www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Chi one word of caution when you bring your girl back north, keep her from getting "starbucked"... this is the phenomena where they slowly integrate into being americanized and the graduate to going to starbucks and the coffee bean to compare notes with other wives, what they have, what they should be getting, and if things go south they have a full network of experienced bitches and lawyers to make sure they can screw you as much they can....Yeah I know you think yours is different, but odds are most likely not, tread with caution taking the brood north you will be on the hook for much more when things go to hell in the US and they most likely will. I know yours is different yes of course. You should research the risk because it is HUGE.
The list of how many stable marriages with families I have seen fall apart once arriving in the US is astounding, after being starbucked, watching every sex in the city episode and desperate housewives episode, you are left almost with no chance of success. Good Luck if you do move but do lots of research on success rates. For example with your business you did not research one very important aspect, the customers willingness and ability to pay companies invoices and services, not being harsh but it is every bit as important as SWAT analysis porters five forces or any BCG matrix analysis you can do when deciding whether or not to start a business and how and where to run it. CR is the last place I would start a business because of the customers lack of ability to pay and willingness to pay (not to mention the general corruption you deal with if you attain success), sure they have customer need as you researched but doesnt matter if they lack the ability and willingness to pay. Tourism works as a business down there for expats sometimes simply because the customer demographic is someone who is willing and able to pay for what the customer needs

I researched starting a business in CR and after researching decided to check the NO box. Also considered bringing one back north but after much research decided to check the NO box.
Whatever you choose good luck I have always enjoyed reading your posts and experiences, lots of mistakes I avoided vicarously, because of your willingness to put it out there, thank you

Surftown,

It took me about a year of planning my original move to CR - which people can probably find by searching on "6 Month Experiment" key words. It wasn't easy. I figure it may take as long to get me and three others back. On the positive side, the economy is looking brighter and I am getting calls about work. On the negative, I suspect I will have at least two problems that didn't exist before: my credit score most certainly has fallen. Your credit goes up when you earn and spend a lot of money. Obviously, this can't happen when you are not in the US. Next, my drivers insurance will probably by high risk and expensive. I was told I could pay liability and keep my good insurance rating, but really I had no idea how long I would be gone. Didn't see the need. So, I will probably have two handicaps that I didn't have before.

Now, getting my other half adjusted up there is a whole different drama/debacle. Honestly, I told her that she gets a 6 month visa. If she can't handle six months, then HOLY CRAP, here we go again. The only thing on our side - we are about the same age. We have two K*ds together. We have lived together for 2.5 years. Things that are not on our side - her maturity level is lacking, big time. She has never left CR and has no concept worldly affairs. She will need to adjust from tico time - which means time has no value or meaning - to north american time - which means 5 minutes = 5 minutes. Oh, I forgot that I'm from Chicago. So, if that is where we end-up, she's gonna have a hell of a bitchin' time deal with REAL FRIO. I'm no talking Que Frio!!!! Its below 60. I'm talking Holy Shit!!! Its 10 below zero and windy. I don't even think I can handle that temperature at this point. Lots of adjustment on both sides...

_________________
http://TipsCostaRica.com for pratical advice on living in Costa Rica.
In order to write about life, first you must live it! - E. Hemingway.

Chi you will land on your feet. Just do your best one day at a time. Don't worry about her. Breast feeding baby's is the same north and south. Hope you stop and see us in DC.

_________________
Take a walk on the wild side.

I know this is kind of an old post, but I would have to say that this is definitely a phenomenon: taking the native out of the country and introducing her to all that is "The Land of the Big PX"

I would say the dangers are her simply getting the idea that the grass is always greener; that happens the minute she gets a set of Gringa or Americanized Latina friends. I remember meeting a guy in Panama who married a Filipina and was very happy; got a foot massage every night before bed, but once she got a Gringa buddy that was over, and the marriage soon afterward. The same goes for introducing your friends to her; I had an acquaintance who wanted his newly minted Colombian wife to work as a self employed masseuse; all I could say to that was "Yikes". I guess my point is that you would almost have to be more protective(I hesitate to use the word controlling) to keep this person from completely changing their ways, but perhaps that is just impossible given our culture?

_________________
“Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” And we are the guys that keep them in Eggs & Grits

Happened to my brother. He lived in Thailand for 10 years and moved back when his son was 5 in order to get him a US education. What was once a dimunitive Thai girl from a dirt poor family north of Chaing Mai became the Bitch From Hell that wanted to live above thier means and show off to all of her Thai friends. Lots of similarities to CR, from the fake politeness to the geography and infrastructure of the countries.

My on again off again Nica Novia has learned to be grateful for what I do for her after I dumped her and didn't see her for over 2 years. I wouldn't think of marrying her or bringing her to the US.

