considering moving to Puerto Rico

Last activity 07 August 2015 by Bhavna

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purplesugarContributor06 August 2015 14:50:26

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Hi everyone. I am new to this forum as of a few days ago and I've already made a few posts elsewhere but haven't officially introduced myself. I am from Minnesota. My boyfriend, his son (currently 8), and myself are considering moving to Puerto Rico in 3 years. We are allowing a lot of time to get things financially in order at home, learn Spanish, and figure out all the other details. I am a medical coder, but my company will not allow me to work out of state. I think in 1-2 years I will job search and try to find another US health system that will allow me to work in Puerto Rico. My boyfriend will likely figure out his work situation once there. My income should be enough to allow us to "'get by" at least. I am concerned about the economy in PR and am interested to see how things change (hopefully for the better!) in the next few years. I have been looking at the areas of Rincon and Aguidilla as potential places to live. I figure we will rent for awhile and if things are going well, we will consider purchasing a house down the road. I definitely have concerns regarding the cost of electricity. I have heard of some people having solar panels..I'll have to do more research on that! And I could go on and on about the things that I have questions on but I will leave those for another time and for the appropriate forum topic.

ReyPViP06 August 2015 15:18:36

5509

Hi purplesugar,
Any relation to purplerain?
You may want to try to hookup with Humana

purplesugarContributor06 August 2015 15:23:09

100

No I do not know purplerain.

victorlglassSerial expat06 August 2015 15:33:23

246

Hi purplesugar! I love your plan to move to PR. Three years gives plenty of time to plan and get things together. I have an apartment in Rincon and it's great for "ex-pats". Aguadilla is a half hour away and I go there often. I've been trying to learn Spanish and I have found many online portals that help. I also attended a class in Rincon run by ""Rincon Spanish Immersion" and the teacher was wonderful. So many people speak English in Rincon that I sometimes have to insist on speaking Spanish in order to practice. So, to move things along, I am taking a month of Spanish Immersion at a school in Guatemala (Pop Wuj) this November. I looked at Antigua (Guatemala) but too many people speak English there, and it is a tourist destination, so instead I am going to Xela where few speak English (read: I must speak Spanish to communicate). I am also staying with a local family. I am also volunteering my time to take portraits of families who receive services from a local family resource center.

Anyway, please feel free to message me if you want to pick my brain, and otherwise continue to post your questions, comments and impression in this forum so everyone can profit!

purplesugarContributor06 August 2015 16:16:38

100

victorlglass wrote:
Hi purplesugar! I love your plan to move to PR. Three years gives plenty of time to plan and get things together. I have an apartment in Rincon and it's great for "ex-pats". Aguadilla is a half hour away and I go there often. I've been trying to learn Spanish and I have found many online portals that help. I also attended a class in Rincon run by ""Rincon Spanish Immersion" and the teacher was wonderful. So many people speak English in Rincon that I sometimes have to insist on speaking Spanish in order to practice. So, to move things along, I am taking a month of Spanish Immersion at a school in Guatemala (Pop Wuj) this November. I looked at Antigua (Guatemala) but too many people speak English there, and it is a tourist destination, so instead I am going to Xela where few speak English (read: I must speak Spanish to communicate). I am also staying with a local family. I am also volunteering my time to take portraits of families who receive services from a local family resource center.

Anyway, please feel free to message me if you want to pick my brain, and otherwise continue to post your questions, comments and impression in this forum so everyone can profit!

I most definitely want to learn spanish basics at the minimum before I leave home! But then it would definitely be useful to take more classes once there.

I figure I can't decide where EXACTLY to live until I am there and see my options! We will either take a pre-trip to scout things out OR stay somewhere temporarily while searching. I was considering using couchsurfing and staying with someone there that perhaps can give a bit of insight on the different cities. A consideration is that we have ATVs that we may or may not bring with. We definitely want to see what trails are around different areas and don't want to be disturbing others. I am also very much into horses so I'd be interested to check out Tropical Trail Rides in Isabella and perhaps they would let me work part-time for them and ride their horses. Or maybe there are other places that aren't advertised. Horses have always been a big part of my life.

ReyPViP06 August 2015 17:21:19

5509

One suggestion .... Take a trip and stay in the east for a few days, the south, etc. you can get airbnb places for a few days at each part of the island and maybe try the mountain regions high up.

BhavnaTeam07 August 2015 10:35:45

40215

Hello everyone,

Please note that a new thread has been created from several of your posts on the Puerto Rico forum so that you may better interact.

Best of luck,
Bhavna

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