By: Scott Pralinsky

Night on the Town
June 25, 2006

Sometimes (okay, pretty often) I run into situations which remind me why I escaped the United States in the first place. Last night was one of them. I went to a club with some friends called Osio in Escazu. I had been there three times before last night, but wasn’t able to get in. It’s one of those places where people crowd to the door outside and wait to get “chosen” by the bouncers for the honor of entering (while still having to pay the cover, of course).

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Cars and Trucks
June 23, 2006

Though there are many things in Costa Rica one can buy for less than in other parts of the world, automobiles and electronics are not among them. About six months after I moved to Costa Rica I bought a 1999 Mitsubishi Nativa (similar to the Sport they sell in the US) for $20,000. I could have picked it up in CA for about $6,000 through a dealer friend of mine.

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Manuel Antonio
June 20, 2006

Isaac and I went to the beach this past weekend. Manuel Antonio is one of our favorite areas, and not just because it’s the gay mecca of Costa Rica. It’s breathtakingly gorgeous!

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Residency Update
June 20, 2006

President Arias is planning on sending a bill to the Legislative Assembly that would prevent the new Immigration Law from taking effect in August.

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The lowdown on safety of tourists and residents
June 17, 2006

Many people planning a vacation in Costa Rica, or thinking about living here are worried about safety. Some of them write to me about their concerns. Perhaps it is time for a column discussing how safe is Costa Rica.

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Great News!
June 16, 2006

We got a call from our lawyer this morning. Turns out that the judge threw the case out, so now (unless this guy appeals it) he can’t sue us again for assault with a weapon or for stealling his property. Maybe he’ll take the judge’s advice and sue the woman (Karen Belyea) who got us all into this mess in the first place!

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Harvest Time
June 15, 2006

Yippee! I’m very excited to say pulled our very first vegetables out of the new garden today. Here you can see a picture of Isaac holding the radishes we ate in our salad for lunch. The picture below is a shot of the garden itself.

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Buyer Beware!
June 15, 2006

The legal system in the United States is hard enough (okay, impossible) for me to understand. But then try to figure this all out in Costa Rica! More than overwhelming.

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Be Careful!
June 14, 2006

Today I want to chat for a second about safety. Always a boring subject, I know. But it’s important. I have to say that it’s very easy to forget about the reality of certain situations here in Costa Rica at times, being that much of the country is “modernized.” That is to say that we’re not all living in the jungle.

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How to Help
June 11, 2006

At least once a week I get emails from people coming to Costa Rica wondering how it is they can help. They are often willing to bring down things to donate. So I thought I’d create a post with a bit more information in the event you — or someone you know — is coming to visit soon. Perhaps you’d consider packing a couple of extra things for those in need?

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