www.CostaRicaTicas.com :: View topic - Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?

To me the answer is very easy to find. A number of CRT members are full time residents and have been for years. How many do you see leaving? Remember these are individuals who are here full time not the occasional visitor who never leaves the gulch. That is your answer.

Even Greengo who constantly rants about how bad CR is seems to have no plans to leave.

The climate is good, get out of downtown and go to a park in Heredia o Alajuela and enjoy Costa Rican ambiance. btw...How hard is it to pick up a woman in Costa Rica? Sit in the park and say, "Hola, me llamo David". She starts talking or smiles, keep on talking.

stockholme syndrome...never missing a chance to lick ones captors ass

.. gobble down a few tico turds with a big smile on your face

thinking no one can see or smell the morass on ones lips and teeth . :lol:

....

But that manner of analysis is not factoring into the equation those who are in so deeply, they simply cannot get out. *shrug*

Spend your time in the "red light" district of any major city and your perception of life in that city is going to be badly distorted.

Been here four years now and lived in San Jose central, Escazu and San Ramon. Try to take your points one by one...
1) No, Costa Rica isn't as bad as it sounds. This board gives people, especially ex-pats living here, a forum to bitch. Don't get me wrong, you MUST have patience as the systems don't function very effectively from immigration to police to courts. Not to mention all the 'CRT Sucks Club' propaganda.
2) Inflation is a concern with interest rates on loans/credit cards in the 'illegal' range in the U.S. Course, US monetary policy hasn't helped the dollar, which is down 10-15% in the last year or so.
3) Crime is bad, but mostly in certain areas like Jaco, San Jose Central and some of the outlying barrios like Alajuelita as well as the Nicoya Peninsula where the police presence and remoteness give rise to opportunity. Personally, I've been robbed by police (2 times) more than normal thieves (0). Outlying areas like San Ramon seem safer. Heck, saw a lot of places in Puerto Viejo that didn't have bars/razor wire and single girls walking the streets late at night. So security is more relative to location IMHO.
4) No, not all Ticos hate gringos. I've met Ticos who are good people and treat everyone the same. But have also met some that just hate gringos. Then there are those that don't really care one way or the other but given a chance to 'overcharge', they will jump at the chance.
5) Don't think Costa Rica is dead for retirement options but if the government keeps up with the new taxes, excessive import taxes etc. many other places will be more economically feasible.
6) Reasons people want to live here are varied. I love the climate and my mountain home not to mention the wildlife, the conservation efforts and general well being of most residents. The health system is cheap and seems to work well in my experiences with it. Course, I don't have something I'd need to wait a few months for treatment for either. That alone could make the difference for some. For what you'd pay for a hospital stay in the States for a few weeks, you could retire here. My girl was hospitalized for almost a month with a severe kidney infection and the bill was exactly $0. I'd have had to file bankruptcy in the states even with decent health insurance...
Hope this helps and as always, these are my opinions....cause I like it here!

Steven1 wrote:

But that manner of analysis is not factoring into the equation those who are in so deeply, they simply cannot get out. *shrug*

The vast majority of residents I know, and that is a considerable number, are not in to deeply that they could not leave if they desired to do so. The fact is that most residents here do not live in the downtown area where the majority of posters on this board spend their time and get their impression of the city and country. They live all over the central valley and other areas of the country not just in the gringo enclaves of Escazu or Santa Ana. Spend your time in the "red light" district of any major city and your perception of life in that city is going to be badly distorted.

Funny set of stats between yours and mine. I'm just glad it is not me juggling "the numbers".

Author:	Mugsy2010 [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:44 pm ]
Post subject:	Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
I am a long time lurker and never really post. I have followed this board since inception. My questions are is Costa Rica really as bad as it sounds on this forum? Listening to the various posts in the different sections Costa Rica sounds like a proverbial shithole. Is inflation really as bad as some state? Is crime so prevalent that you are unable to just mellow out compared to the shitstorm that will hit you if you lower your guard for one second. Do the Ticos really resent and hate gringo's and just look at gringos as a mark to be fleeeced. Is Costa Rica dead as retirement location with any merit compared to other locations? If so why would anyone want to live there(other than easy pu*sy). I mean it really isn't that expensive to come down for a few months out of the year. I am asking these question as I am looking for a fun place to retire to that has good weather part time or semi fulltime. I have been down to Costa Rica five times from two weeks to a month and a half and as a tourist it is really difficult to guage. I liked the beach areas but felt like I was being watched every where I went in San Jose. If you lived in Costa Rica for any period of time please elaborate on my concerns.

