Sara and her family relocated from the USA to Escazu, Costa Rica, in 2006--a decision that they do not regret. Here, Sara talks about topics like the steps involved in acquiring a visa, the cost of housing and living, the warmth of the people. They've had a couple of unpleasant experiences, but those don't stop them from wanting to explore and get to know Costa Rica even better.	Sara Tazewell

January 23 2007

-Where were you born?
Lexington, KY, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?
Escazu, Costa Rica

-Are you living alone or with your family?
With my family: my husband, Xavier, 56; and our two teenage sons: Morgan, 15, and Ryan, 14

-How long have you been living in Costa Rica?
One year

-What is your age?
51

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Costa Rica?
We came up with the idea about 2 months before we did it. The story of our decision is here.
 
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
You need a passport to visit Costa Rica. There are many expats who have been here for years on a tourist visa, meaning they leave every 90 days for 3 days. Legally, you can be refused entry after your second 90 days. But to our knowledge, no one ever has in years and years.

We applied for the "rentista" visa which allows us to stay indefinitely and not leave every 90 days. We had to put a chunk of money into a bank, and must withdraw $12K each year, convert that to colones and show the receipt that we’ve done that to immigration. There was a ton of paperwork: certified birth certificates, police reports, Interpol fingerprints. But there are several experts here that help you complete all this, for a fee, but it seems a reasonable one. In three years, under the new law, we can apply for permanent residency.

Getting a work permit is difficult from what I’ve heard, but we have never applied for one.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
Medical insurance is readily available, but medical care here is so cheap and top-notch, we didn’t bother.

-How do you make your living in Costa Rica? Do you have any type of income generated?
We are exploring those options now. We are living on savings at the moment. We are looking at ways to make money online and looking at different businesses to buy, locally and internationally.

-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
We are learning Spanish and, while you don’t absolutely need to learn Spanish to survive here, you are not really living here without it. Anyone who thinks it is not important for expats to observe and respect local customs probably won’t be an expat for long.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
We lived apart from our respective families for over 30 years. We’ve probably seen them more since we’ve lived as expats than we did before. At first, we missed our friends, but that has eased considerably as we make our lives here. We don’t miss the States at all. Our lifestyle so far surpasses our expectations, it outweighs any residual homesickness.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
There is still so much to see here!!! Perhaps we would explore another country one day. We are so happy here, we can’t imagine moving on. But, perhaps, in the future…

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
We are renting. The global economy is not in good shape and housing is at an all time high. This is not a market in which to buy. We rent our house, with 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3300 sf with a panoramic view and a quick-response security system, for $950/month.

-What is the cost of living in Costa Rica?
Cheap. Our utilities are less than $200/month. We figure with everything, we live very well for right around $2,000/month.

-What do you think about the Costa Ricans?
The ticos are lovely and gentle people. They are welcoming and friendly.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Costa Rica?
I can think of only two negatives:

#1 Petty theft is rampant as it is in any developing nation. You don’t fear for your life, you fear for your stuff and must be on guard always. At first it is tiresome. But you get used to it and it’s a small price to pay for all the benefits.
#2 The new president here, Oscar Arias, loves the way the U.S. is run. Fighting the drug war, terrorism, learning how to have a Costa Rican IRS… these are things he would like to emulate. Unfortunately, it seems most countries want to emulate the U.S. Very sad.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Costa Rica?
Read everything you can, of course. But nothing prepares you for living in a foreign country. If you are able to “try it out,” DO NOT try it out for anything less than one year. That’s the minimum trial time. Otherwise, you will run screaming back to your natural state. They don’t call it foreign for nothing.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Costa Rica?
At A Broad in Costa Rica, I write every day about our experiences, what it was like, what happened along the way and what it’s like now. There is a wealth of information, including links to every site offering good info and resources to anyone interested in the expat lifestyle, whether in Costa Rica or elsewhere in the world.

Nothing is forever. If you’ve ever wanted to try out another country, don’t hesitate. Do it now.

Pura vida!