Five Important Things You Sould Know Before Visiting Costa Rica
Possibly the best tourist destination in the Western Hemisphere – Costa Rica doesn’t get the respect that it deserves. Probably because this destination doesn’t have the big money casinos and resorts. It appeals more to lovers of natural beauty. If you love to spend time outdoors, or are the adventurous type, and not a member of the resort hotel, golfing/ shopping crowd, then Costa Rica will be the discovery of a lifetime for you.
Costa Rica is Rich in Natural Beauty
Where else can you find isolated beaches, forests teeming with howler monkeys, birds, and beautiful butterflies, some as large as your hand. It also has some of the most beautiful, warm, whitewater river adventures in the world. All this sitting under spectacular volcanic mountains, some of which are still active. It is an incredible choice for a vacation trip.
Costa Rica is Really Rugged
Costa Rica is a rugged land. Much of it is mountains, forest, and hills. It takes about twice as long to get anywhere as you expect looking at the distances involved. The roads have been carved out of rugged hillsides, many are not paved, and the rainy season can beat them up.
Avoid the Rainy Season if you Like the Mountains
On the Caribbean slope the rainy season begins in April and continues through December. An average rainy season day will begins clear then it clouds up and rains. In contrast, the driest months of February and March, days are almost entirely without rainfall.
On the Pacific slope the rainy season begins in May and runs until November. Again, days begin sunny and pleasant, with rains coming later in the day. In the northern half of the country, the Pacific slope experiences an more intense dry season, in which no rain may fall for several months.
If you want to plan a visit during the rainy season, no problem. The rain is usually a welcome break in an easy going day. Just be careful when planning trips in the mountains and river rafting. Heavy rains can change close roads and make rivers rise.
Tours and Guides are a Great Way to See Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a relaxed tropical paradise with a relaxed and efficient way of life. The “Tico’s” prefer living in small villages and towns. Their country is really quite small, about the size of west Virginia. So they really don’t need road sign and mileage markers. Great for them, bad for first time visitors from the US who are used to Freeway exist signs. If you get a guide for most excursions around the country, you wont have to develop the sixth sense the Tico’s use to pick the correct road.
Costa Rican’s are a Great Hosts
Tico’s are well educated, religious, family oriented, and strongly influenced by Europe and the United States. The US expate invasion from the US started in earnest in the early 90′s, so Costa Rican’s are now pretty tolerant of our strengths and our weaknesses. However, be fairly warned; just because a Tico doesn’t get upset by an unfolding situation, doesn’t mean that you personally may not have a problem. On a couple of occasions I was in deep s#^% but the locals responded with smiles and patient advice. I think visitors need to take our problems seriously and act on them sooner than most Tico’s would.
Costa Rica will constantly amaze you with the beauty and diversity of its wildlife, plants, and rugged terrain. I dare you to take a Costa Rica Vacation then try not to go back again, and again.
Marked by its superb natural beauty, Costa Rica has the greatest percentage of preserved land of any nation worldwide; nearly a third of the country is protected in national parks, reserves, and refuges. The wildlife that abounds in these tropical areas includes a stunning diversity of more than 820 bird species. In A Bird-Finding Guide to Costa Rica, Barrett Lawson offers detailed information tha…
Filed under: Costa Rica — Costa_Rica_Videos @ 11:34 pm
costa rica usa soccer match
Soccer 102
Welcome to Soccer 102. In Soccer 101, we learned a bit of history surrounding soccer, the rules of the game and some important things about the upcoming 2006 FIFA World Cup. This time around we’ll focus on a little more of the history involving the epic tournament and we’ll get a “how to” lesson on wagering on soccer, on teams, on pool (group) formations, on predictions and on odds. The World Cup is the largest sporting event on the planet. More people in the USA are getting up to speed on the World Cup. One of the reasons for this could be that many Americans haven’t been educated about this thrilling and time-tested sport.
By the twelfth century, the game of soccer had become an extremely violent sport resembling a sort of riot. The free-for-all version was subsequently banned by the governing royalty of the age. Despite the illegal status, soccer in this form continued to grow in popularity. The current, formal rules of today’s game have evolved throughout the years, and they continue to be tweaked annually by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
Formed in 1904, the FIFA originated from seven separate European soccer associations. Destined to be the world’s governing soccer body, the annual FIFA Congress originally focused on international competition and a possible international tournament. However, with the start of World War I, all plans for an immense tournament were put on hold until 1930 when the first FIFA sponsored global tournament was held in Uruguay. The host nation won the contest by defeating Argentina in the finals. However, global travel was extremely time-consuming and slow at that time and many European nations declined to play due to the thirty-day float across the big pond.
Up until this point, the Olympic Games represented the highest level of competition in soccer, even though at that time Olympic participation was restricted to amateur athletes. The World Cup offered a new professional level of international competition. It immediately became popular in many countries; however it took some time for the European soccer faction to get completely on board.
The second World Cup was held in Italy, and the location of the event went a long way to bolstering European support. Benito Mussollini was at the helm of the Italian government, and his fascist regime used the tournament to gain popularity for their agenda. Once again the host nation was the champion in 1934.
Many European soccer enthusiasts had succumbed to the governing FIFA, although there were still some strong holdouts. The British Isles – England, Scotland and Wales – still refused to participate partly due to political differences with Italy and partly due to just plain stubbornness. In 1938 for the third world Cup, 36 nations entered the competition, and for the first time preliminary games were played to reduce the field to 16 teams. The British Isles were still a no-show, despite the fact that the tournament was held in France, where diplomatic relations with Great Britain laid in a somewhat benign stasis. Italy repeated as World Champions.
The twelve years that followed saw the world in a horrendous World War and consequently, the World Cup was put on hold. When it resumed, the FIFA World Cup was undisputedly the highest level of international tournament competition in soccer.
Since 1958, the tournament locations have alternated between Europe and the Americas. That is, until 2002, when Korea and Japan were selected to co-host the event. In 2006, the event is being held in Germany. Even though the tournament is in Europe, the odds-on-favorite is Brazil at ~3/1.
If you are thinking of laying down a bet or two on the World Cup, there are some things you might want to consider. First of all, consider that the make-up of the pools or groups is extremely relevant.
Group A; Germany, Costa Rica, Poland and Ecuador.
Group B; England, Paraguay, Trinidad-Tobago and Sweden.
Group C; Argentina, Ivory Coast, Serbia-Montenegro and the Netherlands.
Group D; Mexico, Iran, Angola and Portugal.
