Residente 2014 11

El Residente Costa Rica’s English language newsle er

November/December 2014

November/December 2014

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El Residente

Contents: President’s Message ................ 4 Costa Rica on the Globe ........... 6 Paradise, We Have a Problem ... 9 - Tony Johnson

Wild Side of Costa Rica ........... 13 - Ryan Piercy

A Day in the Life ..................... 14 - Allen Dickinson

Press Pass ............................... 17 - Alejandro Piercy

Legal Update ......................... 18

Editorial Note The end of the year is upon us, as we all get stocked up and prepared for a long, cold winter to set in, and outside the snow begins to fall... ... then you awaken from your nightmare, and recall that you are in Costa Rica, happily re red! Thank goodness all of that is behind us now.

So, in order to help you eradicate those terrible dreams and replace them with something sweeter, this issue brings you more ar cles on the wildlife and travels in Costa Rica.

Of course we all know its not all paradise here either, so our latest ar cle from Tony is here to help you cope with the terrible problems we have to face here, with its never changing comfortable temperatures, lack of snow and ice, and the feeling of Christmas in the air...

- Allan Garro

Ask ACS .................................. 20 - American Ci zens Services

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

My Costa Rican Experience ..... 22

Ryan Piercy

- Fatmah Radovich

Club Corner ........................... 24 Business Directory ................. 26

Contact Informa on: This magazine has been published every two months since 1995 as the official communica ons media of the ARCR. Our organiza on 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 applica on, immigra on, business and financial management, real estate purchases and rentals, property management, insurance, pet importa on and much more.

If you wish to place an ad in El Residente, please contact the ARCR main office. Goods & services offered are paid adver sements.

Neither ARCR Administracion nor El Residente research the companies and take no responsibility for the quality of such goods and services.

November/December 2014

Published by: Email:

ARCR Administra on info@arcr.net www.arcr.net Ed tor in Chief: Ryan Piercy Adver sing, Publicity: Cindy Solano Office Hours:

Monday- Friday, 9 am to 5 pm CRC me GMT-6

Address:

#101 Casa Canada, Av 4 Calle 40 San José, Costa Rica Tel: 506-2233-8068 Fax: 506-2255-0061

Mailing Address:

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

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President’s Message so if you have any ques ons, call the ARCR office. The process for ge ng the new plates is easy and can be accomplished at any Costa Rica Correo (post office) as well as some banks.

A Word To The Members!

The old saw that two heads being be er than one is true – no one person can know everything. So we on the ARCR Board of Directors (BoD) have decided to expand this Le er to Members to include input from several Board members. We hope you find the informa on it contains useful.

Are you ready for the holidays? There is so much to do and enjoy in Costa Rica and the holidays just add to the list. But there are also some things that are important to remember: At the top of the list is Marchamo. That’s the annual tax payment that takes place in December for ALL vehicles in the country. It is the equivalent of ge ng a new license plate back home, only here it is a s cker which goes on the windshield.

- How much is it going to cost? Each year the Hacienda sets the valua on for each vehicle. Nobody knows ahead of me what the amount will be, but you can get a rough idea by looking at the previous year’s cer ficate.

- How do you find out how much, and where can you pay?

All banks will have that informa on and can collect the funds and issue the new window s cker. (Anybody who shows up at the bank with the vehicle documents will be allowed to pay and get the new s cker; it needn’t be the registered owner.) There are other places that can also take the payment and issue the s cker, like the Servimas windows in some grocery stores. Don’t be late as the lines get longer as the month passes. Besides, late penal es start being applied on January first.

- If you have inadvertently accrued any fines or penal es (parking, speeding, not paying a toll, etc.) during the past year, they will show up on the Marchamo bill and must be paid at that me, or a new Marchamo will not be issued.

A related subject is vehicle license plates. By now everyone should know that Costa Rica is replacing the old vehicle license plates with ones which have a slightly different design. The number doesn’t change, but there are some differences, like a small flag in the upper corner. Issued at the same me is a decal – it is a replica of the license plate and the number must match the plate – which goes on the inside of the windshield.

There has been a schedule published for the periods the new plates can be obtained, based on the last number on the plate. There is generally a 90-day period for each number and the cycle began in 2013; therefore plates ending in 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 should have already been changed. Those ending in 6 are currently being exchanged, November 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015. The complete schedule is too long to include here,

A note of cau on: When applying a new Marchamo s cker or the license plate decal to the windshield, the best place to put them is in the upper, passenger-side, corner. Technically, if anything is anywhere on the area of the windshield that is swept by the wipers, it can be a cause for RTV to fail the vehicle during its annual inspec on (for blocking the driver’s vision.)

On a happier note, the TREE OF HOPE will be up and wai ng for your dona ons in the ARCR office star ng November 14th.

The Tree is used to gather dona ons of gi s and/or money for needy children (the ARCR staff will use the cash dona ons to purchase gi s.) This year the gi s will be distributed equally between the Marine Corp’s Toys for Tots and the Children’s Hospital located in San Jose. Gi s brought to the office need to be wrapped with a note indica ng age and gender. Money dona ons need to be a ached to the tree no later than December 20th. The gi s will be picked up by the groups on December 20th as well.

