Costa Rica is Paradise (And Why I Don’t Live There)
October 14, 2009
In July of this year, Costa Rica was named the Happiest Place in the World. It has often been considered a tropical paradise, described as “100% Natural, No Artificial Ingredients” for its commitment to eco-preservation. Costa Rica has universal healthcare, excellent education, and a relatively low cost of living… which begs the question:
Why doesn’t Lisis live in Costa Rica?
Hmmm… hard to say, really. After all, I am a citizen, with friends and family in the country. We even own land in the Southern Region, where we could live. It’s kind of a strange thing, because I would highly recommend Costa Rica to anyone thinking of moving there. It is an absolutely wonderful place, provided you can handle two things:
1. Bugs – I don’t know if it’s the climate, the volcanic soil, or the fact that it’s the happiest place on earth, but those bugs seem really happy to be there. They are HUGE! In all fairness, most of them are harmless and probably super interesting specimens, but… they are bugs… really big bugs. Let’s just say, I’m NOT a bug person. I would rather live in what promises to be a frozen tundra this winter just for the chance to be bug-free. Totally neurotic, I know. But have you seen the bugs in Costa Rica?
2. Inefficiency – Costa Rica is the Red Tape capital of the world. There is a bureaucratic process for everything… lines to stand in, forms to fill out and have stamped, archaic systems that were put in place long before the internet age and can’t be modernized because the process to have them changed is more trouble than just continuing to do things as they have always been done. For instance, having to pay a guy on a motorcycle for the cable bill, in cash. If you aren’t there when he comes by, he’ll come once or twice more, then they’ll cut off your cable… and you have to go stand in line to get it back.
The little things drove me nuts when I lived there. Most Costa Ricans, tourists and expatriates living there seem to find this sort of system (for lack of a better word) charming, or quaint, and a small price to pay for living in Paradise. It requires patience and a general disposition of not sweating the small stuff… no matter how much of your precious time on this Earth is wasted standing in bureaucratic lines. I don’t think I have that disposition.
I like to spend as little time as possible on “the small stuff”, like administrative crap, so I can spend as much time as possible doing the things I love. Every time I had to stand in a 3-hour line (they even provide chairs in a row so you can sit while you wait, moving over one seat at a time!) I could feel the sands of my hourglass slipping away… minutes, hours, days of my life I would never get back.
So, in my case, I found it very difficult to overcome those two issues, even for all the beauty of the country and the joy of its people. I still LOVE to vacation there, and I firmly believe everyone should visit at least once (per year!). But I must sadly report that I cannot live in the Happiest Place in the World.
TAKE HOME LESSON: Just because a place, a job, a relationship, or a situation SEEMS “perfect” for you, and everyone you know thinks you should stay in it, does NOT mean you should listen to them. Only YOU can decide what YOUR life should look like. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else!
Recently, Hayden (of Through the Illusion) asked me if I had any posts about Costa Rica. I’ve decided to compile a list of ten posts related to life in Costa Rica, and have also put together an album of photos from my most recent trip (on the Photos page), in case anyone else would like to learn a bit more about Costa Rica, or my crazy family. Also, my good friend, Ivan Campuzano, is currently living in and blogging from Costa Rica. He has posted a bunch of great videos he’s filmed as he travels around the country. Happy Travels!
1. The Simple Life: Making Coffee the Costa Rican Way
2. Save the Planet, and My Truffula Tree!
3. Guilt, Regret, and Saving the Sea Turtles
4. Growing Up on the Road Less Traveled
5. Adventure: Costa Rican Immigration Odyssey
6. 5 Lessons From my Immigration Ordeal
7. 10 Ways to Remain Calm in a Stressful Situation
8. Why Worry? Avoiding Feelings of Stress, Anxiety, and Helplessness
9. New Beginnings: Letting Go of the Past to Start Anew
10. I Naively Believe… What About You?
(Photo Credit: Landscape, Bug, Beach)
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Lisis!
Wow, I loved this post, I’ve heard a lot about Costa Rica, my cousin went there last year and said it was amazing. Wow, they have MASSIVE bugs there, crazy!!! It’s striaght out a sci fi movie!
Definitely one place I want to visit, I hope to do a lot of travelling in the next 2 years, can’t wait for it!