Group E; Italy, Ghana, United States and the Czech Republic.
Group F; Brazil, Croatia, Australia and Japan.
Group G; France, Switzerland, South Korea and Togo.
Group H; Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Typical wagers on soccer usually involve picking the winner. Remember that the odds are set for a reason. The experts have supreme confidence in their ability to loosely predict the outcomes. Currently, the favorites in the FIFA World Cup are Brazil (odds to win it all ~ 3/1), Germany (~ 7/1), England, Italy and Argentina (~ 8/1), France (~12/1), and Spain and Holland (Netherlands) (~ 14/1). Odds change frequently and vary depending on the sportsbook you use.
If you want to get some high odds on possible history making and non-traditional winners, bet on Trinidad-Tobago (~1000/1) or Saudi Arabia (~750/1). Iran, Costa Rica and Togo are also long-shots at about 500/1. If you feel uneasy about wagering on underdogs, you may want to stay with the teams near the middle of the field – Portugal, Sweden, Mexico, Ukraine and the USA. There are countless other ways to lay bets on this titanic tournament. Wagering on a team to place or show, group winner, group qualifying, head-to-head match, final pair, and most goals are just a few of the opportunities for bettors.
Wagering is a mix of luck, art and statistics. There are a number of ways to “parlay”, or combine your bets, within one sport or through a combination of various sports. These types of bets are a great way to increase your possible payoff, but they are often difficult to hit because of the way the combinations are often presented. If you know what you are doing, or you just have a gut feeling about two or more match-ups, parlaying your wagers into one can offer a bigger payday than just a straight bet.
In World Cup wagering, you can also get campaign wagering on particular nations. The Australian and the England campaign are two of the most popular. A bettor predicts at what phase of the tournament either of these clubs will exit, or even if they will go on to win it all. Wagering within the groups is another popular form of betting in the early rounds. Any big upsets at this stage can produce an adequate return on your investment and these are generally much easier to predict than which teams will win, place or show in the tournament.
I like Germany to win it all. They are playing as the host country and the home team has won six of 17 tournaments. Plus, they are loaded with talent, making them an authentic threat to beat any team on any given day. I also like England’s chances. They are in the same group as Sweden, which has traditionally been a problem for them, but I know the English want to put an end to that long losing streak. Thirty-seven years is a long time to go without a win against a team like Sweden. The English appear to be on a mission to put this controversy to rest. Brazil probably has the best and most talented team in the entire field. Just like any other tournament, it isn’t necessarily the best team that will emerge victorious; it is the team that builds the most momentum through confidence and emotion to perform at their peak potential.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup is an event unlike any other. With all its adversity, triumph and tragedy, it is the defining international event for the soccer world. It is on a scale like no other; pitting nation against nation and culture versus culture as the pride of an entire continent hangs in the balance. From the 9th of June to the 9th of July 2006, this epic contest will be fought on German soil and just about the entire world will be watching.
March 14, 2010: U-17 WNT vs. Costa Rica Highlights
Filed under: Costa Rica — Costa_Rica_Videos @ 9:23 pm
In the Passing of a Brick: the Gvn Story
In the Passing of a Brick: the Gvn Story
The first image in the photograph to emerge was the ghost of figures, pale outlines on glossy paper, developed in a dark lab among hundreds of other snapshots of birthdays and couples beaming in front of scenic landmarks and babies taking first steps. Plunged into its chemical bath and then saved from drowning, the photograph was pulled out dripping, like a wet laundered sock, and hung to dry.
And in its chromatic, magic way, the ghosts became alive: eyes to peer in to, lips that curl a hungry happiness, hands that are almost, but not quite, moving. A photograph to prove an existence.
Perhaps it was the gingered hair of the young boys that made the photograph unforgettable. Or the rounded stomachs that belied nourished bodies. Or the clothes, worn day after day, that stretched ripped across torsos and framed startlingly snap-thin legs.
Whatever it was, Colin Salisbury, pictured then as the blond-haired 18-year-old in flip flops surrounded by five Papua New Guinean youth, was never able to shake the way his thumbs-up to the camera promised a future where everything was going to be okay.
Fifteen years later, the photograph is hanging in Colin’s office, and when he’s asked how he got into the business of people helping people, he points to it. Like the photograph with its quiet and sustained birth, so, too, was Colin’s idea for the Global Volunteer Network (GVN).
Of the six weeks he spent in Papua New Guinea, Colin says, “For a young guy from New Zealand, it had quite an impact.”
Such an impact, in fact, that GVN, a non-governmental organization born out of a compassion for people that gripped Colin like an island vine, is connecting volunteers with communities in need all around the globe to deliver on his wordless promise all those years ago.
Although Colin had been fascinated with finding a solution for the poverty he had witnessed during his travels the next decade after his first overseas experience, it wasn’t until he took a trip to Ghana in 1998 that he had his epiphany.
Colin, who has a Master’s degree in International Development, was working for WorldVision doing a literacy study in Ghana when he made an alarming discovery. Schools, lacking books and teaching materials, were also lacking the most precious resource: teachers. In a majority of classes, teachers, underpaid and overburdened, were outnumbered by a ratio of 150 to 200 students to two teachers. Colin was compelled to leave the trip with more than just empty promises.
“Long term, it’s obvious we need to train more teachers,” Colin said. “But in the short term, these kids would really benefit from an education now. International people coming in to help fill those teaching gaps seemed like the next step. So that’s when I went, ‘Wow, there’s actually a real need for volunteers.’”
Upon returning home, Colin continued working his full-time job while, with the help of his wife, Jo Salisbury, began laying the foundations for GVN during everyone else’s happy hour.
“It took me a year working nights to figure out how I could make this idea work,” Colin said. “I didn’t share it with anyone until I got it going.”
In his research, Colin found that other organizations charged high fees to volunteer, and vowed to make his organization as accessible as possible.
“I got frustrated with the fact that a lot of organizations just wanted people’s money and nothing else,” he said. “I wanted to give people the opportunity to get their body there, as opposed to just paying their dollar a day.”
Colin was also adamant that his organization would align with the idea of “local solutions to local problems,” working at the grassroots level to achieve their goals.
“Local people are the ones who live in those communities, so they know their needs and how best to address them,” Colin said. “What they need is support in doing that, not someone else coming in and setting up an infrastructure when a lot of those infrastructures already exist.”
