... Keeping Busy and Happy in Costa Rica ...
by Christopher Howard M.A.
Author of The New Golden Door Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica

Retirement or just living in another country often present new challenges for people because perhaps for the first time they are confronted with having a plethora of leisure time and the problem of what to do to with it. Costa Rica is a wonderful place to live because of the wealth of activites from which to choose. As one of our American friends referred to his busy life in Costa Rica, "My days are so fulfilling, that each day in Costa Rica seems like a whole lifetime".

In Costa Rica you have no excuse for being bored or inactive, unless you are just plain lazy. There is some hobby or pastime for everyone regardless of age or interests. Even if you cannot pursue your favorite hobbies, you can get involved in something new and exciting. Best of all, by participating in some of the activities mentioned in this article, you will meet other people with common interests and cultivate new friendships in the process.

Learn the Language
One rewarding way to spend your time is by studying Spanish. Most people you meet will also be expatriates, so you probably won't need that much Spanish to enjoy yourself. However, the happiest expats seem to be those who speak Spanish. They are able to enjoy the culture more fully, mix with the locals and make new friends in the process. However, you will be surprised how many ticos speak some English and dying for the chance to perfect their English language skills while you work on your Spanish. Perhaps you can find someone to exchange language lessons with. This is a good way to make new acquaintances and learn how Spanish is really spoken. If you take our advice and choose to study Spanish, for a modest fee you can enroll at one of Costa Rica's intensive conversational language schools. Most language schools offer different levels of instruction to suit a student's particular needs. In addition to language instruction, these schools offer exciting field trips and interesting activities which provide you with the chance to make new friends. Spanish is not a difficult language to learn. With a little self-discipline and motivation, anyone can acquire a basic Spanish survival vocabulary of between 200 and 3000 words in a relatively short time. The learning process never stops so studying Spanish can be a life-long project.

Reading Materials in English
Books, newspapers, magazines and other printed matter in English are available at most leading bookstores, in souvenir shops of larger hotels and at some newsstands. There is no problem obtaining copies of New York Times, Time or Newsweek in Costa Rica. The Miami Herald international satellite edition is now available in Costa Rica. You can pick up most English newspapers and magazines at local newsstands, hotels and some bookstores. Many bookstores carry a large selection of books in English. Three major libraries in the San José area have large collections of English language books and magazines. The place to go for the best selection of books is the Mark Twain Library at the North American-Central American Culture Institute, commonly known as the Centro Cultural.

Television and Video Rentals
Several companies offer satellite cable television in Costa Rica, so you won't have to worry about missing your favorite U.S. TV shows. A variety of American television channels are available for viewing and entertainment at a low cost - CBS, NBC,ABC, FOX, HBO, CNN, ESPN, and TNT to name a few.

Since 1997 DirectTV has been operating in Costa Rica. With this system you can receive up to 100 channels including "Pay Per View"(Cine Directo), for watching special events.

There are dozens of stores which rent videos in English conveninetly located all over the country. Just as in in the U.S. you may rent new releases, classic movies or video games for the kids.

More Activities
Costa Rica has a wealth of indoor and outdoor activities designed for everyone regardless of sex, age, personal taste or budget. All of us-Costa Ricans, tourists and foreign residents-can participate in river rafting (some of the world's best), camping, walking groups, dancing, racketball, weight lifting, tennis, baseball, soccer, swimming and surfing, jogging, bicycling, horseback riding, and sailing. There are also ceramic classes, movies, art galleries, social clubs, parks, zoos and more. Some people spend their time surfing the Worls Wide Web. There is a Theater group, a Canadian Club, Women's club, Scrabble, bridge and a T'ai Chi club. One can even study yoga, painting, writing, pottery, gardening, holistic medicine. The country club set plays golf, graces swimming pools and dines elegantly. To find other activities or a club, look under the weekly "What's Doing" section in the Tico Times. Dedicated couch-potatoes can even stretch out and admire the lovely landscape or work on improving their suntans.

