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| The farming town of Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica from a walk over the hill above my house. My house is bottom center between and below the big brown & orange roof houses. Orange roof is my landlord. The church steeple is the center of town, facing Parque Central. |
Must read research article by a Dutch expat living here: 14 Reasons to live in Costa Rica
Hope you will notice that Atenas is the only town mentioned as the only one being in the top 10 places in the world to live! It also has National Geographic’s label of “Best climate in the world.” People have asked me if I ever regret my “radical decision” to move here? The answer is unequivocally “No!” I love it here and continue to slowly become a part of the place. I will have been here 8 months on the 24th of this month!
I live in the Central Valley close to the best shopping, entertainment and medical services, while I can easily travel to a wide range of nature spots in an hour or three! (6 hours to farthermost point in country) Last week I was on Pacific coast just an hour away. In September I go with birding club to the Talamanca Mountains maybe two hours away plus a tack-on adventure of my own. Then in October I go with the club again to the Caribbean coast, maybe 3 hours away, after which I plan to explore further south in the Caribbean. All these exotic vacations almost monthly with no plane fares and moderately priced hotels, meals and transportation. I love being Retired in Costa Rica! I’m “Happier than a Billionaire!” (To borrow the title of another expat’s blog and book)
Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.
~Andre Gide
PURA VIDA!
And if you didn’t bother to go to the link above, here’s the 14 reason without his good intro:
1. Highest score on happy life years by the Happy Planet.
2. Top 10 for best places to live or retire according to International Living.
3. An amazing amount of different locations to live, within a maximum 6 hour drive of each other.
4. The huge Central Valley urban location along with hundreds of beach locations on two coasts.
5. A real democracy with many political parties.
6. NO army and the funds are spent on education.
7. A large number of the habitants are bilingual.
8. The quality lifestyle you have been used to all your life.
9. Perfect weather with many micro climates to choose from.
10. Atenas is on AARP Top 10 for best places to retire abroad.
11. #29 world ranking for Press Freedom by Reporters without Borders in 2010 (1st in Latin America).
12. #31 world ranking for Global Peace by Institute for Economics & Peace in 2011.
13. #49 world ranking for Economic Freedom by the Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal in 2011.
14. Affordable healthcare and an important destination for cosmetic surgery and dentistry.