Job Discussion Forums

[Slushmier]

Hi all, this is my first posting and I apologize if I'm repeating an existing post (though I couldn't find one). I'm currently looking to go down to Costa Rica at the beginning of next year, around the end of January or beginning of February.

I know there are about a million places in San Jose to find a job, but one particular place in Heredia is very appealing to me, so I was hoping to inquire about what life is like in Heredia as opposed to San Jose? Since I'm essentially a shy person I'm really curious if there's a good gringo culture in Heredia so that I wouldn't have to sit in my place by myself every night crying myself to sleep while listening to the Smiths. Also, as one my primary purposes of going to Costa Rica is to improve my Spanish, is it a good city for that? Will people shout English at me like they do in Spain or listen to me as I butcher the subjunctive time and time again?

Also, how vibrant is the city? Does it have a good nightlife, good cultural things to do (movie theatre, concerts, etc.)?

Thanks for any insight you can give.

[John Hall]

If you hang out with gringos (especially the retired ones), it's highly unlikely you will improve your Spanish. Besides, many of the older ones have been in (the casinos of) Costa Rica for years, spend practically all of their time dissing Costa Rica, and can't even ask where the bathroom is in Spanish. There are some who are exceptions, but I have met too many of the 70-year-old gringos with 16-year-old Tica girlfriends from poor families while I have been in Costa Rica, and I go out of my way to avoid those type of gringos like the plague.

[cocinero]

Well said and so true from John Hall. Too many gringos are here for the wrong reasons. Here's my two cents: If you're going to work in Heredia, then it will save you a lot of time living in the area as traffic in Heredia continues to get worse every year. Getting in and out of Heredia will be your first lessons in learning patience in Costa Rica. I don't live in Heredia but I always liked the area, however I don't know of any culture or nightlife there, your best bet would be somewhere else in the city for that. My advice is if you want to learn Spanish, stay away from the gringos and get to know the locals. Ticos are friendly people who rarely shout about anything (except soccer). You can practice with them and they will show you where the night life is.

[davechile]

You may consider a Homestay as well. It will kill three birds with one stone. One: You confront your shyness since you have to interact with the family. Two: You learn Spanish because you are forced to. Three: It is generally cheaper than getting your own apartment. Not to mention the cultural experience and possibility of forming a life long friendship with the family.

You will meet more than your share of gringos in CR. Fellow teachers, Americans, Canadians, and Germans are everywhere!

I have visited twice before and love the country. You will have a wonderful experience that you will never forget, and turn your friends green with envy at the stories you tell.
How long do you plan to stay?

D

[dan_lawrence]

[John Hall]

I protest too much?!? What about those who spend their retirement sitting around complaining about how things are done in an oh-so-much better way in the U.S.A.? Of course many things are better in the U.S.! Costa Rica is a developing country! But why spend your retirement in a country that you deride? In the end, many of these people despise Costa Rica so much that they pack up and leave.

My advice: stay away from all unilingual naysayers by immersing yourself in Spanish. You will get a much richer cultural experience by doing so.

[Seibu]

John....

Thanks for the excellent replies. The insight you provide to this board is invaluable.

Having said that, I can imagine there are scores of retired/over paid Americans living the cheaper life in CR and complaining all day long about it. But, you can find these people in just about any ex-pat community out there.

I never understood the gaijin in Japan, the farang in Thailand and the ex-pats in 'Nam that ran down the country yet were too stupid to realize that the flights at the airport flew both ways.

[pojohnny]

Well, I've just arrived here in C.R and am about to start my TEFL training. I was sort of sitting on the fence regarding whether to homestay with a Tico family or share an apartment with a fellow trainee. I'm definitely going to go with a family homestay now.

Great thread.

[OleLarssen]

[Canatica]

hey...

heredia definitely isn't overrun by gringos like some other parts of costa rica, but at the same time, you're likely to see at least a few if you spend the day walking around heredia. i just moved to barva, which is a small town just outside of the city of heredia. i think heredia is great, and the most attractive city in the central valley. there is also plenty of demand for english teachers, and all sorts of schools demanding anything from a masters in efl to no experience at all. i'm teaching full time in heredia, and in barva i've basically been bombarded with requests for private lessons. as for meeting people, i'm renting a room from a woman and her family so i speak to her in spanish all the time. there are several ads up around downtown heredia and especially in the universities for people wanting to rent rooms. this is also a much cheaper option than renting a whole apartment. also, once you get moved into a neighbourhood, start relationships with the people who work in the corner stores, and the people on your block. it depends on what your neighbourhood is like of course, but i'm starting to make some tico friends this way.

