Residente 2015 09

Costa Rica’s English language newsletter

September/October 2015

El Residente Published by ARCR Administración S.A. Apdo. 1191-1007 Centro Colón San José, Costa Rica (www.arcr.net)

Taste the tropics:

Cas

September/October 2015

Contents Across the Board ARCR Board

Club Corner The View From Downtown Michael Miller

Editorial Note

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Ask ACS

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Paradise, We Have a Problem

11

What is a Warden?

14

Legal Update

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Taste the Tropics Maxima van Houten

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Costa Rican Spheres Become Personal / Judith Donovan

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A Day in the Life

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American Citizen Services Tony Johnson

Carol Vaughn

Allan Garro & Pedro Lizarazo M

Allen Dickinson

Business Directory

Contact Information Published by:

ARCR Administration

Email:

info@arcr.net / www.arcr.net

Editor-in-Chief:

Allen Dickinson

Associate Editor:

Mary Holmes

Marketing Director: Alejandro Vargas Graphic Design:

Rubén Chavarría

Advertising, Publicity:

ads@arcr.net

Office hours:

Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Main office, San José:

Av 14, Calle 42, San Jose, Costa Rica (506) 4052-4052

Mailing address:

P.O. Box 1191-1007 Centro Colón, San José, Costa Rica

San Isidro de el General office:

Intersection of Avenida 4 and Calle 4 (506) 2770-4070

Barú-Dominical office:

Next to Charter Restaurant (506) 2787-8017

Cover photo credit: Detail of the texture on a cas tree trunk. Pictures from lectorias.com/cas

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3

o all those who have offered feedback about the changes to El Residente, a big thank you.

There’s nothing that matches getting suggestions from those who actually read the publication. Some will be incorporated, some cannot be due to limitations of the programs we use to compile and publish the issues. We are improving with every issue, but don’t stop sending in those comments - good or bad.

Be sure and read the side bar to Allan Garro’s “Legal Update” column. It’s a heartwarming recounting of something he did to make a small child’s unfortunate life a little more pleasant. Don’t miss it!

Check out the “Across the Board” column too. It contains information on a way for members to help other members, without spending time or money, and reveals a new service now available in the office.

Our 2015 theme, “Taste the Tropics,” has been a big success, at least for me. Recently I was able to try the Mangosteen, which was featured in the May - June issue.

It was out of season but a person in San Isidro, who has found a way to extend the growing time, picked two off his tree for me to try. Delicious! There are so many scrumptious fruits here it’s hard to cover them all in just six issues, so if you have a favorite you would like to see featured, send the name in. If we get enough we may continue the theme in 2016.

Give a big welcome to Michael Miller and the new “The View From Downtown” series. In his columns Michael will point out some of the great cultural sites, events, and opportunities available in the Capital City. You may be surprised to learn about all the great things San Jose has to offer.

We hope you enjoy this issue!

This magazine has been published every two months since 1995 as the official communications media of the ARCR. Our organization provides service to thousands of foreigners who have chosen Costa Rica to reside for short periods or for permanent residence.

Since 1984 the ARCR has been offering reliable services, information and advocacy to Costa Rica’s foreign residents. We have the experience and ability to help you with your residency application, immigration, business and financial management, real estate purchases and rentals, property management, insurance, pet importation and much more.

If you wish to place an ad in El Residente, please contact the ARCR main office or the Marketing Director at the contact addresses located in the masthead. Goods & services offered are paid advertisements. Neither ARCR Administration nor El Residente research the companies and take no responsibility for the quality of such goods and services.

El Residente

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Across the Board

I

t’s been a rough couple of months since the last issue, what with the unanticipated move of the office. And you know how moves go for days, weeks, even longer, you can’t find stuff you know you packed... somewhere. Things are being found, new locations are being decided, and operations are becoming routine again. We want to thank everyone for their patience and understanding. We aren’t all there yet, but we are getting closer, so please give us the benefit of the doubt when we walk around in a daze trying to find something for you.

The new telephone number, 4052-4052, is the only office number now - it rolls over to an unused line if others are occupied, so service will be better.

ARCR maintains a list of members who own businesses or persons and businesses which have provided members with services in the past, so that the information can be passed on to other members when similar services are needed.

To better serve our members, ARCR Administration is updating and expanding that referral list. To assist in that effort, we are asking members who have businesses, or have had satisfactory experiences with local businesses and individuals, and who would like to refer those businesses or services to others, to please contact the office with the following referral information: - The name of the business/individual.

- A short description of the type of service they provide.

- If they are English speaking.

- An email address, if available.

- A contact phone number (A phone number is very important so that ARCR administration can verify the information and insure that the business/individual wants their information included on our referral list.)

Please send your referrals to: info@arcr.net with the subject line, “Referral List.”

It is the time of year the Marine Corps League and U.S. Embassy Marine Security Group Detachment’s Toys for Tots Drive. Last year they collected and distributed 330 toys to needy children. This year’s goal is 600 toys. Please donate what you can, $5 - $10, it all helps purchase toys. Donations can be made via the website at: www.mcleaguecr.info There is now a doctor’s office in the ARCR complex. The doctor can conduct the necessary examinations for driver licenses and ARCR/ INS group health insurance. Call or email ARCR Administration and they will arrange an appointment for you.

A reminder, the new building also houses the offices of attorneys, an INS Insurance agent (home/group health/auto), a convenience store, and a document translation service, as well as the Aerocasillas mail and package pick-up and dropoff service. We can also accept payments for the Caja. Coming soon: a social area with TV, books, games, and WiFi where members can meet, relax, or simply hang out.

Lastly, be careful out there! According to an August 6th ICR News article, The National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur) and the Judicial Investigative Police (OIJ) report that “In the first five months of this year alone, well over 1,500 crimes against foreigners were reported, ranging from theft and robberies to assaults and even murder, amongst a variety of other crimes.” To read the full article, go to: http://insidecostarica. com/2015/08/06/costa-rica-tourism-officialsexpress-concern-rising-crime-us-foreign-tourists/

WE’VE MOVED! Gimnasio Nacional

Avenida 4

Calle 40

Calle 42

Sabana Park

Ruta 27 (Pista )

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Mc Donald’s

Calle 4

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sa

DIRECTIONS: At the Southeast corner of Sabana Park, at the end of Route 27 (Pista), from the Universal Store/McDonalds restaurant proceed South on Calle 42. Go 100 meters and turn right on Avenida 14.

The ARCR office is 15 meters on the right. Look for the big ARCR sign.

Casa Canadá

Un iv er

After over 20 years at the same place, ARCR offices have moved to a new, larger, better location!

Only a few blocks away, we are now situated in a newly renovated residence on Avenida 14, just a short distance South from our old location in Casa Canada.

See the map for directions.

Our new World Headquarters offers several advantages to our members, such as convenient parking, easy access, more modern accommodations, and expanded services.

We are excited by this step up. Please come by and see how we have grown and are now even better equipped to meet your needs!

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New offices Avenida 14

We have a new telephone number too:

(506)4052-4052

Administración S.A.

Alcoholics Anonymous

Groups meet daily throughout the country; times and places change frequently. Call for up-to-date information. San José 2222-1880 (Anchor Club, also serves Narcotics Anonymous) Av 6 Calle 1, 2nd floor Maryland Building. Heredia (Laura) 22677466, Puerto Viejo Limón 2750-0080, Zancudo 2776-0012, Tamarindo 2653-0897, Flamingo (Don) 2654- 4902, Manuel Antonio (Jennifer) 2777-1548, Jacó (Nancy) 2637-8824, Zoo Group Escazú 2293-4322. Grecia (Jay) 2494-0578.