Further to all of this, I would have to say that it is definitely better to live in the country the wife or gf is from rather than bring her to Gringalandia, but even this is not without its hazards as in CR for example domestic abuse statutes allow a gf or even a live in to legally have the owner of the property legally evicted from the residence. I would say, get legal advice before entering into any long term relationship with a local. If going to the US, I would seriously recommend a prenuptial and if living locally, researching what laws might be used against a foreigner, such as in Thighland I believe you still have to have a Thai business partner and foreign ownership of land is not allowed, necessitating some guys to have their wifes or gf own their property.

_________________
“Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” And we are the guys that keep them in Eggs & Grits

About Thailand and land ownership that is absolutely correct. I would be very careful about even a live in GF in Costa Rica. If I'm not mistaken she can kick you out and get support if she can prove that you have been her only means of support for a certain number of years. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this.

Q: Why are Costa Rican women so damned immature?

A: Because of the Law of Attraction

_________________
"You will never run out of good things because there is more than enough to go around. Life is meant to be abundant"
____________________________________________________________________

I'm afraid that there's some truth there, amigo. See you next week!

Chi, I've asked many people about this over several years and it seems that it's not just Costa Rica women who are immature, but rather something that is part of the Latino culture. Part of their attraction to us is their "girly" flirtation and fantasy-land view on life. I've asked. "When do they grow up?" and was told they go from immature teenager to no-non-sense matriach in a very short period of time. Some say that it happens suddenly about the same time they add girth to their ass.

I concur with your views about honor. We gringos believe it is required of us to take a stand if someone challenges our honor or treats us with disrespect. Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and the Gipper taught us this on Saturday morning TV. We view lying to us as an act of disrespect - "What do you think I'm stupid?!?". Many other cultures think our actions are rude and borish. To people in Costa Rica, confrontation appears to be more objectionable than telling a lie. They seem to believe that telling someone a lie is treating them with courtesy and respect for their feelings. And, feelings to Latinos seem to always be more important than honor and truth. In fact they almost view lying as an art form - certainly it's a social grace, but I remember my old aunt begging relatives not to leave and then after they had gone hearing her say, "I thought they would never leave."

I decided that for my business, the natural conflicts were too great to overcome and the rewards too small to be worth enduring. I suspect that others will find the same. Never have I heard so many long-time expats in Costa Rica talk about finding a better place to live as I have in the past year.

The high crime rate in Costa Rica along with, the high cost of living, poor literacy rate, and real estate ownership problems are frequently discussed where I live in Florida. It's widely known that much of what you read about Costa Rica is today a lie. It's no longer a cheap place to live, if you want to live safe and well. It's also become well known among gringas that old guys go to Costa Rica to chase young women - hookers. They know the fishing stories are mostly bullshit. Many ex-pats are now looking at Argentino, Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, and Dominica as places to live and find immature chicas to play with until they "mature" into matriachs. I doubt Costa Rica will even miss us when we're gone. The Chinese will be there to take our place.

_________________
Slut Puppy in Training

Is low self esteem a prerequisite for being a good Ho or is it a result? ;-)

Lenny...good points! You left out Panama as a destination to live.

_________________
"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)

Lennydo:
The Chinese are already present in South / Latin America where there are base raw materials: iron ore, copper etc, and Oil & Gas. Lots in Lima!

Polvo

OK, I am newbie, but I was married to both a Tica and a colombiana. Neither came from a good a family with dollars, but the Tica's mother was a school teacher. The Piasana's (Medellin) father worked on the commuter train. My guess, is it is about the expression I heard many times in Col. "Mal Educada", which I interprete to mean poorly educated with low self esteem. The ex-wife colombian was totally irresponsible and extremely childish, very poor impulse control, self restraint, she lacked any skills for planning and prioritizing, forget about budgeting.

The Tica could do it all, better than me.

So how do I find a Tica like my ex. ? BTW: I am 60, and I can go up in age 50, if she is attractive.

Thanks in advance to any responders.

I only got too page 2 so forgive me if this has been said but....

I have known a few Latin women over the last couple of years, predominately from Costa Rica, due to family connections. These ladies were not prostitutes, just "normal" ticas. I wouldn't have said that they were immature per se, but rather very dramatic and prone to strange "dramatic episodes". Other times they were actually quite laid back...and dare I say..reasonable

The sample I have drawn this conclusion from includes only 6 or 7 women, and all were ticas that recently moved to Canada, so perhaps the move set them off somehow.

One thing I did find weird was their affinity to public outbursts. Where as most of the Canadian ladies I know wait until you are behind closed doors to start tearing you another hole, the ticas didn't care where or when (most often).