Scott Bowers
@packagecr
American expat in Costa Rica
Forum
30 posts
Contacts
12
About me
American
Lives in San Jose
Speaks English, Spanish
Registration: 25 November 2008
Activity
Property prices in Costa Rica by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Finding affordable housing in Costa Rica is number one priority for newcomers. Tell us more about the estate market in your district/city/region. What are the most desired places to live? What are the most affordable ones? What ...
I lived in San Jose for 10 years and moved to Perez Zeledon about 6 years ago. I've lived a few places around San Isidro and currently rent in the mountainous little barrio called Quebradas. I've traveled pretty extensively throughout the ... Read More
Are you happy in Costa Rica? by Priscilla
Hello everyone! According to the 2016 UN World Happiness Survey, Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland are the happiest countries on earth. How about you? Are you happy in Costa Rica? Do you feel happier today in your host country than before in ...
My entire worldview has drastically changed as a result of my expat experience of Costa Rica. What can I honestly say that I like most about that experience? Is it the language or the landscapes, the waves or the women, the freedom or the frivolity? ... Read More
Common misconceptions and clichés about life in Costa Rica by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Old clichés die hard, as the saying goes... and living in Costa Rica can generate lots of misconceptions in the eyes of the people. What are the most common misconceptions about the expat lifestyle in Costa Rica? What are ...
here's a silly poem I wrote a while back that sort of provides an answer to the question... Ode to A Costa Rica Expat We love Costa Rica because it is warm. The people are gentle and do us no harm. The mountains are green and the jungles are ... Read More
Customer care in Costa Rica by Priscilla
Hello everyone, The way customer services are handled can greatly affect your views on certain brands, products, companies or stores. As a consumer, it is important to get familiar with local practices regarding client assistance in Costa Rica ...
I couldn't agree more with Sporto505 regarding service in restaurants. I believe it is largely a cultural thing. The social event of eating a meal trumps the physical aspect of simply filling one's stomach and quickly moving on to the next ... Read More
Keeping up with the news in Costa Rica by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Living in Costa Rica provides countless occasions to browse local newspapers, listen to local radio stations or watch local TV shows. As everywhere else in the world, local media play a key role in informing the public. What ...
I use the following, fairly regularly... - Tico Times - http://www.ticotimes.net/ - American Expatriate Costa Rica - http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/ - La Nacion (for Spanish news) - http://www.nacion.com/ - I also watch CNN - probably too much, ... Read More
Sports in Costa Rica by Priscilla
Hello everyone, The Olympic Games are now just a few days away and we would like to talk about sports. What sports are the most popular and/or unusual in Costa Rica? Are sports facilities easily accessible there? Where and how can one find ...
Three things are ubiquitous in Costa Rica...no matter where you are...even in the deepest darkest jungle...you'll find these three, usually in close proximity... 1. a church 2. a bar 3. a soccer (futbol) field... Soccer is the sport of Costa ... Read More
Adapting to the climate in Costa Rica by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Adjusting to new climatic conditions is key in any expatriation process. Moving to Costa Rica is no exception. What are the climate characteristics of Costa Rica? How does the local weather impact your daily life, mood or ...
Here's an old blog post I did on this that will probably be helpful... One of the most frequent questions I get from customers (or potential customers) is, hey, what’s the weather like? Or, a variation, such as, we were thinking of coming ... Read More
Expand your social circle in Costa Rica by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Moving to Costa Rica means leaving one's family and friends behind. Creating a circle of friends or joining an existing one should therefore be paramount in order to fight loneliness in your host country. But how can one ...
I've been here for 16 years. I managed to get myself married to a tica (a Colombiana who's a nationalized tica) and most of my friends are ticos. I don't socialize nearly as much as I did for my first decade here. But here are 5 tips ... Read More
Locations to consider living in Costa Rica by briner
My wife and I are looking for feedback on locations that would provide the following: - very safe - reasonably priced - nearby to golf and beach (within several miles) Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks. Ralph and Marian
Thanks for the comment. Perez Zeledon is the name of the canton, or county. The main city in Perez is San Isidro. This is a common practice in Costa Rica. For instance, people who live in Ciudad Quesada will tell you they live in San Carlos, whereas ... Read More
Do you need to be a resident, to get a CR drivers license? by Coloradomike
My USA drivers license expires this October, 2016. I am wondering if I can get a CR drivers license and not worry about my USA drivers license.
excellent...thanks! Read More
Do you need to be a resident, to get a CR drivers license? by Coloradomike
My USA drivers license expires this October, 2016. I am wondering if I can get a CR drivers license and not worry about my USA drivers license.
That makes sense. This law must have changed very recently...like within the last year? I believe it was a really dumb move...makes life harder for people wanting to move to Costa Rica because getting a residency by any other means than marriage is ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourself here 2nd quarter of 2016 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Costa Rica forum? Dont know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more ...
is the number you provided the best way...that looks like a business number?? Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourself here 2nd quarter of 2016 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Costa Rica forum? Dont know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more ...
Sure Papito...would be glad to discuss possibilities...how can I call you?...** Pura Vida! Read More
Do you need to be a resident, to get a CR drivers license? by Coloradomike
My USA drivers license expires this October, 2016. I am wondering if I can get a CR drivers license and not worry about my USA drivers license.
here's another article, but a bit older... http://www.ticotimes.net/2011/06/16/how-can-foreigners-obtain-a-costa-rican-driver-s-license Read More
Do you need to be a resident, to get a CR drivers license? by Coloradomike
My USA drivers license expires this October, 2016. I am wondering if I can get a CR drivers license and not worry about my USA drivers license.
Ok wait, now I am confused...take a look at this article from costarica.com... http://costarica.com/relocation/getting-a-drivers-license/ This is a 2015 article and it states as follows, "Current passport with entry stamp of no more than 90 ... Read More