I would like to take a minute to say why I feel that this board is valuable and that visitors should join. I do this because I have heard lately that it is thought that the value of this board is over when one has been on it for a year or two. Please be aware that I have NO financial interest in the board.
1) Information: Without a doubt, this board is the most beneficial board out there when it comes to Costa Rica and many other places around the world. You can find the nitty-gritty here about a variety of items.
2) Socializing: If you desire, you can form long lasting bonds with other board members and, at your pace, be involved or not. You may not see a friend for a year but you can read about his explotis and enjoy the experience from afar.
4) Money-Saving: This board will save you money if you visit Costa Rica. You will save much more than the cost of membership. Your savings will continue each time that you visit.
5) Relationship: No one on this board is the absolute expert on this. You will be able to read and evaluate for yourself the hopes, dreams, fantasies, heartbreaks, stupidity and a whole host of human experience at your computer each day or evening.
6) Staying in Touch: It is interesting to watch the growth both up and down of the human drama that works its way through the board daily.
7) Entertainment: You will be entertained. After a few years (I have been a member since the board's inception and was the seventh person registered.) you will begin to follow mongerers coming and going out of the pursuit. You will see such things as GetRythm going from loving CR to hating CR. You will see Mighty1 move to CR, live the experience, and then leave CR. You will be able to follow the path of esteemed members like Pac55 as he navigates the waters that he will be soon navigating.

20s/30s year old will learn in spite of themselves stuff from the 40s/50s/etc. The 40s/50s/etc will live vicariously through the young ones. We each will enjoy the journey of the others.
THIS IS THE ULTIMATE REALITY SHOW THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME.
I am sure that there are more reasons but I will close so as not to bore you. One final thought please. I started out with the board paying for a one year membership. I struggled with renewing. I bit the bullet and paid for the lifetime membership. I made a mistake at the beginning not realizing that I would be enjoying this board so many year later. Simply because you paid for a one year membership should not stop you from becoming a lifetime member. You will be back years from now to catch up, IMHO.
Bottom line for me is that this board provides much more to me and will continue to do so for years than the amount of money that I paid. Admin 1 is a good guy and will not speak of this himself but this board does cost money to run and we should support it.
Have a Great Day,
Dave