Scott Bowers
@packagecr
American expat in Costa Rica
Forum posts
30
Contacts
12
About me
American
Lives in San Jose
Speaks English, Spanish
Registration: 25 November 2008
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
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.
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
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.
Thanks for clearing that up...I've been a resident now for many years and back when I wasn't...that was not the case...but it's important for me to know about this change...so, again, thanks! 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.
I've been a resident for quite some time now, so I am not sure if the law might have changed on this. But before I was a resident I had no problem getting a driver's licence by simply showing my valid license in the U.S. and my U.S. ... 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
Personally I am partial to the Southern Zone. In the spirit of full disclosure, I should say that work as a real estate agent in the zone with Coldwell Banker in Dominical. But I was living here long before that... I am a blogger and wouldn't ... 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 ...
Hi, name is Scott, and I am a Costa Rica Expat... Here's my story... I usually respond to the question of how I came to live in Costa Rica by asking how much time the person asking has... Caution: I don’t necessarily recommend that ... Read More
In retrospect, would you move again to Costa Rica? by Christine
Hi all, If you had to look back on your expat experience in Costa Rica, would you heartily say "lets do it again"? From the preparation stage to your actual everyday life in your new country, what did you enjoy the most? Would you do ...
Sure I'll take a swing...I first came here in 2001 on a business deal. I had no idea where Costa Rica even was before my first visit, which occurred right after the twin towers came crashing down on Sept 11, 2001. The "deal" had me ... Read More
Business etiquette in Costa Rica by Julien
Hello everybody, As you know, professional habits may differ from one country to another. In order to help newly arrived expats better understand their new professional environment in Costa Rica, we warmly encourage you to share information and ...
I'll give you my two cents. I came here back in 2001 on a pretty big business deal and many of the cultural aspects were a bit of a shock to me. As far as dress goes, it depends on the setting, type of meeting, place of meeting, type of ... Read More
San Isidro de El General or Uvita? by vagantem
Which location has more nightlife of just music and people relaxing? I am trying to decide where to stay for a few days. During the day, I can catch a bus or taxi to the beach. I want a short trip home at night, when it gets late. What and where ...
I live in San Isidro and love the culture and the nightlife is good, but the bars are not as lively as you'll find down at the beach. I'd probably opt for Uvita...also you'll have Dominical and Ojochal at your disposal as ... Read More
where are the expatriates living?
One other thing to note...if you are thinking of relocating to Costa Rica and not learning the language, Spanish, I would seriously reconsider.... Read More
where are the expatriates living?
I live in Santo Domingo de Heredia. There are a few expats, but not enough to ruin the place. Just kidding! On a serious note, though, why are you interested in places that have the most expats? I would in no way let that be the driver of my ... Read More