Southern Zone, meetings in English & Spanish, 8634-9241.

Al-Anon Meetings

English language Al-Anon meetings are open to anyone whose life has been/is affected by someone else’s problem with alcohol. Meetings are one hour long and held twice each week in Escazú centro, above the Buena Tierra Restaurant, 25 meters south of the San Miguel Catholic Church. Tuesdays at noon and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Tel: 8993-1762 (Rosemary) and/or 2228-1049 (Barbara) email: rosemaryzitek@yahoo.com.

American Legion Post 10-Escazú

The A.L. Post 10 has relocated the monthly meetings to Casa de España in Sabana norte. There is an elevator so those with a handicap will not have a problem entering the building or reaching the meeting area. If you wish to attend please e-mail or call for directions. Terry Wise, cell#: 8893-4021, Claudio Pacheco, cell#: 8876-1394, home#: 2225-4239.

American Legion Post 12-Golfito

Meetings are held 4 p.m. 1st Tuesday every month at Banana Bay Marina. The Golfito GOVETS have been helping Southern Costa Rica for over 20 years.

Contact Pat O’Connell at: walkergold@yahoo.com or 8919-8947, or Mel Goldberg at 8870-6756.

American Legion Auxiliary

The Legion Auxiliary meets the second Saturday of each month, at 1300 hours in Moravia. Contact Doris Murillo 2240-2947.

Asociación Caritativa Canadiense

The activities of this charity began in 2000 as part of the Canadian Club of Costa Rica. Our Vision is that every student has access to a clean, secure, well-maintained and healthy physical environment in which to learn and grow. We use our donations to complement what the locals can raise. Our volunteer membership is made up of both Canadians and Costa Ricans, male and female. If you would like to contribute or learn more please contact Fred Boden, fredrick.boden@gmail.com

Bird Watching Club

The Birding Club of Costa Rica sponsors monthly trips to observe local and migrant birds in various areas of the country. For more information, please visit our website: www.birdingclubcr.org

Canadian Club

The Canadian Club welcomes everyone to join us for our monthly luncheons, and at our special annual events, like our Canada Day Celebration, no passport required. There is no fee or dues to pay, just sign up with your email address and we will keep you informed of Canadian Events. For information visit our website: www.canadianclubcr.com or email Pat at: canadianclubcr@yahoo.com to sign up.

Democrats Abroad

Democrats Abroad meets on the last Saturday of every month at the Aurola Holiday Inn, San José. Contact Nelleke Bruyn, 2279-3553, e-mail: cr.democratsabroad@yahoo.com. Join Democrats Abroad at: www.democratsabroad.org. Register to vote absentee at: VoteFromAbroad.org

Little Theatre Group

LTG is the oldest continuously running Englishlanguage theatre in Central or South America and currently puts on a minimum of four productions a year. The group’s monthly social meetings are held in the theatre on the first Monday of the month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and everyone is welcome. Membership: Student C2,500, Adult: C5,000, Family: C8,000. For more information Call the LTG Box Office 8858-1446 or www.littletheatregroup.org

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Marine Corps League

Meets at 11 a.m. the 2nd Saturday of every month, at Tres Hermanas Restaurant on the service road opposite Hospital Mexico. Look for the big bull statue in front. For information call Bill Enell at 8812-0126 or write to mcleaguecr@gmail.com

Newcomer’s Club

Newcomer’s Club of Costa Rica (for women) meets the first Tuesday of every month, September through May. Contact: 2416-1111, email us at: costaricaporo@yahoo.com or visit our website at: www.newcomersclubofcostarica.com

PC Club of Costa Rica

The PC Club meets the third Saturday of each month; social, coffee, doughnuts at 8:30 a.m. The meeting starts at 9 and ends at 11 a.m. Guests are allowed one free month before joining. Meetings are held at the Pan American school in Belén. For information call Chuck Jennings, 2266-0123, or visit our website at: www.pcclub.net

Perez Zeledon International Women’s Club

PZIWC was formed in November 2009 to promote friendship between English speaking women in Perez Zeledon and, through friendship, to make positive contributions to our local community. The PZWIC meets for luncheons on the SECOND Tuesday of the month, hosts Walkers Day on the THIRD Tuesday of the month, and has a Games Day (board and card games) on the FOURTH Tuesday of each month. Event sites change frequently, so call or check our website for locations.

More information can be obtained from Jane Gregson at 8899-6859 or Cathy Carrolan at 83848281, or email to: pzwomansclub@gmail.com.

Please visit our website at: www.pzwomansclub.org

Professional Women’s Network

PWN provides its members with opportunities to network with other professional women with the goal of aiding personal and professional development of entrepreneurs, students, and professionals. PWN sponsors service and outreach programs to “give back” to the community. Monthly meetings are

September/October 2015

open to the public with an entrance fee of 3,000 colones. Meetings schedules vary. For info on the speaker for the month and to register, call Helen at: 2221-7605 or 2257-3622. Location: Tin Jo Restaurant in San José, Calle 11, Av. 6-8. Or email us at: pwn.costarica@gmail.com.

Radio Control Sailing Club

Meets at Sabana Park Lake. For information write Walter Bibb at: wwbbsurf40@yahoo.com

Wine Club of Costa Rica

The wine club usually meets at 1 p.m. on the last Sunday of each month. Join us to tantalize your taste buds and expand your education. For more information on upcoming events please contact us at 2279-8927.

Women’s Club of Costa Rica

The Women’s Club of Costa Rica is the oldest, continuously operating, philanthropic organization for English-speaking women in Costa Rica. The Club is focused on serving community needs in Costa Rica, particularly on children’s needs.

Along with its philanthropic fundraising activities, WCCR also hosts regular lunches, teas and many special interest groups. Guests are welcome and further information and a calendar of planned events can be found at: www.wccr.org

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Open to men too. English language group in Cariari de Belén, English-Spanish group in Heredia, Spanish language group in San José. We work on peace and human rights issues. Call Mitzi, 24337078 or write us at: peacewomen@gmail.com “Club members should review the contact information for their clubs and make sure it is up to date. Send any changes or corrections to: info@arcr.net, Subject line; El Residente.”

El Residente

8 The View From Downtown

by Michael Miller

San José, Costa Rica’s Art Capital

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o matter what you think about San José, there is no denying the fact that it is the center of Costa Rica’s culture and art scene. Whether talking about music, theater or the visual arts, San José is where Costa Ricans gather to create and to enjoy art. Here are two examples: In July of this year there were shoes in the Plaza de la Cultura in downtown San José. Not just any shoes.

Giant shoes!!

In an effort to dispel the myth that art is only for the wealthy elite, Costa Rica’s national art museum, properly known as Museo de Arte Costarricense (or MAC) brought a display of giant, beautifully decorated women’s shoes to the most popular plaza in downtown San José. This fun and imaginative exhibit consisted of nothing but highheeled women’s shoes. And when I say, “high-heeled,” I am not joking; the shoes stood over six feet high!

The Plaza de la Cultura, next to the National Theater and the Gran Hotel Costa Rica, is always a popular place.

But during the two-week exhibit, the Plaza was jammed with both Ticos and tourists as they wandered through the collection of twenty-four giant shoes. Each shoe had a corporate sponsor which was identified on a pedestal under each exhibit. The shoes, made of a plastic material, were covered by the work of an artist, and the result was a collection of bright, colorful and whimsical women’s shoes that, for two weeks in July, turned the Plaza into what could be described as a scene from a Costa Rican “Alice in Wonderland.”

