Living OverSeas TV
Costa Rica Interviews
Costa Rica
Interview SET
The Living Overseas Costa Rica Interview Set gives you unlimited access to in depth interviews from expats currently living in Costa Rica. We interview a variety of retirees, location independent residents and long-term travelers to get their real experiences living internationally. Interview topics include: Costs of Living in Costa Rica, Safety in Costa Rica, Health Care and Health Insurance in Costa Rica plus much more.
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Watch interview samples here
Featured Interviews
Mike Holly – Restaurant Owner - Tamarindo, Costa Rica (11:49)
Mike is the owner and operator of Latitude Blue, a Jimmy Buffett inspired restaurant on the beach in Tamarindo. In his interview he shares his experience living in Tamarindo as well as information about owning and running a restaurant business in Costa Rica.
Here are the questions he answers in his interview:
What made you want to move to Tamarindo, Costa Rica and open a business?
Can you describe to me what Tamarindo is like?
What is your vision for the restaurant?
Was the process of buying a restaurant in Costa Rica difficult?
How about permitting, employees and actually getting the restaurant up and running?
What was the hardest part of starting your business in Costa Rica?
How did the fire dancers become part of your nightly entertainment?
Do you think there are opportunities for new businesses here in Costa Rica?
Is it important to Know Spanish?
Do you own a home or do you rent?
If someone is moving to Costa Rica, would you recommend renting a house before buying?
What is the cost of living in Tamarindo?
How do you like the weather in Tamarindo?
What’s it like in Tamarindo during the rainy season?
Josh Linnes – Real Estate Developer - Nosara, Costa Rica (24:45)
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Josh is a resident of Nosara and a partner in the real estate business, Viva Tropical, one of the best sources of real estate information for Central and South America. In his interview he shares information about real estate investment in Costa Rica as well as a lot of general information about the country. If you are interested in Latin American real estate, we highly recommend that you visit VivaTropical.com.
Here are the questions he answers in his interview:
How long have you lived in Costa Rica?
What brought you to Costa Rica long-term?
What are the positive things about living here in Nosara Costa Rica?
What are the negative things about living in Costa Rica?
Do you ever worry about crime other than petty theft?
Do you have international health insurance?
Is the healthcare in Costa Rica affordable?
Can you tell me about visas in Costa Rica?
Are attorneys very expensive in Costa Rica and do you need them often?
Do you have recommendations for finding a good lawyer in Costa Rica?
How do you generate income in Costa Rica?
What would you tell a friend about investing in real estate in Costa Rica?
What do you think the Costa Rica real estate opportunities are?
Outside of real estate, do you think there are business opportunities in Costa Rica?
With your knowledge of Latin America, where are your favorite places that you would recommend people looking?
Do you buy your home or rent your home in Nosara, Costa Rica?
If someone is moving to Costa Rica, how important is it to know Spanish?
Can you tell me about the Costa Rican people?
What’s the hardest thing about moving away from the states?
How does someone decide on what town to live in?
How does someone know what a good price is on a property in Costa Rica?
What does it take to be a real estate agent in Costa Rica?
What are the right reasons to move to Costa Rica?
Tell me about Panama.
What does Panama City offer in comparison to your project in Panama?
John Summers – Interview. Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica (16:45)
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John is a resident of Puerto Viejo where he makes the most of beach living. John grows enough food on his property that he could live off the land if he wanted to and he spends lots of his time on the beach coaching his two daughters on their pro surfing ambitions.
Here are the questions he answers in his interview:
Why did you decide to move to Costa Rica?
What do you like about living in Costa Rica?
What is the weather like in Puerto Viejo?
What are some of the advantages of living in Puerto Viejo?
Can you describe Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica for me?
How do you generate an income in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica?
Do you think there is opportunity in Costa Rica for someone that wants to start a business?
Do you have any advice for someone moving to Puerto Viejo?
What do you do for healthcare in Costa Rica?
Are the private clinics in Costa Rica very expensive?
Can you tell me about your personal experience with public healthcare in Costa Rica?
What kind of people thrive in Puerto Viejo Costa Rica?
Would you recommend for someone moving to Puerto Viejo to rent or buy a home here?
What are the positive things about living here in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica?
What are the negative things about living in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica?
What are you doing here on the beach today?
John Dolan, Construction/Developer - Santa Teresa, Costa Rica (33:38)
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John has been a long time resident of Santa Teresa and has had over 200 employees in his construction business there. John has been a significant inspiration with several of us at LivingOverseas.TV and we treasure the many stories he has shared with us. John built the amazing retreat property, Casa Verde, and shares his experience in this interview. We recently lost John to his battle with Parkinson’s disease. He is deeply missed.
Here are the questions he answers in his interview:
What factors influenced your decision to live in Costa Rica?
Was it hard to get a visa to live here?
Do you have medical insurance?
What’s the medical situation like here in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica?
What do you do for work in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica?
Do you think there is a lot of opportunity to start a business in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica?
Was it hard getting any of the permits for constructing your hotel in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica?
Was it hard to find building materials and labor to build your hotel?