FLASH: The headline, NO MORE MANDATORY EMAIL REGISTRATION FOR DRIVERS, CONSTITUTIONAL CHAMBER RULES, was published in Tico Times online November 6th.

The ar cle says that the old rule, which required everyone to register their email address with COSEVI so they would have an expedited way to keep drivers informed of changes in traffic laws, traffic viola ons (fines) and other things like expired licenses, has been struck down. Now drivers will need to check for their license plate number in the Government newspaper, La Gaceta, to see if they have received a viola on.

IMPORTANT DATES: The ARCR office will be closed for the days between December 25th and January 5th. For those who make their Caja payment in the office, you will need to do it before December 24th.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION: If you haven’t already, please register with your Embassy. Registra on is required to renew, or apply for, residency. U.S. residents can go online and register at travel.state.gov. Other countries have different procedures. Even though Immigra on may not ask for proof of that when you apply, you need to be prepared.

That’s it for this issue. For those of you making a list and checking it twice, it’s no ma er if you are naughty or nice, we wish you a great Holiday season!

The ARCR Board.

Contest Update: My Costa Rican Experience The me has come for submissions for our new contest at El Residente, and in this issue maybe you will find some inspira on in Peter Vanderhaaks’ telling of their arrival to Costa Rica. So, tell us in 1000-1500 words, where is your Favorite Place in Costa Rica, and Why? Email your entries to rpiercy@arcr.net.

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November/December 2014

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Costa Rica On The Globe by Ryan Piercy Out Of This World!

If there is any one Costa Rican ci zen that is head and shoulders above all the rest, it would be Dr. Franklin Chang Diaz; he was literally been over 400 kilometers above the country when he par cipated in one of his many flights for the Na onal Aeronau cs and Space Administra on (NASA).

His many achievements, including his degrees and great success as an astronaut, make him deserving as Costa Rica’s greatest living hero and most celebrated ci zen.

Dr. Chang Diaz was born in San José, Costa Rica, to the late Mr. Ramón A. Chang-Morales and Mrs. María Eugenia Díaz De Chang, on April 5, 1950. His father was of Chinese descent, an oil worker whose own father fled China during the Boxer Rebellion, while his mother is Costa Rican. Franklin was one of six children and graduated from Colegio La Salle in San Jose in 1967 and later from Har ord High in Connec cut in 1969. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Connec cut in 1973 and a Doctorate in Applied Plasma Physics from the Massachuse s Ins tute of Technology (MIT) in 1977.

Franklin with his two sisters.

In May of 1980 Dr. Chang Diaz was selected by NASA to par cipate in their space program, becoming an Astronaut in August of 1981. He was NASA’s first La n American, and Costa Rica’s first, Astronaut. Even before joining NASA, Dr. Chang Diaz had par cipated in many areas of related research including Atomic studies, plasma research, rocket propulsion systems, and plasma propulsion. His me with NASA gave him even greater access to further research and experiments in his various fields of study.

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Chang Diaz’s passion for space began at a young age.

It was just one year a er he was born that his parents moved the family to Venezuela. During their stay in that country something magical happened: his love for space was triggered by the Russians’ launch of the first man-made satellite to orbit the earth, Sputnik 1.

Franklin’s mother, Maria, told her son of the news and being the curious six-year old boy he was, he climbed up a tree and searched the sky for hours. Whether or not he actually saw the satellite is trivial because what is certain is that event established his future.

Achieving the status of astronaut is hard enough, but a aining the tle of the highest-ranking La n American in NASA is something else altogether. That achievement required immense amounts of dedica on, me, and most of all, curiosity. All of these a ributes pertain to Franklin Chang Diaz who has flown seven space missions for NASA making him (as of 2014) the record holder for the most space flights (a record he shares with Jerry L. Ross). He has logged more than 1600 hours in space including three space walks totaling more than 19 hours. Those walks, with Philippe Perrin, were for part of the construc on of the Interna onal Space Sta on. He was also the Director of the Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center from 1993 to 2005. An Incredible list of achievements for any astronaut.

Also incredible are the number of awards, honors, and medals he has received throughout his many years of service. Among them are seven NASA Space Flight Medals, two NASA Dis nguished Service Medals, and El Residente

diving, and hiking. His mother, brothers and sisters s ll reside in Costa Rica.

three NASA Excep onal Service Medals. In 1986, he received the Liberty Medal from President Ronald Reagan, and in 1987 the Medal of Excellence from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He has also been awarded the Cross of the Venezuelan Air Force, the Flight Achievement Award from the American Astronau cal Society, and is the recipient of four Doctorates “Honoris Causa”. In April 1995, the government of Costa Rica conferred on him the tle of “Honorary Ci zen”, the highest honor award Costa Rica confers to a foreign ci zen, thus making him the first such honoree who was actually born here. He was also the recipient of the American Ins tute of Aeronau cs and Astronau cs 2001 Wyld Propulsion Award for his 21 years of research on the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) engine.

Franklin Chang Díaz was inducted into the NASA Astronaut Hall of Fame on May 5, 2012, in a ceremony that took place in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. In 2014, Dr. Chang Díaz was awarded the “Buzz Aldrin Quadrennial Space Award” by The Explorers Club for his work on the VASMIR. Buzz Aldrin, whom Chang Díaz called a childhood hero, presented the award to him.

