| Jon is an American who lives with his family in the Costa Rican capital of San Jose, a cosmopolitan city with superb restaurants, cultural attractions, and a busy nightlife. When he isn’t at sea, he relaxes and enjoys the weather and the local culture with his family in their home. The warmth and friendliness of the Ticos (locals), the good weather, and other aspects of the “pura vida” in Costa Rica are what Jon loves about the place. |
 Jon De Haai |
July 20 2006
-Where were you born?
I was born in the Midwestern part of the USA.
-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live with my Costa Rican wife and our three-year-old son, who has dual citizenship. My wife’s 14-year-old nephew has also been living with us for two years.
-In which country and city are you living now?
I live in San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica.
-How long have you been living in Costa Rica?
Since I first visited in 1989, apart from a 3 year stint in the US from 1997-2000.
-What is your age?
38
-When did you come up with the idea of living in Costa Rica?
The thought never occurred to me until I got my job, which I still have today. I work on a seismic research vessel for six weeks at a time. Then I have six weeks of vacation time when I can do whatever I want and go wherever I want. This freedom was the factor in my decision. I discovered Costa Rica through my work in 1989 and continued to spend my holidays there, eventually settling down and having a family.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Since I work for an international company in other parts of the world (currently Australia), this isn’t a necessity in my life right now. However, when my son was born, I obtained permanent residency in Costa Rica via first-degree relative status, which allows me to work in the country if I want or need to.
-How do you make your living in Costa Rica? Do you have any type of income generated?
I work on a ship overseas for periods of six weeks at a time. The company flies me from Costa Rica to wherever the ship is located and then back again. I do not have any other type of income.
-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
Spanish is the local language and this is what we speak in our house. However, I speak English with my son, so he is learning both at the same time. I think it is very important to learn Spanish in order to have a better understanding of the culture.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Sometimes I miss family, but I’m used to it now. Once or twice a year, I’ll have family visit us or we’ll take a vacation to visit my family in the US.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
Nothing serious. I’m happy where I am now. Eventually, I’d like to stop going to sea and do something else in order to be with my family more.
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
Because of my work requiring me to leave the country so often, I was very cautious about buying a home and didn’t do so until 2003. We live in a middle-class neighborhood of San Francisco de Dos Rios, just ten minutes from downtown San Jose. It’s 250 square meters of construction on a 355 square meter lot with 5 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 garages. Something like this would go for about 100,000 USD.
-What is the cost of living in Costa Rica?
Our cost of living is still a little less than what we would be spending in say Omaha, NE where I grew up. Of course it all depends on how you want to live. The necessities like food, housing, healthcare, public transportation and other services such as general labor are very cheap. The expensive things are anything that is imported such as consumer electronics, name brand clothing, cars and petrol.
-What do you think about the Costa Rican people?
Ticos, as Costa Ricans are called, are widely known to be very friendly and non-confrontational. I often have total strangers start conversations with me while waiting in line or riding the bus, even in San Jose, a city of more than two million. It’s a great feeling when this happens. As for being non-confrontational, this is great for the most part. However, some take it to an extreme by telling you what you want to hear in an attempt to avoid any immediate disappointment. I prefer to be more direct, honest and blunt. Likewise, they probably think these characteristics of mine are a bit rude in certain situations, but they are just cultural differences. Overall, foreigners are treated with the same respect as anyone else.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Costa Rica?
I love the weather and the people in San Jose. I appreciate the freedom that exists. By this I mean the lack of rules and regulations and the government telling me what I can and cannot do.
The negatives would be the infrastructure, petty theft and the difficulty in getting things done.
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Costa Rica?
Just what everyone else in the online community recommends and that is to spend at least six months renting before you decide to buy property. Also, at least make an attempt to learn the language and meet Ticos.
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Costa Rica?
My Dos Colones (http://www.doscolones.com/)
This is my own personal blog with experiences of living in San Jose and links to other Costa Rican blogs.
The REAL Costa Rica (http://www.therealcostarica.com/)
There is a wealth of information here about living in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Living (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CostaRicaLiving/)
This is a Yahoo group with more than 2,000 members discussing life in Costa Rica.
