ssmith338
American expat in Costa Rica
Forum posts
39
Contacts
3
About me
American
Lives in Coco, Sardinal, Guanacaste
Speaks English and minimal Spanish
Registration: 02 August 2017
Dating and finding love as an expat in Panama by Priscilla
Hello, With cultural barriers and different dating norms, finding love as an expat abroad can be exciting and challenging at the same time. Is it easy to meet other fellow single people in Panama? How do you go about meeting people ...
Try being a retired, older expat with no knowledge of Spanish. I have found it very difficult. Read More
Better cities to live in. by tanker1464
What are some of the better cities to live in. Affordable housing or apartments, easy to get around town.
@merrallg I just returned from Bocas and can honestly say it is not for me. I never felt comfortable or safe and was very happy to leave. I am headed to Pedasi in February and, in April, will be going on a relocation tour. I have lived in Panama ... Read More
Living in Panama by sheilakfindley
Thinking seriously about moving to Panama. Coming in September to check things out. Any suggestions, locations etc.?
@solamich112 I am sure it depends on your area of expertise and what you are looking for, but I moved here because I was offered a good position. Star Read More
Living in Panama by sheilakfindley
Thinking seriously about moving to Panama. Coming in September to check things out. Any suggestions, locations etc.?
@torynico I have just signed up for the tour in April. It sells out fast and there are not many available dates until Spring. I know I don't want to drive all over so this is the easiest way for me to get to know Panama. I would love to hear from ... Read More
Panama vs. Costa Rica by Guinness13
Hey Folks, Wondering if anyone has some perspective on retiring in Panama vs. Costa Rica. I've done a bunch of reading so far and have yet to set foot in either country. Feet on the street will be part of the research, but interested in what ...
I had a home in Costa Rica and anything I put in the front of the home 'walked away' even my wind chimes! Here in Panama, I am one of those complexes with security guards. Every hour, one gets on a scooter and drives around. The ... Read More
Panama vs. Costa Rica by Guinness13
Hey Folks, Wondering if anyone has some perspective on retiring in Panama vs. Costa Rica. I've done a bunch of reading so far and have yet to set foot in either country. Feet on the street will be part of the research, but interested in what ...
I have lived in both Costa Rica and Panama. In Costa Rica top salary was 1500 a month so with rent at 1200 to 1500 a month, it was extremely difficult to survive. Cars are very difficult to acquire and the upkeep is expensive. ... Read More
New members of the Panama forum, introduce yourselves here - 2022 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Panama forum? Don't 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 on ...
@lewisrylee925 I moved from Florida to Panama in July. Any questions you may have, I can add answers. I live in the Brisas Del Golf area which is about 20 minutes from Panama City if you take the corridor (toll road). I flew ... Read More
The must-try activities in Costa Rica by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Moving to Costa Rica is an exciting opportunity to discover a new culture and try things you might not even have heard of before. To make sure other expats and expats-to-be do not miss a thing, would you be able to answer the ...
I loved rafting in Manuel Antonio! This is a beautiful place and the options are endless. My son and I actually had a flock of beautiful Macaws fly by when we entered Quepos which is nearby. Another great place is Monteverde especially the ... Read More
Relocating to Costa Rica by ram55
My wife and I are planning to move to Costa Rica. We have a couple of question about relocating to Costa Rica. Is the cost to moving your furniture to Costa Rica and paying the import tax and moving cost or are you better to purchase the furniture ...
No, I did not but I had a fantastic experience teaching and just wish I could have hung in there longer. I loved the school, loved the students but could not get used to how hard it was to get around. I am so used to just jumping in my car and ... Read More
Relocating to Costa Rica by ram55
My wife and I are planning to move to Costa Rica. We have a couple of question about relocating to Costa Rica. Is the cost to moving your furniture to Costa Rica and paying the import tax and moving cost or are you better to purchase the furniture ...
I made all the big mistakes when moving internationally. First of all, I tried shipping my stuff including electronics and wound up spending close to 5,000 and lots of headaches to get my stuff through customs. I also bought a home right off and I ... Read More
Keeping in touch while living in Costa Rica by Priscilla
Hello everyone, What are the best ways you've found for keeping in touch with friends and family back home while living in Costa Rica? How frequently do you stay in touch with loved ones? Are there local equivalents to common instant messaging ...
If you are calling with a Kolbi chip then you will need to dial 001 before any US number even toll free. It is not cheap so I try to limit my US calls. Star Read More
Keeping in touch while living in Costa Rica by Priscilla
Hello everyone, What are the best ways you've found for keeping in touch with friends and family back home while living in Costa Rica? How frequently do you stay in touch with loved ones? Are there local equivalents to common instant messaging ...
I have found that if you have a Facebook account, you can use Messenger for free. This is how I contact my children and friends. I tried to keep my Verizon account by just keeping the chip taped inside my phone; however, the charges added up to ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here June to December 2017 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 ...