Thanks for sharing, have an awesome day!
.-= Diggy – Upgradereality.com´s last blog ..Challenges, Mentors and Incredible Success =-.
Yeah, hard to argue with a giant bug like that. We have some big ones in Florida but that thing was…er…big.
Your point is well taken, though. What might be paradise on earth for one person – or for “everyone” – might not be right for you. It’s a tough lesson to learn, since we’re conditioned, as humans, to want to enjoy things other people enjoy (and also want them to approve of things WE like).
.-= Steve´s last blog ..7 Ways to Build & Maintain a Personal Network that Works for You (guest post) =-.
Hey, Diggy! It really IS an amazing place, and you are far more likely to see monkeys and toucans than bugs like the one in this picture. You would have to go to the more remote parts to find this guy. Still, even the ordinary day-to-day bugs were a little too… “present” for me to LIVE with. But vacations there are always heavenly.
Hi, Steve! That is definitely one ginormous bug. I once saw a ladybug the size of a quarter, sitting at the base of my chair. I’m not usually intimidated by ladybugs, but that one was fairly robust by any standards.
But the greater point is the big issue here… people always think they know what is best for you, and for your kids. We’ve all heard things like: “If I had the job you have, I’d never complain” or, “If those were my kids, I’d never let them get away with that” or, “If I had a boyfriend/ girlfriend like you do, I’d do everything in my power to not screw it up,” etc.
They all THINK they know best, but only YOU know what is best for you. Knowing yourself, and being willing to stick up for what you value (even against opposition from friends and loved ones) is not always easy. But I really believe it’s the only way to find true happiness.
Kinda like one man’s trash is another man’s treasure? You’re absolutely right…only we can know what’s best for us, and what we really need. Everyone else is just projecting their own issues/attitudes/beliefs onto our situation, and telling us what would make THEM happiest…often without knowing the full circumstances.
Great job of weaving a life lesson into a personal experience! I love that about your writing!
.-= Jay Schryer´s last blog ..Memories Best Left Forgotten =-.
Especially the small ants! But, that’s isn’t anything I can’t deal with. Plus, I can always pay all my bills online. You did know that here in Costa Rica when you have a bank account you can pay everything from it! You electricity, your cable,your water, everything. As long as I have power and internet, a catch 22 there. Rainy season can bring the power down a bit, but this year has been a great one for me. Only a couple hours total without power.
But when I build, I will have the ants in mind!
.-= Jim Gaudet´s last blog ..Crime in Costa Rica =-.
@ Jay: Thanks! I guess because we often make “non-traditional” decisions, I always get plenty of examples of people telling us we SHOULD do this or that, based on what they know and feel. Perhaps that has taught me not to judge others as others have judged me. We cannot know all the variables that go into someone else’s decision, so we should just support them in whatever they choose.
@ Jim: Yeah, those ants are a pain. If you even leave out one drop or one crumb on your kitchen counter, you’ll have a line of ants all the way from Panama! Where do those guys even come from?!
As for the bank, just make sure your money is in a Private bank, and not one of the government banks. My sister had an incident with a maid who sued her. I don’t think the issue was ever resolved, but the court put a freeze on her money for YEARS (I guess, in case they were going to confiscate it to pay the maid).
But it’s true, some of the banks have, in more recent years, started the online bill pay thing… finally. Everything eventually makes it to Costa Rica, just not soon enough for some of us.
Wow Lisis, I don’t know how I could live with the bugs
)
However, if all that bureaucracy is in place, that seems quite contradictory. Our system is not perfect either, but even better ones usually drive people crazy. I’m definitely going to put it on my list of travel destinations!
Peace
Wow Lisis, Costa Rica looks awesome! I dont know anything about it, Ill have to do my research
I totally get you about the bugs, Helloo??? They deserve their respect, just look at that size 
I have also been in lines moving through chairs, awful, so I know what you mean and it takes courage to choose what only you know its best for YOU, you are awesome.
Oh and by the way, the Dominican Republic is the runner-up in the happiest places, so maybe you could consider moving here someday, we dont have those bugs
@ Zoli: Hey, there… great to see you again! You would LOVE Costa Rica… it’s a ton of fun and the people are wonderful. Keep it on your list, for sure!
