The decisions you make in Costa Rica can be the difference between success and failure. With the popularity of Costa Rica as an expat retirement haven there has been a proliferation of expat websites with advice about moving here. One of the first things some neophytes do, who have some knowledge of how a website works, is to to build one about living in Costa Rica. Some sites are just simply blogs where newcomers share their experiences. While others are more sophisticated and dole out information about living here. Many of the latter have videos showing people’s experiences when moving to the country in an effort to help others who are lower on the retirement food chain.

Although much of the information is valuable some of it has to be taken with a “grain of salt” because the people who gathered it really have not lived here long enough to understand how the country works nor do they understand the local culture or speak Spanish. Taking their advice can get you into real trouble.

There are a few neophyte websites which tell you how to live cheaply in Costa Rica. Yes, many of these tips can save you money but might also cost you money because the information is incorrect. Usually expats who are really money conscious are those who were never really successful in their home country or knew absolutely nothing about financial planning. Consequently, they are forced to live on a shoestring in Costa Rica.

If they didn’t have the intelligence or know-how to do well in their original country, What makes you think they suddenly became financial geniuses just by moving to Costa Rica? Knowledge is usually based on experience in a particular field and requires a lot of time and effort. Obviously the people behind these websites may have opinions about living here but most are NOT qualified to give good advice.

It is funny how most Americans who move here after one year think they know everything. I have witnessed this situation over and over again. I guess it is called the “the know-it-all syndrome after one year.”

I don’t mean do denigrate anyone but want those thinking of moving here to have the most reliable, correct, time-tested and objective information to ensure their success and reduce the possibility of failure. The bottom line is to look for time-tested experts and information to avoid headaches and not rely on the Internet forums and neophyte websites. If you have a major medical issue I am quite sure you will seek out a doctor with many years of experience in his field. Use the same logic when thinking about living in Costa Rica.

One of the guests who took my monthly Relocation and Retirement tour a couple of years ago recently asked me for advice. He told me that one of the reasons he had moved to Costa Rica was to seek peace and quiet. Much to his surprise he found neither because of some problematic neighbors.

As you know most Costa Ricans are fun-loving people and like their fiestas (parties). It turns out that such activities often last into the wee hours of the night and can be one of the major causes of conflicts between neighbors. Barking dogs can also cause also be a cause of problems between neighbors.

As a foreigner what can you do if your neighbors make a lot of noise? Let’s suppose that they are having a late-night party and as the night progresses the gathering gets rowdy and the people more and more boisterous. The first thing you should do is approach your neighbor and state in a nice way that the excess of noise is aggravating you. Hopefully, you can speak enough Spanish or your neighbor speaks some English.

If that doesn’t work you can then contact the Fuerza Pública (local police) who will ask your neighbor to tone things down. Although the police show up they cannot force your neighbor to suspend the activity. The job of the police is to act as mediators between neighbors. If the police do come usually most neighbors are cooperative.

My son has a rock band and they rehearse at least once a month at my home. On several occasions an unknown neighbor called the police to complain. Since the rehearsals are in the afternoon all the police could do was ask the boys to town down their amplifiers. However, after 10 pm the police can demand you lower the level of the noise.

What happens if excessive levels of noise turns into a recurrent problem? You can then make a denuncia (formal accusation) with the Ministerio de Salud or Health Ministry. Then one of their employees will then check out the situation to see if the noise exceeds the legal limit permitted by law. If it turns out that the noise is above the legal limit the Ministry can then ask the neighbor to resolve the problem. If the neighbor doesn’t comply then a formal hearing is scheduled between the parties involved to try and resolve the situation.

The other night my girlfriend and I had dinner with Ron Brocca at his beautiful home in Los Angeles de Heredia. The area is absolutely is reminiscent of Switzerland with its many vistas, verdant hillsides and meadows and pine trees.

Ron is an example of a retiree who has made good use of his time while in the country and excelled at his craft. He was born in Italy and eventually emigrated to Canada where he became a successful electrical engineer and architect. However, his real talent was painting. He was blessed with a natural gift for his craft and never received any formal training. Anyone who has seen his incredible paintings in person would find it hard to believe that they were done by a self-taught artist.