Colin and Jo officially launched GVN in 2002 with a web site that now brings snickers in the increasingly computer-savvy office. And with help from the first hired staffers who worked out of Colin’s spare bedroom, GVN began sending volunteers to programs in Ghana, Nepal and Ecuador. With growth that would surprise even the staunchest GVN supporter, the organization leaped from sending just 240 volunteers its first year to 1,520 volunteers two years later.
“I had no idea how well it would go,” Colin said. “It was kind of like, let’s set it up and put our marketing in place and hope it will take off. And it really did. As demand grew, we added more programs, and we’ve basically been doing that ever since. It was good timing with the Internet becoming available; it meant that we could provide lower cost volunteer opportunities than other organizations that were around before the Internet that have different cost structures.”
And with the growth of GVN came a proper office and an expanded staff team of 20 people to help administer volunteer applications and coordinate country programs. The map on the wall of the meeting room now has 19 pushpins denoting GVN’s programs in Alaska, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ghana, Honduras, India, Kenya, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda and Vietnam. Volunteers, who work anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months, are involved in programs at orphanages, schools, wildlife sanctuaries, nature reserves and refugee camps.
And the GVN network continues to expand. The GVN Community Fund was established in 2004 to support the work of GVN’s partners with resources so they are able to continue and enhance their work in their local communities. The Community Fund plans the fundraising treks to Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Everest base camp, Machu Picchu and New Zealand’s South Island. The treks, a mix of adventure sport and humanitarian aid, add a new twist to the “sponsor my walk” fund-raiser, with every dollar earned going to support a project in the foothills of the peaks, such as a new school in Uganda.
The Office
It’s an odd day if Colin’s four-year-old daughter isn’t riding her tricycle around the office, weaving in and out of desks as if they were traffic cones. Staff members enjoy Ping-Pong breathers, take hot drink orders and get infuriated during Sudoku competitions.
“Our partner in Vietnam just sent us pictures of his baby,” Program Coordinator Graham Fyfe announces to the office, who crowd around his desk and croon. Out the window, only a few feet away, young guys work lackadaisically on a line of cars waiting to be washed and waxed. The office, like a best-kept-secret noodle shop, is tucked among several non-descript warehouses and a car wash.
“People often think we’re a big American conglomerate and that we have offices in every corner of the world,” said Anna Wells, the program coordinator for Nepal, China and Romania. “I think if people realized that we were in the back blocks of Lower Hutt, they’d be quite surprised.”
It isn’t all sack races and bean bag throws in the office; GVN gets over 400 e-mails a day and program coordinators are busy sifting through travel questions-Should I take Malaria pills?-to taking phone calls from worried moms.
Most of the program coordinators have been volunteers themselves at one time, so their exclamations of volunteerism are genuine.
“Volunteering really shows you what a huge difference one person can make in a relatively short period of time,” Anna said. “You can learn so much about a culture by working alongside a community. It’s something you can’t experience any other way.”
Erin Cassidy, GVN’s office manager, volunteered in Uganda for three weeks last year with her five-year-old son.
“I saw firsthand what volunteering does and how it helps communities,” Erin said. “It really opens your eyes to how much you have and how much you don’t need. It’s impacted even the way we operate at home. I don’t run the water when I clean my teeth at home. I know that’s just a small thing, but I’m now aware of just how precious that resource is.”
For Charisse Gebhart, the program coordinator for Ghana, South Africa and Uganda, the six months she spent volunteering with GVN in Nepal changed her worldview.
“I was barely aware of the poverty and suffering that was out there,” Charisse said. “I’d see the commercials by Sally Struthers, but that was about the extent of it. Witnessing it for yourself is very different from just knowing it’s out there.”
And GVN offers a variety of ways to witness it for oneself, from standing up for the first time in front of a classroom filled with giggling Ghanaian students, to giving dinner to a rescued gibbon at a wildlife sanctuary in Thailand, to baking a cake with an orphan in Romania.
“No matter what your skill sets are, there are places where you’re needed and you can contribute,” Graham said. “Volunteering is not a one-way thing. It’s not just going to change the people you’re working with. It’s also going to change you. You’re going to gain more awareness of yourself, of what you’re capable of and what you’re passionate about. It’s worthwhile to put yourself in that position.”
A Catalyst for Change
Volunteerism isn’t all journal writing and introspection. The communities where volunteers work are often deeply affected by their presence. After all, it isn’t everyday that someone gives up the comforts of their daily life to pay to work long hours in a new and often demanding environment.
“One of the main factors of development is self-esteem and national pride,” said Hanna Butler, an administration staff member and fundraising trek organizer. “When I volunteered in India, sometimes it felt like I really wasn’t doing that much. But in some places, where we were the first foreigners to come there, people realized that they weren’t forgotten. They thought, ‘We’re worth being helped.’”
It’s often this feeling of self-worth, of recognition during a time of hopelessness, that can jump-start a community into action. When volunteers arrived in India to work in a community gutted by a swift reach of a wave-children separated from parents and homes exploded by a salt-water bullet in the time it takes to brew a pot of coffee-they found many people still stunned and unresponsive.
“A lot of people were still in shock,” Colin said. “There wasn’t a lot of action happening. But [the volunteers] just got in and started rebuilding the wells and ensuring that there was good water and everything. And as soon as they started, the locals just came and joined in, and in some places, took over because they were better at it than the volunteers. The point being is that volunteers often act as a catalyst. Local people often think, ‘If these people are going to fly half way around the world and pay all the money just to help us, than I think we can help too.’”
If GVN considers the organization a success, it’s only because of the difference they’ve been able to make in other communities.
“In Nepal, we’ve been able to take them from basically zero in terms of volunteers for their projects to 20 or 30 a month,” Colin said. “What that’s meant for them is they’ve been able to have a fantastic impact in providing teachers for the schools and the orphanages. So part of our success is the success that’s meant for others.”
Colin continued, “In Ecuador, GVN supplies half the number of volunteers that the organization has. Since they’ve started working with the volunteers-it’s not always all better instantly-it has had an impact on the environmental policy on the country and the local attitude toward conservation.”
And while volunteerism creates many tangible changes for communities, from new school buildings to cleaner streams, it also helps to bridge a divide left behind by decades of Western imperialism, colonization and exploitation.
“Quite often you hear about developed countries taking advantage of developing countries,” Michelle said. “But volunteerism allows developing countries to see that there’s another side to people, and how people want to be in the world.”
The GVN Difference
Asking a GVN staffer to tell you the difference between GVN and another organization doing similar work is like asking a child what they want for Christmas; they just can’t stop listing things.