@ Rosa: Hmmm… the Second Happiest Place in the World, huh? I might have to look into that.
I would love it, just for the chance to get to meet you in person! I’ll have to put that on MY list.
Hi Lisis.
If that bug in #1 was real, it would be bigger than my hand. Big bugs sure aren’t appealing. Who wants a 1-inch long bug walk on their table?
I like the take-home point here in that we think some place will be perfect, but when we get there, it has things we didn’t know about, and also, even if it is perfect, doesn’t mask our own personal issues that we still have to work through. Idealism is to be left for imagination, because reality always has positives and tough portions.
Thanks for the realistic message.
.-= Armen Shirvanian´s last blog ..Outdoor Mountain Hiking Trail Adventure – Setting Goal Points =-.
Hey, Armen! Oh, that bug is definitely real. I didn’t take that particular picture, but I’ve seen those giant scarab beetle things on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica (the Wild Side!).
You’re right about the take-home message… “Perfect” doesn’t exist. Whether we are talking about a place to live, a person to date, a job, a car, or a cup of coffee… there’s no “perfect” way for it to be. There is only what is close enough to perfect for each of us. Which pros and cons can you live with in any given area? Only you can know that answer.
Hi Lisis, Costa Rica although i’ve heard to be very beautiful reminds me of Colombia. There’s lots of beautiful lush greens, vibrant flowers, slower ways of doing things which most people but us gringos don’t have a problem with and bugs and insects. The bugs and insects are much smaller but are always running into our house, ants even swarmed our bed once. It has def. been alot of adjusting to this new environment.
Hi, Jessie! Yeah, for the most part, the bugs are of a more manageable size than the specimen pictured here, but just like you said… they seem to be EVERYWHERE. For me, at least, they were always taking up psychological space. It got to where I had to factor them into almost every household decision. The smart thing to do is what Jim mentioned (and lots of expats do)… build with the bugs in mind. Live in a fortress.
This reminds me, most people DO live in a fortress of sorts… with bars on the windows, gates, barbed wire, and guards (you can see some of this in my Costa Rica pictures). That was also kind of tough for me. I like living in places where we can park our bikes out front and not have to worry about someone taking them. The bars, alarms, etc. seem to me like a life that is based in fear. But again, that’s just me.
Well, after seeing that first picture, I wondering ‘why doesn’t Lisis live in Costa Rica?’ And then I saw the second. And interesting that you noted the barred windows, as that is something that I noticed when visiting and always wondered about, because I thought crime was low? Someone told me violent crime is, but petty theft isn’t, so that’s the reason for the bars. Either way, I get what you mean, paradise or no, bugs and bars would probably be a nix for me too…
Your larger point is well-taken though. I’ve learned this again with my family and our Utah home/retreat. My husband and I just love it there, and always expect all our visitors will too, but some people don’t like the desert parts much, it is too barren for them, or the conservative politics that dominate the area, or other things. All of which we easily overlook because we love everything else there. So it is very individual. And of course doesn’t apply just to places either (I am thinking of spiritual paths and practices, which people get very dogmatic about, but that I think are highly individual personally….)
.-= Lisa (mommymystic)´s last blog ..Tibetan Knowledge on Birth, PND, Motherhood, and Childcare =-.
I know what you mean. Of Indian heritage, I love going to India and traveling around and there is something very spiritual about just being there. But living there would be another thing. Costa Rica is on my list…thanks for sharing.
.-= Kaushik´s last blog ..Positive Thinking =-.
Great article, loved it. I’m with you all the way on the bugs, ESPECIALLY big, weird ones. There so unearthly in a way, don’t you think? I so prefer mammals!
Also, I had a similar experience in Mexico. The inefficiency, the lines, (also the traffic in the city). So much time to do such menial things. I’ve never been to Costa Rica, but one thing I noticed in Mexico is that the people who live there are so much calmer about waiting. There was really no sense of rushing (maybe because it’s so impossible?) I remember standing in line at the bank for 3 hours. The line wrapped all the way around and outside, too. No one complained, no one huffed and puffed or moaned or groaned. It was just a regular day at the bank for everyone. What I found pretty cool (and totally foreign) was all this “stress” (at least to me) didn’t seem stress them in the least!