Above, top: “The Conversation” by artist Luis Enrique Castillo is one of several statues that you will find in the public areas of the Hotel Don Carlos.

Above: Stained-glass, oil paintings, and elaborate wrought-iron lamps are just some of the works you will see.

Left: An exhibit of giant women’s shoes adorned the Plaza de la Cultura, next to the National Theater in Downtown San José. This presentation from Costa Rica’s national art museum (MAC) ran for two weeks in July.

9 Since the giant shoe exhibit was a presentation from the national art museum to bring art to the people in the Plaza, it is fair to ask: How did the people react?

They loved it. Especially women of all ages who posed for pictures in front of the shoes they liked.

MAC is headquartered at the eastern edge of Sabana Park, in a building that was originally the passenger terminal for San José’s first international airport.

With this exhibit the corporate sponsors, along with the MAC, brought a little magic to the Plaza in the heart of Downtown San José.

The second example is the Don Carlos, The Hotel and the Art Gallery.

If you are fortunate enough to spend some time in Downtown San José, you should make it a point to walk around Barrio Amon. This is the neighborhood that extends from immediately behind the high-rise Holiday Inn Hotel, north to the Rio Torres.

One of the landmarks of Barrio Amon is the venerable Hotel Don Carlos. It was formerly a collection of three private homes, but in the 1940’s these homes were combined to become the popular, boutique hotel.

Locals and expats stop at the Don Carlos often. Why? Because it is a great repository of Costa Rican art.

Hotel Don Carlos, located on the corner of Avenida 9 and Calle 9, diagonally across from another historic hotel, the Hemingway Inn, is a place where San José residents proudly bring their out-of-town guests when they want to show off the finer side of the capital city. The fact that it also has a pleasant cafe and a lovely gift shop, make it a fine place to visit.

Everywhere you turn you will see beautiful works of art. The walls are filled with oil paintings, there are statues scattered in the public areas, there are hand painted tiles, replicas of pre-Columbian stone carvings, elaborate wrought-iron lamps, beautiful stained-glass windows and there are even several coffee tables made from brightly painted wheels of Costa Rican oxen carts.

And it is not just the inside of the Don Carlos that features works of art. Outside there are statues greeting visitors as they walk in the front door, plus, there is a series of hand-painted tiles, depicting scenes of Costa Rican country life attached to the hotel’s north wall, along Avenida 9.

Most (but not all) of the art on display is from Costa Rican artists. You can visit this beautiful collection

September/October 2015

at the Hotel Don Carlos any day of the week. And the best thing is, you can view it for free.

There are many expats who dislike San José, especially downtown. They say it is crowded, it is noisy, it is dirty and there is crime. Well, they are right about all of those things; like any major city, San José has its problems. But the city also has a tremendous amount to offer. I believe that the people who write off San José, and refuse to visit it, are shortchanging themselves.

In this and future issues, I hope to bring you a look at Downtown San José that might surprise you. Not only is San José the nation’s political capital, it is also the economic and financial center of the country, and the home to a third of its population. San José is the center of Costa Rica’s art, its culture, and its sports. It has great restaurants, museums, music, theater, shopping, and entertainment.

I hope you will enjoy these up-coming looks at Downtown San José. If you keep an open mind, you might just be pleasantly surprised. It’s all part of The Real San José.

Michael Miller is the author of the first and only guide book about Downtown San José, titled: The Real San José. It is available for sale in the ARCR office.

El Residente

10 Ask ACS

by American Citizen Services

The American Citizens Services Section of the U.S. Embassy in San Jose, in collaboration with El Residente magazine, provides an opportunity for U.S. citizens interested in living or visiting Costa Rica to ask questions about services available at the U.S. Embassy to assist U.S. citizens when they are abroad.

Dear ACS,

I heard the new U.S. Ambassador has arrived in Costa Rica. We’ve been waiting a long time for his arrival and to welcome him. Can you tell us a little bit about him?

Curious Citizen Dear Curious, After the absence of a U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica for two years, S. Fitzgerald Haney arrived this summer in Costa Rica. Ambassador Haney is an international businessman with many years of experience serving in senior-level marketing, financial services and manufacturing positions across Latin America.

Ambassador Haney was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and grew up outside of Chicago. He and his wife, Rabbi Andrea Haney, have four children. He speaks Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew and conversational French.

In a recent interview, Ambassador Haney explained that the number one job of an ambassador and of the U.S. Embassy in general is to protect U.S. citizens and their interests. According to Ambassador Haney, “The fact that we have a sizeable population that has decided for all the right reasons to move and live in Costa Rica, as well as a million visitors from the United States annually, highlights that that’s one of our main purposes.”

Please read Ambassador Haney’s biography on the U.S. Embassy website: http://costarica.usembassy. gov/ambassador.html.

Dear ACS,

I travel so frequently that I have almost no blank pages left for additional entry stamps. Do I have to apply for a new passport, or is it possible to add extra pages?

Frequent Traveler

Dear Frequent Traveler, Currently, you can make an appointment to come in, bring your valid passport, and request extra pages for your passport. The cost is $82 and you can receive 24 or 48 extra pages.

However, after December 31, 2015, there will be no more extra visa pages added to U.S. passports.

Instead, 52-page passport books will be issued at no extra cost to U.S. citizens applying from outside the United States.

If your current passport is filling up, renew your passport early to make sure you have enough blank pages for visa stamps from other countries. Some require two blank pages for entry and exit.

See www.travel.state.gov for more information on entry, exit, and foreign visa requirements.

September/October 2015

Paradise, We Have a Problem

H

ow badly do you want a good relationship? Badly enough to make some changes in how you approach conflict with your partner?

No! I’m not crazy, but I believe I understand why you might think I am. It is your PARTNER who is doing things that upset you; things which makes it hard for you to get along and feel loving toward them. You have tried numerous ways to improve the relationship and solve its problems, but now you are feeling hopeless. Feeling you’ve done ALL you can to make things better. You believe that it’s time for your PARTNER to make some changes.

So, if all that is true, how could I possibly ask you to make even more effort? How could I suggest that YOU need to do some things differently?

I am not saying that you haven’t done your best or that I know what’s best for your unique situation. What I am suggesting is to try something much different than the way many try to create necessary relationship change. A new way to bring about the changes you need from your partner. It involves changing the way YOU go about trying to produce change in them. This may very well be a totally new philosophy of relationship-change for you.

Please give it a listen. Your partner is likely to need to make the same change to more effectively get what they need from you.

So this is no “you’re the bad guy” and your partner is the “good guy” approach. It’s more like there are no “bad guys”, only two people who need to try something different.

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by Tony Johnson

In the last few articles, we’ve looked at researcher John Gottman’s “Marriage Masters” and “Marriage Disasters”.

And we’ve looked at those ideas in a rather theoretical way. Today we get practical. Today we’ll see how the “Masters” and “Disasters” actually live and experience their relationship beliefs.

Imagine This Imagine that your partner needed you to make some changes in how you relate to them, how you treat them, and/or make some changes in your life habits. What would be the most effective way to approach you about making those changes? Think about it; it’s not an easy question to answer is it?

Of course, we’d want them to approach us respectfully and acknowledge our good intentions in the area they want us to change. So the first thing they need to do is to ASK us; not demand that we do something differently. Then we want them to tell us why it’s so important to them, and do so using a polite, friendly tone of voice. That approach would be very likely to get our cooperation, I believe.

