Many people in the United States are finding themselves out of a job and also without valuable health insurance. When costly medical procedures are needed, they cannot afford to have them done in the US. Therefore, many people are traveling to foreign countries to have the procedures done. This is called “health tourism”.

In the past, people usually traveled outside the US for non life-threatening procedures such as cosmetic surgery or dental surgery. However, the growing trend is for people to seek foreign treatment for more life-threatening conditions such as heart bypass surgery, heart valve replacements and spinal surgeries. In some cases the cost can be as much as 90% less than it would be in the United States. Popular destinations are Thailand, Costa Rica and India.

As many as 85,000 Americans travel to foreign countries for medical procedures every year. Companies are springing up to meet the needs of this new foreign traveler. In South Carolina, Blue Cross and Blue Shield has started the “Companion Global Healthcare” department to assist clients seeking foreign healthcare. They help with travel arrangements, transportation between airport in hospital and coordination of care.

A worldwide trend

People from many parts of the world, not just America are traveling to other countries to receive healthcare for various reasons. People from Europe travel due to long waiting lists at home, some come from the middle east because they believe the medical personnel are more highly trained and some people travel from Africa because they do not have access to these services in their own country.

What to consider

While traveling abroad for healthcare procedures can be beneficial, there are a few things to consider first. For example, traveling a great distance to and from the other country can be hazardous, depending upon your condition. Anyone considering a foreign medical care should consult with their physician first. Some conditions such as cancer are best treated by a doctor in your own country with whom you have an ongoing relationship.

Investigate ahead of time

Thoroughly investigate the hospital or facility you are considering travel to. Check to make sure that they are accredited with the Joint Commission International, to ensure that they meet US standards. Also talk with the physician to find out how many procedures they have done and where they received their training.

Meet with your physician before you go and make sure they will provide your medical records to the overseas doctors and to make sure both sides have the other’s contact information. Also arrange aftercare before you leave. Make sure you have everything in place for your care when you get home.

If you require a costly surgery and do not have adequate health insurance, traveling to a foreign country for your treatment may be an option. Contact a reputable company to assist you and meet with your own physician to discuss the possibility of a foreign procedure. Thoroughly investigate the foreign facility and doctors your self. Make sure that they are an accredited facility and meet basic guidelines before you go.

I am helping my parents in law sell their farm in Costa Rica -but not sure which is the best and most visited real estate website outside of Costa Rica to post this on? Can any help or offer any advice?

I’m going to Guanacaste, Costa Rica in a week from Saturday. I’m nervous about it being the “rainy season” and was wondering if anyone knows how the weather has been or what the typical weather for end of august is there. I just want to make sure I’ll see at least a little bit of sun.

gpstravelmaps.com Video of GPSTravelMaps driving in Nicaragua while mapping Nicaragua for use in Garmin and iPhone GPS devices. gpstravelmaps.com Costa Rica GPS map – www.gpstravelmaps.com
(more…)

Baby Boomers set their first travel trend in the 60′s when they strapped on backpacks and explored the world. Travel was an intoxicating, powerful drug. It was an ever changing high from the Gringo Trail in South America to the beaches of Costa Rica. Boomers were hooked.

Travel as a primary essence of living defines the 78 million-strong Baby Boomer generation as much as feeling “forever young” and being born between 1946 and 1964. Now that Boomers have more ka-ching they reminisce fondly about their tattered backpack days but their taste in travel has evolved. They feel they’ve earned the right to be pampered a little. Boomers have traded their sleeping bags for luxury vacation rental homes.

Heather Blanchard is the owner of Manuel Antonio Vacation Rentals in Costa Rica and represents some of the finest luxury homes in this beach community. She says, “In the last 3 years our number of Baby Boomer clients has sky-rocketed. They began as a trickle in 2007, now they dominate our guest list.”

Read on and decide if Baby Boomers are onto something here.

They Work Hard for the Money

Putting everyone up in luxury hotels rooms just doesn’t make economic sense anymore, especially for Boomers traveling with multi-generational families. A party of 6 paying for 3 rooms can add up to $8400 or more for 7 nights. Tally up 18 meals a day, tours, activities, entertainment, tips and incidentals and costs could top $15,000-$20,000 for one week.

If you plan to travel to Costa Rica with family or friends your savings at a vacation home will be significantly lower. Luxury vacation rentals range between $3,500 and $7,000 per week for 3-7 bedrooms. You aren’t forced to entertain out every night because most luxury rentals come equipped with DVD players and libraries, private swimming pools with no “closed” hours and the kitchen is open all night.

Sweet Home, Costa Rica

Baby Boomers love the intimacy a home provides, especially when they travel with family. There are no austere hotel lobbies or generic rooms. A vacation rental feels more like a home-away-from-home. There are pots and pans in the kitchen and private gardens to enjoy.

