Loek van Mook

December 21 2006 

-Where were you born?
Breda, the Netherlands

-In which country and city are you living now?
Atenas, Costa Rica

-Are you living alone or with your family?
Alone, with my 4 dogs

-How long have you been living in Costa Rica?
4 years

-What is your age?
43 years

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Costa Rica?
I used to live in Florida and the (Dutch) company I worked for wanted me to move to a country in Latin America. The central location (I used to do a lot of flying), low crime rate (but it’s on the rise, like anywhere else), the perfect climate, and the cheap standard of living all helped me convince myself that this was the place to be.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Still working on this detail. You need various documents from your home country which are certified once or sometimes more than once. Costa Rica implemented a new law, but they do not have the people to do the work!

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
No. I got it in the Netherlands.

-How do you make your living in Costa Rica? Do you have any type of income generated?
I have my own real estate company.

-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I do speak Spanish, and talk to Costa Ricans every day. This not only improves my Spanish but also makes me a part of their society.

We are visitors to Costa Rica and should respect their ways, and yes, learning Spanish is something everyone should do, and as quickly as possible. It will help you tremendously.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Missing, yes. Wanting to go home to the Netherlands to live? For the time being, no. Costa Rica is a very nice country with many plusses. What I do miss from the Netherlands, are, yes, family and friends, drop and good Dutch chocolate, and discussing many topics. The Dutch want to discuss and have an opinion; many Costa Ricans do not want to be confronted, and speaking your mind is not always appreciated here.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
Buy a second home in Tuscany, Italy.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I bought a house. Houses in this area go for US$ 100,000 to US$ 600,000.

-What is the cost of living in Costa Rica?
Depends on what you want to do. It is possible to live on US$ 800 or less per month. If you have a car and need more luxury, you could live on US$ 1,500 to US$ 2,000 easily.

-What do you think about the Costa Ricans?
The people are very nice. Their family comes first. But getting to know Ticos really well is not that easy.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Costa Rica?
Positive: See the reasons in cost of living above.
Negative: I miss great food (there are some, but real good restaurants are hard to find, or too far away), lack of culture, and the people do not see the dangers when driving cars.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Costa Rica?
Just come and enjoy the country. If one wants to come and live here for real, rent for 1 to 2 months, then buy. Prices have been going up fast for the last 3 years or so, and it’s expected that prices will keep climbing for another 4 to 6 years at least. A 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house can still be bought for between US$ 80,000 and US$ 150,000 (depending on the location, etc.).

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Costa Rica?
Our web-site: www.bridgingworld.com