Franklin has been married to the former Peggy Marguerite Doncaster of Alexandria, Louisiana, since 1984, and they have four daughters. In his personal me he enjoys music, glider planes, soccer, scuba

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Though he re red from NASA in 2005, his legacy does not end there. Franklin Chang went on to found and head the Ad Astra Rocket Company which is dedicated to the development of advanced plasma rocket propulsion technology. Years of research and development have produced the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR), an electrical propulsion device for use in space. With a flexible mode of opera on the rocket can achieve very high exhaust speeds which has the theore cal capability of taking a manned rocket to Mars in 39 days.

Chang Díaz is also ac ve in environmental protec on and raising awareness about climate change, most notably by his role in Odyssey 2050 The Movie in which he encourages young people to get mo vated about environmental issues. His concern for the environment has always been present and was evidenced in his first Columbia mission where he was able to conduct various experiments dealing with the Earth’s ozone layer and the forma on of ice in space.

With all Dr. Chang Diaz has done, and con nues to do, there is li le wonder as to the status he has achieved locally and interna onally. He has truly become an ambassador for this li le country, not just to the world, but beyond.

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Paradise, We Have A Problem

by Tony Johnson

Achievement Gap - Why Isn’t It Enough?

How could someone who has achieved the pinnacle of their profession, who was widely loved, commit suicide?

Ending a life filled with accomplishment, accolades, and admira on make li le sense to those of us struggling to a ain rela vely ordinary goals. We can only imagine how profoundly happy we would be if we had received an Oscar, earned millions, and were met with joy everywhere we went. Isn’t that the very defini on the “good life”; the life we’d cherish and hold ghtly to if it were ours?

We’re taught to look forward to the rewards of great accomplishment, so we expect that someone who has “done it all”, who “had it all”, would be happy and fulfilled, not suicidal. And that’s why the suicide of Robin Williams has so stunned and shocked us; his death goes against everything that we have been led to believe about the purpose of life and the sources of happiness. It just doesn’t make sense. Especially since he seemed so happy.

Could it be that our understanding of “achievement” is what doesn’t make sense? Maybe we need to re-examine our assump ons about the payoffs of accomplishment?

But wait! Isn’t Achievement one of the five P.E.R.M.A. happiness guidelines? Along with Posi ve emo ons, Engagement, Rela onships, Meaning, isn’t Achievement supposed to bring us happiness? What’s the straight scoop here?

Yes, indeed, achievement does give us many benefits that add to our happiness. But who said that if we achieve, we will “have it all”?

The Advantages Of Achievement Imagine never having achieved any of your key life goals. Sadly, that’s the reality of some people. And it seriously “sucks”. If that were us we might feel we were “incompetent”, “inadequate”, a “failure”, a “loser”, a “zero”, and it is almost impossible to be happy with our life if we are so unhappy with ourselves.

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But, let’s assume that we have accomplished some, if not all, of our goals. The benefits are many: - We feel competent and capable because our efforts have produced the desired results.

- The results probably improved our life prac cally (and maybe the lives of others), to some extent. And that feels good!

- We feel empowered. Our accomplishments say we aren’t helpless - we CAN influence our circumstances; we CAN meet our and others’ needs.

- Achievements leave us feeling that we’ve “made our mark” on life. Our accomplishments say, “I was here and I ma ered”.

- We definitely enjoy the recogni on and admira on accomplishment can bring.

- We feel that we didn’t “blow” our life. We didn’t “waste” it; that we have spent that precious me well.

ALL of these payoffs can, and usually do, contribute to our overall sense of happiness.

The Limits Of Achievement Those benefits are obvious and that’s why it’s difficult to comprehend a supremely accomplished person being miserably unhappy. Why weren’t those accomplishments “enough”?

Some mes we expect way too much from our achievements. We might think that a er some

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important goal has been reached we’ll then “have it all”; we can now “rest on our laurels”. We may be surprised to find such an “arrived” life crushingly boring.

Without the drive to reach our goals our life might lose momentum, lose a mo va ng energy, and come to what feels like a stop “dead in the water”, rather than feel complete. Without that hunger to reach our goals, we may feel there’s a huge “hole” where our aspira ons, ac ons, struggles, and dreams had been. “What now?” we may ask. “Is that all there is?”

The disappointment can be even greater if we believe that great accomplishments will elevate us to some “higher plane”, some “special realm” above the experience of normal people. We imagine that the rich and the famous and the accomplished are somehow liberated from daily concerns. They have more than enough money to never worry about their expenditures. They have “personal assistants” who pick up the dry cleaning and run out for bread and milk.

But what do they do with all that extra me? Do they engage in high minded crea ve explora ons? Commune with their muse? A end par es with others in their blessed circle? Or do they sink into boredom when the challenges disappear? (Think of those “idle rich” in shows like Downton Abbey.)

No person, no life, is ever “complete” on this side of the great divide. We may have completed our objec ves and fully enjoyed all the benefits of our labors, but do we ever really lose our need to contribute, to follow our curiosity, to step up to some challenge?

Without compelling, challenging goals, we may “dri ” into a sta c place where we have no iden ty, no sa sfying rou ne, no structure for our me and energy.