“I think that one of the best things about GVN’s programs is that volunteers have a lot of space to use their own initiative,” said Michelle, the program coordinator for Kenya and Tanzania and the administrator for GVN’s travel insurance option. “I think our programs work for someone who has a lot of enthusiasm, energy and wants to see things get done.”
While GVN doesn’t just send volunteers out with a map and a compass, they do allow volunteers to make many of the decisions about how they want to spend their time volunteering.
“Other organizations send a guide out with their volunteers and it’s all very set and concrete,” Graham said. “And while that ensures a certain consistency in the program, it’s also really limiting in terms of what you can get done. With GVN, you’re given support but there are no prescribed guidelines.”
Although GVN is a relatively small organization, Graham believes its tight-knit office is actually one of its strengths.
“We’re quite responsive and can turn around and gets things done if changes need to be made,” he said. “We don’t have ten layers of administration that you need to go through to get things done.”
And unlike other organizations, GVN’s programs don’t require a second mortgage to take part. Volunteering in Thailand for four weeks costs only $650.
“Volunteering is expensive,” Michelle said. “You’ve got to take time off of your own life, but still keep it going. Things just don’t stop when you go overseas. So you want the best value for your time and money.”
Choosing a Partner
Being popular isn’t always easy. GVN gets at least two queries a day from organizations that want to partner with them. The task of deciding which partners to invest in is a long one.
“We look at the impact that those projects are making,” Michelle said. “We make sure that they’re worthwhile projects, that they’re up to GVN standards and that they make a good impact on the local community.”
Understanding that business practices, cultures and even ethics run the gamut when working with international partners, GVN instituted The Ten Steps of Quality to ensure consistency. The steps, actually a checklist, help GVN set standards as they work toward excellence in all of their programs.
“Sometimes partners we work with are really eager to help but they’re not used to running a business the same way we are,” Graham said. “So the Ten Steps of Quality just gives them the tools to be able to do it effectively.”
There are times, however, when opinions differ and partnerships become more exacting rather than symbiotic. GVN, always careful about whom they’re working with, sometimes has to make the tough decision to cancel a partnership.
“We had a previous partner in Nepal in the beginning,” Colin said. “Things changed in regards to the way they were working and there was some question as to the use of finances. We had to decide that we couldn’t be involved if that sort of thing was going on. We had to pull the plug.”
Volunteer Expectations: Where’s the Air Conditioning?
“I need to change the Info Pack for the Philippines,” said Annika Lindorsson, the program coordinator for India, Philippines and Vietnam. “I think it’s confusing for people to find the taxi from the airport using it.”
Annika had just returned from a five-day trip to the Philippines to meet with one of GVN’s newest partner organization and assess the program. Following the path that a volunteer would take, she discovered a glitch in the directions.
“Going to the Philippines has made all the difference in my ability to do my job,” she said.
GVN isn’t shy about sending its employees to investigate their programs. For Annika, she brought back more than just a suntan: first-hand knowledge of how her program runs, what accommodation looks like, what volunteers are fed and the general logistics of getting around a country most volunteers have never been to before.
“It’s really helpful to see the logistical things, like the airports where the volunteers arrive,” said Graham, who traveled to Vietnam, Ecuador and El Salvador last year to check on his programs. “It’s a lot easier to give advice when you know where they’re going.”
Sharing a meal with a GVN partner also helps to build a relationship that had been solely Internet and phone based.
“It really makes it a lot more personal,” Anna said. “You have quite a close relationship with the people you’re working with over there. So to actually meet them makes it a lot more real.”
By seeing the country the way a volunteer would, program coordinators are able to ensure volunteers’ expectations are realistic; there really is no air conditioning in Uganda. Program coordinators also try to relay to volunteers that their trips will be nothing like a backpacker’s excursion to a dude ranch.
“Some of the volunteers will think the trip will be a real adventure,” Colin said. “Others think that in the month that they go, they’re going to dramatically change the place. Some views are naïve, some are more realistic and some view it as a holiday. So we try to get people’s expectations in line with reality without deflating them too much.”
Unlike some travel holidays where tourists can view poverty like a circus tent-circling around, pointing, but never joining in-volunteering with GVN makes acclimatizing to the environment a necessity.
“For the India program, for instance, accommodation has been selected that is not luxury accommodation,” Michelle said. “You’re actually learning to live another way without the comforts that you’re used to. At the end of the day, we want volunteers to gain a true experience of the country, rather than a tourist view.”
And while volunteers will have the opportunity to explore the country, there’s no mistaking that they work hard.
“I think a lot of people think it’s going to be really nice, like wiping sweat off people’s brows,” Hanna said. “But its long, hard work. Sometimes you feel like you’re not getting much done. And some days you think, ‘And I’m doing this for free? What am I doing?’”
Would she do it again?
“Yes,” she said.
Making the Big Leap: Just Go For It
“I was terrified,” said Charisse, of her first days volunteer teaching in Nepal. “I had no teaching experience. I was scared about having a classroom full of kids to myself. I didn’t know if I would be able to fill up all the class time and if I would be able to keep them under control.”
And how did it go?
“The way you’d expect it to,” she said. “There were some rough days, but it was great.”
The fear that gripped Charisse-How do you command a class full of children who don’t speak the same language?-is universal among volunteers stepping into situations that would make even the most experienced travelers blanch.
“Other volunteers have gone feeling the same way,” Charisse said. “In fact, every volunteer will have felt the same way. And you probably don’t always get that from the journals on the web site. But that shouldn’t be a reason to stop you.”
It’s this fearlessness, this nerve and heart and patience that a volunteer embodies that helps to push against a global current of hopelessness, despair, inequality, greed, racism and xenophobia.
“There have always been people in need, and unfortunately, I think there always will be,” Anna said. “You just have to help people one person at a time. I’d like to say that the end result is that GVN helps so much that they make themselves obsolete. But all throughout the history of the world, there has always been people who have nothing and people who have something to give.”
The act of giving, of taking on a responsibility for humankind, of declaring that a person whom you have never met has the basic and fundamental right to a life free of suffering, is incomparable to any other gesture.
“Yes, it’s tough,” Erin said. “And often there is culture shock. No one can ever prepare you for that. I don’t think you can be totally prepared for it. I’d seen pictures, watched videos, but in the end, the reality was different. But after the first few days, when you get over the jetlag and the change, I can’t see how you would ever regret it. I just can’t.”
