| Bruce works as an English teacher in Heredia, Costa Rica, where he lives with his girlfriend. The friendly people, the beautiful scenery, and the travel opportunities are some of the things he likes about living there. Here, Bruce also gives some practical tips to would-be expats regarding work and cost-of-living issues in Costa Rica. |
 Bruce Thomson |
-Where were you born?
I was born outside of Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
-In which country and city are you living now?
I am currently living in Heredia, Costa Rica. Heredia is a nice suburb north of the capital city of San Jose.
-Are you living alone or with your family?
I moved down to Costa Rica last August (2006) with my girlfriend.
-How long have you been living in Costa Rica?
As mentioned above, I've been here since last August (so as of this interview, 8 months).
-What is your age?
I just turned 23. My girlfriend is 23 as well.
-When did you come up with the idea of living in Costa Rica?
About 3.5 years ago I visited Costa Rica as nothing more than a tourist, and thoroughly enjoyed not only what I saw and did, but also the people I met.
Then, while at Wake Forest University, I studied political science with specific concentrations in Spanish and Latin American studies, and consequently began to think about what I could do following graduation to pursue my interests in Latin America (and to improve my Spanish abilities to a level that I would feel comfortable finding a job using them).
Thus, I began researching job possibilities within Costa Rica (a country I had wanted to return to since visiting the first time). Finally, when my girlfriend Lisa sounded interested in coming with me, and working and living together, I was convinced (I had had reservations regarding moving down here on my own).
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
In Costa Rica it is very difficult to secure a work permit unless you marry a tico or tica or start your own business (see this for more information: )
What just about all English teachers do is receive their 90-day tourist visa upon entering the country, and at some point before that 90 days is up, we go to another country (usually either Nicaragua, Panama, or back to our native country) for 72 hours, then reenter Costa Rica, receiving a new 90-day visa.
I have written about my first border run to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua here.
-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
I currently don't have medical insurance in Costa Rica. I don't believe that it is difficult, but just about all ex-pats that I've spoken to do not have insurance either. This is mainly because medical care in Costa Rica is generally very inexpensive, and so people generally pay out of pocket for any medical expenses. What worries me is the unfortunate event that I may have a bad accident and have to be flown back to the States or something.
-How do you make your living in Costa Rica? Do you have any type of income generated?
I am an English teacher. There is an abundance of English teaching possibilities in Costa Rica as, with the improving economic situation, there is a huge demand for English-speaking business professionals. I have dedicated a large majority of my blog to explaining what it's like to teach, find jobs, etc. in Costa Rica. For anyone interested in teaching English here, I recommend my site as well as Dave's ESL Cafe:
http://costaricaclassroom.blogspot.com
www.eslcafe.com (click on international job forums, then Costa Rica)
Use these and other resources to do what research you can. It's difficult to secure a job or a place to live before actually moving to Costa Rica, but what you can do to prepare is do your research.
-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I do speak Spanish. While in school I studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain and thus became highly proficient. One of my reasons for coming down to Costa Rica was to continue improving my Spanish abilities. In Costa Rica, however, it is not NECESSARY that you speak the language. That said, I have spoken to ex-pats who have lived here for years and have never attempted to learn the language and don't think they need to (except to communicate with their housekeeper and gardener). This to me shows a complete lack of respect for the country you are living in.
You don't have to speak well and Costa Ricans generally really appreciate that you are trying to speak and trying to learn. There are plenty of Spanish language schools here (my girlfriend studied at CPI in San Joaquin de Flores, Heredia and loved it). Again, out of respect (if not convenience), yes, I do think it is important to learn the local language.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
At times, yes, but the reality is that Costa Rica is only about a 4-hour plane ride from home, and so my family is accessible. My parents and brother came to visit over Thanksgiving, and I went home for Christmas.
As for recreation in Costa Rica: Travel. Travel as much as you can while you are in Costa Rica. No one comes to Costa Rica to stay in the city (trust me, San Jose doesn't give you a whole lot to stay in the city for), so travel to the beaches or mountains or surrounding countries as much as possible.
I talk about some of my travel destinations on my blog (http://costaricaclassroom.blogspot.com) and there are plenty of other Costa Rica travel resources online.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
I will be moving back to the States in the near future, but this experience living abroad in Costa Rica has made me want to find a job with an international focus, and ideally something that will offer me expat assignments in the future.
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I was lucky enough to secure housing before coming down to Costa Rica (through a friend of Lisa's friend that she happened to meet the summer before we moved) and we pay total $450 per month for a nice 3-bedroom condo in a gated community (24-hr security) with wireless internet, hot water throughout, etc.
This is a lot nicer than we need, and we could have found something much cheaper (think a 2-br apartment for around $300 per month), but we are extremely happy where we are and we are very grateful to have had a place to go immediately after arriving in Costa Rica.
-What is the cost of living in Costa Rica?
Depends. Food (basics), lodging, utilities are all very inexpensive. If you want to eat food like you get in the States (all the name brands, avoiding a lot of rice, vegetables, and fruit) you're going to pay USA prices. Traveling gets expensive, but that's why I'm here. And then for anything electronic or imported (such as cars) you are going to pay MUCH more than you would in the United States.
All in all, while cost of living here is less, it does not offset the huge difference in the salary you will make in CR compared to the US.
-What do you think about the Costa Ricans?
Americans are very well received in Costa Rica. Generally, people are very, very hospitable. That said, by virtue of looking American, Costa Ricans will assume that you have money, making you a target for crime. Crime here is not bad, but it's not great either. As with anywhere you travel/live you have to be careful.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Costa Rica?
Positive: Climate, proximity to beaches and mountains, nice people, relaxed atmosphere, just generally a beautiful place to live.
Negative: If you're living here you're going to want to travel. Travelling gets expensive and you won't likely be making much money here, so you have to make sure to have savings you are willing to dip into.
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Costa Rica?
Do your research and don't jump into life in Costa Rica without visiting, researching, etc. Costa Rica has a certain allure (less expensive, good weather, tropical, etc.) but there are negatives and you will have to change your lifestyle. Make sure you're willing to do that before making the move and buying a house or something.
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Costa Rica?
My Blog: Costa Rica Classroom
Dave's ESL Cafe
The REAL Costa Rica