.-= Miche´s last blog ..How to Get From Boredom to Intuition =-.
Lisis,
Holy Big Bugs, Batman!!! Yoooowwwwwwiieeee! Creepy! OMG, is that thing real???
Hey, I’m so glad you made a compendium of your Costa Rica posts. Those stories are some of my favorites! Yay!
You know, I often wondered why the heck you don’t move back there. Great healthcare, caring society, high literacy rate – then I saw the bug. Now I get it. Well, along with the other things you mentioned, too.
Thanks for another awesome post, chicka! Keep ‘em coming!
.-= Lori´s last blog ..NaNoWriMo—A Writing Experiment =-.
Thanks for this, Lisis, this is more thorough than I ever could have imagined! I can’t wait to go through all of your articles.
But OH, that picture of the mutated bug thing! Wow. And not in a good way! I’m a Florida girl and I thought I was used to funky bugs (a la the “palmetto bug” which is basically a giant flying cockroach) but they have NOTHING on that thing.
P.P.S. We are also looking at Belize and from what I’ve read the inefficiency is pretty much standard there too.
P.S. Stumbled!
.-= Hayden Tompkins´s last blog ..The Truth About Rapid Weight Loss =-.
You know us well, I did wonder why? Now I know and can let that go.
Having different experiences by having lived in different places does help to find out your preferences. I too rather live without those bugs.
.-= wilma ham´s last blog ..What happens when instead of an old fashioned partner I become a sponsor. =-.
Hi Lisis, this was a really good post. It was informative with an important life lesson for a conclusion. I’ve always heard great things about Costa Rica, but like anywhere, it’s one thing to visit and another to stay. And that’s the biggest bug I have ever seen.
.-= Jonathan – Advanced Life Skills´s last blog ..Are You a Personal Transformation Tortoise or Hare? =-.
What are you complaining about, Lisis? I live in a polluted, corrupt, shit-hole with all the bureacracy you have there. Lol! However, the only annoying bugs here are mosquitoes and cockroaches. Beautiful photo up top.
.-= Gordie Rogers´s last blog ..Is There Anything That’s Unforgivable? Part 1. =-.
HI Sweetie,
As for me…i love adventure…but freak out at the sight of bugs..i have no idea where My little one gets her passion for bug playing ..
I often think when i retired i would visit the world..and costa rica is on my list. I see the bug pic..and i am now thinking…my little one would love it. She catches bugs and plays with them like they were her long lost friends
But staying and visiting are two totally different things isnt it!
But hey when i visit, i wanna go with you….cause my adventurous spirit needs a guide for sure
Lots of love and big hugs not bugs..;)
.-= Zeenat{Positive Provocations}´s last blog ..My New Beginnings =-.
@ Lisa: I think most people picture that first image when they think of Costa Rica and, believe me, I see it in the eyes of every person when I tell them I’m FROM Costa Rica… they are thinking, “Why in the world don’t you live there?” But it’s not that simple, is it? There are other things to consider, little (and not so little) things. On my last trip there, in March, we were actually scouting to possibly move there. I was a little on the fence about it until the Immigration ordeal.
That pretty much did it for me. When they told me that Jeff and I together at the airport could NOT take Hunter out of the country, back to our home, even though all three of us have U.S. passports, without the signature and stamp from one woman at the place where we have to stand in line for three hours (not at the airport), I knew that the “systems” in place would drive me nuts.
But, like you said, every place has it’s “things”, whatever they are. Utah is gorgeous to some, barren to others. Vermont is Left Wing Loony Town to some (maybe most) but quirky, creative and full of life to me. It’s a love it or leave it kind of place, with only 600,000 people in the whole state. Make that 600,003 now, ’cause we’re here… and we LOVE it.
@ Kaushik: EXACTLY. I really do love Costa Rica, and my family (several generations) and friends are there. I grew up there, went to school there. The place is still “home” to me. But my life is here. My younger sister and I both feel more comfortable here, probably because we were still in school when we moved. My older brother and sister graduated in Costa Rica, so they married there and live there now. I guess circumstances play a part in the decision too.
