Living Abroad in Costa Rica

Erin Van Rheenen has written the only guide you will need to move to and live in Costa Rica. Her writing is fresh and lively and her thinking is even better. We know that what she writes is accurate because my wife and I moved here three years ago and our personal experience backs it up. We heartily recommend this book. Stephen and Kathleen Duplantier San Ramon, Alajuela, Costa Rica

In short, if you are thinking of moving or retiring to Costa Rica, this book is a great place to start whether you have been to Costa Rica before, or know nothing at all. This book is an easy read, and very entertaining. I am not one to read an entire work in a few sittings, but before I knew it I had devoured this book. If you are interested in living in or visiting Costa Rica, this is a must read. I have been to Costa Rica several times, and besides being an easy read and an entertaining escape, the information is accurate at the time of writing. The best thing that I liked about the book besides the great information is that it does what a book is supposed to do... Take you away from whatever is going on in the world while you are reading it and transport you somewhere else, in this case Costa Rica. I have shared this book with a number of friends, and they all say the same thing, the book is an easy read, informative, entertaining. I have studied a great deal about Costa Rica, and this book highlights all the important information that I have found in numerous other disparate sources. In short, a great one stop shop for useful information on living in Costa Rica. I have examined numerous travel books on Costa Rica, but this one ranks the highest of what I have found so far.

Most authors have a difficult time summarizing information but this seems to be the strong suit of Van Rheenen's writing. Instead of dictating what to do, the author outlines the many possibilities for living in Costa Rica. The author does a superb job of presenting the best side of the country she calls home, while carefully documenting the potential downsides and difficulties of living in Costa Rica. Best of all, the reader isn't forced to rely on or wonder about the authors' personal credentials in order to establish the validity of the information. Profiles of people from all over the world who have relocated to Costa Rica and made it their home provide the best, most convincing, real time, real world examples of how re-locating can be done. The profiles do not showcase either wealthy retirees with big nest eggs or beach bums who slummed their way to paradise on a dime. These are people who are actually making a living, making money and living well--even if not getting rich--in Costa Rica. Their stories also include the difficulties they have had on their road to financial stability in a foreign country. If you're like me, just toying with the idea of living in Costa Rica but definately want to travel there, this book still provides an excellent guide. Over half its pages are filled with general descriptions of what to see in different areas without getting too bogged down with too many details.

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