And in the passing of a brick, in the chalk-dusted writing of a word, in the gentle rocking of a lonely child, a new world is forged where the universal truths are love, compassion and generosity; a world where photographs-a glimpse, an eye blink-become inspirations become ideas become endeavors become legacies.
Filed under: Costa Rica — Costa_Rica_Videos @ 7:22 am
costa rica honeymoon ideas
Honeymoon Planning: Planning Your Dream Honeymoon
Everyone has a picture in their minds of the dream honeymoon after your perfect wedding. Maybe it’s backpacking through Europe and visiting fairytale castles; maybe it’s going to a pampering resort and focusing on each other.
You can identify the best honeymoon for you and your new spouse if you ask yourself the following questions…
Do you want your dream honeymoon and your perfect wedding in the same place?
This is called a destination wedding. If you wanted a big wedding, you will have to scale back a lot to do this, but on the other hand, how wonderful to share your honeymoon with the people you love best in the world! For older couples, sometimes a destination wedding, without tons of guests but with lots of time to focus on one another, is ideal.
If you do this, you won’t have to rush off to the airport, pack twice, or even take off your wedding dress that day.
Near or far – how much travel do you want to do for the honeymoon?
This is both a budget and a personal preference question. A honeymoon isn’t about visiting exotic locations around the world; it’s about spending time on the two of you. There are wonderful places you’ve never seen within two hundred miles of your home if you just think about it. If this is what the decision comes down to, opt for a longer honeymoon close to home as opposed to a short one far away. Give yourselves the gifts of one another.
Save or splurge – should we go into debt for our honeymoon?
This is up to you. Obviously, entering debt before marriage (especially after a big wedding ceremony) is not the greatest idea; but if the debt is manageable and it makes the difference between an adequate resort and a fantastic dream honeymoon, you should go for it. You’ll only have one honeymoon. Make the most of it.
Sun and sand, or whitewater rafting?
You and your fiancé are different people and may have different tastes – he prefers the excitement of a 8-hour trip down a class 4 rapids, while you want to lie on a white table with cucumbers over your eyes getting a super-deep massage. They’re not mutually exclusive.
One of the delights of marriage is that you each get to try what the other loves. Look for a resort that serves both of you. A ski lodge with a luxury spa. An all-inclusive cruise with destinations in the whitewater heaven of Costa Rica. And then you both need to try the fun the other has chosen.
What about learning something new together?
Approach this with caution. Your first lesson may convince one or both of you that you hate skiing or snorkeling.
Trying something new together is great when it works, but you should hedge your bets by making it part of a larger vacation. Don’t plan every second out, either. No more than 20% of your time should be rigidly structured; the rest, for your honeymoon, should be malleable to suit your moods of the moment.
What if he wants a cruise, and I want a resort? I hate the water!
You know, you can blend it. He may like cruises, but you can do a three day cruise ending in a nice stay at an all-inclusive resort. Why do you hate the water? If it’s a genuine phobia, you need to discuss this with your fiancé. If, however, it’s just an aversion, give it a chance. Perhaps you had a rotten cruise a few years back, or it makes you think of an ex. A great experience this time can revive your enthusiasm for the water.
Filed under: Costa Rica — Costa_Rica_Videos @ 8:59 pm
bob marley more the justice
The Wall, Senator Clinton and Bob Marley
On November 15, 2005, Senator Clinton stood on the Jerusalem side of The Wall and was quoted in Ha’aretz, expressing support for The Wall because it “is against terrorists” and “not against the Palestinian people.”
Senator Clinton did NOT visit the Little Town of Bethlehem in Occupied Territory, to see what The Wall has done to the Bethlehem economy. But I have.
On New Years Eve Day 2005, I visited a family who had just rebuilt their home in Dasheish, one of three fifty-eight year old refugee camps in Bethlehem.
The Habib [not real name] family had rebuilt on the very same spot after the Israeli Defense Force/IDF blew their former home up without reason and without any compensation. The usual reason given for home demolitions is for the building of The Wall, but the Habib residence is deep within the Dasheish refugee camp, and The Wall is at least three miles away. Mr. Habib told me that in 2004, the IDF banged on his door and informed the family that their home would be demolished within fifteen minutes. The family all got safely out but their home was but a memory a few moments later.
“No one in our family had ever been in any trouble with the Israeli government before and no family member had ever been arrested. They picked us to be an example of the power and control that Israel has to deny basic and inalienable human rights,” Mr. Habib told me without any bitterness.
What impresses me most every time I go to Palestine, is that every Palestinian I speak with all have the most forgiving spirits and unflappable patience. I thought of Senator Clinton’s inaccurate and insensitive remarks about The Wall not being against the Palestinian people, and wondered what she would say about Palestinian homes being destroyed without any reason at all.
An Uncle down the stairs from the Habib’s also had his home blown away on the same day. Relatives took them all in, for the poor in Palestine take care of the poor and don’t look to the government to do what people of good will, will do automatically: care for the widow, the orphan, the ill and the prisoner.
When ever I need a taxi while in Bethlehem or Jerusalem, I call Sam. He can comfortably transport eight and has an excellent sound system. Sam is an Orthodox Christian in the Syrian Church and has a gorgeous wife and two beautiful kids. Sam has VIP papers which enable him to chauffeur the Patriarchs around town without as much hassle as a regular Palestinian would have to endure at the checkpoints.
Sam, his wife and I rode to the Ben Gurion Airport, three hours prior to my 1 AM flight home on January 5, 2005. We talked a little but mostly we listened to the music of Bob Marley. When we arrived at the checkpoint at the entrance of the airport, Sam rolled down his window and smiled at the young soldier and said, “Shalom” but it sounded more like “Salaam.”
Sam’s VIP pass meant nothing to the soldier and we are all ordered to disembark and pull out all the luggage. My passport was demanded without a smile and Sam was led into the interrogation room while his wife and I stay out in the cold trying to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Another soldier examines and probes the van as he thoroughly looks for b-o-m-b-s. The paranoia I see in many Israeli’s has got to be, some kind of holocaust hangover blinding them to the fact that the oppressed have now become the oppressors.
After Sam’s van is thoroughly examined for b-o-m-b-s, I received my passport back marked with a red sticker upon it. Back in Sam’s van his wife expertly removed the sticker and all the glue from my passport. The sticker brands one as having come through occupied territory. Sam informs me that my third degree would be airport securities territory and that was why the soldier never asked me any questions.