For example, what if your partner came to you and said: “Honey, I know this seems like no big deal to you. And in the big picture, it probably is insignificant. But, to me, it’s very important. You already show you love me in so many ways, large and small, I hesitate to ask for one more thing, but could you remember to put the top back on the toothpaste. It would make the bath seem much neater AND keep germs out of the tube. I’d feel much more comfortable and would really appreciate it if you could do that for me, please.”

El Residente

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How would that feel? I bet you’d feel willing to give their requested change a try.

WHY? It’s all in how you see and treat your partner. The “Masters” look for the best in their partner. They’re not deluded fools, blind to their partner’s shortcomings, they CHOOSE to focus on the good side of their mate. While the “Disasters” often see NO good in their mate - only bad. And that choice makes all the difference in how we feel when our partner needs us to change.

I think the essence of this approach is easier to see if we look at its opposite.

How have we all (me included) typically tried to make changes in our partner? (Notice the words “make” and “in”.) We might have begun with polite requests but quickly escalated to shouting and orders and commands when the changes don’t immediately occur. ”Hey, what’s wrong with you? Are you deaf? What I asked for is real simple. Can’t you even do this small thing?”

Or, we might expect our partner to just read our mind and know what changes we need. Our attitude is that IF they love us, they should know what we need; we shouldn’t have to ask them. Right?

But, when our partner doesn’t figure out our innermost thoughts we smolder silently, thinking about how dumb they must be to not know what we want. And, once again, we explode because they are “so uncaring, so inconsiderate, so selfish.”

So, how well do these approaches work? Let’s get “Dr. Phil” here - they don’t, work, do they? Why not?

Having been put down, degraded, shouted down, feeling criticized, belittled, and attacked, our partner is unlikely to feel lovingly eager to meet our needs. Instead, they become defensive (it’s a natural reaction to insults) and they go on the counter-attack. Even if they don’t say it out loud, they have ways of telling us what jerks we are and what a huge mistake it was to become involved with losers like us. Inside they are saying, “I’ll be damned if I’ll give you what you want when you have been so evil to me.” They dig in their heels and vow to never make the changes we need.

Now things are even worse than before. On top of the original problem we needed to be resolved, we now also have a nuclear winter settling in over our relationship.

Nothing can live in the frigid, toxic climate following an ugly argument - certainly not loving, caring feelings. Or cooperation with our needs.

“You’re OK” versus “You’re Damaged Goods” The difference between some soft, kind, respectful request for some change and the attacking, trashing of their ego, commanding change approach is a basic message which is critical. In the soft request the bottom line is, “Even though I’d like you to DO some things differently, YOU are OK. YOU do not need to change WHO you are.” In the abusive demand, the message is, “You are NOT OK. There’s something very wrong with you. The problem is not in how I approached you, it’s WHO you are. It’s YOU who are the problem here. YOU are lacking, defective, broken. That’s why you don’t give me what I need.”

Would you be willing to comply with the needs of your partner if the approach implied, or stated that you were broken, lacking, not good enough? So, is it possible that in your “driven up a wall” frustration you have been conveying, even inadvertently, that there’s something wrong with your partner? Can you see how hurtful that would be to them - and counterproductive that is to you?

Yes, repeated, prolonged, indications of your needs met by indifference and a refusal to comply ARE extremely frustrating and annoying. We feel hurt. We feel unheard.

We feel that we and our needs don’t matter to our partner.

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September/October 2015

will be treated with respect and consideration - NOT put down, NOT attacked, NOT regarded as defective.

When the threat is removed from the discussions of difficult issues, those discussions become more productive and more effective because people aren’t playing “defense.” Nor do they go on the “offense.” In that open, non-threatening kind of environment, the focus is on solutions that work for both sides. There’s no need to “win” to prove ourselves OK and to prove our partner wrong. There’s no need to puff-up one’s ego to offset some sense of hurt.

Not only can this approach avoid relationship “nuclear winters,” it’s probably the only way to restore sunshine and good feelings to a deeply damaged connection.

A Take-Home to Make a Warm, Loving Home We don’t want our partner to see us as defective, deficient, and in need of repair. Nor do they. When we need some change FROM them, we must make it crystal clear that THEY are OK; it is only some things that they DO, only some behavior that is the problem. NOT WHO they are.

We feel blown off. And that makes us angry, impatient, and unable to see our partner’s good side. So we feel we have no other option besides “turning up the heat.” And yes, sometimes anger does get our partner’s attention and they finally take us seriously; but many more times the anger simply makes things worse.

Larger Than Caps on Toothpaste It may seem that being considerate of the impact we have on our partner’s sense of self, on their self-esteem, could make a big difference when the issues are small. But what about the big, important problems? And can’t we take this concern too far? If we focus too much on avoiding injury to their self-esteem, will it create an egomaniacal monster? Maybe this attitude works with small issues like toothpaste, but when larger issues are at stake, don’t we HAVE to just “get real”? Don’t we just have to “let ‘em have it?”

Actually, if the new approach, the new attitude toward each other becomes your relationship S.O.P., it can help prevent big issues from getting out of hand because they are dealt with before both sides lose their cool. The attitude of approaching each other with respect for one’s sense of self makes it easier to deal with the big things when they do come up. Why? Because both sides feel they

Whatever “training” we have received in conflict resolution (and for most of us that’s very little), it usually focused on resolving the ISSUES. We are usually taught: 1) Identify the problem, 2) generate multiple solutions, and 3) select the best solution. The “emotional climate” essential in reaching a solution is usually neglected and the absence of any recognition of the VITAL importance of how we TREAT each other during this process is overlooked and left out.

If these ideas are new to you, you’re not alone.

But, in one sense they’re not new at all. They’re the way you promised to treat each other at the beginning of your relationship. What’s new is that they don’t just feel good they DO good for the relationship. They’re ESSENTIAL - not “optional extras.”

Bottom line, there’s NOTHING wrong with you if you hadn’t heard about this approach before. We don’t know what we don’t know or need to know. Hopefully these ideas will be helpful in deepening and strengthening your relationship. AND, if your partner was reading this article, I’d be making the exact same suggestions because BOTH partners usually need to make this attitude/ approach change.

Next time: Bringing CR sunshine to Siberia.

ANY reactions to these ideas are very welcome: paradise.we.have.a.problem@gmail.com

El Residente

14 What is a Warden?

Editor’s Note: Carol Vaughn is a Warden for the US Embassy. She has opted to forgo her regular column, “Life in the Southern Zone,” to give us this valuable information about the role of a Warden.

H

ave you ever heard of the U.S. Embassy Warden Program? Many Americans living in Costa Rica have not and are unaware that there may be a U.S. citizen living closer to them than the Embassy in San Jose; someone who could help them out in a pinch or give them vital information they might need.

Those folks are called Wardens.

A Warden is a private citizen resident in a foreign country who volunteers to assist Embassy consular sections in disaster preparedness, welfare and whereabouts, and alerting fellow expats to emergency situations. You can find out more about this program, or even volunteer to join it, by emailing acssanjose@state.gov.

There are some 35 Wardens working with the American Citizen Services Unit of the U.S Embassy in Costa Rica.

Most are long-term residents, know the country and the language very well, and can help persons out in a jam if they need it. Wardens assist consular sections in disaster preparedness by alerting U.S. citizens to emergency

by Carol Vaughn

situations and passing on information from the Embassy.

