Just returned from Central Valley

I would suggest that anyone having serious or specific questions, ask someone who has/is living here rather, rather than a tourist that was here for a very short time. Even a weather related topic will be based on that months conditions.

I agree wholeheartedly, a one month visit was a vacation.  Living here is much, much different.  Once one has actually "run the gauntlet" they can speak from experience and just to qualify, that will only be THAT person's experience.

When I wrote that i stayed there for a month, it was not a vacation.  I lived next door to a canadian couple that has been there for over 7 years.  i visited the central valley with a gentleman that has been there since the late 1990's, etc.

i also lived next door to Ticos so i have a good idea of the general living conditions.  i also looked at properties and spent time watching the construction of  homes in the area.  i also visited private hospitals, spoke to pharmacists and specialists (hematalogist) as my wife is a R.N. and she wanted to have more information on the health care system in that country.

once thing i do know is living in a gated community does not give you a feel for the country.  I was there for a month and only visited 2 things while i was there so it gives you a good idea what i was doing during that time.  i also plan to return during the green season to have a better understanding of the weather at that time.  you can talk to people all you want but unless you go there you will not get a good idea of what you are getting into.  the reason i opened this topic was to let people know what they should look at, who they should contact, etc.  it was not directed to people who lived there which was included in my comment.
"If anyone from Canada has any questions, feel free to contact me."

According to this statement "i also lived next door to Ticos so i have a good idea of the general living conditions" you formed an impression that this is how a 'typical Costa Rican' lives by visiting just one home?

Just drive along the highway linking Nicaragua and Panama and you will easily see many  thousands of typical homes. Or just drive around many of the towns in the Central Valley and you will see shacks all the way up to huge mansions, that neither you or I will ever afford to buy, owned by Costa Ricans.

Link to article

Private care is good, but id you actually visit any CAJA facilities, which is mandatory to affiliate with, if you are a legal resident? Or talk with anyone who is waiting for months or even years, at a time to see a specialist as part of the socialized medical system here? A Canadian friend here has just been 'discharged' for a fourth time from the hospital while waiting for surgery on his lung cancer.

While on a tourist visa, you are indeed still a tourist...and hence, considered to be on vacation

yes we visited caja facilities and the wait time is the same as in Ontario.  it all goes by triage.

as for living next door to ticos, i was in the barbacoas area and there were several gringos on the street i was on but they were mostly ticos.

tell your canadian friend that he should visit a private hospital if he is complaining about getting discharged.

btw you only need a tourist visa if you will be in c.r. for over 3 months.  if you stay longer you only need to go to a neighbouring country for several days and return.

With the low Canadian dollar, and living on a pension many Canadians here cannot afford to have care and/or surgeries performed in the private sector, and most private insurance companies will not cover pre-existing conditions. Plus as an 'non-resident for tax purposes' the Canadian government may with hold up to 25% of your pension.

Here is an article regarding private care noting that the actual costs are a few years old.

No...you are incorrect. While you must renew your tourist visa by leaving the country you are not required to spend 'several days' out,  possibly just long enough for lunch, unless the border agent tells you otherwise. On entry/re-entry are not guaranteed to be given a 90 day visa. This is only if you wish to bring in goods duty free.

that is the problem isn't it?  people move to c.r. thinking it's cheap but perhaps people who are living there are giving them incorrect information?  if you can't afford private health care you should not even consider moving!

I will elaborate on the border crossing.  you can cross and come back but if you are bringing back goods (i don't know the amount) you need to be out of the country for a minimum of 72 hours for customs.

Gilbertoo;
I reiterate, one month IS a vacation.  We are Canadian and live here, we spent months over four years researching where we wanted to retire and did our homework and never once did we feel qualified to give advice to potential Canadian retirees.  Maybe you are considerably brighter and more well informed than we were in our four years of research and if so I applaud you for that.  We have been here permanently for a year and a half and still cannot give "advice" that is gospel.  Best of luck in your endeavors to educate fellow Canadians.  I do hope you follow your dream as we feel this is a GR8 place to live.
Cheers .... Terry

Terry,

I don't profess to be smarter or an expert on c.r. my post was to give people information on who to contact and where I was and what I observed.  My post did say if anyone from Canada has any questions they could contact me.  If I have an answer I will give it.  If not I will either tell them to contact someone else or decline to answer.  It never surprises me the amount of people who need to attack comments on topics that does not involve them.

I most certainly did not attack your comments.  I simply want to warn people of those who profess to know about Costa Rica when they have been here for a limited time (a vacation).  I got burned about four years ago with someone that offered up exactly what you are offering with almost zero experience.  DO NOT take this personally I am just saying "boots on the ground" living here trumps a one month visit.  I am simply advocating that if anyone has a question, please ask someone who has experienced the situation.  We had a lot of preconceived notions based on research and NUMEROUS visits and if I had passed that along I would look extremely foolish as what you read and what you are told is not like real life.
Tranquilo Gilberoo

I totally agree with boots on the ground but people like Paul Yeatman and George Lundquist can help a lot also with their tours.  This is what I meant by helping people out with their questions.  There is also a local contractor (Canadian) who lives in the area where I was "vacationing" and can give you quite a bit of knowledge on the area.  Some people can't afford to visit several countries to see where they want to retire (unless your on a public pension or a millionaire) so what ever information they can get is helpful.  We need to go back as my wife may not be able to get her medication in the c.r.
This is what people need to know as we spent about 8K to find this out and I am sure the people living in c.r. that commented on my post could not tell me that.
If someone has the same disease as my wife, should I not let them know about this or should I let them come down and find out for themselves?

Wouldn't it be easier to ask  if anyone else has this same medical problem and see if they can supply an answer?  Of course, you may have already done this...

There is a site that shows what meds are available here and what meds that CAJA will supply or if they supply the generic version?

it's a rare disease (polycythemia).  we've already checked.  we will be making an appointment with a hematologist to see if the laboratory at clinica biblica can make it.

Sorry I can't offer a name but there is a pharmacy in San Jose (not a hospital pharmacy) that does does make personal Rx's or at least there used to be. Have you contacted Hospital La Catolica?

Yes we checked hospital Catolica and they cannot get it

***  below is a budget of what I spent. let me know where I can save for next time!

Hydro    $160
Cell phone    $74
UPI    $700
Starchoice    $0
Car rental    $2,125
Airfare    $241
Costa Rica rental    $507
Groceries    $500
Car    $480
Parolink    $35
RRSP    $200
Unpaid work days    $1,365
Hold mail    $65
Toronto hotels    $387
Costa Rica hotel    $438
Term insurance    $28
Food for trip    $300
Retirement tour    $845
Departure tax    $7
Kennels    $492
Airport parking    $140
health insurance    $0
Vehicle gas    $200
Incidentals    $1,000
Total    $8,180

Hi everyone,

Please note that some off topic posts  have been removed from the forum.

Let's avoid disagreements on the forum please. We are all here on a friendly forum to share information.

Thank you

Priscilla 

It sure seems to me that you have included expenses that most of us would not include as 'vacation costs'.