How Costa Rica became home
The decision began in Peru in August 2007. I arrived in Costa Rica on January 6, 2008 to study Spanish in Orosi. I had limited Spanish, no job waiting for me and expected the experience to last about six months.
I have now lived here for 18 years, mostly in Orosi and for several years in Paraíso. I became a Costa Rican citizen and built ordinary life here—not resort life.
What lived experience can offer
Time in a country does not make someone an expert on every legal or financial question. It does reveal patterns: what newcomers underestimate, how location changes routine, why Spanish matters and which irreversible decisions deserve more patience.
My approach
I combine firsthand experience with careful sourcing and clear boundaries.
- Decision before destination
- Rent before buying
- Test ordinary life before commitment
- Separate experience from verified fact
- Use qualified professionals for consequential advice
Who this site is for
This site is primarily for English-speaking adults researching retirement or long-term relocation six months to three years before a possible move. It is for people who want an honest answer—even when that answer complicates the dream.
Teaching shapes how I explain the move
My background includes many years of online English teaching. That experience has taught me to break complicated subjects into manageable questions and to listen for what a person is actually trying to understand.
I bring that approach to this site. A useful explanation should help you take the next step, not leave you with a longer list of impressive-sounding terms.
My experience has a location
Most of my life in Costa Rica has been in Orosi, with several years in Paraíso. I do not present that as experience living in every town or province. When a page discusses another area, the distinction between personal experience and researched orientation matters.
The videos on Expat Living in Costa Rica with Dave offer another way to get to know my approach. Use the channel alongside the written guides; check the date of any time-sensitive discussion before relying on it.
Common questions
Has Dave lived throughout Costa Rica?
His supplied history is mainly Orosi and Paraíso in Cartago Province. Other location material is researched orientation, not a claim of living everywhere.