When Ron retired a few years back and wanted to relocate to a country with warm weather to pursue his passion as an artist. He narrowed his choices to Costa Rica, Panama and an island in the Caribbean. After visiting these countries he decided on Costa Rica. He liked the fact that Costa Rica had no military and above all the limitless subject matter the country’s natural settings provided for his paintings.

With the help of knowledgeable realtor Ron found a home that met his needs and where he could purse his passion. His house is in an upscale gated community in the mountains about fifteen minutes by car or bus form the city of Heredia. It has four levels and is mainly built of wood. Ron converted the fourth floor loft-like room into his personal studio. It is filled with all of his materials, the tools of his trade and some of his works in different stages of development. Ron’s finished paintings hang from almost every rafter and wall in the home. What really stands out is the level of detail of his work. His skillful technique captures even the most minute details of nature and rivals photography in terms of the clarity of the images.

A sample of Ron’s paintings may be viewed on his website at www.ronbrocca.com. However, I must add they have to be seen and experienced in person to appreciate their overwhelming beauty and realism.

By the way, Ron has multiple talents one of which is cooking. The night my girlfriend and I visited him he prepared a delicious three-course meal. Like painting Ron’s culinary talent is innate.

I usually write about topics that pertaining to people of retirement age but found this subject interesting because it illustrates the low cost of health care in Costa Rica.

In the United States the cost of giving birth can depend on which state you live in. In some states it is much cheaper to give birth. It is much cheaper to give birth, for example, in lower income states like Iowa and Kansas. Hospitals and doctors are forced to adjust their fees because the average median income is much lower than other places like California or Colorado. Generally, it costs more to give birth in places where there is a larger percentage of people with high incomes. Hospital fees can also impact the cost of the birth. The average vaginal childbirth cost around $7,737or more. Most hospitals charge additional fees for the surgery or they take a portion of what the doctor makes. Cesarean-sections are on the rise and more surgical births are done every day, causing the cost of care to go through the roof. One-third of all U.S. babies are born via C-sections, at an average cost of $10,958, which is $3,000 more than vaginal births. The cost goes up depending on how long the patient stays in the hospital and if any complication arises before or after the delivery.

Now let’s look at the cost in Costa Rica. If you belong to the Caja or public health care system your childbirth is free. The only thing you really have to pay is your monthly premium which is under $40.

If a woman chooses a private hospital, the fees are high for Costa Rica but low in comparison to the United States. The Clínica Bíblica charges about $1400 for a vaginal birth and $1800 for a Cesarean section. A vaginal birth at Cima hospital is around $3,000. The Clínica Católica charges $1,250 for a vaginal birth and around $2,000 for a Cesarean section. The Jerusalem Hospital and Clínica Santa Rita have similar prices. Private hospitals offer additional services like photographs of the mother and child and hair styling for the mother.

Recently Costa Rica was rated number one in Latin America for freedom of the press. In fact, the country was ranked number 19 world-wide in this category. Finland was in first place. In Latin America Uruguay was in second place and in Central America El Salvador followed Costa Rica in the rankings.

Reporters Without Borders is the agency that awarded this honor to Costa Rica. This organization has fought for press freedom on a daily basis since it was founded in 1985. In some countries a journalist can be thrown in prison for years for a single offending word or photo. Jailing or killing a journalist removes a vital witness to events and threatens the right of us all to be informed. You may view their website at: www.rsf.org.

What does this honor mean for Costa Rica? If reflects the country’s stability, democracy and respect for freedom of the press. In Costa Rica everyone can express their thoughts although not everyone agrees. It is this freedom of ideas that lead to a better quality of life for not only Costa Ricans but foreign retirees, too.

This achievement also means that the country has evolved and is sure to lead to improvements and development in other areas. Costa Ricans should feel proud for being able to express truth. This equates to real freedom. In countries like Mexico scores of reporters have been murdered for expressing their views. Reporters here don’t have to worry about reprisals for telling the truth. Indeed, we are fortunate to live in such a great country.