Honkytonk wrote:
I am going to give it a shot this fall to move down to Costa Rica right after the end of this rainy season. I will probably stay a year to see if it's the right choice. I will probably keep my banking in the US for the moment. But is it really as simple as arriving on finding an apartment or are there other technicalities that I need to consider.
It can be almost that simple. You'll have to leave the country every 90 days for 72 hours. I find that having a local bank account is convenient. I had an ATM card eaten by a machine (my US card) and had a HELL of a time getting it returned. A year is a nice long time to make up your mind. I made up mine in about 2 months. Getting a telephone, especially a cell phone, can be a hassle. My first apt came with it's own phone, so no problem there for me. Beyond that, I didn't have any major problems, other than learning my way around and dealing with a new culture and language. You may have problems with not being horny anymore, it's rather a shock to the system.