Job Discussion Forums

[Calliope688]

I'm moving there to teach in July. When I moved to Japan there were plenty of things I wish I'd known to bring and others I wish I'd left behind. So...what are your top things to bring or leave when moving to Costa Rica?

[treasurechess]

Bring 2 umbrellas, boots, sandals, and 2 atm cards.

[cocinero]

I guess alot depends on if you are planning on staying for a short time vs. permanent. I live here permanently and if I had to do it over, I would have left my car and I would have sold off most of the my material possessions instead of paying to move them here and then paying more to get them thru customs. Between what's available in San Jose and the internet, you should want for very little. Before coming to Costa Rica, I set up a bank account stateside with a credit card and international debit card. That allows me to withdraw money from an ATM machine here. I also have an account with Aerocasillas (www.aeropost.com) which allows me to order on the internet with a ship-to address to Miami where it is then forwarded to Costa Rica. This is good for anything you can't find in Costa Rica or for items like digital cameras, MP3 players, etc. that are expensive here. I've been using this system for years and to tell you the truth, the only thing I miss about the U.S. is the skiing.

[treasurechess]

More on what to bring: possibly a laptop, a waterproof pancho with a hood, a couple of good books that you could not put down, insect repellent, possibly a mosquito net, possibly a pair of binoculars, vitamins, a Bible if you're a Christian...otherwise other books on the meaning of life...