They are a valuable asset that can provide the Embassy with key information, both about specific individuals and for situational awareness, from the local community or area. However, they have also been known to deliver inmates a toothbrush and toilet paper while they are in jail, check in with persons in the hospital, or provide invaluable contact information for different offices of the Embassy. Not every American here has a computer or a landline, which makes it harder to stay up to speed on relevant events. Wardens can help.

For information on how to contact the Warden nearest to you, contact the Consular Section of the Embassy at: 2519-2590 or email: ACSSanJose@state.gov

All U.S. citizens living in Costa Rica are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so that the Embassy knows their whereabouts in case of emergency. Residents from other nations are also strongly urged to contact their respective embassies to register their presence here. Here’s contact information on the two most common: Canadian citizens wishing to register their presence abroad can accomplish the task on the Internet by going to: travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration. The Embassy phone number is: 2242-4400. Emergency: 0-800-0151161. Emergency email: sos@international.gc.ca British residents are NOT able to register on-line and must call the Embassy of Great Britain, 2258-2025 to register. Useful website: http://www.gov.uk/topic/helpbritish-nationals-overseas/north-central-america.

For all others, contact your Embassy directly for information on Consular Agents.

Here are some factoids U.S. Wardens wish everyone living in Costa Rica knew.

- Many tourists have been victims of drownings or traffic accidents. Use extreme caution at the beach and on the road.

- Drunk driving and/or driving while using a cell phone are illegal here, and can result in being taken directly to jail.

- In the event of a vehicular accident, you may be required to remain in Costa Rica for months, or longer, until all injury claims have been settled.

15 - Ambulances can be called by dialing 911, but the ambulance may not necessarily have emergency equipment on board. Often, the dispatcher will speak English.

- Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for services rendered.

- You must have a valid foreign or Costa Rican driver’s license or an international driving permit to drive legally.

- In case of a traffic fatality, a judge must arrive at the scene to pronounce a person dead. This could take many hours.

- Costa Rican authorities may permit U.S. citizen tourists to stay up to 90 days, but THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DO SO. - Overstaying your visa could make you subject to deportation and/or a fine of $100 for each month you overstay. You could also be denied future entry into Costa Rica.

- Tourists are required to carry appropriate documentation at ALL times. Given the high incidence of passport theft, a copy of your data page

September/October 2015

and entry stamp may be carried in lieu of the entire passport.

- Local authorities have the right to detain U.S. citizens until their identity and immigration status has been verified.

Under Costa Rica law, tourists must carry their actual passport when: taking domestic air flights, driving, using a credit card, traveling overnight, or, when the actual passport cannot be retrieved quickly.

For additional information, please visit the U.S. Department of State’s Country Specific Information about Costa Rica at http://travel.state.gov/content/ passports/english/country/costa-rica.html.

All United States citizens in Costa Rica are also urged follow the U.S. Embassy on its website and on Twitter, and to keep these phone numbers and email address in your wallet in case of emergencies: U.S. Embassy San Jose, 2519-2000, after hours emergency, 2220-3127, acssanjose@state.gov.

You will also want to meet and get the phone number of your nearest warden.

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NB: Watch for our next seminar for the Southern Zone. Call the San Isidro de General ARCR office at 2770-4070 for information. Space is limited.

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El Residente

18 Legal Update

by Allan Garro & Pedro Lizarazo M

Rules for complaints against lawyers & notaries

C

osta Rica has more than twenty thousand lawyers and about nine thousand notaries authorized to practice in the country. To become a Notary it is required to be a lawyer, but certainly the two designations have separate duties in the eyes of the law. In summary lawyers represent their clients in Court cases - collections, criminal prosecutions, lawsuits, and conducting procedures handled

by Governmental Institutions. Notaries, on the other hand, prepare documents like purchase agreements, affidavits, corporations, wills, and similar.

Lawyers are authorized and supervised by the local Bar Association named Colegio de Abogados (www.abogados.or.cr) whilst Notaries are ruled by an entity named Direccion Nacional de Notariado or National Directorate of Notaries (www.dnn.go.cr). Both are public entities but perform separately, each having their own set of rules regarding to the control and supervision of their members. In order to be authorized to practice as a lawyer or notary, it is mandatory to be incorporated with those institutions.

A frequently asked question is what happens when a client feels that his or her lawyer or notary is untrustworthy or has been performing actions damaging the best interests of the client? Can a complaint be filed? The answer is yes.

The most important thing to do before filing the complaint is to determine if it has to do with violations of the duties as a lawyer or as a notary. It is common that many complaints about Notaries are improperly filed with the Bar Association, which creates much confusion.

Also, it is necessary to take in consideration that complaints can only be about situations related to business practices, either as a lawyer or as a notary, and not about personal aspects of their life. For instance, filing a complaint against a lawyer for non-payment of rent, or against a notary for not paying a credit card, is not acceptable. For these issues the affected person or

company needs to go thru the normal judicial procedures which can apply to any other person.

In case of the lawyers, the Bar Association will take complaints for situations like the following scenarios: a.

When a lawyer is reluctant to provide information to the client about a case or procedure being handled in which the client has an interest, b. If the lawyer has committed some type of fraud or has illegally appropriated assets that belong to the client, c. The lawyer has violated professional secrecy or, d. The lawyer does not have the knowledge required to handle the case for the client.

There are also many other possible infractions.

The guidelines for filing a complaint against a lawyer are: - The complaint needs to be filed in writing. Complaints made by telephone or email are not admissible.

- The Office of the Inspector cannot give legal advice or represent the plaintiff in the procedure, nor provide an interpreter, as they are supposed to remain neutral. For these services the plaintiff can hire a lawyer or interpreter on their own.

- The complaint will be taken under study for a few days before a decision is made. If the grounds of the case are strong enough, a procedure against the lawyer shall be initiated, following the due process of the law.

- After both parties have responded to any allegations, a private hearing is set to attempt to have the parties reach a settlement. If that fails, then all proofs are offered and recorded.

- Once the hearing finishes, the case is sent to the Board of Directors for a final decision. Such a decision can only be about disbarring the lawyer for a period of time, which can range from one month to twelve years, depending on the gravity of the offense committed.

- Any false statements made in the complaint may be punished. Also, complaints made in bad faith could entitle the affected lawyer to file a countersuit for damages.

19 - The Board cannot grant claims for damage or for expenses incurred; damages can only be granted by a Judge in Court on a separate lawsuit. Their decision is final.

For complaints against Notaries, the procedures are very different. The client must file the complaint before the Court of Notaries, which is part of the Court System, and is located in San Jose. The complaint can be verbal, however if a damage claim is filed the document needs to be in writing and hiring a lawyer to handle it is mandatory. In this type of procedure the notary can be disbarred as well as ordered to pay damages and related expenses.

The rest of the procedure against notaries is similar to the one conducted by the Bar Association against lawyers, including a hearing where all proofs are examined.

However, the decision made can be appealed before a higher Court, meaning it takes more time to become a final decision. Because notaries are obligated to pay contributions to a guaranty fund in the case compensation is granted, the affected party could get payment from that fund, depending on the amount.

The following examples are valid complaints against notaries: a. Lack of registration of a document in the National Registry for such things as the transfer of the title on a property, a mortgage, or other legal document, b. Producing illegal documents with forged signatures, c.

Authorizing illegal documents for lack of requirements or being against the law, d. Keeping the registration expenses received from the parties and, f. Not being impartial when authorizing a document between two or more parties.

September/October 2015

Batman Rides!