D’Arcy Rudnay from Philadelphia, PA recently spent a week with her family including grown children in a beachfront luxury villa in Manuel Antonio. She says, “Staying in a vacation home allowed us to reconnect as a family since we now live in different parts of the U.S. We all got to enjoy each other.”

Taking Care of Business

Like many of us, Boomers feel time-deprived. When they travel they like a little help with the details. They’ve stumbled upon a great luxury vacation home rental perk – most of them in Costa Rica include concierge service or offer it as an option. A concierge saves precious vacation time by presenting the best options for tours and activities. Booking services are free.

Susan Ranger, the concierge for Manuel Antonio Vacation Rentals in Costa Rica says, “Our Baby Boomer guests have discovered luxury vacation rental home stays allow them to fulfill all their family and work commitments within their limited time. Amenities like free wireless Internet mean they can take a few minutes to connect with work or responsibilities at home without feeling like they’re missing out on vacation activities.”

Baby Boomers are still high on travel and still setting travel trends worth paying attention to. From great amenities to great values Boomers have discovered perks that free them up to enjoy stress-free, quality time with their family and friends. Check online for the many luxury vacation rental home options available throughout Costa Rica. The home you find just may change the way you travel forever.

costa rica people culture

Do black people reject their own culture and try to adopt the new one(American culture)?

This question is for a final paper…please I need some answers…from black or Americans as well….I am from Costa Rica and I am doing just a paper about Black culture…thanks…

i don’t reject anything all i know is america. thats what make me an african AMERICAN. i accept my people and is not ashamed of anything.

The Culture Shock Curve – Costa Rica

Costa Rica in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture $9.74 Distinctive among the turbulent nations of Central America, Costa Rica enjoys a much-envied reputation for political stability and prosperity. Since abolishing its army in 1948, the “Switzerland of Central America” has experienced unbroken democratic rule and respect for human rights. Yet this small country has also been drastically affected by the debt crisis of the 1980s and ensuing structural…

Cultures of the World – Group 13 $256.71 …

Unbelievable Experiences of an African American World Traveler Book Review Many people merely dream of traveling around the world. This highly unusual man acts on his dreams. Every time he starts to wonder about an interesting place he has not been, he simply packs his bags, grabs a camera and goes to the airport to claim his seat. Soon he is in Brazil, China, Africa or anywhere there are people to meet, things to see and do, like taking pictures, buying art,…

costa rica vs honduras live

Honduras vs. Costa Rica Live Streaming Online?

http://justin.tv

Download Switzerland vs Honduras full game

costa rica golf jaco

Are there any public golf course near Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica?

I have found a couple golf course options in Jaco, Costa Rica but am wondering if there are any public golf courses in the Manuel Antonio/Quepos area. We are planning a visit in early October.

Try the link below –

http://www.manuelantoniopark.com/mapk/english/golf.html

Jaco Hottest Condos for Sale / Rent

costa rica google maps

how long to drive to costa rica?

i am going to drive from mississippi (meridian area) to costa rica (around san jose). how long will it take? how many miles (or km) is it? google maps isnt working for me right now…
i think it would be fun to SEE everything from the CAR, not an airplane window. and i can stop and look at things on the way
i DO realize how difficult some of the roads will be, thank you, and i am NOT doing this alone.

You spend around a week and over 3800 kms.

Good luck

Google Map Help

36×24 Museum Quality Photo Gloss Satellite Print/map of Esterillos Oeste, Costa Rica $29.95 …

Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica Satellite map poster/print: 24×36 Glossy $29.95 Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica CR350 24″x36″ “Museum Quality” Photo Gloss Print of Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica…

Image taken on 2010-02-15 10:24:09 by ARKNTINA.

Costa Rica‘s Tortuguero National Park is a 44,000-acre refuge known as the largest nesting site for the Green Sea Turtle in the Western Hemisphere. Even if you aren’t a wildlife lover, watching the turtles lay their eggs is an interesting experience. The females come to the beach after dark, so travelers wanting to catch a glimpse of one only have the moon and specially designed flashlights to light their way along the beach. Once you find one of these 700-pound, and 4-foot long creatures you can actually watch them dig a hole and lay 100 to 200 eggs the size of golf balls, before covering them with sand and retreating back to the sea.

One of the most amazing things about these turtles is that they return to the same beach where they hatched themselves to lay their eggs.  Some females swim over 1500 miles from their feeding grounds to reach these beaches. This makes conservation of these hatching areas extremely important for the future of these turtles.

After the female lays her eggs, 45 to 75 days later, the hatchlings break out of their shell and begin the most dangerous period of their lives – the run towards the ocean. This can be a bit of a bittersweet experience as most of the turtles don’t make it to the sea and are preyed upon by crabs and birds.

Tortuguero National Park also has many other activities to keep travelers busy. There is a system of beautiful wide canals that lead through the lush, green areas of the park, which makes a boat tour an ideal way to see the various ecosystems.  On a boat tour, there are many opportunities for hikes through the forest to waterfalls or to see different plant and animal species. Some of the wildlife you may see includes Manatee, monkeys, crocodiles, tropical frogs, and various species of tropical birds. Unless you are an expert however, you should hire a wildlife guide to accompany you as they are specially trained to spot wildlife and you will see much more of it with their expertise.

