Tim Lytle

October 25 2006 

-Where were you born?
Ohio, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?
Near San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. In San Antonio de Belen.

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live with my Costa Rican wife Maria, 2 cats, 1 dog and a bilingual, bi-polar yellow-naped Amazon parrot named QuiQui.

-How long have you been living in Costa Rica?
About 5 years

-What is your age?
Eligible for Social Security next year

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Costa Rica? What factors influenced your decision?
I was a single parent when I lived in the US. When my lastborn told me he had won a 5-year fellowship for his PhD and I was off the financial hook for his postgrad work, I decided to make it happen.

As for factors? I read too much Hemingway when I was young. I envisioned leading an expatriate lifestyle in some exotic foreign land, sipping coffee and having intellectual conversations in some Bohemian haunt. I have yet to find a Bohemian haunt much less an intellectual conversation...but the coffee here is great!

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
US citizens (except for lowlifes) get an automatic visa to visit Costa Rica for 90 days. After 90 days, they can leave the country for 72 hours and renew that visa. This cannot be done permanently! After 2-3 times, you need to get residency or face expulsion.

I own several companies here so I had little problem. I am also now married to a Tica, so my Permanent Residency status allows me to work here in any capacity if I so chose.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
No. It is available here to anyone through INS. INS has pre-existing exclusions clauses but as I have enjoyed good health, that was not a factor.

The CAJA (social security) insurance is available to any after they get residency. I am now on CAJA as well. There are also a zillion companies that sell insurance internationally that will cover you in Costa Rica.

-How do you make your living in Costa Rica? Do you have any type of income generated?
I have started several companies since I arrived. If you are an entrepreneur, Costa Rica is a gold mine as it lags the US by about 10 years. Want to find a new business? Just look at the USA a decade ago and you can tell what will be coming here soon.

You cannot work at all in Costa Rica (legally) if you do not have your legal PERMANENT residency or if you are not a citizen. You may open a business but you must hire locals to do the labor. There are few exceptions to this and too complex a subject for this forum. See my recommended sites for info on the residents association, ARCR.

To find work here without residency is very hard and will be harder soon as employers will soon be fined for hiring illegals. Also, labor rates are a fraction of the US. Example: A great auto mechanic might make $400.00 per month after many years of experience.

-Do you speak Spanish and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
When I arrived, I spoke maybe 75 words in Spanish. I learned a bit more just living here, then after meeting my wife (who does NOT speak English), I entered my own immersion program. Now I can navigate pretty well in Spanish.

I have stated many times, you can exist in a Latin country without being able to speak Spanish, but you sure as hell aren't living much of a life in this culture.

A knowledge of Spanish opens doors to friendships, business, the culture...on and on. It changes EVERYTHING! Nearly every daily activity is more enjoyable...maybe even less intimidating for some. It is not easy to learn a new language after a certain age...but it CAN be done. I did it. While I am certainly not fluent, it has changed me to the core.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I generally do not miss my old life in the USA, and I most assuredly do not miss the snow and cold. That is not to say that I do not love my country or miss driving Lake Shore Drive almost any time of year...it is just that those people who (successfully) leave their home for the “grand adventure” of the expatriate lifestyle are built a bit differently, I think. They are open to the enormous changes brought about by living in another country. Those who do not possess this trait seldom make it here (or anywhere, probably) more than a few months.

I miss my family and grandkids of course and also 2-3 friends to whom I was closest.

We like to travel, visit family, we go to the theatre a lot, watch movies...drive to the beach for lunch. Really, not too different than when I was in the USA. Haven't done much skiing, though!

-Do you have other plans for the future?
If my wife decides to leave her job (after 32 years!) we want to travel. We are making (quasi) plans to visit South America for a few months, then to a few select countries in Europe. Maybe we'll end up in the US doing some kind or motor home tour...sort of a “Travels with Charlie” thing.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home?
We rent and have absolutely no intention of buying. I have never had anyone be able to convince me of the wisdom of buying a home in this country (at our age). No tax advantages, no freedom to move, ties up capital...and many, many other reasons.

Now a piece of land in the mountains...maybe. But only if we decide to forego the travel...unlikely!

-What is the cost of living in Costa Rica?
I know people who live here quite comfortably on $700.00 per month. I know others who cannot get by spending $4,000 per month.

Costa Rica is as expensive as Miami if you want to live like a Gringo, live in gated Gringo communities, in Gringo enclaves. In Escazu, for example, a heavily Gringo community, the prices run about 2 times what you would pay if you lived elsewhere. Those who shop at the open-air markets pay maybe 30-40% less than shopping in the supermarkets. How you manage your money is so important.

-What do you think about the Costa Ricans? How do they treat foreigners?
In general, los extrañeros (foreigners) are treated well. I find that this is especially true if they feel you have taken time to learn their language and something of their culture.

Sadly, those of us who live here are often embarrassed by people visiting Costa Rica whose mommies apparently never taught them how to behave when visiting someone else's home. Noisy, demanding, upset that nobody speaks English, angry that nobody accepts dollars, whatever.

Ticos seem to have the ability to put up with these types, though I have no idea how they manage it.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Costa Rica?
Positives:
The people
The weather
The opportunities
The beauty – Two oceans – jungles – mountains – more
Living someplace foreign and exciting
Low or no taxes
Cheap medical care

Negatives:
Inefficiency (by US standards)
Medical care is generally not equal to the USA
Poor infrastructure (technology, communications, transportation)

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Costa Rica?
Sure! Several.

1. Remember that about 40% of the people who move here do NOT make it, and return “home” within a year.
2. Do NOT be dumb and think the above statistic does not include you...that you are somehow “the exception.” To do that indicates you might be less intelligent than a box of grapes.
3. Do NOT do anything during your first 6-9 months in this country that cannot be “undone” with a couple of phone calls. Do not sell the farm to come here. The expatriate lifestyle is NOT for everyone. Think if you can really live without those grandkids, your kids, your best friends, etc.
4. Costa Rica is NOT an easy country in which to live. I love it. You may not.
5. Do NOT come here if you need to work. Pay is very low compared to most other countries (like 10-15%) and working here without proper authority is illegal and disrespectful. Want to bring $$$ and open a new business? Do it! It is legal and there are a zillion opportunities around every corner.
6. Do not think for 1 second that life here will be better or different because there is no Bill (or Hillary) Clinton, no George Bush, or whomever you currently hate and blame for the problems in your life. To believe that is just about as dumb as believing #2 above.
7. If you come, explore the country. Take time to travel. It is smaller than West Virginia, but holds a ton of secrets.
8. Do not believe about half of what you read on tourist websites. Believe about two-thirds of the travel guides have to say. They have their agendas which is fine. The book or web site Costa Rica is not the REAL Costa Rica.
9. Do not plan to enjoy this country to the max if you cannot speak or understand Spanish.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Costa Rica?
Now this one IS the REAL Costa Rica. Several hundred pages about this country:
The REAL Costa Rica
The REAL Costa Rica Blog

The Costa Rica Association of Residents and forums:
http://www.arcr.net
http://forums.arcr.net

My personal blog:
Hisfault