It’s been asked “if I am what I do, WHO am I when I don’t?” In other words, who am I if my en re iden ty comes from my efforts? Some mes the blessings of great achievement may actually be a curse.

The Low Down On High Level Achievement Accomplishments DO make us feel happy. Go for it! But we need to also not expect more from them than they can really deliver. We can enjoy the benefits of reaching our des na ons, but we should not stop there, we should not neglect the sa sfac ons of that “journey” to

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our NEXT set of goals. While we’re s ll alive and lively, even a “Nobel” may not be enough. We’d probably think, “Well if I could do that, what else do I want to try?

Do I really want to stop here?”

As far as why Robin Williams’ many, many achievements weren’t enough to make him want to con nue to live, I can only guess.

It’s been reported that he had big money problems and difficulty sustaining a marriage. It also seems that he was developing severe health difficul es (maybe Parkinson’s disease). He admi ed to deep depression and drug and alcohol addic on. Maybe he had run out of crea ve energy. Maybe all those high energy performances exhausted him, burnt him out. He did, a er all, burn the candle at both ends and the middle. MAYBE he decided that no ma er how great his past, his future could only be increasingly worse, unendurably worse? We’ll never know what it felt like to be him.

And we’ll never forget what it felt like to enjoy him.

The Lessons Of Robin’s Death He blessed us with so much laughter and joy. Maybe his death can also be a gi ? The lesson that YOU take is completely up to you. Here are some things to consider: A) Be careful to not envy anyone or imagine (based on their outward appearances) that their life is “perfect.” We don’t usually know the price they paid to get to where they are, nor if we’d be willing to pay a similar price. What was NEGLECTED in other areas of their lives to give them the me for great accomplishments?

B) No ONE goal reached, no ma er how monumental it may be, will protect us from future problems.

Problems WILL arise no ma er who we are, no ma er what we’ve done. We may imagine that “If I won a Nobel, an Oscar, a Medal of Honor, I’d feel great for the rest of my life. I’d have it made…”

REALLY??

So DO aspire to great heights and enjoy the climb to your personal summit. But don’t “put all your eggs into one basket”. Don’t neglect those other P.E.R.M.A. El Residente

guidelines.

Might any of these thoughts apply to those of us who are blessed enough to live in Costa Rica? Yes, I think so. We may have become accustomed to living in paradise and it may not seem like such a big deal anymore. It’s s ll a gorgeous place, but it’s no longer exo c, wondrous, fresh, new, surprising. It’s familiar. It’s home.

So we may forget how unusual we really are: we’re the ones who actually DID it. We’re the ones who iden fied and pursued our dream. We didn’t deny those dreams or sweep them under some psychic rug. We did it!

But to others, we may look like some version of Robin Williams. We may LOOK like someone who has “done it all”, “has it all”, but we know from inside that achieving the “living in paradise” dream has its limits. It doesn’t give us everything we need. As good as it is (and it can be truly great), we KNOW there are things missing from the IMPRESSION some may have of our life.

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Perhaps there were things missing from Robin’s “perfect” life, also? Perhaps our IMPRESSION of his life’s “perfec on” didn’t measure up to his reality.

So I pray that if you’re feeling disillusioned, disappointed with living the “dream” here, you will not give up on moving it closer to what you need. Seek progress on becoming fulfilled, NOT a aining perfec on. Maybe we don’t need to “have it all”, but to learn to be happy with enough.

You may have no ced that I skipped over “M” in the P.E.R.M.A. guidelines to discuss “A” in this issue of El Residente. I thought that Mr. Williams’ death was the me to best explore the role of achievement in our overall happiness. Next issue I will return to Meaning: the meaning of meaning and why it’s so meaningful in our lives.

Your thoughts always ma er. Reach me at: paradise.we .have.a.problem@gmail.com

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Wild Side LXXXII

by Ryan Piercy

Fly Or Foul...

Being a fan of baseball, and of course a Canadian, the Montreal Blue Jays baseball team holds a special place in my heart. Their mascot is the North American Blue Jay so it was always a treat to see the occasional bird back home. But now that I live in Costa Rica it blows me away to see the numbers of jays that are here, even though they are slightly different and apparently not that closely related to the Canadian version.

Local Jays include several species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds which are members of the crow family Corvidae. The names jay and magpie are somewhat interchangeable and evolu onary rela onships are rather complex.

Regardless, Costa Rica is home to five different varie es, all colorful, and most definitely vociferous!

The brown jay (Psilorhinus morio) looks much a rela ve of the magpie jay, but with brownish coloring where the other is blue. It is generally smaller and with no crest, and is found on the Pacific side of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

Next comes the azure-hooded jay (Cyanolyca cucullata), which for me also has amazing coloring. They sport a dark cobalt blue body with a black head and azure blue hood star ng above the eyes. They only reach up to about 30 cm in length, and inhabit a range from Southern Mexico to a por on of Panama. They prefer to live in forests, par cularly humid evergreen forests some mes interspersed with pine trees.

The last of our local jays is Cyanolyca argen gula, the silvery-throated jay, which looks like a mirrored azurehooded jay, having the throat in the lighter colors. This corvidae is found only in Costa Rica and Panama, living in subtropical or tropical, moist montane forests.