Hope that helps!

[JAppleby]

I definitely recommend a homestay. I studied here four years ago, and I stayed with a family for that. It was great, and when I decided I wanted to come back and spend some time teaching, they offered to let me stay with them until I found a place of my own. So I was with them for the first two months I was here. I was definitely speaking more Spanish when I was living with them, and now that I'm living with roommates, one of which doesn't really speak Spanish, I can tell that my Spanish has slipped a little. So the homestay is definitely the best bet if you want to improve your Spanish, either that or try to find a Spanish-speaking roommate. Another neat thing is to get to know your students and hang out with them. You can spend some time helping them with their English and some time getting help on your Spanish.

[snorklequeen]

a friend who is a Tica and her husband divorced [he's a gringo who speaks no Spanish] a few years back. he's probably the 70 year old gringo with the 16 year old Tica girlfriend you mentioned, John Hall.

those who can do, those who can't, complain, ya know?

i traveled in CR for 10 days with 6 friends in 1995. i was the only one who had ever, in their entire life, studied Spanish, and hadn't used it for about 3 decades. circumstances forced me to speak Spanish to the locals out in the countryside and it was great fun! the people were thrilled that i would even try to blend into their culture -- sometimes, i was only making up words and phrases, putting a Spanish pronunciation on it and hoping for the best, when i couldn't remember a word; they seemed to get the gist anyway, and i did actually recall some Spanish words and present tense conjugation. my point is that it was so easy to just try, and the people were so appreciative of it. they will almost pull the words out of your mouth, they are so happy that you are speaking in Spanish, esp. the ones who speak no ENglish. they are just great people, very forgiving if you try to fit in.

some Gringos probably get charged higher prices than Ticos cuz they act like ugly Americans, don't try to fit in, expect everyone to adapt to them including the Ticos whose country they chose to live in cuz they don't want to make any effort at all, then complain. if they would learn some Spanish and be kind, things would be so different, imho. we were lost in Alajuela, and a taxi driver lead us through town in his cab spending one half hour of his time doing that when he could have been earning money and did not want to be paid for it -- because i asked him for directions in Spanish and was sweet/gracious to him. a maid at a hotel on the west coast did all my laundry for me in the hotel's commercial laundromat, after she had already worked 10 hours that day -- all i did was ask her in Spanish in a friendly way if there was a laundromat with coin-operated machines so i could do my laundry myself, and smiled a warm smile. she even gave me laundry detergent from the hotel so i didn't have to go buy any. we talked in Spanish while the clothes were going, and she did everything she could to make our stay pleasant; it was a small hotel. i didn't set out to get them to do stuff for me; i just simply asked for their assistance in a kind and friendly way.

don't be too shy; the people are grand!

[Ecrivain]

I would say that Heredia is a good place to live and work. I started out living just south of San Jose and I'm glad to be away from that area. Heredia is cleaner and *seems* safer (but don't let your guard down - there's still plenty of crime).

With all of the university students here, there are plenty of places to party at night. There are movie theatres and a mall and lots of shops and restaurants and bars. You can definitely keep yourself busy if you want to. The universities offer cultural activities like theatre, music, and art shows too.

You'll find plenty of people that speak English in Heredia, but the Ticos will appreciate any effort that you make to speak Spanish. Often, I'll start off in my meagre Spanish, and people will take pity on me and attempt English, resulting in some interesting Spanglish conversations.

[doreenp]

I lived in Heredia my first year in CR. I loved it, actually i like it alot better than living in San Pedro.

Great shopping, malls if you prefer them, theaters, the central park is a great Sunday afternoon people watching place. Lots of opportunities for work and lots of buses into SJ if you want to go there for other cultural events.

I would definitely do a homestay if you're main objective is to improve your Spanish. If you read my other older posts, you'll get information on a family i still keep in touch with and visit as often as i can.

good luck
cheers
d

[Slushmier]

Thanks all for the replies; I definitely feel a lot better about Heredia now (I'll just avoid the xenophobic, expat, retired people).

I am actually not looking to dedicate myself to Gringo culture, but it is a bit easier to strike up a conversation with someone that doesn't have the language barrier and sometimes you just want to go to a bar and not think about every word before you speak. However, I already learned from studying abroad in Spain that all Gringo friends means all gringospeak, so I will definitely try to meet Ticos so as not to isolate myself.

I'm not exactly sure how long I'll be there, but my two life plans seem to indicate either 6 or 18 months. I'm still torn about a homestay, but if I don't do one I definitely still would like to have a Tico/a roommate.