely painted houses on stilts in the lowlands. Am I making you feel homesick? :)
I am English and have been living in Canada for the past few decades. The strange thing is that I felt more at home living in comparatively basic conditions in Costa Rica than I have ever felt here. I easily adjusted to CR but even after all this time in Canada I still find the culture alien. I can't say I like N. America. I lived in Germany (Bonn and Tuebingen) for a while and felt as though I belonged there. I also lived in Morocco for three years. No problem there either. I think it is almost impossible to bond with a place with which you feel no affinity.
@@anncoffey8375 I think the thing is culture. North America lost all culture as it left it all behind from the count they come from. Although nice places in Canada, Quebec and the Yukon are the only two provinces left with home grown culture.
@@terrymckenzie8786 Don't forget Newfoundland! Rural areas in Alberta and Saskatchewan too. I agree about Quebec, but I have no opinion about the Yukon because I've never been there.
@@anncoffey8375 Yes there are pockets in other areas also. Even Saskatchewan with the old timers and their John Deere hats😅 . I was in Whitehorse this summer and many Québécois were moving there to live. I asked one why so many Québécois were moving there and he slyly said that when you leave Quebec you don,t see any culture until you get to Whitehorse. I understand what he was saying and we both laughed.
"No matter where you run, you can never run away from yourself. "
Î
Wherever you go... There you are 😁
'Kicks just keep getting harder to find and all your kicks aint bringing you peace of mind...........'
@@johnslugger ran into an old retired Coast Guard guy in Panama; sailed all rope work, was alone now as his brother had died. He didn't even know how much money he had coming into auto. deposit since he didn't spend money. Always a linein the water. I went to his bank to show him how to use his card. There were hundreds of thousands of dollars. I contacted his family in Canada to let them kthnow he was all right and healthy. But I couldn't imagine if he had run into the wrong people and disappeared. Good thing he ran into me!! Total off grid. WE have off grid too, here in the Rockies, but most have huge pensions to fund the groundwork; retired teachers, Dr.'s, dentists, and other professionals, or those that just ended up with all their relatives money!!! Good for you and the other families.
lol
I am costarican, born and raised, work in property management and tourism in general; and i've seen all sorts of tourists and foreigners coming to CR looking to retire. What you say in your video is true but also, in my personal experience, some persons come to this country with unreal expectations and not willing to learn how we live and our customs.
About people getting scammed and ripped of, i can say that a lot of times, this is done by other foreigners, not costa ricans (which some do screw tourists or investors). But i think the biggest problem and that's why some cannot get past that curve, is that they are unwilling to 1- learn spanish, 2- learn our way of living, 3- realize that this is not their country and things are done differently and we think in a different way, 4- we do not have to put up with bad attitudes just because you carry a passport and dollars.
And yes, it is an imperfect country, just as any other, but there's a reason why they moved here, enjoy it and learn to chill a little. :)
Yes, and some expats are criminals or gangsters in their countries and come and install in Latin America, I'm Panameño and I know how is this
Client is king, you do not want to put up with bad attitudes , neither does your client. I am a world traveler I know every country is different even within the same region. I do speak several languages and understand the differences. Costa Ricans need an attitude adjustment.
@@ruthrecalde2858 it's happens when people is sick of expats thinking that they are the owners of the world, if we will go to they countries, we have to adapt as they are, why we have to be as they want in our houses?
@Carolina Corrales Read the previous comments,
@TheDowner You are a downer. Sit down!
i'm ngl, i'm sick of foreigners going to costa rica and fucking up a lot of things for locals. our culture is beautiful and i don't want it ruined by foreigners who are unwilling to change and who act like they would in america. like i've seen hawaii is veryyy touristy and hawaiians have lost so much of their physical country to tourism, as well as a lot of their culture. i see it getting worse in costa rica and it makes me sad to think what it might become, but ofc it's still far from lost.
anyone should be allowed to move anywhere, but please be respectful and learn about the culture.
I found your video to ring true for almost any third-world country. For instance, I live on the island of Cebu in the Philippines, and have done so for the past thirteen years. Over that time, I cannot tell you the number of expats I have seen move here "permanently" and then leave just a few years later. In fact, Philippine Immigration says that the average that expats (not including tourists) stay in the Philippines is less than three years. So many people move here believing all the stories they hear about low cost of living and wonderful tropical climate, only to find out that many things are more expensive than in their home countries, and that the tropical climate also includes high temperatures and high humidity as well as typhoons.
When people move to a third-world country, they need to know that the country they are moving to is probably third-world for good reasons. Things like lack of infrastructure and corruption are leading reasons for this, and they must be dealt with, if you are going to live there. In most of these countries, you can insulate yourself from most crime, but you can't insulate yourself from everyday life. Therefore, you need to be very sure that you can deal with the reality of everyday life BEFORE you commit to living there permanently. Otherwise, you will be disappointed, you won't stay nearly as long as you had planned, and you will likely leave poorer than you arrived.
Various countries have different advantages and disadvantages, but no third-world country is like what you are used to back in your home country. For instance, about 90% of Filipinos speak English (since it is one of two official languages), and that is an advantage to English speakers, but that doesn't mean that you will never feel isolated because people are speaking languages or dialects around you that you don't understand. In the Philippines, there are 70 different languages spoken, so that happens often. If you aren't expecting that, it could be quite a shock. In addition, many countries make it very difficult or impossible to ever gain citizenship. The Philippine government is continually fighting fixers, but they never seem to realize that there wouldn't be fixers if all of their processes weren't broken. It can take a month here to do what I could have done in an hour back in my home country. I don't look for that to change in my lifetime.
My advice to anybody thinking about living in a third-world country is to put your belongings in long-term storage back home and then move for six months to a year. Live there as if you will be there permanently, but don't buy anything that can't be sold quickly if you change your mind later. Stay long enough to find out what you like or don't like about the place. Know that anything that frustrates you will only frustrate you more later on unless you can learn to accept it. THEN (and only then), decide whether you want to stay or go. Moving back will still cause turmoil, but it will be a lot less if you haven't already made serious commitments. Buying property is like hanging an anchor around your neck, and will make leaving a lot more painful.
Costa Rica is not a 3rd world country.
@@poox8362 If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck and walks like a duck, it is likely a duck. I'm guessing that you aren't really familiar with what being a third-world country actually entails. The problems the author referred to are common among third-world countries.
I m from Canada and decided to move to Costa Rica when I was 21....it s been 23 years already and I m not going back to Canada. This is not a perfect country, but it has something special and unique that is difficult to describe. When I go visit Canada I feel like a stranger. Best tip I can share: Blend, blend blend with people and the culture, learn spanish. I was not retiring, but starting my work life. I built my life from the ground up there like any other tico. Find a job, buy a car, then a house, then have a kid. My face looks Canadian but from deep inside I feel I m a tico. I dont regret having moved here a single day since then.
Muchas gracias por su comentario. Como costarricense me alegra que haya podido desarrollar su vida acá y que se sienta como en casa, ¡uno de nosotros!🌴
Muy lindo su comentario, de fijo un re tico más, muchas gracias 🌹
Gracias Yannick
Pura vida!
Good for you for sticking it out!!! You are a good example.
