Personal – Page 2 – Guys in the Zone

A Positive Experience With a Costa Rica Government Agency

April 26, 2017June 11, 2013 by

Costa Rica governmental education program on hydroponics.

For many of us here in Costa Rica’s southern pacific zone, we marvel at the hub-bub made in Costa Rica information books and websites about the high level of education in Costa Rica. We simply don’t see it.

A course I just took at the good graces of the governmental education agency INA stands in stark contrast with that observation.

The course was being offered free, totally government sponsored, but you had to be a resident. I had to provide a copy of my residency cedula, as well as fill out a form with all my information in it, all of which intrigued me that this course was something authentic. I jumped through the various hoops thinking that I would probably pull out at some point.

Long story short, I didn’t – I did the course – and I’m a better Guy because of it.

How to Live in Costa Rica Transcript

April 26, 2017May 18, 2013 by

This is the outline that I used for my presentation.

May 11, 2013

Presented by Ben Vaughn & The Avid Reader

(Davis, California), free of charge for anyone interested in the topic of what is involved with living in Costa Rica as an expatriate.
Ben Vaughn:
• grew up in Davis
• spent 20 years in the Aspen valley in Colorado
• has lived in Costa Rica since 1999
• currently serves as a consultant for those that are interested in making Costa Rica their home

(POV Shift)
I come up to Davis every 6 months to visit my family who still reside here.
Regardless of whether I’m visiting Davis, or some other area of the country, I find that there is considerable interest in Costa Rica and what is involved with living there as a foreigner.

Today, my sister Audrey and I went to Whole Earth week out at U. C. Davis. In conversation there with the various venders, they would ask if we lived here in Davis or were just visiting. When they find out that I’m visiting, but not only that, I’m visiting from Costa Rica – well, now that involves some questions.

How long have you been there?
What area are you in? We went there for our honeymoon / family vacation / recently etc…
Is it expensive?
Can you own land?
What currency is used there?
Do you have to learn Spanish?
Are there lots of bugs?
Etc…

A Costa Rica Evening

April 26, 2017May 16, 2013 by

Ben's talk How to Live in Costa Rica at Avid Reader

I have just returned to Costa Rica from my regular visit to Davis California. This trip was predicated by the fact that my mother had been diagnosed with cancer. The preparations for the trip were rushed. My mother’s surgery to remove the cancer from her throat was scheduled on Monday, so the Monday prior, my sister Audrey made the arrangements and I spent the week getting things in order to fly.

My mother had specifically requested that I come before her surgery. She didn’t say, but we suspected that she was scared. Also, since her surgery was to be in her throat, she would likely not be able to talk for some time after the surgery.

We had a couple hours on Sunday and then the surgery was on Monday.

When the doctor went in to do the incision, he was a bit taken aback. There really wasn’t much cancer to speak of. So he just did a biopsy. The next day, Mom was up walking around, talking and eating.

All of which resulted in the point of this article, which is to tell you about my evening giving a talk at a bookstore, The Avid Reader in Davis. But first I should probably finish the lengthy lead-in part.

My mother had been diagnosed with

Costa Rica – What Are We Doing Here?

April 26, 2017April 6, 2013 by

The reasons for moving to, or visiting Costa Rica are diverse. In my time here I have been asked the question “why did you move to Costa Rica?” so many times I’ve lost count.

However, I am not just the askee of this question. I am the asker of the same question, different sense. “What is your interest in Costa Rica?”, the answer to which tells me volumes about the person I am talking with.

Cultural Convection: Things are changing here in the southern zone. I think of it as a “cultural convection”. It’s like the ever-present breezes here on the coast around The Zone. The breezes come in off of the ocean in the morning. As the earth warms throughout the course of the day, the inland flow changes and the breezes push back out to the sea in the afternoon and evening.

I think that there is a parallel with the human element.

Is The Zone at the Tipping Point?