Ginger, I am an adjunct online instructor for a USA University so internet is extremely important. Internet is improving; however, when it rains, I find myself holding my breath and watching the modem because it does go out during serious storms. ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here June to December 2017 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 ...
How are you going? Please, let me know how it goes so I know which method I want to go. Thanks! S Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here June to December 2017 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 ...
Traveler, I have been on three. The first was a full day Nicaragua tour which was awesome but lasted from 5 a.m. until close to midnight!! No problems. The second was a run in, turn around, and run out which was not bad. This last one was this ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here June to December 2017 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 ...
Ginger, I had so many people tell me I would get homesick, but for what? I am not thrilled about the US at this point. With that said, I will tell you that Costa Rica is NOT cheap especially if you want a car. I am gradually learning where to ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here June to December 2017 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 ...
I have started buying one unknown fruit/vegetable each week so we can have a "guess what it is" night! Most of the items in the produce section is either twice the price (like grapes) so I am trying to learn how to cook some of the odd ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here June to December 2017 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 ...
Julie, Thank-you for the input, I think it is all about where you choose to live. I am in Coco about two blocks from the beach. It does take time to transition and, you are right, you cannot really make a decision based on a visit. I had read so ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here June to December 2017 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 ...
I have lived here in Costa Rica since December 2016 and have been thinking about moving on to Panama. What did you not like about the country? There is so much to do here but lots of things are really expensive. I know Panama has the pension ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here June to December 2017 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 ...
Pura Vida! I moved here on December 30th and can tell you not to tie yourself down to one location until you have been able to really get to know all the wonderful places. I am living two blocks from the beach in Coco and a little over a mile from ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here June to December 2017 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 ...
Did not mean to sound bitter, just learned a hard lesson. I wish there were a "halfway house" for expats! : ) A place a person can stay that is "the real thing" and not a hotel or resort where you can stay while observing and ... Read More
New members of the Costa Rica forum, introduce yourselves here June to December 2017 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 ...
Hello..I moved from Georgia December 30, 2016 retiring from the public school system and teaching here. I actually bought a home that is 300 meters from the beach. Be very careful with housing for the following reasons: 1. Not all realtors are ... Read More
6 months here by ssmith338
Hello Everyone! I moved to Coco from Columbus, Georgia because I am older (yes, I will admit it) and the public schools were becoming too stressful to work in. I have over 30 years working as both a special education teacher and a school ...
Trust me, I have toyed with the idea. I have 35 years in education so that would not be the difficult task. I also have my doctorate in leadership. The difficult part would be the business side and deciding on the best location. I would not want ... Read More
6 months here by ssmith338
Hello Everyone! I moved to Coco from Columbus, Georgia because I am older (yes, I will admit it) and the public schools were becoming too stressful to work in. I have over 30 years working as both a special education teacher and a school ...
I am pretty much done here. I thought I would see a little more compassion but I feel so isolated and hated. Every morning for the past month, I tell the bus driver where I need to be dropped off for work. The first time, I accidentally got off ... Read More
6 months here by ssmith338
Hello Everyone! I moved to Coco from Columbus, Georgia because I am older (yes, I will admit it) and the public schools were becoming too stressful to work in. I have over 30 years working as both a special education teacher and a school ...
Thank-you so much for your reply. I actually teach at Lakeside and love my students! I push for higher order thinking and creativity and they just want more information. Most of my students are Spanish speakers but clearly want to know English as ... Read More
6 months here by ssmith338
Hello Everyone! I moved to Coco from Columbus, Georgia because I am older (yes, I will admit it) and the public schools were becoming too stressful to work in. I have over 30 years working as both a special education teacher and a school ...
That is great, I will have to check her out. I am so tired of being taken advantage of; however, I guess that is part of being a newbie. Thank-you for the referral. Star Read More
6 months here by ssmith338
Hello Everyone! I moved to Coco from Columbus, Georgia because I am older (yes, I will admit it) and the public schools were becoming too stressful to work in. I have over 30 years working as both a special education teacher and a school ...
:) Thank-you so much! I really love being this close to nature and would love to enjoy it even more if I can overcome the issues. This is a 4 bedroom, 3 bath home that could be a very nice home if the bathroom did not smell like raw sewage and we ... Read More
6 months here by ssmith338
Hello Everyone! I moved to Coco from Columbus, Georgia because I am older (yes, I will admit it) and the public schools were becoming too stressful to work in. I have over 30 years working as both a special education teacher and a school ...
Thank-you for your reply..yes, I am kicking myself for a lot of things including purchasing the home. I thought of rental but no one will allow us to have three dogs! My school is working on a working visa but not in a rush. I put half down on ... Read More
6 months here
Hello Everyone! I moved to Coco from Columbus, Georgia because I am older (yes, I will admit it) and the public schools were becoming too stressful to work in. I have over 30 years working as both a special education teacher and a school ... Read More