What I’ve noticed traveling the world (I’ve been to 52 countries) is that what you “need” is cheaper outside the U.S., what you “want” is more expensive than the U.S.
this is a great observation
What do you want?
Great description
Yep I agree. Basically 3rd world sucks, if u can afford it stay in a 1st world country.
except beer
Excellent presentation Kristin & I am not surprised by your report. I am thinking about moving to Maine as I can't stand hot or humid weather of the south. I have vacationed there several years and loved it much. The weather in Costa Rica and bugs would drive me crazy!
I am glad I watch your post. You brought up some great points. Thanks
When I was young, I travelled to Europe and ultimately settled in The Netherlands where a friend helped me to get a job. My intention was never to stay, but I ended up staying for 5 1/2 years anyway. Circumstances brought me back to the U.S. for another 12 years and then I got the opportunity to return to Holland where I ultimately met an old Greek boyfriend from 25 years prior and we moved to Greece for 11 years until his death. I returned to The Netherlands for work and then retired at 60. My intention was to move back to the U.S., but by that time America had changed so much from when I had left it (plus I had adapted too well to the Dutch 'democratic socialist' system) that living in the States would have been far too costly for me. This makes me very sad because nothing would have pleased me more than to have died in my own country. I'm nearly 73 years old now and have come to the realisation that no matter where I have lived, I adapted perfectly fine .. whether inside the United States or outside of it. I didn't necessarily prepare for a life in a foreign country, but when I got there, I chose to live like the natives do, learn their language and their customs and never to compare them to America's way of life. We shall see where it all ends one day. Thanks for your insightful video.🌹
Democratic socialist system? The Dutch system is not socialist. Plus their taxes are much higher than in the U.S.? Don't know what you are talking about. Sure certain parts of their system is partially run by government but it's no more socialist than the U.S. I think you are just a lazy person who wants to live off more productive peoples dime.
@@kenkenichi7461 The Netherlands is also a monarchic country that unlike other monarchies, all its powers are controlled by the 'elected' parties.
Like most Nordic countries, the Netherlands IS a 'democratic socialist' country because of all the interventions and control the Government has over its citizens, yet all the freedom of choice, freedom of trade and freedom of ideology.
And no, I've never been a 'lazy person' who has not paid into both the Dutch and the American systems my fair share of taxes. In fact, you might like to 'thank' me for having spent an entire career serving my country AND saving lives at the same time.
You have a great day now, ya hear? 🌹
Sounds like you know how to enjoy life 🇨🇦❤️
@@LindaCasey It's just funny people like you love socialism and vote in politicians who will increase taxes to the point of near slavery, artificially boost inflation through central banking, leave the country seeking a cheaper lifestyle to simply go to worse places. Taxes in the United States use to be 1% and anyone who worked could afford to buy a car and house and provide for a family off one income! My point is it's disgusting to listen to people complain about prices in the U.S. when they are the root cause of the price increases because of their beliefs and the people they put in office. Americans need to focus on what they had and can possibly have again instead of believing other places are so great with socialism.
@@kenkenichi7461 what an ignorant fool you are! Do you know this woman? Her past? The things she achieved? The languages she learnt? No. You're an ignorant clown who most likely will never do half the things this lady has done and yet you call her names. For a mediocre small mind like yourself, she is a lazy person eventhough she just open her life to us and explained how she worked for so many years. What have YOU done big mouth?
USA citizens wanting the simple and less expensive life of native Costa Ricans in Costa Rica, yet wanting to live a USA lifestyle with all its accouterments but without paying USA prices for it.
Basically this for many expats in all of Latin America. It's not just like the US only cheaper. Most people blow their money on a house while houses are often the biggest savings if you get out of the expat bubbles and go into the higher elevations where you don't need air-conditioning. Find a place where you don't need a car. I'm in a town of 50,000 in Nicaragua and can walk to computer stores, small groceries, the banks, the post office, and a number of restaurants. Cabs are reasonable but shared. Mexico has a higher minimum income per month than all the other countries but the rest are all around $1000 a month for one, $1200 for couples if the money comes from a government pension. Also, anyone who doesn't have legal residency is an illegal alien even if you pretend to be a tourist for ten years. Countries ignore this until they don't. Nicaragua was ignoring that foreign residence didn't keep them informed of moves until it didn't. Now renewals are every six months, $52 paid in Managua.
Crime is under-reported everywhere. Get a decent dog and follow what local women do -- if they don't go out at night, don't go out at night. Much crime here is non-confrontational (grab and run) or involved social engineering (a friend let in a man who said her landlord, whose name he knew, sent him).
Think about why you want to be somewhere, not as an escape from the US. If you just want to live in an expat community, you might as well stay in the US.
One piece of advice I found before I moved down -- don't do anything the first year you can't undo with two or three phone calls. Rent for at least six months, probably a year, and if you're not fluent in Spanish, consider renting indefinitely if you have a decent landlord. Bilingual nationals are your best sources of information.
I've been in Nicaragua over ten years now. I like it, but it's definitely not Paradise. And if you want a car and all the electronic toys, and some trips to other countries, a US style house and a/c and a servant, it's not going to be cheaper. None of these places are so poor now that you'll live like a rich person on a $1.5K a month pension. The rich in Latin America are quite rich.
It's called 'unrealistic expectations'.
Sounds like you get what you pay for.
As imperfect as the US is, there is a better sense of security as a US citizen on US soil than on foreign soil.
...for now.
That's what it is. I told my mom when asked if I was preparing for retirement and what my plans were. I told 1st thing is I don't want to end up like those old people sitting in a Cadillac on a parking lot waiting for a store to open just to bust out a cane or walker and waddle in with a bunch of nonsense. If you are planning to live is simple life then start preparing for it and live it without being dependant on all the extras.
Wow! I wasn't expecting much from this video and it turned out to be extremely helpful and accurate. Besides a few CR-specific points, your expert advice applies to pretty much everywhere. I first emigrated to the the US to study and work until i realized i need something else so i then emigrated to Portugal. Thank you so much for this video and best of luck!!
Glad you liked the video, Gianni! 😊
This is a GREAT video. At age 76, newly retired, I had been looking into moving to CR for this past year. The more I looked, the less I wanted to move to Costa Rica. Vacationing there even seemed
dodgy. Your take convinced me that travel...to any or many countries in the world, makes a lot more sense. And this video has freed me to plan trips around the states and Canada as my first step. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful, Jiggs! 😊
Pick a country, any country and they ALL have problems... you'd never leave your own house if you worried about every potential problem.
HEALTHCARE is probably one of the BIGGEST reasons why people move to Costa Rica. And of course, the weather! 🇨🇷
We were in Italy few years ago...enjoying the culture, incredible scenery, people, food, wine...this one particular wine was amazing. We'd visited the vineyard, met the winemaker...just incredible. Thus we had a couple of cases shipped home. We had a party and opened a few bottles...it was then I realized...it was just average red table wine. It was the Italian experience which made the Wine. Moral of the story...Vacation is generally not like real life.
that's a beautiful finding :)
Maybe they don’t export the good stuff?
That is very curious. I would return to the Vineyard with a couple of those table wine bottles. Then taste it again to be sure.
They also buy the good wine for the demonstrations to the tourists.