March 3, 2018December 31, 2012 by

One of the screaming ocean views in the southern pacific zone of Costa Rica.

The place is packed. More and more people who bought land in the past are building or have built (and are happy about it.) Travel & Leisure put The Zone as the #1 place to visit for 2013. What the heck is going on?

I was invited to a house christening last night by Richard & Debby up at Costa Verde Estates. It was a small gathering, made up primarily of migrators, most of whom have just recently built a house or are in the process of doing so. I observed and heard some rather interesting indicators of a tipping point there.

numerous statements of an obvious love of Costa Rica and The Zone in particular
they were happy with their builder and the process was relatively smooth
comments about the resources now available to a home builder in Costa Rica
comments about how many people are talking about The Zone back home
comments on how many people there are vacationing in The Zone
how packed the hotels and vacation rentals are
guesses as to what the next 10 years are going to be like here
the reality (or not) of the international airport going into Palmar Sur (majority – NOT)
the effect of the highway being paved between Quepos and Dominical

There was a palpable feeling of “we are at the tipping point” here.

The facts that alcohol consumption

Guys In The Zone Real Estate is Closed – Sort Of

April 10, 2021September 7, 2012 by

“I heard that you guys have decided to dissolve your real estate office. I hope that is a positive change for all of you involved.”

“It most profoundly saddens [wife’s name] and me to learn you had to shut down Guys In The Zone. I am sort of at a loss for words other than to say your exit from the commercial side of Uvita is a great loss to the community. We understand the range of emotions you likely are experiencing now, as we too, have had a similar experience a few decades back. We wish you well in whatever new adventures life offers you in the future and we hope to see you still in the area upon our return at the end of Oct.”

Ben & Rod - Guys in the Zone — Rod & Ben – Guys in the Zone

Rod & I have indeed decided to close Guys In The Zone as a real estate agency here in Uvita. I’m profoundly moved by the response we’re getting from friends/clients as the word gets out.

However, I’d like to clarify a point or two here. This change is a good thing. With the downturn in the economy, Rod & I were spending quite a bit of time showing property, and very little time actually in business transactions – the life blood of a commissioned real estate company.

Rod was/is a die-hard lover of the business of real estate. I recommended on a couple of occasions that he go and hire on with one of the agencies that were getting leads from their page 1 of Google ranked web sites. He was a bit reluctant to do this. He really enjoyed what we had as a partnership and he loved the idea of us surviving and coming out the other side of the down time with this business that he loved.

Well, life happens, and so Rod is now working over at Properties in Costa Rica, and very happily doing so, I might add. He is busy with people truly interested in acquiring property here in the zone, and they are, no doubt, enjoying the fact that they somehow managed to find the best realtor in Costa Rica. So Rod finds himself supporting his family and doing so in the industry that he loves.

As for me,

The “Toucan Test”

April 26, 2017September 6, 2012 by

I have a thing I do on a personal level that I call my “Toucan Test”. It is my personal test for determining whether I’m becoming jaded to Costa Rica’s uniquely raw and wild beauty. It goes like this: when I see a toucan, do I take note of it? In other words, do I react with a “ho hum, just another toucan” – or do I still marvel at this extra-ordinary bird that defies design logic here with appreciation?

Earthquakes are a

Getting Health Insurance in Costa Rica

October 27, 2017May 20, 2012 by

Photo of a stethoscope for the article on health insurance in Costa Rica

I am 53 years old and have just gone through the process of applying for private health insurance. There are two types of health care in Costa Rica. One is socialized medicine. All residents of Costa Rica are required to pay into what is called “caja” (KAH-hah) insurance. This runs me about $25 per month. … Read more

Use Your Brain

April 27, 2017January 2, 2012 by

I subscribed to a new blog on my Kindle last night. I am now paying .99 cents a month for content that can be seen for free by going to www.sharpbrains.com I am willing to make this investment cuz, as many of you know; I am finding that there are brain changes afoot at this … Read more