Like the magpie, jays are omnivores seeking food largely in trees, with insects and a wide range of other invertebrates being the most commonly taken. They are, however, rather indiscriminate eaters and will also take some food from the ground, dining on lizards, nectar, and fruit. Jays will also occasionally take eggs and nestlings if other food sources are not available.

Next me you happen on a wooded area, keep your eyes open for that streak or two of blue, as you will easily stumble across some jays in your travels.

White-throated Magpie Jay The species I tend to encounter most frequently is Caloci a formosa, the white-throated magpie-jay. It is a large Central American Jay, reaching up to about 56 cm in length. This beau fully crested species with its sharp blue and white coloring, recalls fond memories of my preferred baseball team. It boasts a par cularly long tail and its crest is slightly curved as if in a special hairdo. Found within a wide range of habitats, from arid environments to semi-humid woodlands, from sea-level up to 1,250 m (4,100 ), and occasionally higher, it is common in its range and appears unaffected by human ac vi es.

The black-chested jay (Cyanocorax affinis) also stands out with its contras ng colors and long tail. Though not crested, it is s ll a beauty which is found from Costa Rica to Venezuela.

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Black-chested Jay

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A Day In The Life

by Allen Dickinson

Neatness.

As many of you know, many Tico houses are constructed with very li le thought to storage. Kitchen cabinets?

Minimal. A garage that is not large enough to house anything more than one car? Not likely. And closets?

You mean that li le box in the bedroom with no doors or shelves? A medicine cabinet? Nope, never heard of one of those.

Apparently it’s assumed by builders that the occupants won’t have a lot to stuff to store. I guess that’s not unreasonable, given the “developing na on” status of Costa Rica because, in many cases, families like my own, who come from a working class background, don’t have much to store – they haven’t lived (and purchased) goods anywhere near on the scale of expats from the more prosperous na ons.

So if you live in one of those houses, like I do, where do you put your “stuff”? Well, in my family’s case, it’s wherever is handy. Towels are draped over chairs to dry. There are cardboard cartons and trash bags si ng around which are used to store stuff much like a Gringo uses chests of drawers, bureaus, and closets. Other stuff, things that would be stored in a cs or garages, join them in their own containers.

This is frustra ng. I had a neat mother whose mo o was “Everything has a place and everything in its place” so maybe I have an over-developed sense of neatness.

(No, upon reflec on, I don’t think so.) I was raised to

believe everything should be put away when it’s not in use. I’ll admit that as a kid I wasn’t the best at making sure everything made it back to “its place”, but at least there was a place for things to go. That frequently doesn’t exist here and the bo om line is that I now live in an environment that occasionally drives me crazy – stuff is everywhere because there’s nowhere else to put it! You should see the open area under the stairs to the second floor! No, maybe you shouldn’t.

The lack of places designated to store par cular items creates another problem – there’s been no standards for pu ng things in their proper place ins lled in my family. Anyone with a Tica or Nica maid knows what I am talking about; things may get “put away”, but rarely is it in the same place twice, and frequently it’s in a new, totally different loca on than ever before, one that wasn’t decided based on any logic: drinking glasses stored with the laundry supplies, the TV remote stuffed into a box of old clothes, shampoo where the drinking glasses used to be, cutlery stored in the refrigerator, etc., etc. Arggg!

No, pu ng things away with logic is not the Tico way.

Which pre y much drives me crazy.

Adding to the lack-of-storage irritant is the propensity of many Ticos to just drop something wherever they may be when they don’t need to use it any more. (I’m not just singling out my family here; just observe how many Ticos walk away from an empty grocery cart once they’ve unloaded it in the checkout line.) My family is that way; when they are done with something it stays in the last place it was used. And it’s funny, somehow they can never remember where that last place was.

Then there’s the “community property” thing that eats away at my sense of orderliness. In families like mine, when they grew up there o en wasn’t enough money for more than one of anything. Consequently, there never evolved the “It’s mine and you can’t have it” mentality; whatever it is belongs to everyone. So if something is not nailed down, locked up, or in the physical grasp of another family member, then it is community property and can be taken and used (and le wherever) by any other member. Even if it isn’t to put it away (because there’s no place to do that) returning something to where it was found is another foreign concept and just doesn’t happen, at least not in my house!

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And to make ma ers worse, just when I think I have deciphered the code for finding the place some common item is being regularly put, they keep finding new places! The result is that stuff I use and need from me-to- me isn’t always “there” when I need it again – and that’s when my overdeveloped (compulsive?) expecta on that I-know-I-saw-something-somewhereyesterday-so-I-should-be-able-to-go-back-and-find-itthere-again-today, is sha ered. And I’m not talking about stuff I need from me-to- me, I mean things used on a daily basis, like my shoes.

My kids are prime offenders (but my wife isn’t too shoddy at that characteris c either.) OK, I know the kids are kids, like I once was, so I can forgive them. Sorta.

Maybe I am oversensi ve (thanks Mom!) and just failing to adapt to my new environment, but I think I spend waaaaay too much me searching for stuff I don’t think I should have to look for. And when finding it fails, as it o en does, (see the paragraph above about things being put in illogical places) I resort to hollering, “Where in the hell is the _______ ?!”