Allan Garro, who writes the Legal Update column for El Residente, doesn’t just sit behind a desk and pass out legal advice; he’s a kind person who cares about those who don’t have all the advantages. Here’s his story about what he did to raise the spirits of some sick children, and one boy in particular:

June 20th was the seventh birthday of a boy named William who lives in the palliative care department of the San Juan del Dios Children’s Hospital. His biggest dream was to meet Batman, his favorite hero.

So, on a rainy Saturday I dressed like Batman, got on my “Batcycle,” and went to the hospital. Thank God, the rain had stopped and the doctors allowed him to go outside where we took a short ride on the hospital’s front access road. Because of the noise the bike made it only took a few minutes before the windows of the hospital were crowded with all types of kids. Following this, the staff invited me to visit the two entire floors!

Mostly it was a great experience, but I saw some really sad images that made me rethink the value of life. A couple of little kids cried, but dozens were really happy!

My wife, Ingrid, acted as my assistant and photographer.

The legal system of Costa Rica provides tools for those who have been damaged by a lawyer or by a notary.

Affected parties can also choose other options like civil or criminal lawsuits, if applicable.

Certainly there are many reputable professionals in the country while the dishonest ones are just a few. But getting good referrals and trying to get other information about the attorney or Notary prior hiring them reinforces the motto “Forewarned is forearmed” and is strongly advised.

Allan Garro Navarro Attorney at Law

www.garrolaw.com

Co-author Pedro Lizarazo is completing his course of study at the Law School at Universidad Latina and is currently doing an internship at Allan Garro’s office.

UPDATE William’s doctors had scheduled him to undergo a dangerous surgery. Two days before the operation was to take place he asked his mother if Batman could possibly come see him again? Allan once more dressed in his costume, went to the hospital, and spent over two hours with the sick boy playing video games. On July 16th William underwent a nine-hour surgery. He came through it well and is recovering nicely.

Kudos to Allan and his wife for making the lives of some unfortunate children a little brighter. We are very proud to have him writing for this publication.

El Residente

20 Taste the Tropics

by Maxima van Houten

T

he sourly-delicious cas is as Costa Rican as it gets. This fruit, known in English as a Costa Rican guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum), is native to Costa Rica.

The robust trees are common here and can reach 20-25 m high. They are often found in residents’ backyards, which give families the opportunity to pick the homegrown fruit. The cas also grows in other parts of Central America.

Cases (plural of cas) are about the size of a plum (412 cm). The skin is yellow or green in color and they sometimes have brown spots, which does not affect the flavor. Inside the skin is a fleshy, fibrous white pulp and seeds. The fruit’s texture, size, and shape are very similar to the guayaba (regular guava), although the taste is quite different. If you try the fruit as is, the taste is sour and fresh; you will feel your mouth water and your taste buds tingle. For some people, myself included, merely remembering its flavor will have a mouth-watering effect.

Cases are rarely eaten straight from the tree, but if you are feeling adventurous, I recommend you add a pinch of salt to the raw fruit.

As a variety of guava (which are considered superfruits), cases are an excellent source of fiber, which helps clean the colon. It is rich in vitamin C and common guavas contain 4-5 times more vitamin C than oranges, which contributes to a myriad of metabolic processes.

Along with cases come fruit flies, and with them offspring in the form of larvae, which are common to find in the fruit. Some people are won over by the taste and embrace the extra protein. Others, however, prefer to cut the fruit in pieces and weed out the unwanted friends. Another option is to give the insects the lobster treatment by simply boiling the fruit to sterilize it.

If you have never tried cas you are missing out. Due to its acidic taste, cas is mostly consumed in fruit juice, marmalades, and jellies which have sugar added to compensate for their natural tartness. Fresco de cas is a staple Costa Rican refreshment that is widely available and most sodas will have it as a drink option.

To make this tropical refreshment at home you will need four or five ripe cases. Boil them for a few minutes and then put them in the blender with some ice and water.

Strain the mixture into a pitcher; add more water and sugar (or organic sugar cane) but not too much (if cas is too sweet it isn’t as refreshing.) The resulting fresco is a stimulating frothy, rich greenish-yellow drink.

Additionally, folk medicine has used the leaves of the cas plant as remedy for diarrhea, diabetes, fever, dysentery, coughs, and colds.

Last week I bought five huge cases at the supermarket.

They were the size of softballs; I had never seen cases that big. The five weighed about a kilo and the cost was 1,000 colones (about US$ 2.00). I was really excited.

The cas flavor is intense, and a little really goes a long way, so I knew I was going to be able to try several recipes and share the treats with my dearest ones.

To process my cases and extract the pulp of the fruit, I first washed them, cut them into pieces, and put them in the blender with some water. After they were thoroughly blended I strained the pulp into a pitcher.

The first thing I made was fresco de cas.

I was able to make about four liters just by adding more water and sugar to about half the strained pulp. A total success!

21 Since I still had about two liters of pulp left, I decided to try a new recipe called mousse de cas. The recipe includes condensed and evaporated milk which add sweetness and a creamy taste. Also included is gelatin, to congeal the mixture, and the recipe was supposed to make a light and perfect dessert. When I had had it prepared by another person the resulting treat was really delicious with a soft and airy texture and some refreshing tartness.

I did everything the recipe said. Everything was looking like it was going to work out, so I put it in the fridge to let it set. After five hours, however, it was still almost completely liquid. This didn’t look anything like the dessert I had already enjoyed but had never attempted to make myself!

It’s never ideal when recipes don’t work out and the result isn’t what is expected. But you know what they say: In life

September/October 2015

you never lose, you either win or learn. So I decided to freeze the “mousse” and turn it into helados de cas (cas icecream). This approach worked and the frozen mixture had the appearance and texture of a sorbet, which is also a popular Costa Rican dessert.

I had a really good friend over for dinner, and she was the first to try the ice-cream. It had a light, acidic taste to which we added some rum to spike up the flavor and give it a sweeter taste. We called this frozen drink a “Cas y Libre”. Delicious!

Cas is a versatile and “must try” fruit which has played a major role in the Costa Rican diet and psyche for many years. It is wonderful not only for its unique flavor, but for its nutritional value. Cases are found at grocery stores year round, so go ahead and make yourself some fresco de cas, I promise you won’t be dissatisfied.

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El Residente

22

22 Costa Rican Spheres Become Personal

by Judith Donovan

T

here is mystery amidst the Pura Vida.

The stone spheres of Costa Rica tend to invade your mind as you spot them across the land. Examples of these ancient balls have been found throughout the country, from Guanacaste to the Osa Peninsula, and are a well-known phenomenon to many visitors and historians. They have now gotten a well-deserved museum.

What are these mysterious spheres? They are stone balls of varying sizes which have been found around Costa Rica. The following information is from an Internet article about them: These mysterious balls are so perfectly round that they seemingly could not have been carved by hand. Nobody knows where they came from or how they were made. Several dozen, in sizes ranging from a few centimeters to two meters, were first discovered around 1940 when some land was being cleared for a banana plantation.

Subsequent archeological research has identified and catalogued hundreds more of these balls, all so precisely made that modern equipment would have difficulty recreating them.

There are many other articles to read on Google and a few months ago they were even featured on CNN.

Some on-line article attributes their origin to the indigenous ancestors of the Borucq people in Osa, and the balls may possibly be a part of that groups’ history.

There are nearly as many theories about what these perfectly carved stones may mean and what role they played in the early culture of Costa Rica, as there are

spheres. Some say the most likely is that their positions seem aligned to the sun and perhaps they were used to calculate a projection of the suns movements.

