New member looking for some information

Gary, you can get info on living/moving here at costaricalaw
Not all towns have decent gyms so you will have to check that is available  when 'on the ground'.
The vitamins/supplements you require or are used to, may not be available here and they are not permitted to be mailed into the country without a import permit.
Most of the AA group meetings  are held in Spanish, so you will have to check that out, too, although not all of them.
Good luck.

good luck with your abstinence, i don´t drink alcohol now for 18 years and living in Puerto Jimenez

[moderated: off topic + pls give useful info]

Hola Gary,
I have lived outside of San Ramon for about five years now.  I moved here from Northern California.  I would recommend that you come down and visit a number of cities that have ex-pats before settling on just the one.  There are quite a few to choose from.
I don't know of a "nice" gym in Heredia but a nice new opened in downtown San Ramon.  Personally I don't like the Heredia area - just personal preference.  Everyone likes something different so you'd need to make that choice after visiting a few different areas.
You CAN get any vitamins you want sent to you from the States.  I do it every month.  Not just vitamins but whatever I need from the States.  You can ship anything you want for $4 per pound with no extra charges.
Definitely start with a rental.  Craigslist is a good place to look as it's usually Gringos that post there and they'll speak English.
I would recommend that you start learning Espanol ASAP.  Outside of the San Jose area, there is not a lot of English spoken.
- Dave

Expat Dave is giving you good advice, Gary.
Dave, how do you ship for $4/pound without it being taxed or stolen? Just curious. I've always been told that shipping to CR is very risky for the reasons mentioned.

I use and have used for several years Michael with shippingcr.com.  He ships packages for $4 per pound and pallets for $350 per pallet.  He ships large TV's or whatever you need.  The minimum charge is $20.  He also ships full and partial containers.  He's a Gringo and I get on average one or two packages each month.  Many things are cheaper to purchase in the States and then ship here.  I discovered that it was cheaper to purchase car tires that are manufactured in Costa Rica from the States and then ship them here.  I shipped a new washer and dryer, TV and will be shipping new kitchen appliances in the near future.  Whatever I can stack on a pallet is only $350 for shipping.  These are flat fees - no additional fees are added on.  He's very honest and reliable.

ExpatDave wrote:

I use and have used for several years Michael with shippingcr.com.  He ships packages for $4 per pound and pallets for $350 per pallet.  He ships large TV's or whatever you need.  The minimum charge is $20.  He also ships full and partial containers.  He's a Gringo and I get on average one or two packages each month.  Many things are cheaper to purchase in the States and then ship here.  I discovered that it was cheaper to purchase car tires that are manufactured in Costa Rica from the States and then ship them here.  I shipped a new washer and dryer, TV and will be shipping new kitchen appliances in the near future.  Whatever I can stack on a pallet is only $350 for shipping.  These are flat fees - no additional fees are added on.  He's very honest and reliable.

Thanks Dave, that's great info to have! I will definitely use this in the future.

Hi Gary,
My husband and I moved here two years ago.  We live in Santo Domingo de Heredia. I could give you a lot of good information but I prefer to speak ....too much write it all.    We have a US line.  212-222-7745.  We are one hour later than CA.  Up at 5:30 am and to bed at 8:30 pm.  I work from home and my husband teaches theater at Lincoln School.  School just got out.........
Look forward to your call.....
Best regards,
Kathy

To Expat Dave
Does the gym have a pool? I am an avid swimmer and need a  pool for my workouts. Have you seen the place inside?
Thanks

Dave101 wrote:

To Expat Dave
Does the gym have a pool? I am an avid swimmer and need a  pool for my workouts. Have you seen the place inside?
Thanks

No, they do not have a pool.  San Ramon is a smaller, rural town.  If you found a gym w/a pool I would be surprised and if so it would be near San Jose.

Yes, I used to work out there when they first opened.  I think I paid around $50 per month.  It is a nice, clean, Gringo style gym.

The only one that has a pool that I can think of, is the one in San Pedro near EPA, the ''San José Indoor Club'. Link to Map location.

You may want to consider renting at the Villas de Cariari, where they do offer access to the golf course, but you will have to check with them whether it will include access to the gym, pool and their other great facilities. It is located in a really nice area and I have friends who have rented there in the past and others who lived next to it, and purchased a membership, and with whom we enjoyed the facilities.

Thank you for the update!! Wow. $50 per month is a lot  for CR. I paid 10.00 a month for a gym with no pool for my wife and me in the states. I also paid $20.00 a month for just myself at LA Fitness- (has a pool) in the states.

kohlerias wrote:

The only one that has a pool that I can think of, is the one in San Pedro near EPA, the ''San José Indoor Club'. Link to Map location.

You may want to consider renting at the Villas de Cariari, where they do offer access to the golf course, but you will have to check with them whether it will include access to the gym, pool and their other great facilities. It is located in a really nice area and I have friends who have rented there in the past and others who lived next to it, and purchased a membership, and with whom we enjoyed the facilities.

I just took your advice. Villas de Cariari is nice but I only saw a hot tub no pool. I'll check into it. What actual town is it in? I know it is outside of San Jose.  I found a great gym in Escazu with a pool but it costs $100 per month to join. That only included me and not my wife. Too expensive for us.