They scammed you
It does not matter where you live in the world the most important thing is learning to live with yourself
🙌
Great point
Id love to give you a million "likes "
🍃🕊🍃
Every where I go there I am. 😊
So very true!
Im from Costa Rica and we moved to the Texas last year. Is waaaay cheaper living here and better quality of life. Unless you are retired or have money, not the place to live. Vacations are awesome tho, the country is so so beautiful!!! But yeah, sadly, very expensive and not very safe . But I also noticed that most of North Americans don’t even try to learn Spanish, they expect everyone to speak English, and most people do, education is good, but if you move to another country YOU are the one who needs to learn the language.
If i go to any country, i am suppose to know the language, r u serious? Nobody would ever travel. U want me to come and spend my money in your tourist industry, an industry that is responsible for a significant part of your economy, u should put more emphasis on your people Learning english. I was surprised to see so few Costa Reacons spoke english. Remember one of your biggest employer is the U.S.
@@jameshurst6119: James, slow down and re-read what she said: “If you MOVE” (as in permanently) to a foreign country it is your duty to learn their language. A foreigner must communicate.
Agree, Natalia 👍🏼
@@jameshurst6119 amm this is about LIVING in Costa Rica not traveling for tourism. Maybe pay more attention to the video before getting so upset about not knowing Spanish. Lol
@@elcee7800 I am from the U.S., I i know many spanish who and will not speak english. Those were as a rule older folks. Lots of the people who come hear r retires, learning a new language is difficult for them, and many (as in my elderli hisp friends in the states) just do not want to deal with it. It blows me away that so many crs get upset that u do not speak spannish, and they have no idea how long u have been here.
Any time a hisp trys to speak english no matter how bad the effort i compliment them as a way to encourage them. I have never gotten that consideration. Even u acted indignate about the fact in your opion.
Thank you! This is very informative. I look forward to watching more of your content.
Kristin: "Only in Costa Rica it takes 2.5 hours to go 25 miles"
People in LA on 405: "Shit, that's a new speed record!"
She hasn't driven through Metropolitan Boston.
Bwhaaaaaaaaa! I am in LA weekly!
Sandy if you drive in most US the
highway is no the same drive up in down in the mountains in Costa Rica.
LOL ;-)
@@josevilas4927 they take off me comment . lol
My parents lived down there for a few years, they were retired, visited, bought property, built a house....then another American "expat" in their town swindled them. Scared them into coming back to the US for a little bit, then stole their house, forced them to spend a bunch of money on Costa Rican attorneys who couldn't do anything. They loved it down there and an American conman destroyed their dream retirement. He's still down there. My mom has since passed away, and my dad isn't too far off. Now, I am making plans for my own trip to Costa Rica, and I'm gonna find Ed. Don't know what I'm gonna do yet. But he's got a karma debt that needs to be paid.
Find Ed tell him you want to buy a house high up on a cliff!!
Then show him the balcony!
@@EveofJen I have a feeling he stole it on paper. So as far as all authorities down there are concerned, he's the legitimate owner and I think he's probably renting it out to travelers or maybe he's sold it by now. Idk. But one day, when I have the financial means, I'm going to figure out what happened.
I wish you nothing but the best, johnny-five!
The crook's probably long gone but good luck anyways. However, I'm just a little curious if you don't mind (without going into too much detail), what happened? Loan or investment swindle, were there any crooked Tico lawyers or gov't officials helping him, etc?
God help you. I feel for you and the parents. the frustration, helplessness. When you find him at least cut off the guys balls. I think murder is still illegal in a lot of places.
Good video. I've lived in a couple different countries. I think it's the "accumulation" factor that finally caused the return to America. Of course, with the negative changes that are occurring since 2020, I'm not positive I'd want to come back now.
What a wonderful video!! You really covered things thouroughly. I think your business model to see other countries and help people move to there is great. I had a niece that went on vacation and declared she wanted to move there, I had to bring her back to reality and reminded her everything looks great on vacation but when you move somewhere you will have to deal with getting a job, living day to day , housing etc. You may find it is no better or even worse than where you live now. You have to do your research.
As a Costa Rican from the Central Valley, I have to say that this is a pretty balanced summary of things. I have to underline that going to a country for a prolonged time and not trying to adapt/mingle with the locals/learn the language is always going to make things harder, I also consider it shows many times some disrespect and unwillingness to really know the place and its people.
Thank you, Esteban. I really appreciate your local perspective and feedback!
@@TravelingwithKristin lol nice boilerplate response.
@@imdumberthanthepersonimrep9134
I'd suggest you're just simply dumber, period.
@@u235u235u235 sure but she gave it a heart so everyone sees it
really well said.
There are some who are unhappy no matter where they are.
everywhere I go, there I am
Also true! Happiness is internal
Yes, I agree
That's why I adore the Toyota ad when a bear gets separated from the ice and he landed in a city, and well, he gets a job in a supermarket as a bagger. He is adaptable! I am that too! ha ha
Bingo!
Great information! Thank you so much. You covered just about everything 🙏The best to you in your future endeavors
Great video Kristin....as usual. I look forward to hearing where you wind up!
There's nothing wrong with moving somewhere and then realising it was wrong. it's a healthy educational opportunity
Too expensive a mistake and its stupid. Try it out for a month first.
Agree, Kevin
Perhaps but I always recommend exploratory trips first especially for retirees over the course of your life.
Then once you think you like a place stay with or near a trusted expat for at least a month, longer is better and learn from his or her routine.
I noticed sucessful expats tend to have certain personality traits.
A
@@designstudio8013 guess you missed the part about the "honeymoon" phase
No matter where you go, there you are.
And where you are is where you're at unless you're in the Outhouse!...
Ram Dass
Man, that's deep!
So true.👍
That's the place to be.
This video is awesome. Very informative, balanced, and very well-presented. Kristin is a very gifted communicator.
Glad you enjoyed it, Jose! 😊 I appreciate the kind words.
Thank you very much! Liked, subscribed and shared. My absolute favorite UA-cam channel by far.
I deleted the original comment ! Now you will never know what I said !
This is very well put. I have lived in Mexico for the past 20 years, am married to a Mexican, and don't run at all with the ex-pats. They do stay in their own little bubble and the older ladies really complain about how the 'help' robs them blind. I think to myself, 'then why do you live here'? You really do appreciate life so much more when you just go with the flow.
I've lived here 20 years, I agree with you on mindset. You have to live with the people, not the tourists. She lived on the beach, in CR, the beach is the highest crmie rate in CR....,why...tourists. Money.
I am married to a Mexican, and I live in Mexico. And I can confirm and agree with everything said here.
Excellent attitude and philosophy. Only thing is that the Tico mindset has changed in last 10-12 years. They have become somewhat gringoized. Greedy and trying to get over for a buck. My first time there, a taxi driver insisted on giving me every centavo in change back, it was his pride! That doesn't happen anymore that's for sure. There was a different vibe before. Pure Vida was real a d not a phony tourist expression. But stay happy there, it's still a beautiful country especially in smaller less touristy areas and less developed beach towns.