While I was fascinated to learn more, the hard, round stones recently became more directly personal. But, before I tell you about my personal experience, let me tell you more about these interesting items.

The spheres are carved, or somehow constructed, from a hard volcanic stone called granodiorite . No one knows how old they are because Costa Rica had no recorded history before 1502, but archeologists place them somewhere between 200 and 1500 A.D., arriving at their estimations of the stones age by dating pottery and other artifacts found buried at a similar depths near some of the spheres.

Why they were created is the mystery. Were they some kind of ancient sign post? Or perhaps used as celestial references? Were they antennae in an ancient power grid? Some even say they might have been a receiver for alien communication. Others guess they were used in religious rituals. Regardless of the many theories, their original purpose remains an ongoing mystery.

Move to present time. A few months ago I learned of the death of my dear friend, Garry. His wife had preceded him into the mystery, passing just three weeks prior.

They had both shared, privately, with me, on multiple occasions, that each never wanted to live without the other.

Garry’s brain cancer started almost exactly four years ago. He struggled on, past what was expected, perhaps to “save” his adored Aliki, from seeing a second husband

23

die of cancer. In turn, she may have “saved” him from enduring more pain by succumbing to her own throat cancer. Garry was, however, in a coma at the time and did not know of his dear Aliki’s death (or did he?) because he left this world three weeks after her, never coming out of a coma.

September/October 2015

The sphere still sits on our lawn, but the mystery of the stone spheres of Costa Rica has taken on a new meaning for me. What do you think they are? I know that for me this one was the promised message from my dear friend.

An aspect of Garry’s and my friendship was our joint interest in the paranormal. Garry and I loved to share what others call weird, or even scary, and had often attended past life regressions and talked of aliens or other phenomena together. We often explored our experiences or beliefs in the After Life realms of possibilities, and Garry once teased me, saying, “If I go first, I will send you a sign.” So, it made perfect sense when reactions were, “Look for a sign from beyond”, as I shared the news of Garry’s passing with those that knew him.

So, imagine how stunned I was when one morning I looked out our front door. “Wes, come quickly. LOOK!” There in our front yard was what truly appeared to be one of the stone spheres of Costa Rica! We touched it, it was real; it was about 18-inches in diameter and weighed maybe 25 pounds. We lifted it and saw the grass underneath was new and green! It was obviously a new feature to our landscape.

We stood transfixed with awe; in the years we have lived here, plowed up the land, etc., it was never there before!

We asked the gardener and he knew nothing of its arrival; he had not even noticed it.

A sense of awe, a deeply spiritual shivering ran through my body. Was I actually standing before the presence of a message from beyond?

If you would like to view the CNN story, you can see it on YouTube under, Alien or Atlantis: Who made Costa Rican stone spheres?

Judith Donovan has resided in Costa Rica since 2007. She can be reached at: jdon3482@aol.com

El Residente

24 A Day in the Life Crisis in the Baño

M

y apologies if you have read this before; it appeared in these pages several years ago. Recently I was telling the story to someone who asked me to print it again. Ever one to oblige, here it is. (And you gotta admit, it IS a good story.)

My house, like most Tico houses, is plumbed with grey plastic water pipe. And, also like many Tico homes, it has a faucet in the shower, one of those standard, brass spigots that Gringos often feel is more appropriate for the garden than for indoor applications. Even if it’s not pretty, it works well, that is, if one needs to connect a hose, fill a bucket, or something.

The connection between the plastic supply pipe, which is cast inside the solid cement wall, and the faucet outside, is also typical – a two-inch long, white PVC plastic “union” that is glued to the grey supply pipe on one end and threaded for the spigot to screw into on the other. In this case, the union was half inside and half outside the wall.

One day, as my esposa and I were taking a shower, she bent down to pick something up off the floor and brushed against the faucet. This caused the union to break and the spigot to fall to the floor. This allowed the full force and volume of the water from the supply line to gusher into the shower with no way to shut it off.

After the initial panic wore off and the laughter stopped, I wrapped a towel around myself, grabbed a tool, and went outside and closed the main water shutoff valve at the meter. Now I had another problem; the whole house no longer had any water and before it could be restored the crisis in the baño had to be repaired.

I examined the situation and discovered that the portion of the PVC union which had broken was totally outside the wall and there was a remaining, undamaged portion about one-inch long inside. I determined that there were two ways to fix the problem; one was to rip into the tile wall and solid cement behind it so I could reach the grey supply line and glue on another union, to which I could reattach the spigot. But that would destroy some very pretty tile and leave an ugly hole that would be prone to water intrusion and possible subsequent damage to the wall.

The second solution was to cut the damaged part of the current, broken union off almost flush with the wall,

by Allen Dickinson leaving the one inch or so of the undamaged portion inside the wall. I could then cut some new threads into the remaining piece so I could reattach the spigot. I chose this second option. And that’s where the fun began.

I felt very confident as I walked into the local hardware store. After all, the answer was rather simple, if not elegant. All I needed was a couple of items; a tap to cut some threads and plug (a plug because I had decided not to reinstall the spigot but rather to just stop-off the pipe and avoid future problems.) Besides, less than fourfeet away there is a full sized, American-style bath tub that has a similar faucet, if we needed to fill a bucket or something. And, I had my pocket translator to help me out if there were any language difficulties.

For those who don’t know, a tap is a tool that is used to cut threads on the inside of a something so something else (like a bolt or pipe) can be screwed into it. Think of what the inside of a nut looks like – it has internal threads, as opposed to the bolt which has external threads. Incidentally, the device for cutting the outside threads on a bolt or pipe is called a die. I wanted to cut new threads inside the remaining plastic union, so I needed the correct size tap.

The first thing I began looking for in the hardware store was a correct size plug. As I was plundering through the plumbing section an employee of the store approached me and asked if I needed help. This is where I made my first mistake; I informed him of my problem and told him what I needed. My proposed solution elicited a puzzled look followed by some consideration. Then he helpfully led me to the hammer section where he opined that what I really needed was a hammer, because I “needed to tear out the wall.”

“No, I don’t need a hammer, just a plug and a tap,” I explained, and headed back to the plumbing department.

He followed me and when I began rummaging in the plug bins he again informed me that I needed to “tear out the wall.” My smile and shake of the head caused him to look confused and head off to another part of the store.

He soon returned in the company of another employee, also seeking to help me.

By the time they arrived I had found the plug I needed. I explained the problem to the second employee whose face lit up and he exclaimed, “Oh! You need to tear out the

25 wall!” and headed towards the hammer section. Again I declined the tool and tried to explain to the two now somewhat confounded store employees that all I needed was a tap that matched the size of the thread on the plug.

I was met with blank stares. Tap? Tap? What is a tap?

I broke out my handy pocket translator, inputted the word tap and, just before the battery died, learned that it contained several definitions of the word, including a kind of dance, with translations to Spanish. But none that gave me the equivalent word for the tool I needed. No problem.

I requested a piece of paper so I could draw a picture of the tool. I assumed that once they saw what it looked like my communication problems would disappear.

The paper and pencil arrived along with a third employee, who spoke some English. As I inexpertly drew a picture of a tap, I explained the problem to the new arrival.

He listened patiently, then informed me, “You need to tear out the wall! You need a big hammer.” and started toward the appropriate section.

I called him back and patiently tried to explain what I intended to do showing him the drawing and describing the tool I needed. In the process I wrote the word T-A-P on the paper and drew another, rough picture of what the tool looks like. I’m no artist, but to me both were fairly good depictions that any good hardware store clerk would instantly recognize. That, along with my vigorous hand motions ought to do the trick, I thought. All it got was head shakes and confused looks along with the repeated diagnosis, “But, you need a hammer to tear the wall out.”