@ Miche: I know what you mean, “stress” as we know it here, is virtually non-existent. Everyone just KNOWS the process will be slow and inefficient, deadlines will come and go, whatever happens, happens, so… might as well just deal with it and not wish it were some other way. Chillax! Right? I’m all for a life of relaxation, but I don’t want to spend it standing in line for a ten cent stamp which I have to pay for in one line, receive in another, and turn in to someone else in a third line. My brain is just not wired that way.
@ Lori: That thing IS real, and creepy, and scientifically very interesting, and I believe, he’s good luck. The ancient Aztecs used to make golden versions of these guys… maybe even worshiped them as a symbol of something or other. Nothing like having a giant, creepy, friendly, good luck bug around to bring you your morning coffee, huh?
@ Hayden: See what you started?! I’m glad you did, though, because it finally gave me a chance to address the burning question and the fact that people think I’m insane for not living there. It’s just me, I know… I’m not chillaxed enough, and I’m a wuss for bugs. Still, these are valid reasons so everyone might as well know them. But the country is beautiful, the food delicious (and healthy), the people super nice, and the bugs don’t seem to mingle much with tourists, unless you go looking for them. The tourists tend to stay on well-traveled paths.
Hey, if you do go to Belize, try to make it out to Amber Gris Kaye… it’s beautiful! I once flew a Twin Comanche over there and couldn’t believe the tiny runway (sidewalk, really) I had to land on. If I remember correctly, the end of the “runway” was a building! Ah… yes, the islands…
@ Wilma: Precisely, now you can sleep at night, knowing the answer to the mystery of the Costa Rica question. However, you may never sleep again courtesy of that bug photo!
@ Jonathan: Thanks! I’m glad you liked it. I was torn about how to present information about Costa Rica (Paradise, Happiest Place, Environmental Utopia) without sounding like a nut for not living there. So, I decided to focus on why I don’t live there. I figure, there are TONS of websites out there that will tell you about all the wonderful, beautiful, perfect things about Costa Rica, since there are so many.
@ Gordie: Haha! You and I should team up and write relocation brochures… the “real” side of any place you THOUGHT you wanted to move to. I guess every place has it’s crappy side; we’ve just gotta find one with a good side that is right for us. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the Costa Rican cockroaches!
@ Zeenat: Oh, your daughter would LOVE Costa Rica. I need to send you a picture I have of Hunter with a Morpho butterfly on his index finger. Check out this statement from Wiki:
“Costa Rica is home to more than 500,000 species, which represents nearly 4% of the total species estimated worldwide, making Costa Rica one of the 20 countries with the highest biodiversity in the world. Of these 500,000 species, a little more than 300,000 are insects.”
THAT is paradise… for your daughter. Seriously, if you ever decide to go, PLEASE tell me so that I can go too! That way you can stay with my family and see the way Costa Ricans really live (if you’ve seen my brother’s house in the pictures, that’s not such a bad thing!).
Dear Lisis ,
an inspiring article. It is so important to realise where you are and what you want to and can do. The combination of these will get you at the doorsstep of YOUR dreamland. Be it bugs, be it cold, be it neighbours- once you understand what you want to get away from, your life is bound to be more satisfying. Thanks for writing this article
I’m so glad I read this (but am NOT glad I saw that bug picture… OH MY GOD!). I love how you said that while some people consider something or someone perfect, it might not fit our own tastes. I once dated a guy who seemed like the perfect partner to everyone else but me. On paper, he was gold. In my gut, he was indigestion. I knew he wasn’t right for me, and typical rationalizations didn’t explain it well enough to people around me.
I would like to see Costa Rica some time, but would keep everything you said in mind should the urge to move there ever temporarily overwhelm me. Like you, I’m not a fan of wasting time and what you described would probably bug me (oh, bad choice of words!) after two weeks.
(smile)
.-= Megan “JoyGirl!” Bord´s last blog ..A Study in Sibling Reverie =-.
The bugs freaked me out. But I know there must be a way to get around them. How about lizards? I find these to be a problem in Florida and Bermuda more.All over the place!
.-= BunnygotBlog´s last blog ..Healing A Country: Where It Starts =-.
@ makminmai: You are so right. The key to reaching YOUR dreamland is knowing what it is… and the first step to that is knowing what it isn’t. For a long time we didn’t know what we were aiming for, but we knew without a doubt what kind of life we did not want and started walking away from that. Now, after MUCH walking, sometimes in circles, we are starting to clearly find our path. OUR path.
