Moving to another country from the US

[marinkitty]

marinkitty, I hope you still see this! I have been answering it in my head since you posted, but forgetting to answer when I have my computer out! Anyway, no I have not gotten to the point when I am zeroing in on a specfic area/community. I am still trying to figure out if its at all possible for me financially and logistically. I do want to travel to Costa Rica and check it out; I have been to Guatemala and Mexico, but not Costa Rica. Please keep me posted if you narrow anything down or move forward in any way (I know you are not looking at year round yet, but still).

Yes, let's keep each other posted on our research. We are going back to Santa Teresa this winter and I'm staying 2.5 weeks this time - we are renting a house with another family for 10 days during winter break and then everyone else is flying home to go back to school/work and I'm staying another week to explore more on my own and get a better sense of what it would be like to spend more time there without it being a family holiday. We spent one week in Santa Teresa last winter an it seemed like a place we could see basing ourselves for a month or two at a time. DH has friends closer to Tamarindo (Avellanas, I think) that we plan to visit (they have lived there more than 10 years) and we have friends who have rented for six weeks last year in Brasilito - those would both be closer to the airport (Santa is a four hour drive) but I'm not sure I'd like how much busier it is. We are staying our first night this year in Playa Conchal, so we will at least be able to get a feel for that northern area on the way in. We've also visited the Osa Peninsula (not a place I'd want to live for a number of reasons) and the northern inland areas of La Fortuna, Bagulares and Bagaces (all inland) and aren't interested in long term stays in those spots either. I want to look around Nosara as well - kind of meeting in the middle between the Tamarindo area and Santa. And also maybe up by the Nicaraguan border. But so far Santa is the sweet spot.

[JustMe]

Yes, let's keep each other posted on our research. We are going back to Santa Teresa this winter and I'm staying 2.5 weeks this time - we are renting a house with another family for 10 days during winter break and then everyone else is flying home to go back to school/work and I'm staying another week to explore more on my own and get a better sense of what it would be like to spend more time there without it being a family holiday. We spent one week in Santa Teresa last winter an it seemed like a place we could see basing ourselves for a month or two at a time. DH has friends closer to Tamarindo (Avellanas, I think) that we plan to visit (they have lived there more than 10 years) and we have friends who have rented for six weeks last year in Brasilito - those would both be closer to the airport (Santa is a four hour drive) but I'm not sure I'd like how much busier it is. We are staying our first night this year in Playa Conchal, so we will at least be able to get a feel for that northern area on the way in. We've also visited the Osa Peninsula (not a place I'd want to live for a number of reasons) and the northern inland areas of La Fortuna, Bagulares and Bagaces (all inland) and aren't interested in long term stays in those spots either. I want to look around Nosara as well - kind of meeting in the middle between the Tamarindo area and Santa. And also maybe up by the Nicaraguan border. But so far Santa is the sweet spot.

Wow! Good to know. Yes, definitely lets keep each other posted.

[LBW]

I think about this all of the time. My parents were born in Ireland and I was born in the US. I’m an Irish citizen. I’m sure I’ll live in Ireland (and/or the EU) at some point. Ireland is a much more friendly country for retired people than the US, and I just love it there—always have. I have four years to go until my boys are done with high school—at that point I am free to move anywhere.