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My family doesn’t understand my consterna on and irrita on.

Excuse me; I go a cut this column short because I need to go find the Christmas decora ons. With luck I’ll discover them before the holidays.

Allen Dickinson is a member of ARCR. In 2006 he re red 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.

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Press Pass Invita on To Visit Central America.

The Central American Travel Market (CATM) is comprised of tourism sellers and suppliers from the Central American Republics of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. It is an important event that covers two days of business-tobusiness mee ngs and networking. This year Costa Rica had the honour of hos ng the 10th annual CATM. It was organised by the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) and held October 9-10, 2014, at Pedregal Event Centre.

U.K., and emerging markets such as Russia.

In 2013 alone, there were 300,942 European tourist arrivals to Costa Rica; an increase of 5.6% compared to 2012. The majority of European visitors coming to Costa Rica were from Germany, Spain, France, and the U.K. Europeans are usually well-seasoned travellers; they have high educa onal levels and are considered to be responsible tourists who, instead of taking a simple holiday, are looking for meaningful experiences that allow them to integrate in the local environment, develop sustainable prac ces during their stay, and generate a posi ve impact within the communi es they visit.

CATM has become an outstanding pla orm to promote tourism in Central America, and showcases products and increases knowledge about des na ons. With more than 100 wholesalers from Europe and Asia and 180 Central American sellers, CATM offered a great opportunity for each of the countries to showcase their uniqueness and tourism products.

The main goal of the gathering was to present and promote the Central American region as a desirable tourist des na on. The event was especially directed towards the European and Asian markets.

CATM is an ideal venue to establish business rela onships with wholesalers in the main markets of Europe such as Germany, Spain, France, Holland, the The Central American Region offers a diverse mul cultural scene that includes 15 World Heritage sites, 10 percent of the world’s biodiversity, and more than 554 protected areas. It is home to the world’s second largest coral reef, as well as colonial ci es and volcanoes, vibrant cultures, and beaches along both the Pacific and Caribbean oceans. These unique features make Central America an unparalleled des na on and one that demands visi ng.

Regarding tourism opportuni es in Costa Rica, Minister of Tourism, Wilhem von Breymann stated: “We look forward to incorpora ng and showcasing all of the elements which make Costa Rica a unique and unforge able des na on, including the country’s high quality tourism services, authen c ac vi es, as well as its strong commitment to sustainability”.

- Alejandro Piercy/ Cindy Solano November/December 2014

17

Legal Update

by Allan Garro N.

Possible Exemp on From The Luxury Home Tax The law #8683 created a Luxury Home Tax against all those houses with a value higher than one hundred million colons – approximately $200,000.00 value.

Thus all proprietors with a luxury home were forced to submit a value statement in 2010 that would be valid for three years. The tax Ministry created a value database with the parameters to calculate the proper value so there would be uniform criteria when doing so. Similarly the minimum tax base is adjusted each year to a higher amount, so during 2014 homes with a value less than one hundred twenty-one million colons are not subject to this tax.

This tax has caused so much confusion, even for the Tax Ministry itself, and it seems there is no centralized department that is responsible for managing the tax.

The government has also not properly informed the public that under the law one is only liable to pay the tax for those residen al houses that are used in a habitual, occasional or recrea onal manner. This means that if a luxury house is empty or cannot be used to live because it has been damaged then there is no obliga on to pay the tax. Likewise, if a real estate developer builds luxury homes the tax is not due un l they are sold and therefore someone happens to live in them.

Other possible scenarios would be when a luxury home is used exclusively as offices, or converted to a small hotel, bed & breakfast or similar business, or the Government classifies it as a Historic Heritage Building. In these cases the obliga on to pay the tax disappears, as provided in ar cle 13 of the Regula ons to the Tax Luxury Homes.

What is not clear is how the disenrollment is made in front of the Tax Ministry, as neither the ins tu on seems to have a centralized system for the collec on and management of this luxury tax. This makes things very hard for those taxpayers wan ng to follow to the law.

I have a client who owns a luxury home for which the tax was paid un l 2012, but he has lost the payment receipts. Then the house was damaged during 2013 making it impossible to inhabit. Last week I visited the Department of Tax Valua ons in San Jose, where they confirmed the tax was paid un l 2012, but could not provide any document proving so, indica ng that could

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be done by a different department elsewhere in San Jose. They also indicated we should eliminate any future luxury tax over the property, but that it had to be done in the Ministry of Finance of Alajuela as that is where the property is located.

Two days later we went to the other department in San Jose, located in LA LLACUNA building. There they told us we should go to the Department of Tax Ministry in San Jose which we thought was a joke. Then we indicated that we were there because the other department had sent us, and we then felt that all the officials of the Ministry of Finance wanted to do was get rid of users by sending them elsewhere. It turned out that then they accepted to perform our request and were told that the copies of the receipts would be ready two days later ... and so they were. In the end they admi ed that this tax is not clear and they are confused on how to handle it.

Following this we presented the request for disenrollment from the luxury home tax at the specified Tax Ministry in Alajuela, where documents were accepted without problem. However they said that “if you had filed this in San Jose they would have sent us the info by email so you did not have to come all the way here.” Then we told them that we were sent there

by San José officials. In conclusion we can confirm that finally we achieved the procedure as required, a er spending a great deal of me and effort over two days, as well as visi ng three different buildings, all belonging to the same Ministry, but it is possible.

