Dealing with loneliness in Costa Rica

I'm in San Ramon, and offer to start an expat meet here, many mid range coffee shops available, been here many yrs, integrated in thethe local community, might be able to help newbes avoid some common pitfalls.

Just open your door go outside and say “Pura Vida” to anyone you see!
Even if they don’t speak English or you don’t speak Spanish, you’ll get alone. They are very friendly people.
Best luck, I’m sure your going to have a great time there.
I’ve been there and enjoyed it very much.
Plus this forum is a good place. There are some, here that will tell you “just don’t come here”  ignore them! The rest are great people, and I know you will have more friends then you can imagine!

I thought about it too. Being lonely is my worst fear too..

I think knowing the neighbors. is the first step to take.
As neighbors are always around and easy to reach.

Find someone share the same interest you have, such as gardening or hiking or even having meal with other couples as big strangers family .

I own land in CR but have not moved there yet, but I still find the subject of loneliness interesting as I am an expat living in the US for twenty year, from the UK and I feel lonely here even though I live in a country that speaks English.  That said, I don't believe the country you live in determines if you will feel lonely or not.  In my experience some people can feel lonely in a crowd if they have nothing in common with the people around them!  I live in a beautiful location with good hard working people, but they keep themselves to themselves, working long hours and then come home and drive their car it to their garage and close the door on the rest of the world. However, whenever I visit Costa Rica, I find the people there have more time for each other and if like me you are part of a development were people from all over the world have the same interest and challenges in building a home and making a simpler life for themselves  you will make some wonderful and genuine friends who are in the same situation as you, this makes for an amazing support group.  One last point, don't mix up loneliness with feeling homesick!

burnebob wrote:

I own land in CR but have not moved there yet, but I still find the subject of loneliness interesting as I am an expat living in the US for twenty year, from the UK and I feel lonely here even though I live in a country that speaks English.  That said, I don't believe the country you live in determines if you will feel lonely or not.  In my experience some people can feel lonely in a crowd if they have nothing in common with the people around them!  I live in a beautiful location with good hard working people, but they keep themselves to themselves, working long hours and then come home and drive their car it to their garage and close the door on the rest of the world. However, whenever I visit Costa Rica, I find the people there have more time for each other and if like me you are part of a development were people from all over the world have the same interest and challenges in building a home and making a simpler life for themselves  you will make some wonderful and genuine friends who are in the same situation as you, this makes for an amazing support group.  One last point, don't mix up loneliness with feeling homesick!

Very well said - I'm in total agreement.   

- Expat Dave

The only warning I'd add to Burnebob's post is that I know of some of those gringo-centric "developments" and often times the gringos do not get along at all, they argue and fight and stop being friendly... Also there are some gringos who do nothing but beeatch about Costa Rica every time you talk to them.
So don't expect that any and every development where gringos live will be a great experience. Depends on the gringos...

Personally I prefer to live on my own, not in a development. I have nice Tico neighbors who are friendly and since I speak Spanish we are able to converse. Honestly I seldom talk to gringos except for my friends back in the USA by whatsapp or skype or magicjack.

That said, when my wife is not around - she spends a lot of time with her family back in the U.S. I do sometimes get lonely. But most of the time I am okay with communicating with people on forums, on facebook or by smartphone as above...

I do have a couple Tico friends nearby but they are often busy as they are not retired like I am.

As of feb, I'm living in san ramon, east side, quiet neighborhood, not in an expat community. I go a couple times a month to a weekly get together of mainly expats, though I stay on the fringe. Have managed to establish a couple of acquaintances, however the group is mostly snow birds, don't speak spanish, have zero interest in cr, yet think they know more than those of us who have lived here half our lives, thus being alone is better than poor company, a loose interpretation of a local saying. As mentioned in a previous post expats can behave quite badly, as my adopted son has pointed out.

Buenas Tardes,I can honestly say I dont,or have ever had a loneliness problem here in Costa Rica.In our pueblito,half of the people that live here are related to my wife's family.The other half of the full time residents are very nice hard working people.We have a big yard here at our house.It's beachfront with nice trees for shade.Everybody comes by to visit,have some coffee, or something to eat.In fact we just finished a big birthday party for my sorbrino.Its pure Tico life,I dig it.To be honest with you,most of the Gringos I know complain endlessly about everything,Muy negativo,no me gusta.I love to surf,I am retired,and go everyday the waves are good.I am a good at it ,so I surf the hot spots.These places are all very crowded,and for good reason,the waves are good. Yeah,don't really have a loneliness problem here in Costa Rica.

Interesting reading and taking in the various posts above and other forum subjects.  I know I say it a lot, but, ...glass half empty or is it half full?  You can read from the posts who sees their lives half-full and those who choose to live a half-empty existence.

The all too often half-empty grumpy-Gringos here will have been that way in their home country and just don't seem to want to change or assimilate here.  They are the ones who will be lonely, who will be unhappy.  Has nothing to do with CR, it's just the path they chose in life.

The longer I'm here the more I do love Costa Rica the country, the wild jungles, the people and the simplicity of life here.  More and more of my time is now spent in the southern zone.  Almost no one speaks English in the area I live in and I am happy to say being forced to improve my espanol has been fun.   It also helps me to gain new Tico friends.  The people in the area are more friendly than any country I've been to-including northern CR.  (And gas costs almost 1/2 what it cost in the rest of the country so that helps me not feel lonely.  ...just trying to make it seem like I back on the subject.    )

Anyway, if you choose not to be lonely here, to find friends, make new acquaintances, explore nature, just have fun in life, you may just find your glass half-full.   

- Expat Dave

I have only been here for a few months, when I came here I stayed in the area of the capital, more to do and see going to a smaller town in an outlaying area is only cuts your circle and I have some other reasons for staying in the capital for now also.
When I got here I stayed in a Hostel called Costa Rica love apartments and rooms for a month while I was looking in person at some apartments. I ended up staying  here for now by moving from the hostel part to the apartment part, the apartments is on the second floor the one I moved into is a 3 bedroom have 2 roommates both nice one female 20 local going to university and the other is 30 male from Venezuela we all get along great! Myself and the Guy from Venezuela are cooks so we cook together and feed the starving student who is just a wonderful woman her and I have hit it off she is a pleasure to talk with I now see her as granddaughter, I consider myself lucky.
Last online I have a google voice account and use that with hangouts and kept a USA phone number so between that and FB messenger I have good communication with friends back in the states for free.
Also use your interest, I joined a GYM here as soon as I could if you have an interests in motorcycles like me or are a gym rat like me or cooking like me or firearms like me or ? use that interest to meet others just as you would back home.
If anyone is in my area Santo Domingo, Heredia say hi?

I love, love, love being here in Costa Rica!   Last month I celebrated  the 14th year of my move from Chicago to CR  I have found that volunteering is the most amazing way to get involved with the Tico culture.  i work at a women's rehab center and have hundreds of girls/women who call me Nana.  Basically what I do with them is play the grandmother figure and give them lots of hugs!  I was just saying to some friends who came from Virginia that I certainly get more than I give and they all said that they noticed the love - mine for the people, but certainly their love for me.  Are there bad apples, people who mistreat me, think I am a bank?  Of course, but if you know of a place where this is not true, please let me know    Basically Ticos are very friendly    and outgoing and I have no plans of leaving.

Well Said!