Agreed with this mindset completely mate. I would also mention the total lack of any specifics about the cost of living there besides the ridiculous "few hundreds of dollars" per month for ac, what is that, 6 bed 5 baths mansion, a hotel? Plus the quite revealing fact of where she is coming from when she said that she never heard of anyone been robbed or home invaded in the place that she live back in the States. Upper middle class or up upbringing in the "finding herself" phase, not a person that i would take advice in such matters.
I've lived in Costa Rica for 21-plus years. I came down (Houston, TX transplant) three months after I finished college. Initially, I was uncertain about my decision. Years later, when I think about returning to the U.S., my stomach turns. That is to say, I love living here. BTW, I live in the mountains, 20 minutes from the closest beach (Playa Dominical). I live without A/C, and my monthly electric bill is about $20.00 USD. My municipal water bill is about $10.00 USD.
Im a Houstonian thinking about relocating...thanks for this post
I'm thinking of going to Costa Rica for vacation to see if I would like to retire there. I'd love to talk to you and get some ideas on places to visit that might be a great retirement town.
@@thevillage2.058 Visit first, see how you like the culture. We didn't care for it.
I visited your Dominical beach and originally thought it was a sunning beach only to discover a nasty angry continual rough sea beach! The place is really dangerous! The place is a fishing village and the Saviche was the best I had ever eaten as it was super fresh! Glad to have visited it but would not venture in that angry water!
@@carolsmith6817 what were your likes and dislikes? I might visit this year. Can you give me a good town to stay?
Thank you for sharing this. We have been here visiting for 3 months and have loved so many things about this country, but we do have friends who have experienced many of the things you share here. The honesty is so important so people can be prepared. You are 100% right about not expecting the country to change. :) I can totally relate to the driving times, mail issues, and all the things... ha, ha! You are great! We are currently in La Fortuna but are traveling all over the world with our family to increase our worldview. All the best to you wherever you decide to go next!
Hi Nancy! You're welcome. Glad you resonated with me and thanks for sharing your comments as well. 😊
Hi Kristin, this is a great video, I visited CR back in 2016 and loved it and I am considering it as one of the places I could retire to, but I think I changed my mind, like you, I much rather travel and work remotely from all over the world and staying in one place. Thank you!
"And you realize it's just another country with regular people, and you're still you." That one hit hard - going to write that down.
As a Costa Rican I agree and disagree with some of your statements, of course it is your personal experience about the country. My recommendation for those who want to leave here is to install a power back up to avoid continues interruptions of electricity (some days it is bad and annoying) or solar panels, water back up as well and be very patient when you want something delivered to your house. You won't get many things as fast as you want so plan ahead and it is polite to learn Spanish to not face a language barrier. Costa Ricans will help you to learn. (start with bad words to break the ice). I know several foreigners (specially Americans) that have leaved in the country many years and they only know how to order Cerveza so learn the language to not get fckd up, learn the language to avoid frustration and learn the language to grow your own intellect
In Costa Rica everybody is welcome :)
I’ll never be able to speak Spanish. My mouth won’t make the words. It’s not disrespectful, it’s just how it is. Many people come to America and never learn the language or just the basics and that’s fine. But people who say “learn to speak English” to them are rude and disrespectful.
@@barockhill really. it's super easy man. I learned the basics in 6 months, later I made it smooth and fluid. You can't say something to yourself that you can't acheive. Just, submerge into the adventure of learning, and enjoy, don't thinking how it will end.
@@milanradulovic3915 Your advice is good advice for most - but I also know as a former special education instructor & as a daughter of non‐English speaking Canadian immigrants? Some people truly aren't great at learning second or third languages.
Of course, the younger one is when they try learning, the easier it is.
I'm a polyglot myself & have no trouble leaning languages.
My mum & dad & 1 brother are great at it too.
But my grandmother tried yet never picked up more than 10 English words.
She was brilliantly intelligent otherwise, & spoke several other languages but found English really difficult.
My other brother had a minor head injury at 12 & though it seemed harmless at first & luckily mostly was? It DID Wipe out the 2 extra languages he'd learned & he wasn't ever able to learn any other language besides English afterwards.
So yes - Do Try hard to learn • of course • It's possible to speak semi‐well in several months.
But if you've studied 1yr. with no improvement?
There might be a learning disability affecting your language acquisition & processing centre.
But yes • Make a good effort • of course!!
Gracias & te deseo buena salud y felicidad💜🫂⚕☮
@@barockhill People go to the USA and don't learn English because they work above 80 hour weekly, that it's not the situation for an american in Costa Rica or any Latam country, and that thing about your mouth don't make the words es pura mi3rda, your human phonetic system can make any human sound of any language. Oh "electric skeptic" has a good point, if you are over 60 years old, you are absolutely right, learning a second language past 60 is a powerful challenge. But even so, if you are retired you have all the time in the world to face it and all the resources available to achieve it.
@@AmberAmber yeah, there are circumstances that completely are understandable, like in injury. But from what I heard from Ticos that is only American thing about "can't learn" spanish. So, going with fact about disability for whole nation, doesn't catch a point. I think there is more about arogance of whole community and leak of the wish to learn.
Thank you for sharing your experience
Thank you for all the great information. It's good to know about the reality of Living in Costa Rica. Everything I had read previously painted a 100% rosy picture. I am thinking of spending winters in Portugal or Spain and will look for any information you may have.
I am from Costa Rica raised and born. I do actually feel that a lot of the surprises some foreigners get when they arrive here are due to their own fantasy of what Latin America is about. I cant count the times I had being ask by foreigners on the internet if we have electricity or if we party everyday. Also a lot of them had have the mentality that here in Latinoamerica everything is party and we are so easy going that we do not have works or complicate lives. On the same time, there is an idea that living in Costa Rica is like having a vacation in Costa Rica and that it is not realistic in any country. Another thing that I notice is that a lot of foreigners don't learn spanish and even when you can find people here in Costa Rica with a very good level of english, some people dont speak it. Another point, prices are higher in Costa Rica that in other Latin American countries but you need to understand that the minimun salary here is higher. Violence in Costa Rica is relative if you compare it with a country as the US, not a single tico will left their camara or phones exposed alone and it is true the organized crime has increase as well . But for example situtation as shootings in supermarkets or schools is something that does not happen here. Other stuff, our health service is public, that means that we wont ever have the problem that our insurence wont cover something, but when you have something public is not as efficient as something private (economic principle) but there are also private health services in Costa Rica and actually they are very good (but you would need to pay this and and it is expensive), actually for example Costa Rica have a better immunization schedule that many countries in Europe and the USA. And last but not least, and I have notice this with men a lot of them get the idea that we latinas are "easy" girls and thats unconfortable if I am honest.
Update: please take into account that I am not saying that foreign men are perverted. It is okay to found love in another country I was refering only to the guys who oversexualize latinas. So if you found latinas cute thats ok, you have a taste, the problem its when you meet a latina and the first thing you asked her it is to have sex because you think she is going to be more "easy" than the girls of your country.
I got the same kind of questions just being from Iowa. Questions like: Do you have indoor plumbing? Paved roads? 😂
Great points and good tips, Karolina! Thanks for commenting
>and I have notice this with men a lot of them get the idea that we latinas are "easy kind" of girls and thats unconfortable if I am honest.
