Living Abroad in Costa Rica

Rating:
Summary: Best in Class
Review: Having traveled over much of the world, I am not a newcomer to this type of book. I think this is the most comprehensive, best written book of its class that I have come across. My husband and have been considering retirement in Costa Rica (even more so since the recent election) and Ms. Van Rheenen answered every question we had thought of and some we hadn't. Her knowledge of the culture, history, geography, health care, etc. is obvious and I would recommend this as an essential read for anyone traveling to or thinking of living in Costa Rica

Rating:
Summary: A Superb Travel and Living Guide to Costa Rica
Review: Having traveled to Costa Rica several times over the last 15 years - for both pleasure and business - the idea of making The Move, of leaving yourself behind, is a reoccurring thought and increasingly dear to my heart.

In planning another trip this spring I came across Ms. Van Rheenen's splendid "Living Abroad in Costa Rica" doing a search on Amazon. Frankly, I expected one more of those endless travel book-of-lists, where one looks up a town or region only to find suspect hotel snap shots and questionable restaurant reviews.

Instead I found a wealth of very detailed information, thorough, logically laid out and well packaged. Further, the authors personal commentary is both insightful and often very funny. For example, her observation that the availability of single cigarettes at street kiosks allows you to "pretend you're not really a smoker" or in her discussion of the healthcare system; a fellow who had opted back into the state system and "was trying to schedule his operation within the next decade." Unlike most travel books, "Living Abroad in Costa Rica" is well worth reading cover to cover.

Finally, having actually read the book, I was struck by Mr. Taylor's odd review. He seems caught up in how much time the author does or doesn't spend in Costa Rico (how would he know?) declaring her not to be a "true" authority. Maybe he wishes he wrote his own book? I guess the drive by some folks to create a Social Register for the purpose of excluding others exists everywhere. I must say that in the specific areas in which I have experience, Ms. Van Rheenen was 100% on the mark, and I expect that holds true for the rest of the book.

Ms. Van Rheenen writes:

"If you want to sleepwalk trough life, don't come here. Being alert is the price you pay (or the reward) for not being told at every turn what to do. For those who adapt well to it, Costa Rica is the ideal place to live a rich independent life , and a great place to make a fresh start."


Rating:
Summary: An Outsider's View of Costa Rica
Review: I have been residing in Costa Rica for about 10 years and have had the chance to read every book about the country. So I consider myself qualified to review books on the subject.

I just finished "Living Abroad in Costa Rica" and found it to contain a substantial amount of information about making the move and living here. On the surface it is well written as are the majority of Ävalon's generic guidebooks.

However, I am reluctant to recommend it to potential residents and newcomers beacuse the author never lived in the country long enough to be considered a "true" authority on the subject. I found out through a mutual friend that the writer doesn't even live in Costa Rica full time and came here to research the book. This method works for someone who is writing a standard travel guide geared towards tourists, but falls far short when writing a guidebook about living in a foreign country.

Credible writers spend years in a country before they are considered qualified to write on the subject. One just can't know about the culture in such a short period of time. If the writer had lived here for many years I would have given the book a higher rating. Her inexperience just doesn't justify a better rating.

Steve Taylor

Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive overview of Costa Rica; a must read!
Review: This book gave detailed information on all aspects of travel and living in Costa Rica. It gave many useful hints of an itinerary and places to stay. Highly recommended!