ALLAN GARRO N. A orney at Law www.garrolaw.com

El Residente

November/December 2014

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Ask ACS by American Ci zen Services Dear Abby, Dear US Embassy The American Ci zen Services Sec on of the U.S. Embassy, in collabora on with El Residente magazine, launched this column in 2014 “Ask ACS” in order to provide an opportunity for U.S. ci zens interested in living or visi ng Costa Rica to ask ques ons about services available at the U.S. Embassy to assist American ci zens when they are abroad.

U.S. Embassy Welcomes New Consul General and Deputy Consul General Ravi S. Candadai, a career Foreign Service Officer, took charge as Consul General on August 4, 2014. Most recently he was the Deputy Chief of the Consular Sec on at the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany. Prior to that, he served consecu vely as the Chief of American Ci zen Services and as the Visa Branch Chief. His preceding tour was in Chennai, India where he was the Public Affairs Officer and Ac ng Consul General. Earlier, he was the Deputy Economic Counselor in Islamabad, Pakistan. His other tours have been in San ago, Chile, where he was the Deputy Consul General; Cairo, Egypt, as the Chief of American Ci zen Services, London and Monterrey, Mexico.

Deputy Consul General Margaret Pride served most recently as the Visa Chief in Cairo, Egypt, and served as the Consular Sec on Chief in Bermuda and in St. Petersburg, Russia.

ACS In the Field: Let us speak to your student groups Consular Officers at the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica look forward to opportuni es to speak to U.S. ci zen students who are studying in Costa Rica. Presenters provide ps to help students avoid becoming vic ms of crime, outline poten al dangers, and provide informa on on services provided by the U.S. Embassy to U.S. ci zens. If you are expec ng a group of students and you would like them to receive a security briefing, please email ACSSanJose@state.gov.

Obtaining Your State Vital Records Three moves equal one house fire. How many mes have you moved, and do you know where your birth cer ficates and marriage cer ficates are? Has the Costa Rican humidity go en to them? Given that the United States comprises fi y states and many other territories, obtaining original copies of your vital records can be

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difficult. The Center for Disease Control and Preven on has created a portal with links to the offices of the fi y states and other territories where you can request copies of your vital records. Each state has its own set of requirements, but the online portal can help direct you to the appropriate state office.

Educa on Exchange In 2011, President Barack Obama launched an ini a ve to increase educa on exchanges between the United States and La n America, 100,000 Strong. In this ini a ve, the U.S. government aims “to work with partners in the region, including the private sector, to increase the number of U.S. students studying in La n America to 100,000 and the number of La n American students studying in the United States to 100,000.” The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica is working to fulfill this goal, providing scholarships to some Costa Ricans to study in the United States. If you know any students who would like to study in the United States, encourage them to inves gate all of the great opportuni es.

Comba ng Trafficking and Increasing Security The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica is commi ed to assis ng the Costa Rican government combat narco cs trafficking and improving domes c security. In July, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Gonzalo R. Gallegos, inaugurated a new border checkpoint located at Kilometer 35 on the Southern Inter-American Highway. The U.S. Government donated one million dollars to the construc on of the checkpoint, which will assist the Costa Ricans to interdict narco cs and other illegal items transi ng the country.

Rip de Warning Sadly, several U.S. ci zen families have returned from their vaca on to Costa Rica without a loved family member who was lost in a drowning. This year, more than a dozen U.S. ci zens have died as a result of drowning. Several of the vic ms were young, in good health, and strong swimmers. Rip des are o en to blame, pulling otherwise good swimmers away from shore and under the water. Please be mindful of rip des and warn your guests of the dangers of the ocean.

Contact Info: U.S. Embassy – American Ci zen Services Phone: 2519-2590 Email: acssanjose@state.gov El Residente

November/December 2014

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My Costa Rican Experience Our Start In Costa Rica Here we are again for another episode of Boomer Re rement Adventures (BRA for short). It is Friday June 2nd and much has happened since we got off the plane.

Just the fact that I am able to type this on the laptop lets you know that we have survived customs, two nights, and we have electricity!

The flight was uneven ul. Our girls (Turtle and Kit Kat) hardly made a sound and, other than those that no ced us carrying the cat carriers, no one even knew they were there. Our flight arrived on me (8:30) in the morning.

That is a great me to arrive as the airport was empty and there were no lines for baggage check or customs.

We breezed through, except at baggage check they wanted us to put the cats through the baggage machine, so we had to take them out again. When we did that the customs agent had a fit yelling, “Put them back in”.

It seems he was not really paying a en on and did not know they were cat carriers. A er reviewing our papers from the veterinarian (commen ng that the original kept by the airlines in LA should have been given to us) he let us pass. On to AVIS for a shu le to the car.

Lisa handled the car rental (her exper se) while I le the car lot on foot to rendezvous with the courier that was delivering our cell phone previously secured and paid for over the Internet. We knew in advance that our USA cell phones would not work in CR and it may be months before we are eligible for a landline. In CR the phones, u li es, and Internet are all government run.

