www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Globalization is here to stay and even the powerful USA is not able to stop it. Therefore, reality therapy...while sometimes painful...is a good thing. Alot of gringo techs are here in CR and elsewhere working for offshore gaming companies and other international companies. The reasons are what I described before...better pay after taxes, less competition and much less stress of living...IF you can handle being away from mommy and daddy or other ties for long periods of time.

Many of us have expressed knowing of and experiencing levels of Tim's depression. Most of us have taken drastic measures to solve the problem. I'm sure Tim will do the same and come out of this in a reasonable time. He is a very sane person living in some insane times...

Nucknfuts: I understand what you're saying but what I don't understand is, if the Good Ol USA is such a horrible country... WHY is this country still being overrun by immigrants from all over Latin America..Asia and just about ANY country where there is oppression. I mean...there seem to be 3 million+ immigrants just from Mexico alone that must think there's something really great about the Good Ol USA that they want to cross rivers and deserts to get here. I just don't get it..

One mans junk is another mans treasure Piroca. Sure, there are great opportunities in the USA...if a minimum wage job at Walmart orMc Donalds doublesor triples your wages back home. And IF you are willing to live in a sparce inner city apartment surrounded by gangs and gunfire...the US is WONDERFUL.

But, if you are a highly educated or experienced professional or tech worker in the USA right now and over 50, you are looking at wages less than 1/2 what they were in 2001 while at the same time your mortgage is typically $1000+, your health insurance costs $100s per MONTH...and you just cant get ahead. THAT is the part of the dream that is being discussed here. The fact is...a majority of AMericans who are middle class or "working class" are living pay check to pay check with little hope of improving their lot. They had better make some changes fast and get their heads out of the sand before they get run over. IN addition, those who HAVE in the USA had better watch out also...because Uncle Sam has promised to take care of all those people...and when they are all "under water", where is Uncle Sam going to get the money to redistribute? Sure, things are OK for now...but I tell all my Latino friends here to be careful what they wish for in getting to the USA. It aint what it used to be...

Just my humble opinion...

Exactly the point that needs to be made to A LOT of people in the USA.

If the world were to become truly global, where economies were more similar than different, the USA would necessarily drop precipitously. Our unemployment could double and our standard of living halve, and we STILL would have immigrants fighting to land on our soil.

You guys all know this, but a lot of people at home have no idea. They would rather villainies corporations or the government than face that fact that we now compete in a world that doesn't play by our rules.

So far, the USA has been remarkably resilient, and is the most important economy of the world. Going forward, it will be harder and harder to keep this advantage, and there will be a lot of pain.

I'm not preaching from some plattitude, as I am among the most vulnerable to professional setbacks of any of us. It's the "indians" from JetBlue and AirTran that are trying to do me in!

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SlickWings


Seems like I spend half my life drinking, gambling, and mongering. The other half... I waste.

Guys,

I'm a computer programmer too and the market is terrible and shows little signs of getting better. I've moved to Miami and have been looking for a few months now for a job and there's little to be had in my field, I have talked with a lot of recruiters but had few interviews to show for it. If I'd have stayed in Ma it would have been even worse. There are few jobs out there and everyone is chasing after them. Companies are sending their work offshore and that's only when they are spending money on IT.

I am trying to be creative now, looking for any kind of job where I can keep my hand in even if it is for just a few months, or working from home. I'm also seeing if I can get out of IT altogether and find a good line of business that will see me earn some money to keep me going. My last option is to move to Europe, there's plenty of jobs around London, with the exchange rate as it is, the tax situation and cost of living, I'd only take a small hit.

Gringotim –

I have “known” you for years on this boards and have probably read every word that you have written. Remember the guys that were going to patrol ‘the Park’ with machetes and take off heads of the worst of the shit-hooks?

I too hope you are reading all this, an all out show of support to you. You are as good a guy as it gets, and a wealth of info on ‘Inside CR’

Don’t quit us now, but if it's so - Via Bien

Gringotim,

Best of luck brother. You will be missed.

Pura vida,

Dman

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I'm a heterosexual, but I love lesbians.

I just wanted to express my sincere appreciation for all of the thoughts, advice, encouragement and offers of assistance I received in response to my post. Also, I'd like to thank all of the individuals who sent me PM messages. It really is indicative of the brotherhood that exists between most of the CRT members. I'm trying to keep things in perspective now, and shall avail myself of the offers of professional assistance offered by a couple of the members. Hopefully, one day I can return to CR and meet some of you fine gentlemen. Thanks again for the responses...they really meant a lot to me.

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"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)