I thought I would try another tack and began to concentrate my explanation on the threads of the plug while explaining that what I needed was the tool to cut the threads the plug would screw into. I even led all three of helpers back to the plumbing section where I showed them a pipe connector, pointed out the inside threads, and showed them how the plug screwed into them. That caused a discussion between the three employees that lasted a long time but resulted in nothing new; it was still their unanimous conclusion that I needed a hammer. A really big hammer.

Again I declined that option which resulted in another conference and a third drawing of a tap, more hand motions, demonstrations of how threads work, and the arrival of a fourth employee; a supervisor. An excited conference between the four brought the new arrival up to date and, after due consideration, he asked, “You don’t want a hammer?” then added, “But you have to tear the wall out!” I shook my head negatively which got an uncomprehending shrug of the shoulders and he

September/October 2015

quickly wandered away, leaving his underlings to handle the crazy Gringo.

I was beginning to get frustrated. I had been in the store for nearly an hour and all I had to show for it was a plug – and the beginnings of an ulcer. Surely, I thought such a tool existed in Costa Rica – surely the whole country can’t run on glued plastic water pipe! They have to cut inside threads into things, I know they do! So I grabbed the plug and went wandering. One of my “helpers” picked up the paper with the T-A-P spelling and my drawings on it, and headed in a different direction. The two other fellows silently disappeared (I think they went in search of another Gringo who was smart enough to know he needed a hammer to tear out a wall.)

I was about to give up and try another hardware store when the employee with the drawing returned and excitedly motioned for me to follow him. The two of us crossed the store and ended up at an enclosed glass counter where the helper proudly pointed to several plastic boxes, each containing three shiny, brand new taps. Eureka!

The counter was unlocked and in seconds a box with three, 5/8 inch x 18 (18 designates the number of threads per inch) taps was resting in my hand. Exactly what I needed (I could tell because the word TAP was clearly printed, in large capital letters about 1-inch high, on the box label.)

I opened the box and removed one, compared it to the drawing I had made and decided my representation had been pretty accurate and said, “Correcto! I’ll take one.”

But that brought a negative response; “No Senor, you can’t buy one. You must buy all three.”

OK, OK, I give. Sell me the whole damn box!

We went to the checkout and in a few moments I was out of there. Thirty minutes later I was home, had the plastic union threaded and the plug installed, and the water turned back on. Crisis solved.

That was over five years ago. To date the plug has functioned perfectly. No tiles have been broken and there are no large, unsightly holes in the shower wall (only an ugly plug).

I now have three taps, two never used, and one only used twice (the second use is a story I’ll save for another time) for sale. Anybody need a 5/8 inch x 18 Tap? I’ll sell the two of them separately. (But I’ll keep one, just in case.)

Allen Dickinson is a member of ARCR. In 2006 he retired and relocated to Costa Rica. He holds a Bachelors Degree from the University of New York and a Masters Degree from the University of West Florida. He can be reached via email at: allen@humphree.net.

El Residente

Business

26

Exchange rate of CRC to USD

527.36 526.27 530.25 528.71 528.43 529.05

March April May June July August

Exchange rate of other currencies to USD

Lic. ALEJANDRO PIERCY EN-SP-EN Translator

Certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Costa Rica

Ph.: (506) 6043.6161 • E-mail: alejandro.piercy@gmail.com

Conveniently located right here at the ARCR building!

Come and enjoy delicious snacks, coffee, cold beverages, fruits, cleaning supplies and much more!

Stop by to say hello!

Do you need help with: • Tax Return Preparation?

• Passport Renewal?

• Visa Applications? (Tourist / Work / Study) • Vital Records? (Birth / Marriage / Police Reports) expat7star@gmail.com (e-mail me anytime) Call 6242.9879 after 5:30 p.m. (or weekends any hour)

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE! For more information, contact Alejandro Vargas at:

(506) 6043-6161 or ads@arcr.net

Argentine Peso Australian Dollar Bolivian Boliviano Brazilian Real British Pound Canadian Dollar Chilean Peso Chinese Yuan Columbian Peso Danish Krone Dominican Peso Euro Guatemalan Quetzal Honduran Lempira Hong Kong Dollar Japanese Yen Mexican Peso New Taiwan Dollar Nicaraguan Cordoba Norwegian Kroner Peruvian Sol Polish Zloty Russian Ruble South Korean Won Swedish Krona Swiss Franc Venezuelan Bolívar

Basic interest rate March April May June July August

Libor Rate 1 month 3 month 6 month 12 month

Prime rate

9.31 1.42 6.91 3.73 0.65 1.32 684.86 6.36 3100.40 6.64 45.04 0.89 7.69 21.96 7.75 120.12 16.87 32.48 27.48 8.25 3.25 3.76 66.96 1181.94 8.45 0.97 6.35 7.10 % 7.10 % 6.90 % 6.80 % 6.75 % 6.55 %

0.20120 % 0.33400 % 0.54275 % 0.85555 % 3.25 %

Directory Holidays of Costa Rica

Wednesday September 9th Children’s Day Observance Tuesday September 15th Independence Day National Holiday

September/October 2015

27

Dr. Piercy's Medical Office Esteban Piercy Vargas, M.D.

General Practitioner- INS Provider - CCSS prescriptions 10% discounts on: At-office and at-home visits, death certificates, sutures, nail removals, regular pap smears, wound care, and more.

email: epv900@gmail.com - Ph.: 4052.4050 - Cell.: 8946.6996

Monday October 12th Cultures Day Observance A Touch of Wisdom A trouble shared is a trouble halved.

- Unknown Death pays all debts.

- William Shakespeare (1599) Every dog has its day.

- John Heywood (1562) Funniest One Liners If you don't swear while driving, then you're not paying attention to the road at all.

You're never childless, when you have a husband.

If we're not meant to have midnight snacks, why is there a light in the fridge?

Sometimes I drink a glass of water... just to surprise my liver.

I can't wait until I'm old enough to pretend I can't hear.

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE! For more information, contact Alejandro Vargas at:

(506) 6043-6161 or ads@arcr.net

Are you a member of ARCR?

Join today!

Discover the benefits of membership Complete residency application services include:

Personal escort services for:

Enrolling in the CCSS (CR Social Security).

Translation of necessary documents into Spanish.

Opening a bank account.

Personal assistance with the application process.

Obtaining a Costa Rican driver’s license.

Obtaining or renewing cédulas.

Legal assistance from attorneys.

EN-SP-EN Certified Translation of documents.

Application for residency from outside Costa Rica.

Bi-monthly newsletter containing the latest updates on living in Costa Rica.

Personal escort to Immigration.

Enroll now and receive all these benefits and more!

Seminars on relocating to Costa Rica.

Discounts on:

Insurance (auto, homeowner, trip.)

Group health insurance.

Legal services packages.

International mail and courier service.

Over 200 hotels, resorts, restaurants, and businesses.

Administración S.A.

For more information, or to enroll online, go to our website at: www.arcr.net, email us at: info@arcr.net, call ARCR Administration at: (506) 4052-4052, or drop by our offices on Calle 42, Avenida 14, in San José, or go by one of our satellite offices: in San Isidro de El General at the intersection of Avenida 4 and Calle 4: (506) 27704070, or in Barú - Dominical next to the Charter Restaurant : (506) 2787-8017.