I know you think you're being sly trying to shame those "men" by saying how that makes you "feel" but you know they think that way for a reason: *it's true.* Source: I'm from a Hispanic country myself and have seen this dynamic countless times from the point of view of a local. It's a truth universally acknowledged so to speak and no one from any of these "latino" countries can deny that this is TRUE with a straight face and if they do they are lying to you. Anyways, it can make you feel however you want but those men didn't get this idea implanted on their brains by the holy ghost and you know it: they got it because that is indeed the case that girls have an easier disposition towards them. BUT it's not because latinas are easier than girls from other regions necessarily, it's just that the foreigners (especially white) are generally assumed to be loaded and hence of high value to a lot of women in these countries. Many girls are also dying to leave their respective countries and see foreigners from developed nations as a way out to a better life. This is natural and it's an instinct ALL women have, that all people have really. It just so happens that foreigners will of course take advantage of that general disposition ("easy kind" in your parlance) towards them by the local girls in Costa Rica and take a sabbatical there. Well d'uh lol. If anything, you need to have an "uncomfortable" talk with your fellow Costa Rican women but you know they won't listen so you decide to come on here and gaslight people online when you know the truth. Maybe this is just your way of #ImNotLikeOtherGirls your fellow women from Costa Rica? In any case, the responsibility will of course lie with the women there so begin your "uncomfortable" talk there.
Oh boy. I don't know where they would get that idea from. Latinas breathe out fire! 😂
What you wrote is true for one type of foreginers the most, here is my example my older brother went to the study excange in to the US from the Europe back in 1993 he lived by the US family whos father was a college professor and jet when he arived they show him a washing machine, a colour TV and some other stufs as something new because a poor guy come from the small country in the Europe in to the mighty US.
They were very nice to him otherwise that's why he after a few weeks of living there tried to explain them how we live here in the Europe. Unfortaly they just say sure, sure like a poor euro boy try to look less poor, then my brother did a mistake he wrote a letter to the father (was before internet btw) to send him some photos of our house, cars, area, vacation spots... to show the US family a reallty, luckly for my brother the pictures arived in to the US less than a week before he need to return in to the Europe, because otherwise nice US famy changed their atitude imiadetly after they saw the photos to the worse, it was a bad last week, namely our house was better then theirs we have a solid house/ brick house, my brother and I had a colour TV in our separate rooms, they saw our vacation house near the sea (btw only 3 rooms but nonetheless) etc
"If you don't like my country, just leave." This is exactly what Americans tell us when we go to the US. So yeah. Lets keep it classy.
I love your country!!!
Con todo los países hacen eso en realidad
they literally killed almost all the natives and now call the land their own, if they ever tell you to go back to your country, you tell them the same, tell them to go back to europe
@@juanlopez8525 All Indians are dead? Did someone tell them?
@Glorious Quran Invited vs uninvited. Duh.
Great job, your consideration for being objective shone through your video - not an easy task! I agree with your submission that it is a collection of little things that add up to someone making a decision to vacate or stay. Thank you kindly for sharing, you use of descriptive language was most appreciated!
This very well balanced. I played it for my wife because we travel to about two countries a month since retirement and every place we go she wants to relocate to. Even the taxi driver in San Andreas Island Colombia was trying to tell her we are seeing the country through rose colored glasses. People have to be realistic and manage their expectations even my dear wife. 😊
I used to live in Hawaii and had tourists from the mainland ask me if I actually LIVED on Maui, or did I commute from California!!
I can relate. My boss at work used to tease me that I always wanted to move to every place I visited. Now I realize it's because I was in "vacation mode." It's a totally different experience than actually living there.
Finally someone that explains it like it is instead of "hey leave the US and you'll be happy". There is a reason why so many people from latin america do everything to live in the US, I am one of them. My wife and I will be retiring to CR but on different circumstances since she is a Tica and I have lived there for 7 years. Americans see youtube videos and think they gonna have a vacation experience every day when they move over there. Also most Americans living there dont speak Spanish and still wonder why they not having a good time
Yes, also many people making videos about Costa Rica just moved there within
The middle class and rich do not migrate from Latin America. Usually are the very poor that do anything to come to the U.S. Personalky I’m trying to move to Latin America since healthcare in the U.S is unreal!
@@jorgecampos9659 I agree with the healthcare part but you are wrong about the immigration. I won't say rich people, but plenty of middle class come to the US, the difference is we come here legally and you don't hear about us in the news. You think is poor people from other countries that come on an H1B visa?
Which is so arrogant!! Even if you're just visiting, learn and speak the language out of respect for the people there.
@@springfauna1465 hell yes
I have lived in Costa Rica since 1998 (24 years as of this writing). I expected a lot of exaggerated BS when I started to watch this video but I am happy to say I found it very accurate and balanced! Costa Rica is not for everyone but for many of us it is home. (I think I might actually have culture shock if I moved back to the U.S.!) I'm glad to see you talked about the acculturation cycle (It's true!) and about expectations. Unrealistic expectations are a big factor in people being disappointed with Costa Rica, As for Grandkids, Costa Rica aside, I know so many people who aren't living where they want but are living to be with there grandkids! Thanks for your realistic and balanced assessment of Costa Rica. I'm sure it will help many people decide.
Glad you found my video accurate and balanced, James and thank you so much for sharing your experience. Indeed it is not for everyone, I would still be happy to visit.
Así es.Gracias por tu respuesta lógica,te envío Saludos desde san Ramón de Alajuela Costa Rica,pura vida.
I always been puzzled by how exaggerated are the comments about Costa Rica. I always feel that Americans who move to that country, had sandomly traveled to other countries and just decide to move into this place and start competing for resources when there are more beautiful countries with the more land extension and natural resources ..technological advances and easier _faster access from Easter states ( AKA Colombia /Panama ) but well , she said it clearly..she left because she decided to go to other countries ( I am sure other countries were just as much beautiful ) 😍 just go visit other places before moving ..dont let youtube only tell you
I am living to be close to family and grandkids
@@ssoma151 I have no idea why people build lives around children so much. Boring. lol
That curve you described is so helpful for any area of life!! Ty
i love the structure of your video, you made a list, give good information and mention the pros and cons, trying to be objective, i am not thinking in move to Costa Rica or any country soon but your video gave me valuable reflections, thanks.
Thank you for watching and the feedback! Appreciate it :)
I retired 10 years ago and moved to Thailand 4 years ago. Life lessons: 1) Retirement is not like vacation. 2) Don’t move to a foreign country expecting to live your same life as back home but only cheaper. Both of these lessons fall into the category of realistic expectations. Maybe a corollary lesson is that you need to live your own life.
Great advice, Martin! Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us in the comments 🙂
Amen!
Martin, do you regret moving to Thailand 4 years ago? Knowing what you know now, what, if anything, would you do differently in preparing to move to Thailand?
do you find it easy to meet other westerners or expats in Thailand? Or is it hard to assimilate and a bit isolating?
@@MichaelVHart I do not regret moving here at all. I am married to a Thai woman and plan to stay. I don’t regret my 60 years in the US but it was time to move on. Kristin has great advice about what to consider before committing to living overseas. Visit the place before you move and keep an open mind about what you are willing to change about your life circumstances. There will be change. Embrace it.
It's actually really hard for a typical North American to adapt to a Latin country. We have been spoiled with an infrastructure that runs fairly smooth on a day-to-day basis. But we really are spoiled because when we have to wait in a line that's a block long all of a sudden we just can't handle it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, @chascodelviso!