Do you have any tips?
Have you used an attorney in Costa Rica?
Chrissie Baldwin – Interview. Santa Teresa, Costa Rica (16:59)
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Chrissie is a resident of Santa Teresa and is committed to sharing the stories of female surfers to empower women to be active. These stories are available on her website, MakingWavesGlobal.com. Their goal is to inspire 1 million more women around the world to be actively surfing by 2020.
Here are the questions she answers in her interview:
What brought you to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica?
Are you living alone or with family?
Can you tell me about the vibe of Santa Teresa?
What is Santa Teresa like physically?
What do you do in Santa Teresa to make money?
Can you tell me about your costs of living in Santa Teresa?
Do you think there are job opportunities in Santa Teresa for foreigners?
What are Costa Rican’s like?
Is it necessary for someone to know Spanish to live here?
What’s entertainment like in Santa Teresa Costa Rica?
What kind of people will thrive here?
How about friends? Is it easy to make friends here?
What is it like living as a woman in Costa Rica?
What are the downsides to living in Santa Teresa?
Dan Harris, Restaurant Owner - San Isidro, Costa Rica (32:39)
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Daniel Harris is owner of Riverside Marketplace, just outside of San Jose on the way to the Caribbean Coast. Dan has been developing properties for a while in Costa Rica and has now opened his own restaurant serving a fresh organic menu, and expanding to offer other locally made food items. Daniel is a big believer in living sustainably so he has repurposed hardwoods during the construction and even milled lumber and built the tables and chairs. Daniel values sourcing local, organic, farm fresh products, and is a leader in this movement in Costa Rica. They even serve handmade sodas, craft beer and organic wine. Daniel believes that if he would not put something on his table at home for his family, he should not serve it at the restaurant and this practice has paid off. Business is booming and not just with tourist. Riverside Marketplace draws many Ticos.
Here are the questions he answers in his interview:
How did you end up living in Costa Rica?
Can you tell me about visas in Costa Rica?
How is the healthcare in Costa Rica?
Are there business opportunities in Costa Rica?
Do you think there are opportunities in real estate investment in Costa Rica?
Is it important to learn Spanish when moving to Costa Rica?
Do you advise buying or renting a home in Costa Rica?
What are people like in Costa Rica?
What are the positive aspects of living in Costa Rica?
What are the downsides of living in Costa Rica?
How do you make your living in Costa Rica?
Was it hard to start a business in Costa Rica?
What type of clientele did you expect to have?
Is the legal process complex for starting a business in Costa Rica?
How did you develop your restaurant?
What are other ways you practice sustainability?
What are your plans for the future?
Silvia Eriksson – Interview. Montezuma, Costa Rica (27 minutes)
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Silvia has lived in Montezuma, Costa Rica since 2009, where she is the studio manager at Montezuma Yoga and a full time yoga teacher. It has been her childhood dream to be surrounded by forests and the ocean, and she was lucky to have found a place to both deepen the connection to nature, and to herself through Yoga and living an authentic and simple life.
Here are the questions she answers in her interview:
What is living in Costa Rica like?
What is Montezuma like?
What are the living options in Montezuma Costa Rica?
What is the cost of living in Montezuma?
What do you do for entertainment in Montezuma?
Are there work opportunities in Costa Rica?
Are there challenges to being in a cross-cultural relationship in Costa Rica?
What needs to be considered when dating someone here?
Is it easy to make friends in Costa Rica?
Do you have plans for the future?
Did you know Spanish when you moved here?
Can you tell me about yoga in Montezuma, Costa Rica?
Do you offer drop in classes?
What kind of wildlife is there in Costa Rica?
What are the positive aspects to living in Costa Rica?
Do you feel safe in Costa Rica?
What are the downsides of living in Costa Rica?
Do you have any tips for anyone thinking about living or visiting Costa Rica?
Are there yoga jobs available in Costa Rica?
Patrick Harrington, Yoga Studio Owner – Nosara, Costa Rica (39:49)
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Patrick is the founder-owner of Kindness Yoga, a donation-based collection of studios that hosts scores of teachers and tens of thousands of yoga students annually. Patrick is the father of two girls and a husband. He and his family now live in Nosara, Costa Rica and frequently travel back to Denver, Colorado to lead workshops and tend to their yoga studios there. Patrick has taught before tens of thousands of students, lead teacher trainings and mentored teachers over many years as the owner of Kindness Yoga.
Here are the questions he answers in his interview:
Where do you live?
Why did you choose Nosara, Costa Rica?
What are the beaches like in Nosara?
How do you earn a living in Nosara, Costa Rica?
Are there business opportunities in Costa Rica?
What is different about living or working in Costa Rica?
What is your neighborhood like?
What are the differences between Denver and Costa Rica?
Do you have any tips for anyone thinking about starting a business in Costa Rica?
Is it easy to find a good lawyer?
What is the cost of living in Nosara, Costa Rica?
How are the schools in Nosara?
What is Yoga like in Costa Rica?
Do you have anything else you would like to share?
What was your first experience in Costa Rica?