There are more than 30 museums scattered around Costa Rica displaying everything from pre-Columbian artifacts to the history of railways. Many are conveniently located in downtown San José. Most guidebooks have maps showing their locations. Although not as impressive as museums in the States or Europe, there is still a lot to see. In general, Costa Rica's museums provide a good perspective on the history and culture of the country. Costa Rica's beautiful scenery and spring-like weather provide a perfect setting for playing golf. It is no surprise the sport has really taken-off over the last couple of years and is on the verge of a boom. The country promises to become a premier golf travel destination in the future with the opening of public courses. Costa Rica is considered to be one of the best year-round fishing areas has some of the world's best sportfishing. Fishing is outstanding almost all of the time and almost everywhere in Costa Rica. Take your choice. Fish either the Caribbean or the Pacific, but don't forget those gentle miles of meandering rivers or the fresh water lakes. Lake Arenal is famous for its guapote bass. More important, most fishing areas are only a few hours driving time from anywhere in Costa Rica. Unlike many resort areas in Mexico and Latin America, Costa Rica's beautiful tropical beaches and 767 miles of coastline are virtually unspoiled. Water temperatures are very warm so you can stay in all day. Since Costa Rica is rich not only in natural beauty but in all varities of wild life, Costa Ricans have set aside 20% of their territory and established 36 national parks and preserves to protect the flora and fauna of their country. Nature lovers will find plenty to do here to stay occupied.

Nightlife and Entertainment
There are countless open air restaurants, bars, dance halls and discotheques all over San José and in most other parts of the country. Costa Ricans love to party and dance. Most of these night spots will appeal to anyone from- 16 to 50 give or take a little for the young at heart. No doubt when you have lived in the country for a while, you will be bitten by the dance bug. If you want to learn how to dance like a Costa Rican, affordable lessons are give at El Malecón Escuela de Bailes Populares and Merecumbé dance schools.

There are several gringo bars, which cater almost exclusively to expatriates in downtown San José or nearby. Although we don't recommend hanging out at these places 24-hours a day, there is no better way to hear stories about life in the tropics, keep up on local gossip, meet some colorful local characters and gather tips about living in Costa Rica while you sip your favorite beverage. Costa Rica has about twenty casinos, most in the San José area and a few at beach resorts. Rules differ slightly than in the U.S.A. or Europe, but gambling is fun to learn the Costa Rican way. There are movie theaters all over the San José area and in other large cities. Most of these theaters show first-run movies usually a month or two after they first screen in the United States. The Cinemark movie theater in Multiplaza shopping center offers U.S.-style stadium seating, 8 screens and hot buttered popcorn. San José is purported to have more theaters and theater companies per capita than any other city in the world. Most live plays are in Spanish but there are occasional plays in English at the North American Cultural Center. The Little Theatre Group is Costa Rica's only English-language acting troupe and frequently presents plays in English. If you decide to move to Costa rica, whatever you do, don't make the mistake of being idle. The worst thing you can do is spend all your time drinking in one of the many gringo hangouts in downtown San José. Over the years we have seen many fellow Americans fail to use their time constructively, and destroy their lives by becoming alcoholics while living in Costa Rica-a few even died prematurely. Use the information in this article, and take advantage of all the activities Costa Rica offers.

Christopher Howard M.A. is the author of "The New Golden Door Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica," He is also a paid consultant for National Geographic in Costa Rica. For more information call 800-365-2342, access: www.costaricabooks.com or www.publishingonline.com to directly download his books from the Internet. Mr. Howard also conducts monthly one-of-a-kind exploratory trips for those wanting to live in Costa Rica Please call toll-free 800-493-8426, e-mail: crbooks@racsa.co.cr or tico@gate.net. Contact them to see how your can win a FREE round-trip ticket to Costa Rica on one of their tours. Mr. Howard also works as a paid consultant for newcomers and those thinking of investing or going into business. For a listing of his services see: www. liveincostarica.com. Anyone needing assistance may contact him directly at: crbooks@racsa.co.cr.