Living in Costa Rica might be a little different than what you’re used to, but once you get the hang of it you’ll never want to go home! The Costa Rican people are friendly and welcoming, and very familiar with the North American style of life. There are over 50,000 US citizens living in the country, along with many more Canadians and Europeans. People speak English wherever you go, and one can easily get by with out knowing Spanish although it is much more fun if you learn the local language and can also provide a means of getting discounts or better seating at restaurants!
The natural beauty of Costa Rica is breathtaking and diverse. Christopher Columbus named it Costa Rica, meaning the Rich Coast, due to the fertility of the land. Mountain planes host active volcanoes and rich soils for agriculture, while lush rainforests are inhabited by one of the most diverse collections of flora and fauna in the world. Ocean beaches line both sides of the narrow strip of land which makes up the country, providing a very high percentage of beaches to land. If you’re planning on living in Costa Rica the first choice to make is whether you want to live in the city, mountains or at the beach. Either way, white sand, golden sun, lush vegetation and sparkling waters represent this haven of natural beauty.
Costa Rica is a politically and economically stable country dubbed “a Central American success story” by the CIA World Fact Book. The peace of the nation stems from a move by the President in 1948 to abolish the army and put the resulting funds into education and health care. A long standing democracy, there is a large middle class and excellent social security and educational programs in place for all citizens.
The quality of life is very westernized with excellent infrastructure, technology, products and accessibility. Electricity, and phone lines are available even in the remotest areas, tap water is clean and drinkable, and satellite television and high speed internet are commonly found in local homes. For those living in Costa Rica with a family and kids, schools are abundant, and there are many highly respected private schools where children are taught in English, including the Montessori School and the British School.
Private health care services are incredibly sophisticated and astonishingly affordable, in fact the plastic surgery market is booming because of the respectability of the doctors skills and the fact that an operation can be masked as a fabulous vacation! Dentistry is the same, and my root canal was a steal at $200 including 2 return visits to make sure it was healing properly. CEMA is the most modern of the hospitals, located in Escazu, and even has a small office where you can speak in English with an administrator who will contact your international insurance agency on your behalf and have everything sorted out before you know it.
Banks are stable, and if you’re living in Costa Rica you’ll want to set up an account with a local bank. Although it is best to save your money in US dollars, it is better to spend in the local currency of colones. This is easy as you can open a local bank account in dollars and then withdraw colones from the bank machine as you need them or spend colones using your debit card in most stores and restaurants.
There are a few things you may need to get used to living in Costa Rica. Sometimes the power goes out for a couple hours when a large truck pulls down a central line while passing by on the highway, however you never have to wait long for it to return. A similar situation occurs with water, at times you may not have running water for several hours while repairs are being done on a nearby road. The roads themselves can be a bit of a disaster, the climate of alternating torrential rain showers and burning hot sun takes its toll on the cement and many repairs happen on a scheduled basis as road deterioration and repair is a cyclical event.
Some social behaviors may irk you until you become accustomed to them. Punctuality, for example, is not high on the list of priorities and what a North American might call “being late” is laughed off as “Tico Time” in Costa Rica. However this is becoming less common with in professional enviroments, and tends to apply more to laborers or casual friends. Driving is an absolute zoo, signage is poor and lanes are often not clearly marked, so you might want to start by taking taxis until you get to know your way around.
The focus on Tourism in the 60’s and 70’s brought foreigners to Costa Rica long before they arrived in the rest of central and south America, and 40 years of western influence has ingrained itself in the culture. It is common for Costa Rican’s to have traveled abroad, many have even studied in the US, or taken a year out to travel as is popular in North American and European cultures. So when a foreigner arrives in Costa Rica they are not a stranger, but a welcome guest, and there is nothing a proud Costa Rican loves more than showing off their magnificent country and making you feel at home!
Jennifer Cross, February 2008