Sam smiled wryly as he told me, “This is what the Nazi’s did to the Jews before the Holocaust when they made them wear the Star of David. They marked them as the enemy. Now anyone who knows Palestinians or visits occupied territory gets a sticker on their passport to label them as friends of the enemy.”
Bob Marley and the Wailers erupt through the speakers:
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Don’t give up the fight.
My luggage had been filled with Arabic nonviolent literature but Sam cautioned me to leave it all with him to avoid the extra hassle it could cause me during the routine questioning by airport security.
I left everything with him that I could get on the Internet but kept books, a CD and a DVD.
Sam warns me on what I shouldn’t say when I undergo my interrogation from the inquisitive employees at the Ben Gurion Airport.
While in Bethlehem I shared with many about my experience of having my computer confiscated by EL AL employees at JFK Airport, during my pre-flight checking in process. Every Palestinian told me “don’t worry about it.”
But every American I spoke with during my time in Israel and Palestine, freaked out when I told them about El Al confiscating my lap top for over an hour before I boarded the plane at JFK for my second trip to the Holy Land. Every American believed that they had downloaded my files, read my emails and perhaps even injected a Trojan into my soft ware. Those Americans had fallen into fear and paranoia, but Bob Marley and the Wailers is the way I choose to go:
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Don’t give up the fight.
I had no fear of any airport security and I was determined I would answer honestly every question and keep smiling. Every employee I encountered smiled back at me and nobody asked me any ‘explosive’ questions. While three different young women examined and swabbed every item and surface in all my luggage I experienced frisson: the chill in the thrill of the rush you experience in a moment of delight, excitement or fear.
A young lady examiner came upon the book from the Holy Land Trust conference I had attended December 27-30, 2005 entitled: Celebrating Nonviolent Resistance.
The young examiner never looked my way, but she read the cover and scanned all the pages most thoroughly.
I wondered if perhaps a few seeds of thought were left germinating in Tel Aviv that night, but I forgot all about that when I landed in JFK fourteen hours later.
I had crashed for five solid hours out of the eleven hour flight. I awoke to vivid images of The Wall that remain brutally fresh in my mind.
In my minds eye, I still see the concrete boa constrictor and electrified fence that divides, separates, humiliates, dominates, controls and denies inalienable human rights to every Palestinian.
When I landed at JFK Airport, Terminal Two to wait three hours for my connection home, all I could think about was The Wall and all the injustice’s I had witnessed during my second of sixteen days in Israel and Palestine. [My first 16 days are documented in my first book, "Keep Hope Alive"]
In January 2005, every local, taxi driver and would be terrorist knew all the many ways around the concrete boa constrictor and electrified fence which had enormous gaps, holes, and other ways to get around checkpoints and avoid The Bethlehem Terminal which divides the sister city of and from Jerusalem.
The Israeli government and Senator Clinton both claim The Wall is all for Security. I know better.
The concrete boa constrictor and electrified fence is a master plan to divide, separate, humiliate, dominate, control and deny inalienable human rights to the indigenous people of the Holy Land.
In Palestine and the Unrecognized Villages there are olive trees that were rooted centuries ago, for olive trees can live for thousands of years, if they are not plowed down.
Twenty five olive trees can support a typical family in Gaza, the West Bank and in the Unrecognized Villages,
Where every little child knows the names of the ancient olive trees,
And they always be,
Names of mommys, sisters and favorite aunts and uncles,
For the olive trees are a member of their families.
In 1948, 20% of the total population of the Holy Land were Christian. Today they number less than 1.3% and continue to shrink fast.
Palestinian Christian roots go back to the first century when Christ promised: “BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS: THEY ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD.” [Matthew 5:9]
At The Terminal in Bethlehem, upon the thirty foot high Wall, a hundred square foot sign from The Minister of Tourism hangs and proclaims in Orwellian logic: PEACE, PEACE, PEACE.
“Peace, peace, peace, they say, when there is no peace.”-Jeremiah 6:14
For twelve days around Christmas 2005, I lived in the Little Town of Bethlehem in occupied territory. For twelve days I walked “through streets that were dead” [Bob Dylan] in the morning, noon and night and everywhere I did go, shops were closed, restaurants empty. A few locals would be around and tour buses would quickly come and go at the Church of The Nativity.
But stores remain closed and restaurants empty because tourists don’t want to see, hear or know about occupied territory.
The Terminal is not The Way tourists in buses and taxis go;
The Terminal is the way only Palestinians and the curious go,
Who want to know what’s really going down
In the Holy Land:
Which is in pieces.
Mr. Presidents, I plead, please tear down the concrete boa constrictor and electrified fence which has been deemed ILLEGAL by the International Court of Justice in the Hague.
Mr. Presidents, please imagine what a wonderful world it would be if you would plant olive trees and build playgrounds and construct bridges of community and global neighborhoods.
The Way to security is knowing ones neighbor, and ones neighbor is ones sister and brother,
For everyone is a child of God.
To be blessed with Peace we must resist evil with good and God has already told us what is required: “Act justly, be merciful and walk humbly with your God.”-Micah 6:8
“And the best you can do is forgive.”-The Traveling Wilburys
I thought I would write this article to help those visiting Costa Rica make informed decisions and be safe in their travels. There are many different ways of getting around in Costa Rica some of them include: walking, taxis and buses.
The first thing you should know if you’re going to be walking is the pedestrian does not have the right of way, you should always use cross walks. If you are going to walking during the rainy season it is a good idea to take an umbrella with you, because must afternoons it will rain and there is very little warning before it starts, better to be prepared than wet other than that it is a great way to enjoy the nice Tropical weather.
Now let’s talk about taxis my favorite mode of transportation (kidding of course), there are plenty of them around and there easy to spot because they are Red with a yellow triangle or a company signs on the door. Taxis are the most expensive option I will talk about today. When you get into the car ask the driver to reset the meter it should start out at around 500 colones, which is about a dollar. It is better if you pay for your trip in the local currency, which is called colones, this way you will not have to worry if the exchange rate is correct. Most of the drivers will not speak English, but will know some words. If you’re going to a public place, just tell the driver the name and what part of the city it is in; if you’re going to a private residence or a hostel that is not known by the driver you will need the address. The addresses in Costa Rica are a lot different than in the States, because they use reference points the houses do not have numbers. Here is an example of an address (500 meters south of the Church, 150 meters west, White house on the left side) if you do not speak good Spanish this could be a problem to communicate to the driver.
