Retire in Latin
America (This week's Hot
News from AOL)
By Rosemary Rein
That was this week's
headline on AOL New that
caught our attention
with this description of
Costa Rica"
"It's got the good
weather of Florida, but
a much cheaper cost of
living. And it's a lot
more adventurous than
Daytona. Politically
stable, Costa Rica has a
thriving industry of
recruiting American
retirees. Thousands of
Americans are spread
throughout Mexico,
Panama and the rest of
the region."
As residents of Costa
Rica for 10 years, we
are often asked the
reason why we moved here
in the first place .. so
here's our Top 10 list
for those of you
contemplating your own
adventure , living,
working and or retiring
in paradise.
10), Climate,
Climate, Climate..
You can almost pick your
preferred temperature in
Costa Rica and we
selected 72 degrees year
round at our home in the
Central Valley
Mountains. But what
about the Rainy/Green
Season? Sure, we have
about 2 hours of rain
during our "winter"
months each day, but
most mornings are
beautiful and sunny.
That sure beats Fargo in
Winter and Phoenix in
Summer! We also happen
to delight in that
expected afternoon rain
in green season for a
few hours. In fact if
you haven't experienced
the sound of rain
falling on a tin roof,
with a good book,
frankly, you haven't
lived.
9) Nature Lover's
Paradise: From rain
forest to crisp
mountains to
experiencing the "Gifts
from the Sea', Costa
Rica is a Nature Lover's
Paradise. Each morning
Barry and I hike out our
front door to the
countryside where
following a cow on the
road is as common and
much more delightful
than interstate traffic.
8) Health Care:
As Business Owners in
the United States faced
with staggering
insurance costs, we
sought out a location
for retirement that
would provide, quality,
affordable health care.
Costa Rica has U.S.
Trained Dr's with state
of the Art Hospitals and
Medical Facilities. It
also has a thriving
medical tourism
industry. When we first
moved to Costa Rica,
private insurance cost
$1400 annually for the
two of us covering most
of our medical costs and
prescriptions. What this
meant was state of the
art care when
hospitalized. Third
World? I don't know
about that. In my
private hospital room, I
had a flat screen t.v.
dining menu options and
a companion bed for my
husband to stay with me.
While our insurance has
increased slightly as we
have aged, I believe the
care in Costa Rica
unbeatable.
7) Adventure: We
probably saw too many
Raiders of the Lost Ark
movies, but we wanted
the next chapter in our
life after the rat race
to be a "True Learning
Adventure!" Flying
through the Forest
Canopy, White Water
Rafting are just two
examples and we have a
long list of adventures
still on the list. Every
day, daily living in
Costa Rica is an
adventure from exploring
exotic fruits to
rescuing a sloth. I have
to say it beats going to
Wal-Mart.
6) Social Community:
We could keep
ourselves entertained 7
days and nights a week
with Costa Rica's busy
and diverse ex pat
community. There's a
club for every interest
(Birding, Hiking,
Bridge, Gourmet Food and
Wine, Volunteer
Opportunities) just name
it and it's here.
Foreign residents find
each other at social
centers and hubs and
groups like the
Newcomers Organization
that help with the
transition of moving to
a foreign country.
5) Safety: While
we now look back to the
good old days when there
was virtually little
crime when we came to
Costa Rica. Sadly we are
not immune to the
increasing crime rates
that you find almost
everywhere in the world,
much linked to the
growing drug problem.
Still crime tends to be
more property related
than violent and so we
have added precautions
like a home security
system. What should be
noted is there is more
violent crime in most
major U.S. Cities in one
day, yet the media will
spotlight any violent
crime against U.S
Citizens that occurs
outside of her borders.
Costa Rica ,it should be
noted , is also a
peace-loving and stable
country with no Army,
often referred to as the
Switzerland of the
Americas.
4) Cost of Living:
Indeed there are
financial benefits of
being a U.S. citizen
living in Costa Rica.
One of the attractions
for us in selecting and
moving to Costa Rica was
the (tax-free foreign
earned income benefit
--currently $82,400 for
each person) Another?
property taxes on our
new contemporary home in
Escazu, Costa Rica were
a whopping $100.00 a
year. That sure beat
$6,000 a year property
taxes in New Jersey and
Pennsylvania. We indeed
would pay more for
better infrastructure
and suppport to the
people of our host
country. There was also
no heating or
air-conditioning
expenses to contend with
and the real kicker
indulgence for me was
massages were $10.00 an
hour. I remember saying
"I'm so there" There is
no doubt, that we could
not afford our current
lifestyle in the United
States and while Costa
Rica is unfortunately
being increasingly
discovered and
developed, there are
still affordable options
for creating a quality
lifestyle at a fraction
of U.S. prices.
3) Warm and
Hospitable Costa Rican
People. Pura Vida!
"That's a Costa Rican
expression that means
"pure life". Sunday
morning is our favorite
day for walking in the
barrio...Mothers and
Fathers walking hand in
hand with their children
to church reminding us
of our own childhood.
"It's like the United
States in the 1950's" .
There is tranquility and
a commitment to family.
2) Connected:
Today's Ability to Work
and Live Anywhere. Yes,
we have wireless
Internet and low-cost
phone service in Costa
Rica that enables us to
work from home on the
deck with parrots flying
overhead. It's not
everywhere in the
country and certainly
not deep in the rain
forest, but technology
has enabled us to work
and stay connected with
our offices and families
and friends. Just 2.5
hour flight from Miami
and 3 .5 hour flight
from Houston, we are
closer to many relatives
and clients than they
are with others living
within U.S. borders
1) The Mangos, The
Monkeys, The Magic:
I love to watch visitors
in our learning retreats
discover their own magic
here while staying
amidst the jewels of the
Costa Rican rain forest.
Forever changed from
their journey to
paradise, their
discovery is almost
child-like. I developed
the brand for my
speaking and retreat
business from the voices
of those who have
discovered their own
passion here. On seeing
lava flow from an active
volcano, a child-like
WOW would be uttered
competing only slightly
with the volcanic
rumble.
So why visit/live in
Costa Rica?
"You Can Go Wild! Go
GREAT! and Embark on
your own personal
journey from Now to WOW!
tm"
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
Rosemary Rein is the
author of "Go Wild!
Survival Skills for
Business and Life" and a
new book to be published
in January 08 with Dr.
Stephen Covey and Ken
Blanchard entitled "The
Blueprint for Success
and Survival".
Rosemary speaks
internationally on
Leadership, Customer
Service and Creativity
and sponsors personal
growth and discovery
retreats of Costa Rica.
For additional
information write
Rosemary at
rosemary@gowildgogreat.com
or visit her web-sites
at
www.retreatscostarica
or
www.costaricatraining.com
If you have an article
on living in Costa Rica
and would like to share
it, send it to:
editor@insidecostarica.com |