There are multiple pools in the development and a few restaurants. It is Belén and isn't far from the EPA there.and the Plaza Real Cariari. Map It is located on the road directly across from this Plaza. Cariari Golf Club
I always recommend the 'Villas' to anyone who is looking around for accommodations. They offer a variety of choices and I know you can 'negotiate' with them

Thanks. The place does look nice!

What town do you actually live in near Atenas? Do you like Atenas better than Grecia? If so , why? We keep hearing that Atenas is too warm in the dry season. Then we hear that this is not true. We have heard that it is  prettythough and that a lot of expats live there.

Too hot for one person may be perfect for another.  You have to decide for yourself, and you can only do this in person.

Do you live in Atenas too? Do you actually know or have visited the area? You can get a general feeling for a place by what people are saying. In the end, you have to decide yourself. I agree. But we're just getting an idea before my wife and I actually do the checking ourselves. We are trying to narrow our options! After all you can't live in every town to "try" it out before you get there.

Hola Dave101,

Keep in mind that the entire country of Costa Rica is compared to the size of the state of West Virginia in the U.S.  So you can actually try many, many towns before settling down.  It's a mindset that you'll need to adjust to, or maybe even discover.  Yes, you can go from town to town.  What else do you have to do.  Why do you have to rush.  Don't wear a watch.  Another one that's hard to explain.  You just have to experience it.

I live about 6 km. outside of San Ramon, Alajuela.  It's about 30 km. from Atenas and I've been there many times.  It's a nice area.  The only thing that I don't like about it is that the roads into Atenas are narrow and curvy.  At night here that can be a problem.  Ticos are not well known for their good driving skills.  Although we are only 30 km away, Atenas is 10 degree hotter than here most of the time.  I prefer the cooler weather.  I'm at an elevation of about 3,200 ft.  And again, this is all personal choice and preference.

Cities and towns here are nothing like cities and towns in North America.  This is a developing country.  The roads are not as nice, new buildings look old the minute they are completed, if they are ever completed.  When you first arrive or move here, it doesn't appear as clean as what you're probably used to.  If you assimilate, you will not even notice this after a while.  Very few people will speak English outside of San Jose/Escazu areas.  If you don't speak at least some Spanish, you will have problems.  BUT, those "problems" can be fun if you are light hearted and take things with a grain of salt.  Carry a translation book with you at all times and you'll be able to muddle through.  That's what I did upon arrival.

If your glass is half full, you will do fine.  If not, like most, you'll be back in your home country within a year.  You have to come here with an open mind, open heart and most definitely - a  sense of humor.

Good example of having to laugh it off:  Recently an individual with the City of San Ramon came up with the wise idea of converting a number of roads through the city to one way.  First they painted arrows on the road surface showing the direction.  (That's great if there are no cars there blocking the view of these arrows.)  A few days or maybe a week later, they decided to install road sides reflecting this change. 

The best part of this and as a perfect example of life here, on many of these new one way roads they are only one way "up to a point."  There are several of these new one way roads that are one way through most of the downtown area.  Then, at the last two blocks they, remain and still are two way.  You have to see it to believe it.  Yep, this is the norm here and you have to laugh it off or it will drive you crazy.  Since living here, my daughter and I have always said, "never ask why."

- ExpatDave

Correction re roads into Atenas - after I wrote the above, I remembered that the bad roads only apply when you come from the directions of San Ramon or Grecia areas.  Coming from San Jose/Escazu the road/highway is very nice all the way into Atenas.

The only place in Heredia that has s gym and a pool is El Castillo Country Club.

Could you please recommend a couple of neighborhoods in San Jose? Middle class, for professionals, SAFE, close to supermarkets, drugstores? Even better if no car is necesssary. Is Escazu one of them? Maybe Belen? I would appreciate any suggestion. Thank you

This is really a wonderful post.

Actually Hotel Bougainvillea has a pool and gym and offers community memberships.

  Infinite blessings,

"Belen" definitely has those characteristics although it may not encourage you to go out much, Santa Ana has a better feel for being out and about more often.
May you be blessed!

My husband and I live in Santo Domingo de Heredia.  We live next store to a Zen meditation center.  This is a lovely little town with lots of gyms and organic markets.  Also up high enough for the great weather.  We love this area.  Close to everything but far enough for tranquility.

Why Herediia? Overcrowded, not very clean, cold and rainy often, no place to hike or walk the dog. Will take long time to get to any hwy leading to beaches...
Please look at La Guacima, Alajuela, it is 20 min to San Jose , 10 min to Multiplaza Mall,  lots of new gated communities with middle class neighbors, close to Hwy 27 tall road to the beach exit 2-3 miles, a few Gyms in the area, one very new one across the street from Los Reyes country club, very nice Automercado grocery store, kind of like Central Market in USA, easy access to every
Event in San Jose, Sabana park ...
Alcohol, if you want to live close to other North American expats, look at Santa Ana( very expensive), Ciudad Colon, Athenas, if you want to be on the humid or dry beach - it is a different story

Healthimpact...different strokes for different folks.

Agree 100%
The beauty of CR having different climates, elevations...that everyone can choose what they feel better for them.

In my area some of the folks make an agreement with a hotel nearby and use their pools. It might be worth checking into in your area. Best of luck.