Even when you move from Central America to the US you get spoiled, but I'll be living half of my time in Nicaragua and the other half here in the US to balance things out once I retire. At least those are my plans 😂.
"A block" ?...try 3 people in a line & we're calling a manager lol !!
yikes ! no lines for me.
And rightly so!
Thanks for all your insight regarding Costa Rica. It is really helpful.
Thank you for your honesty.❤
I'm from Trinidad and Tobago and I had to complete my last semester in UCR back in 2014. My colleagues and I explored a lot, some nights we would walk home, we felt so safe. I just love CR, I always say I would love to live there.
because where youre from the thieves dont think you have any money.
@@soflodoug What do you mean?
CR is not that insecure, the UCR is in San Pedro and although some places could be dangerous, not all the place is like that. I've walked from the Mall San Pedro to Avenida Segunda (Alaina might know what I'm talking about), late at night and nothing even suspicious happened
Tuanis muchacha!! Always welcome back!!
Bienvenida, cuente conmigo cuando quiera venirse para CR.
Yo quiero conocer T&T, creo que podríamos tener una excelente amistad👍🏻😉
"Great quote, "you are moving to a different country, that country doesn't have to change for you." That is true of people coming to the US as well.
true...
Amen!
I cannot tell you the number of years I pressed that issue with my parents & grandparents after moving to the U.S. How many times I wondered why they bothered moving here if they weren't going to integrate. I on the other hand adjusted so much that I don't think I could fit back in the country where I was born - I became too American along the way.
@@SergioImbarlina Glad you are here.
@@billybob76511 Thank you.
Very interesting. You have traveled so much. Good for you for recognizing that you wanted to grow more and travel more.
"If you are happy within, you will be untroubled no matter where you live."
Thank you for being so real Kristin, I'm glad I've stumbled on your channel.
How can you be happy about "Home Invasions"?
very true
Good Vibes only! Thank you for watching :)
I've lived in CR for 30 years, and still live in CR part time. But due to my health (including my Diabetes type1) I have to live in the USA part time as well. My daughter started Kids Saving the Rainforest in Manuel Antonio in 1999 when she was 9 yrs old. I am still the President and love helping to save the rainforest in this amazing country! Pura Vida!
That's a great advocacy Jennifer! Thanks for sharing 😊
Hello Jennifer! Is there anyway I can talk to you? I m really interested helping or serving the country. Thank you.
Jennifer Arroz
Wow I went in June to Manuel Antonio and rented a air b&b really nice!!! Went to Quepos as well!!
Omg I love you
Really explained well without any bias. I think you are growing and any advancement in life requires open mindedness , adaptability and self reflection you are discussing today. There are no perfect places but perfect opportunities for growth.
Thanks Kristin, this was a very well thought out, insightful, thorough, informative video. One of the best videos I have watched on the possibly pitfalls of relocating to Costa Rica and a foreign country in general.
You are so welcome, Scott! Glad to know you liked the video 😊
Back in the pre-internet days, travel magazines, wrote about the rising costs of living in CR and the fact that it would increasingly feel like its being overrun with tourists. The writing has been on the wall for a long time now.
yep. back in 2010, i was told/warned by two separate boomer couples (who didnt know of one another) when i was medium term (a few months) in playa maurata, mexico. told me CR cost of living is bad, and dont go there for a lengthy stay if that was an issue.
Exactly!
So why People still moving and tourism. Can you guys make or have a idea to stop that. Is alot of countrys dont have many tourist and they still there. 1 year with almost not tourist and we still alive.
Americans basically spoil everything we touch. My idea of a retirement wonderland is Iran or North Korea.
@@BillLaBrie LOL
What I learned in kindergarten, boring people will always have a boring time.
Pura vida
Hahaha true
What? Your teacher was a philosopher and you were a special kid because you still remember.
Hahaha
My Dad used to *always* say this! If I said I was bored, he'd say, "Only boring people are bored!" (Or he would give me chores to do, lol!)
your asumption is vague, and erratic. Life is not A PARTY!
Wow, you're an inspiration. This was well thought out and made, what an experience. The last decade has shaped who you are socially & professionally. Awesome content! :)
Thank you for this. You’re beautiful and articulate. This helped.
I'm 78 years old. My family is mostly disconnected with me by miles, personalities and history. I believe moving somewhere you can share you life with feeding birds, taking care of animals on a farm and experience wildlife rather than hoping to join other family networks would. be next best to ideal. Being alone anywhere is tough if you don't have any connections to nature and sometimes with friendlies.
Nice to meet you, Juli. I think you would like these videos about what I like and dislike about living abroad, touching on topics like loneliness: ua-cam.com/video/ZwxGU1jhPKs/v-deo.html and ua-cam.com/video/JmE3RuO3wOI/v-deo.html
Hit that right on the head!! Excellent comment. I live in a cabin in the woods of Oregon. It took me 5 years to get back into the natural rhythm of nature. But now it will never leave- I’m good forever (except where there is limited natural environment.)
@@karynneilsed.s.5677 We probably have a lot in common. I too worked K-12 as a School Social Worker and Counselor. My credentials are MALS, MS several endorsements and licenses. I could never go back to that setting. I'm not a botanist, arborist, horticulturist, zoologist, animal husbandry expert. But, I like nature as it presents itself when it is free and safe. I live on 2 acres in the middle of a city. The animals here are neighbor's dogs and kids, squirrels and birds. I'm using tons and tons of wood chips to enhance my soils.
As we age, we all have more aches, more cellular damage, less resiliency, and more recovery time from injury. We need lots more steady as she goes exercise daily along with a good diet.
We need quality, knowledgeable, intelligent and sensitive medical care. We also need to figure how we intend to die. Alone? By our own hand? With long lost relatives? In a hospital or medical care ward?
I believe in enjoying as much of life as is possible but dying alone seems like the only option for me. That's not depressing but it is real. Who has time for others these days? Hopefully I'll be as smart as a dog or cat who knows enough to go off into the woods to die a natural death alone and return their bodies to the other living creatures, to earth healing, and cosmic dust. No one ever discusses this future when they talk about the fun times of retirement in exotic places.
I totally agree! I am more connected with nature and animals! My kind of life.......definitely!
@@karynneilsed.s.5677 ⁰0
My cousin went to CR and rented an airbnb and on the 3rd day she went back to the house and everything was GONE! When the investigation came through they told her that the people who rent the house was the ppl who robbed them, thats f'ed up
Airbnb should cover that.
yes
There are bad people everywhere, that could happen anywhere in the world, not just in Costa Rica.
@@Kyo_Scarlet really ! have you travelled to Canada yet ?
@@brucecates3772There are bad people everywhere, in Canada you just have to be very unlucky to find them, Canada can be an exception and they have a very low crime rate, but in 2019 there were 678 homicides in all of Canada and I can assure you that the relatives of these people could not believe that this happened in their country, I repeat, there are bad people everywhere, many are luckier than others and that is why they have not found them.
WOW! Thank you - so much! After hearing from so many YT influencers and expats on how (we) (should) move to CR, this brings a huge balance in it's perception. Thanks again.