A couple other things you should keep in mind is if you call a taxi from a hotel you can expect to pay a little more and if it is raining you will have a hard time finding one on the street, it is better to call and have them come and pick you up.
Then there are the Buses, there are two different kinds the big public ones or the smaller private ones, tour companies use these. The big buses are the most economical option with an average trip costing about 50 cents. They will always have signs in the window, telling you where they are going, if you are not sure you can always ask the driver and if you’re not sure what stop to get off at just ask someone on the bus and they will tell you the people are very friendly and will be glad to help you. I once took one of these buses from San Jose to Playa Jaco to save some money, it only cost a couple of dollars, but was crowded and very slow. The private buses are owned by a tour company or a private company and they seat about eight to ten people, if you have purchased a tour you will probley be met by one of these buses at the airport and your tour company will use these to transport you from location to location. The private buses operate between cities, this is a good way to travel for example you can go from San Jose to Jaco for around 40 dollars. The best part about taking one of these buses is you never know who you’re going to meet I have met some very interesting people on my trips.
myhotelvideo.com presents Arenal Vista Logde in Arenal / Costa Rica / Costa Rica
Filed under: Costa Rica — Costa_Rica_Videos @ 11:16 am
costa rica uruguay november 14
Football World Cup
Laws of the Game: Pitch
As we all know, football is the king of sports, there is no place on earth where no live footbal, has been performed. The geographical origin of the sport was so popular in the UK in the nineteenth century.
This time we will emphasize the “Pitch. The playing field can be constituted by natural or artificial, this may depend on the type of competition.
In each of the four corners of the rectangle pennants should be placed 1.50 meters tall (at least).
In the two opposite ends and on the goal lines should be placed goal. It is made up of three poles, 12 cm wide (two vertical and one horizontal), the horizontal must be connected with both vertical and at a distance of 2.44 meters floor.
World Cup 2010
The Qualifiers for the World Cup to be held in South Africa in 2010 have been completed.
CONMEBOL.
Countries that will represent your flag on the highest feast of football are:
South America: Brazil, Paraguay, Chile and Argentina. Africa: Ghana and Ivory Coast. Europe: Spain, England, Holland, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Serbia, Switzerland and Slovakia. Asia: Australia, Japan, South Korea and DPR Korea. Central America: Mexico, United States and Honduras.
It should be noted, that still needs to incorporate the above list the teams that are winners of the playoffs, which will be played on 14 and 18 November respectively. By America, Costa Rica – Uruguay faces will be to define the missing square. While on Europe collide, France – Republic of Ireland Portugal – Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece – Ukraine and Russia – Slovenia. To finish two Asian teams discusses a square, Bahrain – New Zealand, who have played the first leg of the playoffs and have tied 0 to 0.
And if you want to check out the live scores go to http://www.livegoals.com/
Filed under: Costa Rica — Costa_Rica_Videos @ 10:22 am
Puerto Vallarta Hosted The Second CONCACAF Beach Soccer
Puerto Vallarta Hosted The Second CONCACAF Beach Soccer
Get your sports gear on people! If you are wondering why I am posing such a request then you need to wake up! Puerto Vallarta is the place to be this summer. And for all those people who do not think so this is a reminder: You would not find a better and more enjoyable place to be in! Puerto Vallarta hosted the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifier CONCACAF for the second successive time. Yes! You read correctly, the beautiful, the magnificent and the picturesque Puerto Vallarta really hosted this energetic tournament!
This year the FIFA Soccer World Cup took place at the Agustín Flores Contreras Sports Stadium which is situated in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The tournament began on the 17th of June 2009 and continued till the 21st of June. And want to know what the most exciting thing about it was? Admission of all the people – be it the locals or the tourists was absolutely, completely, 100% free of charge! Now tell me, which is the most amazing place to be? Well, Puerto Vallarta, the beautiful paradise of course!
6 nations were lined up in order to attain the most envied two berths which were at stake at the Unidad Deportivo Agustín Flores, sports stadium. This will lead to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 to be hosted in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from the 16th of November till the 22nd.
The tournament was opened by the United States on Wednesday, the 17th of June. They played against the Bahamas in Group B. This match was played at 5 p.m. Mexico the host, then faced Canada in Group A. This was the second game of a doubleheader, and it began at about 6:15 p.m.
Furthermore Costa Rica which was in Group B and El Salvador which was in Group A began their play the next following day. Lastly there was a round-robin play which concluded on Friday; consequently, ending before the semifinals and finals which took place on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Want to know an interesting fact? Well, The Bahamas made its debut in this glorious CONCACAF championship. And Canada returned to this tournament after an absence of two years.
The schedule of the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Match started from Wednesday, the 17th of June and ended on Sunday the 21st of June. The schedule was grueling but the teams were powerful and strong. They were all geared up to be their best and that was what all the spectators really needed. They were expecting to watch a great entertaining match and that, is exactly what they got!
This was the worlds most prestigious and entertaining beach soccer showdown! This tournament was really very exciting and a large number of locals and the visitors enjoyed every moment of it. All the supporters were there to support their team. If you are seeking for a resort city that brings that hosts such magnificent tournaments that brings the spectators to the edge of their seat, look no further, Puerto Vallarta is the place to be where you can enjoy amazing adventurous tours, festivals and beautiful landscapes.
Long characterized as an exceptional country within Latin America, Costa Rica has been hailed as a democratic oasis in a continent scorched by dictatorship and revolution; the ecological mecca of a biosphere laid waste by deforestation and urban blight; and an egalitarian, middle-class society blissfully immune to the violent class and racial conflicts that have haunted the region. Arguing that co…
Filed under: Costa Rica — Costa_Rica_Videos @ 5:37 am
Four Fun Activities for Kids to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Four Fun Activities for Kids to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated for 39 years on September 17, 2007. Enacted into law on that day in 1968, this Public Law set aside a week to honor our Spanish-speaking citizens. When the 100th Congress enacted a new Public Law, the celebration period increased to 31 days, from September 15, 2008 to October 15.
The initiative for National Hispanic Heritage Month is an acknowledgement of the over 45 million Americans of Hispanic origin. The 31 day observation period honors the Independence Day for many Latin American countries including El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Honduras which celebrate September 15 as their Independence Day. September 16th is the Independence Day for Mexico, September 18th for Chile, September 21st for Belize and El Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day) is October 12th.
Celebrating and bringing to life this special time for children who have parents of Hispanic decent is important along with exposing our Anglo children to how other cultures celebrate various occasions.