@ Megan: The partner thing is a BIG deal. Whether it’s a boyfriend or a husband, only YOU know what is right for you. Often when a couple splits up everyone else says, “Oh, but they were so perfect for each other!” And I think, “Really? How do you know? You weren’t there for the fights or the indifference or the lack of passion or any other moment that is kept behind closed doors and perfect images.” No one else can know what is truly in your heart. It is up to you to listen to it and stay true to it. You, of course, are well on your way!
@ Bunny: Oh, the lizards. I don’t think I ever took a shower that didn’t involve a gecko stuck to the wall or ceiling. And they bark, did you know that? Yeah, they have this sound they like to make all night. Then there’s the huge iguanas (aka: baby dinosaurs that get shipped to Jurassic Park).
For me, at least, I didn’t really mind the reptiles. I actually had a python as a pet when I was in college… and a couple of fire-bellied newts, and a green anole. So, again, to each his own, right? One woman’s phobia is another’s comfort! (Full disclosure: I’m not so big on reptile pets anymore, but I don’t mind them nearly as much as bugs.)
Hi Lisis,
That bug is huge! Wow. I thought India was bad with giant cockroaches but that bug in that picture takes the cake. And mmen to doing what is best for you regardless of what other people say. That is the best way to live!
.-= Nadia – Happy Lotus´s last blog ..Breathe in Life – Interview with Dorothea Delgado =-.
Leeeee-Ceeeeeeeeaaaaaaase booooooooooo
wow. costa rica looks MAGICAL. good mate of mine spends like 2 months a year there.
AND YOU’RE A CITIZEN?!?!!
okay. i don’t like bugs either. nor inefficiency. but it looks AMAZING.
and you can work online.
i don’t see the problem here =)
def know all about the “i would love to vacation there but def not live there” classification though so know where you’re coming from. had a house on the beach a while ago. literall, 5 steps and sixth was sand. was amazing. for about a week. then lack of privacy, harsh sun and inefficiency kick in.
how the ‘ell you been lisis dearest?!
hope all’s well
a
Hey, Alex! I sure have missed your particular brand of craziness around here! Actually, I haven’t been around here much either… a little busy moving to Vermont! But I’m finally starting to settle into some semblance of a routine. Might even make it around to all my favorite blogs soon… when Winter keeps me indoors!
I am, in fact, a citizen of Costa Rica, as is Hunter. Jeff has the option now to become a citizen at any point, if he chooses. Who knows? At some point we may be in the right frame of mind to live there again. If we do, you’d better come visit!
So nice to see you back here and feel that alex vibe again!
Hi Lisis. Costa Rica is high on my places to visit. I can’t get enough of earth’s natural beauty. I hear you on bureaucracy and administration. It’s such a waste of one’s precious time. If you have to do it then by all means don’t sweat it, but getting rid of that kind of stuff in my own life has made an enormous difference. P.S. I love strange animals, including bugs. That is a big beetle!
.-= Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s last blog ..Helping Others While Helping Yourself =-.
At 62 my dad moved to Costa Rica for a while to start a business. He fell in love with it when he visited but fell out of love with it when he lived there. Didn’t complain about the bug though but I’m sure he didn’t run into that monster you’ve got posted.
Wow, I read a book where the main plot took place in Costa Rica and I love the sound of it, the place, the people and the language. I’ve always said I wanted to go to Costa Rica and looking at most of your pictures made me want it even more, UNTIL I saw the picture of that bug. OH MY GOODNESS! No, just no. I’d run and run and never return.
I ran across this on Stumble and got the biggest kick out of it. I just finished a year living in Costa Rica, on the Pacific side, away from those massive beetles! I definitely have a few things to add to this story idea, although I loved it so!
Abby´s last [type] ..Expat life by the numbers
OMG.. I would freak out if I saw that bug on someone’s shoulder.. lol I had a blast in costa rica
wanderingtrader´s last [type] ..FINDING PARIS AROUND THE WORLD
[...] may recall from my post, Costa Rica is Paradise (and Why I Don’t Live There) that, contrary to all probability, I’ve never been inclined to make Costa Rica my permanent [...]