Moon Living Abroad in Costa Rica |  | Author: Erin Van Rheenen
Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
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Seller: allnewbooks
Rating:  38 reviews
Sales Rank: 59877
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2nd
Pages: 448
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.3 x 1
ISBN: 1598800078
Dewey Decimal Number: 917
EAN: 9781598800074
ASIN: 1598800078
Publication Date: August 31, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Erin Van Rheenen, the expert on relocating to Costa Rica, has made the move herself and provides insight and first-hand advice to navigating the language and culture of this beautiful country. Van Rheenen outlines all the information needed in a smart, organized, and straightforward manner, making planning the move abroad manageable. Moon Living Abroad Costa Rica makes the moving and transition process easy for businesspeople, students, teachers, retirees, and professionals. Moon Living Abroad Costa Rica is packed with essential information and must-have details on getting established abroad, including how to obtain visas, ways to arrange finances, tips on gaining employment, advice on choosing schools, and where to find health care. This relocation guide also includes practical advice on how to rent or buy a home for a variety of needs and budgets, whether it’s a condo in the San José suburb of Escazú, a wooden house in coastal Tortuguero, or a mountain retreat with a view of Arenal Volcano. All Moon Living Abroad Guides include color photos, black-and-white photographs, black-and-white illustrations, and maps.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 38
 A Superb Travel and Living Guide to Costa Rica December 20, 2004
R. Colman (Texas)
80 out of 81 found this review helpful
Having traveled to Costa Rica several times over the last 15 years - for both pleasure and business - the idea of making The Move, of leaving yourself behind, is a reoccurring thought and increasingly dear to my heart.
In planning another trip this spring I came across Ms. Van Rheenen's splendid "Living Abroad in Costa Rica" doing a search on Amazon. Frankly, I expected one more of those endless travel book-of-lists, where one looks up a town or region only to find suspect hotel snap shots and questionable restaurant reviews.
Instead I found a wealth of very detailed information, thorough, logically laid out and well packaged. Further, the authors personal commentary is both insightful and often very funny. For example, her observation that the availability of single cigarettes at street kiosks allows you to "pretend you're not really a smoker" or in her discussion of the healthcare system; a fellow who had opted back into the state system and "was trying to schedule his operation within the next decade." Unlike most travel books, "Living Abroad in Costa Rica" is well worth reading cover to cover.
Finally, having actually read the book, I was struck by Mr. Taylor's odd review. He seems caught up in how much time the author does or doesn't spend in Costa Rico (how would he know?) declaring her not to be a "true" authority. Maybe he wishes he wrote his own book? I guess the drive by some folks to create a Social Register for the purpose of excluding others exists everywhere. I must say that in the specific areas in which I have experience, Ms. Van Rheenen was 100% on the mark, and I expect that holds true for the rest of the book.
Ms. Van Rheenen writes:
"If you want to sleepwalk trough life, don't come here. Being alert is the price you pay (or the reward) for not being told at every turn what to do. For those who adapt well to it, Costa Rica is the ideal place to live a rich independent life , and a great place to make a fresh start."
Best in Class November 6, 2004
K. Mueller (S.F. Bay Area)
53 out of 59 found this review helpful
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
Easy to read and very entertaining July 5, 2006
V. Bishop (Austin, TX)
19 out of 20 found this review helpful
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.
Van Rheenen provides competent, balanced description November 12, 2005
Justin M. Teerlinck
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
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.
Erin knows October 21, 2007
Stephen Duplantier (Costa Rica)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
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
Showing reviews 1-5 of 38
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