Cooking is a social time in Latin American families, and making these quesadillas is a fun way to get the party started. Quesadillas are Spanish and Southwest in origin. The ones we experience in restaurants here in the United States are fine but are not true depictions of how the real Mexican quesadillas are made. Quesadillas in Mexico can be found outside movie theaters, stadiums, and special events with the most popular quesadilla being made with potatoes, cheese, chorizo, beans, green peppers (rajas) and other ingredients.
Following is a simple recipe for quesadillas that allows you to easily involve your children in their preparation. Cooking is a social time in most Latin American countries, and you can make it a social time with your family too!
Directions:
Lightly fry each tortilla in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until crisp and golden, turning once. Sprinkle with combined cheeses and top with tomato. Put lid on pan and turn heat to low. When cheese is melted, fold tortilla in half. Cut each tortilla into quarters. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve warm with salsa if desired.
We read the statistics on obesity among our young children here in the United States. We realize the many benefits derived from learning a second language during our early years. For this next activity we suggest using a song that is from Latin America or a bilingual song that features both Spanish and English during its play.
This activity appeals to kinesthetic, auditory and visual learners as it encourages following the leader, very similar to Simon Says. Use an older child to be the leader, and have him direct the children on what to do to match the song. Depending upon the song you choose, it could be body part wiggling or chicken movements! Watch the young ones delight in their grasp of a new culture with new music and perhaps a new language.
This next activity is a Language activity, and it comes to life as the children create their own bilingual number book. The children will make a book/un libro that helps them learn the Spanish words for the numbers one/uno to ten/diez. Reinforcement is the key to all learning so find a cool bilingual song for kids that introduces these numbers in both languages if you can.
Depending upon the ages of the children you might offer pre-made blank books out of brightly colored construction paper that measure a finished book size of five by seven(a total of six pages stapled or bound together is needed for this activity). If the children are old enough they can participate in the making of the blank book first. You will also need markers, crayons, magazine pictures or newspaper food ad pictures, age appropriate scissors, and glue sticks.
Procedure:
Guide the child in making a cute front and back cover for this bilingual number book. Use examples from books from the library or ones you have purchased over the years. Each page should have the numeral (1), the English word (one), and the Spanish word (uno) for the number you are working on. Assist the child in finding a picture that depicts the number of a
certain item (one banana, two dogs, three pencils and so on). Glue the picture onto the page that corresponds to that number.
The English-language number words in sequence order are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten while the Spanish language number words in order are uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, and diez.
And this last activity is about appreciating the culture of Spanish speaking countries. Children learn about maracas, an instrument from our Hispanic friends. In this activity the children make their own maracas and celebrate to music.
Maracas help celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and the culture and music of Spanish-speaking countries. Using old cardboard tubes, jelly jars, plastic soda bottles (anything that you can put a lid on and shake!) makes this project inexpensive and fun. Find different materials and different sized containers to create a wide range of musical sounds that will allow the
children to create their own band.
This activity is suitable for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary aged children (with adult supervision). As you make these together put on some upbeat bilingual music or Latin American tunes and party!
Materials needed:
Containers with tops/lids to hold dried beans or rice in. (jelly jars, plastic soda bottles, cardboard tubes with paper glued on as lid)
Dried beans, rice, small shell pasta
Construction paper or white computer paper
Paints, markers, glitter, glue, Spanish/Mexican theme stickers
Procedure:
Allow each child to choose their own maraca container and filler. For soda bottles you can insert a cardboard tube that has been cut and wound tightly to fit into the top of the bottle in order to create a handle. Secure the top to the handle with quality masking tape. Pour approximately twenty dried beans, grains of rice or pasta shells into the container (amount based on size of container and filler chosen). Secure the lid back onto the container. If no lid is available, make one with paper and secure tightly with quality masking tape or transparent packing tape. Wrap paper around the container as desired for decorating purposes.
Some children may simply want to decorate the container with stickers. Encourage the children to customize their maraca with markers, glitter, stickers and imagination. Once complete, have fun singing, dancing and playing with the children to various songs that represent the Hispanic culture and bilingual songs that will introduce the Spanish and English languages to these young children.
Being bilingual is no longer an option, it is a necessity. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with your family or your class allows you to show the children in your life that you value other languages and cultures. Set a good example for an open mind and open heart as we bridge children together from all walks of life.
If you are thinking of buying a piece of real estate, regardless of where it is in the world, you probably already have in your mind what you want to achieve. Knowing your goals will help you make better and wiser buying decisions. You can seek out professional advice from financial advisers or real estate consultants if you like. These professionals will help you work on the details on how to get to where you want to go.
For example, you may be thinking of buying a property for investment purposes. Or you may be thinking of buying a piece of property for retirement purposes. Whatever your goal is, be clear about it, and don’t be easily swayed. Make a list of what are some of the must-have elements of the property. This will be your primary list. Then make a second list of not so important elements. These are good to have, but you can live with it if they are not there. These two lists will help you a lot when you are looking out for potential properties to buy. Must the property by near water? What are some of the facilities that you would like to have? If you don’t have them, can you live with it? Ask yourself these questions.
You may have observed that knowing your goals will help you draft out what you want, and what you don’t want. For instance, if you’re buying a property solely for investment only, then your selection criteria will be very different, compared to buying a property for retirement or for vacation. When you’re solely looking to buy a property for investment, you would be more concerned about rental. What will make the property more attractive to potential tenants? Are there many students or executives around looking to rent? If so, what are some of their needs? You then put aside your own list of wants for the property, and focus on what the tenants want. On the other hand, if you want to buy a property for retirement, you may then look at what are some of the facilities available, and what are some of the activities that you will enjoy.
Whatever your personal or financial goals, Costa Rica may have something to offer that’ll help you achieve your goals. Condo projects that are near beaches certainly look promising. There are various activities to suit the needs of everybody – from the adventurous to the mild mannered. The more adventurous crowd can try sports fishing, scuba diving, mountain biking and more. While the milder people can try bird watching, butterfly garden tours and others.
For sure, the landscape and surrounding environment is as important as, if not more important than the price of the property. When assessing a Costa Rica property, you should certainly pay more attention to the unique landscaping and the natural environment of the Condo project. Seek out the experience in real life instead of depending on pictures on brochures if time permits. Doing so will most certainly help you look way beyond just dividing the asking price by the number of square meters. After all, it’s the human experience that we all seek. And hopefully, Costa Rica possesses something that will help fulfill your dreams.
A Bird-Finding Guide to Costa Rica