You're very welcome! 😊 I'm glad to provide a balanced perspective on Costa Rica.Thanks for your support! 🌍🇨🇷🌟😄
I really appreciate the balanced perspective you gave in this video.
I can't argue with anything you said. I moved here from the US, fell in love and have a couple of kids... so in some respect, I feel like I have to give it a real go. Have I missed my home country, yes, have I missed my family, yes, do I wish my parents could see their new grandchildren more, definitely yes. I'm guessing I have been lucky, that I have not personally seen or been a victim of any crime. I do realize being a big strong man, may have it's advantages, as people do not see you as an easy target? The language barrier has been a big issue with me, because of memory issues... but I do my best to communicate (a lot of pointing, Spanglish, and showing of pictures of what I want). Yeah, the long lines to get any business done, like at the banks and post office really puzzled me. I never had that experience in the U.S. PS: Costa Rica government and banks, if you are listening, please update your ATM's to receive deposits, not just withdrawals, which will help with the bank congestions of people. 😁
Basically treat others as you want to be treated. "Gringo's" have a bad reputation with some Tico's, because of the way they have been treated. I have hired Ticos several times to do work around the house... I feed them, give them drinks, ask if they need anything else, etc. This blows their minds, because they tell me other gringo's don't even offer them water. Anywhere you go, treat them as equals, and remember you are the visitor/guest. Thanks for the video. 👍
I'm an old man now but when I first left my boyhood home in the early '70's, my WWII veteran Daddy told me to buy a local paper and learn to read it, eat the local food and learn to like it and treat the people the way you'd like to be treated. This has always made friends for me and I've never regretted listening to my dear old Papa !
@@brianadams1907 Sounds like good advice.
Pura Vida!
In the city im at the bank's always have ATM's tht you can make deposits. I guess maybe not everywhere the option is available? Which sucks.
Nice comment bro, I definitely agree with you, I am costarican and your comment is true!
I lived in Costa Rica 2009-2015. I met a Nicaraguan girl and we got married and now we have been together 5 years in Nicaragua. I agree with many of the reasons you stated and noted those same things. I think beyond superficial reasons such as food, nature, beaches etc. people move to a new country for more profound reasons and are disappointed when they realize that it didn't offer the solutions they were looking for. I got the impression that some people were unhappy with their lives in their developed countries and decided to move to a new country simply because it would validate something about their worldview, or perhaps compensate for unrealized personal goals, or perhaps because they felt alienated in their own culture, left out, left behind, or even in some cases as an act of "rebellion" against their home country's values. Once the initial rush of a new environment wears off they realize they are often still the same unhappy person but without access to the same support network, friendships and rituals (a favorite seasonal activity, a certain home cooked food). I think that disillusionment is impactful enough for people to start looking for excuses to return home, and not wanting to blame their own rash decision making, blame a myriad little reasons about their host country to justify their feelings. In any case the selection of the host country was secondary to the decision to remake one's life regardless of where or how. These are bad reasons to move to a new country. In my opinion some good reasons to move to a new country would be: experience personal growth (any negative experiences contribute to what you are learning), to give to others (build friendships, do charitable work), to share the good of your own culture with others and learn the good of a new culture (habits, language, music, etc.). These reasons are external focusing on REAL life, real people, connection with the new country...as opposed to INTERNAL, thinking living in a new country will be a mystical transformative experience that will validate us or somehow make us more valuable than others. Other countries are just the same as everywhere else with the same problems but exacerbated by the fact that differing values mean you will see things that upset you (sick, wounded dogs roaming the streets in packs, unusual degrees of poverty, etc.). Very informative video and very balanced, thanks, I really enjoyed it!
Very insightful comment. Good luck . I agree totally.
Very impressive and well written.
@@ileanahope466 Thank you for the kind comment!
@@Peregrine1946 Thank you! I appreciate your comment.
I am Glad that you said that, it's true, when we move, or spend a prolonged period of time in a foreign country, after a while, we realize that life is just about the same everywhere, but that in our homeland, we may have a Support System that may Not have elsewhere, So vacationing in certain spots is better than staying there to live. Just visit as often as you can or like, but Not stay to live.
!~~~~~ is a way of enjoying what you like about the place for the time period you spend there, but don't have to deal with All the bureaucracy and challenges of when you are settling somewhere permanent. !~~~~~
Thanks for the great info I still want to try it some day. And I didn't know you had freckles, gorgeous!
Excellent presentation Kristin, thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
What a brilliant presentation. Totally refreshing for its openness and honesty and so needed.
I think the part about retirees missing their grandchildren is a biggie.
This is so true even here in the state of Florida. many move here after they retire but end up moving back to their home state because of their grandchildren. Grandparents play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren. My sister and brother in-law did the same thing, they were only here in Florida about 9 years and moved backed to Michigan to be with their children and their grandchildren.
Yeah but why cant the grandchimdren go to CR ? Its only a 6 hrs flight from LA, 3 hrs from FL. $300 round trip from LA
@@susanafernandez4164 only self-centered “grandmas” would even expect that.
@@swisschalet1658 i think is normal . if my grandma lived at the beach while growing up, i would ve been very happy to visit her.. Growing up i had 3 neighbors who's grandma lived at the beach and they would take me to visit her and it was lots of fun.
@@susanafernandez4164 many families with small children cannot afford to fly on a plane every time they want to visit a relative. Not only do you have to get multiple plane tickets, you often need a rental car, then food, juggling a car seat, etc...not worth it when it’s a thousand times easier for the retired person to go to the family instead of the other way around.
I worked with a couple both of who were colleagues of mine in New Mexico. They talked so much of the Decade they spent in Costa Rica. They worked for the same company throughout. I could tell it was one of the BEST experiences of their lives but for whatever reason they had to come back to the States.
Glad you are back and please take good self care to prevent burn out. My first burn out happened in the US because I adopted this Accomplishment self worth based culture. Since then, I had to be very conscious of where I put my identity and worth knowing I am a human being with boundary and limits. It is very tempting and a constant struggle trying to not give into this cultural norm but it is possible when I consciously practice establishing boundaries and limits without feeling quilt and "I am doing enough syndrome ." I really appreciate your vunerbility and sharing your human experience of Burning Out in the US. It is so real and genuine. So happy to see you coming back and taking better care of yourself. Thanks for sharing.
Living here for 13 years after lifetime in California and I still love it. Expensive? Maybe. But not like Calif. I have just as high or higher quality of life.
Soy un gringo viviendo en CR desde 2009. Puede manejar su gastos si no esta tan tonto. Debe aprender el idioma. Traducir eso mai.
This video should clinch the absolute truth that "Life is Suffering" (Shakyamuni Buddha - 2700 years ago). There is no ultimate paradise ANYWHERE. Even if a place fulfills all the criteria as the most perfect place to be it is still only temporary, still subject to environmental and political changes, still subject to the reality of one's own aging, ill health and approach to death.
Personally, I've found that everything is dependent on my own mental condition; if I'm content with simple needs and a decent space to live, then I can create my own heaven right there.
In the middle of a blizzard in southeast Wisconsin.
Sounds good but nobody wants to come to Wisconsin to live. You enjoy though. 🤣
Stage of life, similar to mental condition, has a lot to do with what will generate temporary happiness. You can drop two dozen 20 year olds in the desert and they will have a party.