Author:	Puravidatransport [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:35 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
Been here four years now and lived in San Jose central, Escazu and San Ramon. Try to take your points one by one... 1) No, Costa Rica isn't as bad as it sounds. This board gives people, especially ex-pats living here, a forum to bitch. Don't get me wrong, you MUST have patience as the systems don't function very effectively from immigration to police to courts. Not to mention all the 'CRT Sucks Club' propaganda. 2) Inflation is a concern with interest rates on loans/credit cards in the 'illegal' range in the U.S. Course, US monetary policy hasn't helped the dollar, which is down 10-15% in the last year or so. 3) Crime is bad, but mostly in certain areas like Jaco, San Jose Central and some of the outlying barrios like Alajuelita as well as the Nicoya Peninsula where the police presence and remoteness give rise to opportunity. Personally, I've been robbed by police (2 times) more than normal thieves (0). Outlying areas like San Ramon seem safer. Heck, saw a lot of places in Puerto Viejo that didn't have bars/razor wire and single girls walking the streets late at night. So security is more relative to location IMHO. 4) No, not all Ticos hate gringos. I've met Ticos who are good people and treat everyone the same. But have also met some that just hate gringos. Then there are those that don't really care one way or the other but given a chance to 'overcharge', they will jump at the chance. 5) Don't think Costa Rica is dead for retirement options but if the government keeps up with the new taxes, excessive import taxes etc. many other places will be more economically feasible. 6) Reasons people want to live here are varied. I love the climate and my mountain home not to mention the wildlife, the conservation efforts and general well being of most residents. The health system is cheap and seems to work well in my experiences with it. Course, I don't have something I'd need to wait a few months for treatment for either. That alone could make the difference for some. For what you'd pay for a hospital stay in the States for a few weeks, you could retire here. My girl was hospitalized for almost a month with a severe kidney infection and the bill was exactly $0. I'd have had to file bankruptcy in the states even with decent health insurance... Hope this helps and as always, these are my opinions....cause I like it here!

Author:	Bilko [ Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:50 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
I was going to reply but puravidatransport did a great job. It's getting worse in lots of ways but it's still better for me than anywhere in the USA.

Author:	Devo [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 2:17 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
Excuse me while I head to the fridge to get a drink and snack and eagerly await Greengo's interpretation-response.

Author:	Whosear [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 3:11 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
I hear complaint after complaint about the cost of living here. It generally isn't cheap. It's not the easy find for bargains, but they're available. Prices jump around, and seem to stay put. There are fresh fruits and vegetables all day long. When I hear a comparison between Panama and Costa Rica, I ask, "Why don't you move to Panama?" "It's hot!" End of conversation. It's a small country. Read the Chicago Tribune & Sun-Times, and if you sat around and talked about crime, you would be freaked. In all the time that I've been here, I've never encountered nor had a close brush with crime. I avoided being shaken down by Transito one time, and avoided the paddy wagon who later robbed an acquiantence. The climate is good, get out of downtown and go to a park in Heredia o Alajuela and enjoy Costa Rican ambiance. btw...How hard is it to pick up a woman in Costa Rica? Sit in the park and say, "Hola, me llamo David". She starts talking or smiles, keep on talking. Oh wait, I forgot, I'm supposed to frame CR as a shithole, to keep out others from our turf.

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Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ? https://forum.costaricaticas.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36752	Page 1 of 4

Author:	Mike321 [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:36 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
i dont live there but my answer would be NO much hype/bullshit on this board at times

Author:	Irish Drifter [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:02 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
To me the answer is very easy to find. A number of CRT members are full time residents and have been for years. How many do you see leaving? Remember these are individuals who are here full time not the occasional visitor who never leaves the gulch. That is your answer. Even Greengo who constantly rants about how bad CR is seems to have no plans to leave.

Author:	Steven1 [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:33 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
But that manner of analysis is not factoring into the equation those who are in so deeply, they simply cannot get out. shrug Irish Drifter wrote: To me the answer is very easy to find. A number of CRT members are full time residents and have been for years. How many do you see leaving? Remember these are individuals who are here full time not the occasional visitor who never leaves the gulch. That is your answer. Even Greengo who constantly rants about how bad CR is seems to have no plans to leave.

Author:	VegasBob [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:55 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
Yes it really sucks.... BUT the rest of the World SUCKS WORSE.

