Jul 3, 2007 | Communications, Culture Shock, Living-In, Moving-To, Utilities
I am posting this morning via my new hi-speed internet service from Amnet, one of the two cable companies here. YAHOO!!!! We have been using WiMAX, a wireless signal shot from a huge tower on the mountain behind us. The plan is to provide WiMAX to the entire country,...
Feb 10, 2007 | Communications, Cultural Events, Drug War, News, Political Blah-Blah
Saturday morning, 8am, checking my email with the CBS News on… so far, a young man fell thru a hole in the ice while snowboarding and they can’t find him, another guy was caught trying to kidnap two young boys (’cause he saw how well it worked out...
Dec 27, 2006 | Communications, Cost of Living, Expat, Living-In, Skype
If you have hi-speed internet and are using any phone service other than a Voice-over Internet Protocol, like Skype, you are throwing money away. If you are moving to or just visiting a foreign country where hi-speed internet access is available, you really do need a...
Nov 12, 2006 | Communications, Cost of Living, Living-In, Utilities
The difficulties associated with living in a developing nation is rich fodder for sarcasm and humor. It puts the "frustrating and hilarious" in our daily lives. As much as we are frustrated by these little difficulties, we’ve chosen to happily suffer...
Nov 4, 2006 | Communications, Cost of Living
Information Give me long distance Long distance Give me heaven… But I digress. The point of this post is to share my new discovery: there IS information here in Costa Rica: dial 113! Today I got Pizza Hut’s number and ordered pizza. Man, this is living....
Sep 26, 2006 | Amistad Institute, Communications, Culture Shock, Expat, Spanish
In the great landscape of Things To Know When Moving to Costa Rica, you start with Thing 1 and Thing 2. I have heard people say you do not need to learn Spanish to live in Costa Rica. They must be selling real estate. You absolutely DO if you are going to thrive here....
Sep 21, 2006 | Communications, Spanish
The Spanish word esposo [e-SPO-so] means husband. One meaning. The Spanish word esposa [e-SPO-sa] means wife. It also means handcuffs. You KNOW a guy thought of this. *********** OKAY OKAY: I stand corrected. Fortunately, I’m used to this living with teenagers....
Jun 4, 2006 | Communications, Culture Shock, Farmer's Market, MORGAN, RYAN, Spanish, Teenagers
Wherever we go, everyone assumes the boys are ticos. And wondering why these great looking tico kids are dragging around those dumb old pasty-faced gringos… Pretty amusing. It gets really hysterical when the local doing the assuming speaks rapid-fire Spanish to...