If you are thinking of buying properties in the Ixtapa real estate market it is most likely you are asking yourself “What’s happing in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo?” Cultural events are an important consideration for anyone looking for Mexico Real Estate; fishing, surfing, cheerleading tournaments, cultural celebrations, great food – Ixtapa offers a wide variety of events and activities for people of all tastes, as this sample of events from the past year shows.

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo welcomed the year with a spectacular display of fireworks. At exactly 11:59:50 on December 31st, 2008, a 15-minute-long show of continuous fireworks began, with shapes of chrysanthemums and the traditional “castles in the air.” The incredible display could be enjoyed from various beaches in Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa – a real bonus for anyone considering Ixtapa Beachfront Real Estate. More than 100 different restaurants and hotels offered wine, liquors and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo’s famous cooking traditions to visitors and residents who celebrated the New Year here.

One of the advantages of Mexico Beachfront Real Estate is the sea and all the activities and adventure it offers. At the beginning of May Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo hosted the 26th International Sailfish Tournament, which included marlins as well. Ixtapa is internationally recognized as one of the best destinations for sport fishing – during this season Sailfish in the area can reach up to 175 pounds.
Almost immediately following the fishing tournament, the city hosted the 15th National Cheerleading Championship, organized by the Asociacion Nacional de Porristas (National Cheerleading Association). The event welcomed more than 1000 participants from universities throughout the country. The Association is recognized on an international level, having participated in competitions such as “The United States All Star Federation”, “The International All Star Federation”, “The International All Star Federation for cheer and dance teams” and the “Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation.” Likewise the competition was judged by an international panel.

Last year, from September 18th to 21st, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo also hosted the Latin-American Surfing Tournament, a six-star competition (the highest possible category in surfing championships), and the most important competition of its type in Latin America. This was made possible by the logistic support, planning and organization of various local and national organizations, and by the ideal conditions in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. The city welcomed more than 100 participants from various countries including Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Panama, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. The competition took place on “El Palmar” beach in Ixtapa, one of the most ideal places for surfing not only in Mexico but also in the world.

For the best in Georgia wedding locations, please visit www.weddinglocation.com Get married in Costa Rica
(more…)

We komen aan in San Jose en reizen zo verder naar Tortuguero.Onderweg bezoeken we de pijlgifkikkers en een bananenplantage
(more…)

Exports for Intel Costa Rica recovered from the decline they had been experiencing since April 2008 for the second consecutive quarter.

Increased demand for chips and chipsets for computers and cellular phones generated sales of $595 million for the company between July and September of this year, 18% more ($91 million) than for the same period in 2008.

In the three months leading up to that time, the multinational based in Heredia also improved its exports.

From April to June, sales surged by 8% ($32 million) in relation to the same quarter last year, reaching revenues of $ 449 million.

Karla White, manager of Intel’s Corporate Relations in Costa Rica, said that markets where Intel sells, Asia, America and Europe, have recovered faster than expected from the financial crisis and this has benefited the company.

White conceded that the multinational’s increase in exports is also due, to a lesser extent, to the transfer of part of the production that the company had been doing in three plants that it closed in Asia earlier this year.

The manager added that the rise in sales in the second and third quarters have helped the company to predict a positive close for this last quarter.

Intel will finish 2009 with exports of $1.9 billion, up 3% over 2008 ($1.85 billion).

However, White would not venture to affirm that the world financial crisis has been overcome in its totality.

“We have no magic ball.  We are looking at the market with optimism and we have positive outlook for 2010, but we are not making projections yet,” she said.

The lowest point in the transnational’s sales occurred between November 2008 and January 2009.  During those months, exports fell $262 million (44%) compared to $594 million during same period in 2008.

Intel’s business placements represent 20% of total Costa Rican exports.  The improvement since the second quarter has caused sales of the country’s sales to decrease at a slower rate since then.

White pointed out that investment and production technology has been vital to lifting the company’s sales.  “People want a performance increase.  There is a very positive performance by mobile products (laptops and cell phones) where the Atom processor has played an important role,” White added.

These devices operate with chips and chipsets that Intel is making here.  The chips and microprocessors are the brains of electronic devices, while the chipsets are equivalent to a computer’s nervous system and they are responsible for controlling the flow of within.

The manager said that new server technology also increased sales the above-mentioned equipment from Costa Rica.

“With these servers, companies that have or provide services to other data center (data storage centers) achieve greater efficiency and, therefore, they upgrade equipment,” she said.

Servers are Intel’s main product manufactured in Costa Rica, and they enable companies to store and distribute vital information on their computer network.

Intel many not be sure about the world economic crisis, but news is good so far.  If sales and exports continue to increase, it will also help Costa Rica overcome the world financial crisis.