Author:	Estebanh [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 12:50 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
Whosear wrote: The climate is good, get out of downtown and go to a park in Heredia o Alajuela and enjoy Costa Rican ambiance. btw...How hard is it to pick up a woman in Costa Rica? Sit in the park and say, "Hola, me llamo David". She starts talking or smiles, keep on talking. These two reasons alone may be enough to withstand live in a shithole and to having eat the occasional Tico turd Greengo wrote: stockholme syndrome...never missing a chance to lick ones captors ass .. gobble down a few tico turds with a big smile on your face thinking no one can see or smell the morass on ones lips and teeth . ....

Author:	Irish Drifter [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 1:53 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
Steven1 wrote: But that manner of analysis is not factoring into the equation those who are in so deeply, they simply cannot get out. shrug The vast majority of residents I know, and that is a considerable number, are not in to deeply that they could not leave if they desired to do so. The fact is that most residents here do not live in the downtown area where the majority of posters on this board spend their time and get their impression of the city and country. They live all over the central valley and other areas of the country not just in the gringo enclaves of Escazu or Santa Ana. Spend your time in the "red light" district of any major city and your perception of life in that city is going to be badly distorted.

Author:	Icantstayaway [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 2:04 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
Irish Drifter wrote: Spend your time in the "red light" district of any major city and your perception of life in that city is going to be badly distorted. Well said. Remember that the girls that we see at the usual haunts represent less than 1% of the population.

Author:	BlueDevil [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 7:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
Puravidatransport wrote: Been here four years now and lived in San Jose central, Escazu and San Ramon. Try to take your points one by one... 1) No, Costa Rica isn't as bad as it sounds. This board gives people, especially ex-pats living here, a forum to bitch. Don't get me wrong, you MUST have patience as the systems don't function very effectively from immigration to police to courts. Not to mention all the 'CRT Sucks Club' propaganda. 2) Inflation is a concern with interest rates on loans/credit cards in the 'illegal' range in the U.S. Course, US monetary policy hasn't helped the dollar, which is down 10-15% in the last year or so. 3) Crime is bad, but mostly in certain areas like Jaco, San Jose Central and some of the outlying barrios like Alajuelita as well as the Nicoya Peninsula where the police presence and remoteness give rise to opportunity. Personally, I've been robbed by police (2 times) more than normal thieves (0). Outlying areas like San Ramon seem safer. Heck, saw a lot of places in Puerto Viejo that didn't have bars/razor wire and single girls walking the streets late at night. So security is more relative to location IMHO. 4) No, not all Ticos hate gringos. I've met Ticos who are good people and treat everyone the same. But have also met some that just hate gringos. Then there are those that don't really care one way or the other but given a chance to 'overcharge', they will jump at the chance. 5) Don't think Costa Rica is dead for retirement options but if the government keeps up with the new taxes, excessive import taxes etc. many other places will be more economically feasible. 6) Reasons people want to live here are varied. I love the climate and my mountain home not to mention the wildlife, the conservation efforts and general well being of most residents. The health system is cheap and seems to work well in my experiences with it. Course, I don't have something I'd need to wait a few months for treatment for either. That alone could make the difference for some. For what you'd pay for a hospital stay in the States for a few weeks, you could retire here. My girl was hospitalized for almost a month with a severe kidney infection and the bill was exactly $0. I'd have had to file bankruptcy in the states even with decent health insurance... Hope this helps and as always, these are my opinions....cause I like it here! That's as fair and balanced assessment of CR as I have ever read.

Author:	Steven1 [ Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:09 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
Yes; yes; yes: Whoreland don't count and neither, really, does the EzcaZoo. Even using San Ramon and Grecia as "norms", those I know are in over their head, although not to the point where they're fully sucking in water as they're standing on rocks. Still, they're expectations of what their property is worth is absurd...and these are homeowners only. Those with "rental properties" are pretty much toast...and those that have become enmeshed in "families" are burnt toast....UNLESS.....they're willing to just let go of everything and get out with the shirt on their back. Funny set of stats between yours and mine. I'm just glad it is not me juggling "the numbers". Irish Drifter wrote: Steven1 wrote: But that manner of analysis is not factoring into the equation those who are in so deeply, they simply cannot get out. shrug The vast majority of residents I know, and that is a considerable number, are not in to deeply that they could not leave if they desired to do so. The fact is that most residents here do not live in the downtown area where the majority of posters on this board spend their time and get their impression of the city and country. They live all over the central valley and other areas of the country not just in the gringo enclaves of Escazu or Santa Ana. Spend your time in the "red light" district of any major city and your perception of life in that city is going to be badly distorted.

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Author:	Irish Drifter [ Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:06 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is Costa Rica really getting as bad as it sounds ?
Steven1 wrote: Funny set of stats between yours and mine. I'm just glad it is not me juggling "the numbers". Not worth replying to. Just another tourist who has become a Costa Rica expert.