Brah! Yes, that’s it. Some of us have a good deal, others a bad deal. But the deal doesn’t matter. It’s how we are inside ourself that matters!
U must be a real hit at the parties sheila
There are many ultimate paradises; it's just that none of us talking here can afford them. Heck, we don't even know where they are!
Good luck with that wonderful business! I’m sure you’ve helped countless people relocate and have shared peculiarities and pros /cons of living abroad. Stay safe and enjoy your blessed life.
Thanks for this informative video. Best wishes for your business and travels.
Thank you so much for your kind words and well wishes
@jamiekeith5082! 😊
My family and I lived there for 7 years. I agree with everything mentioned and would only add the difficulty banking. Crazy wait times because people pay all their bills at the bank, you have to prove where deposits originate, and don’t even think about borrowing money for a house (10-12%).
For us, it’s just MUCH cheaper to live a middle class lifestyle in Tennessee.
But we LOVED the weather, the beauty, the people (except the thieves).
🐓🥃🙃
I lived in the US for 5 yrs, had decent job with good salary however, that was not the life I wanted to myself, and I retuned to my country, Costa Rica.
My reason? Family, tranquility, no corporate stress, looking for a more relax way to live.
Since then, I have traveled to more than 20 countries for vacation, but I keep coming back, because this is home to me.
Btw, really good video, very accurate information.
Estos gringos no se que creen, están mamando y si no les cuadra que se queden viviendo allá
Hay oportunidades para un fontanero (plomero) con más de dos décadas de experiencia?
@@AndresLopez-bz7bs Te respaldo 100%,un gringo mas.!!!
@Christian Fonseca H Picha mama
I'm happy for you, Diego! The pace of life in the US is even challenging for anyone who grew up here. I managed hotels in the US for most of my career and, because I speak Spanish and lived in southern Mexico for a couple of years, I really got to know my housekeeping staff very well. And I used to eventually ask the one's who'd come here when young, settled down and married and raised children here, if they think it was worth it. Almost to a person they said they never imagined how hard it was to live here even though they prospered. Disfruta la vida tranquilla!!
appreciate the honest assessment; keeping in mind all the pros and cons.
Thanks for appreciating the balanced perspective, @tubing08w.
You have done an *EXCELLENT* job in this video of presenting FACTS, both plus and minus. Well done! 👍
Kristin
Is amazing the amount of knowledge that you have acquired and that happened because You have had the courage to go abroad and see for yourself. Congratulations.
This was very insightful stuff !! Having lived abroad I can say most of this resonates. Thank you
Glad to know it resonated with you Clifford, thank you for watching!
Excellent video! Really felt the info was well presented.
Sound advice based on fundamental principles. Unbiased information is always appreciated. Thank you.
Glad you liked it Chad! 😊
I love to hear about my country from different eyes, it helps a lot to understand better how bad or good we are.
Do Costa Ricans tend to hate Americans? A friend of my parents moved there and she seemed to quickly absorb a hatred for America like a sponge takes up water. To hear her talk now you'd think America is the worst country in the history of the world.
@@Anon54387 Not yet but we are in the process...
Many years when I first went to Costa Rica there was relatively little crime and the prices were low on most things. The best way to avoid getting charged on the Gringo price scale is to have a native get things for you at the price the locals pay. Meantime watch your back where
ever you go. Costa Rica is still nice but not as nice as it was back in the day. Too many negative elements have come in from outside the country. You could also say the same thing about the US.
Or learning Spanish. People assume people speaking other languages are tourists that come to spend more...
😂😂 gringo price scale. Sorry for all of you guy guys. It has to suck having higher prices just because of your background, I would have normal prices if I moved since I am also central American and look like the typical inhabitant of Costa Rica
Yep to many illegals from the north
When I first went to Costa Rica, it was fun to take the bus down to the Mercado Central and check it all out. Now, there's no way you would catch me there. Even my Tico friends tell me you are very likely to get robbed and stabbed.
@@catocall7323 I go there a lot and it's not dangerous at all. Just check your belongings when it's very crowded...
Wow ! What you do must be so interesting ! Thank you and Good Luck in your career. I really enjoyed your advice !!
Thank you, Anne! I appreciate the kind words. 😊
Very informative
Thank you
We moved to Hawaii 20 years ago. All the points you bring out, proves true here. Probably everywhere!
I've notice one TRUTH. If people who move here, (or move anywhere) refer to where they came from as "HOME" or "BACK HOME"....
They are going to eventually move back "HOME".
I refer to Hawaii as Home. I refer to where I came from as "my old home town." But it's not Home anymore.
Very insightful, thanks for sharing your thoughts Coe! 😊
Great observation!
"Home IS where the heart 💖 is!"
I'm on the big island, Hawaii and I agree with you thoroughly. I've been here seven years and this is my home. In fact, it feels like I have always lived here.
I loved my first several months in Costa Rica and made excuses for negative experiences. Then I went in the dip for a few years living in the Central Valley. Then I moved to a rural northern area 5 years ago, and guess what? An old farm boy is totally at home and never happier.
Congrats on making it through the dip!! 😃
@@TravelingwithKristin The big problem was living in Escazu and not getting to know the real Costa Rica
What do you do in rural Costa Rica and what is life like there? Are there many other foreigners in rural Costa Rica? Is Escazu a tourist hangout?
@@alantaylor6691 Not really but it's a more upscale area with contemporary style homes and apartments. Nice restaurants also.
Your vids are intelligent, and useful. Thanks.
Excellent talk. Thank you for your perspective.
You're welcome!
I moved to Brazil, because I just could not afford to retire in California... It was tough at first, because the exchange rate was trending against me, but it finally reversed, and then
got so good that my rent is only a hundred bucks a month! I speak fluent Portuguese, because I have managed to avoid making friends with any other expats! I live on the coast
in the north-east (near the equator) so there is no daylight savings, and it never gets cold. I dress like a native, and never wear jewelry, so I do not get robbed. Brazil rocks!!!
Excellent strategy sir. You speak the language and you avoid tourist traps and big cities. It's not only the cost of living in California but the mentality of people indoctrinated by Marxism in our schools and colleges here and our overall cultural deterioration that I find sad and hopeless. Good thing you didn't go to Chile, which made great advances over three decades and now hijacked by Marxists. It's the latest disaster in South America. Boa sorte senhor !
Brazil Rocks? Only if your poor n miserable. .. you need to look like slob to be ok? No thanks!
Wow. Would love that.
Highest death rate from Covid-19 anywhere in the world. Rockin' all the way to the cemetery!
Good for you, Robert!
Good discussion. I lived in Costa Rica for 5-1/2 years. I left because I realized that I could keep up with their inflation on my SSAI payout monthly. I moved to Medellin, Colombia in February 2019 to enjoy a 30% to 40% boost in buying power I had discovered possible on my fact finding trip in November 2017. Moving to a new country is not an extended vacation, but it's a lifestyle change. South American is the last stop on my bucket to due list I wrote up for myself in 1957.
CR is a money pit !
Excellent honest information🌟
Thank you!!💜
Glad it was helpful, @Change4Good. Thanks for watching as well!
Excellent balanced review. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching 💛