They use access as a means to limit the number of lines

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by W. Peter Vanderhaak (as they are hard to come by) and non-residents are not eligible for their own line. We believe there are ways around that, while we wait the 6 or so months to secure residency, so in the mean me we bought a cell phone and rent the line from a company started by an Expat.

Once that clan descent mee ng was concluded we were on our way HOME. All the luggage fit nicely into the rental (Datsun Almera) and we made a pit stop for the cats at a loca on with which we were familiar. It was for naught as they were too nervous to think about anything but trying to hide under the car. So … off we were down the road for an hour plus ride home. It was a perfect me of day for the trip and we made it in half the me we usually do.

The sun was shining with large thunderclouds hanging over the ocean. We stopped for breakfast (we had last eaten at the Swing Inn it seems like eons ago) at an overlook about half the way home. It is on top of the mountains overlooking the Valley and Tarcoles River, close to our home. Unbelievably spectacular with views of Rain Forest, River Valley and Ocean!! The Tarcoles is renowned for its huge Crocodiles.

What a feeling it was driving up to our new home.

Excitement, apprehension, and definitely the feeling of the unknown. Was the electric and water on or off – therefore was the landscape dead and the pool func oning? Had the previous owner started on the remodeling – therefore did we have or not have a roof on the house? Did they put in the hot water heater – would Lisa refuse to live in the house without one?

Had they fumigated – the last me we were there and turned the lights on at night hundreds of ants covered the floor? This was of par cular concern because the only thing we had in the house was an inflatable ma ress to sleep on!

Some were good surprises and others were … just the way they were. Lisa is s ll here and the water is very hot. They did not put in a hot water tank but there is a heater. Even Lisa admits that, at this point, showering with hot water is not necessary because a cold shower is preferable (not because of our hormones but because it is warm and humid). Of course for washing dishes (we have none) and washing clothes (I bought a clothes line so we could hang out the clothes that we can wash by hand) we will want hot water. As I was typing this Juan stopped by (with limited Ingles) to check on the agua El Residente

caliente – he was sent by the former owner to check on it.

All in all, the house was in excellent condi on. We opened it up and introduced the cats to their new home.

They were inquisi ve as cats should be. They especially liked the dead land crabs found in several places. No remodeling had begun but we were prepared for that.

The pool was clear and refreshing. We le the cats to explore and we headed to Jaco for some basic provisions including cat food and bug spray. We had a nice lunch/ dinner and returned home to the night adventure … and it was an adventure!

Sun up is 6 AM and sun down is 6 PM. We were in bed by 7 PM. Not without some drama. The exterminator had not been here, so thank God for the spray can we bought at the Mas x Menos grocery store in Jaco (division of WalMart). I was spraying and Lisa was dancing around trying to step on every one she could catch. I bet the cats thought we were crazy. What probably was crazy was lying down on the floor that was surely covered with creatures, but we were so red we put towels under the doors to keep the hordes out and turned out the lights. The overhead fan was on and windows wide open (with screens). The electric blow up ma ress (the same kind we brought to Trinidad when we visited the Hupps) worked well and luckily we brought the dirty sheets from our Temecula bed as we ran out the house. They were not the same size but offered a familiar shield against the rough exterior of the ma ress. We fell asleep quickly.

Our home has poured cement for the ceiling, walls, and floor, with le flooring throughout and Spanish le on the roof – except for where the skylights are, and we have many. The skylights are that plas c stuff they use in the USA for pa o covers. Well, when it rains it is like having a n roof of the old days and you hear all the drops, which can be very calming and relaxing. But not if it is the first night in the house and God turns on the water faucet at full blast! I have been in Hurricanes and, except for the lack of wind, the rain we experienced for about an hour came down as hard as I have ever seen it.

Straight down! Accompanied by several thunder claps that made the house feel like it was made of Balsa Wood (grown in the jungles). We had as much rain in that hour as we have in some years in Temecula. You can only imagine what was going through the cats’ minds. They were very close. On the other hand, without saying it, Lisa and I had the same thoughts: 1. would we float away; 2. would we live through it; 3. what the hell had we go en ourselves into?

Now that was an adventure.

Then … we were awakened just as quickly!

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Alcoholics Anonymous Groups meet daily throughout the country; mes and places change frequently. Call for up-to-date informa on. San José 2222-1880 (Anchor club, also serves Narco cs Anonymous) Av 6 Calle 1, 2nd floor Maryland Building. Heredia (Laura) 2267-7466, Puerto Viejo Limon 2750-0080, Zancudo 2776-0012, Tamarindo 2653-0897, Flamingo (Don) 2654- 4902, Manuel Antonio (Jennifer) 2777-1548, Jacó (Nancy) 2637-8824, Zoo Group Escazu 2293-4322. Grecia (Jay) 2494-0578. Southern Zone, mee ngs in English & Spanish, 8634-9241. Puriscal, Fred 8866-0128.

of four produc ons a year offering a choice of modern, classic, serious, and farcical plays. The group’s monthly social mee ngs are held in the theatre on the first Monday of the month from 7p.m. to 9 p.m. and everyone is welcome. Membership: Student C2,500, Adult: C5000, Family: C8000. Also, earn your Wings, become an LTG Angel. For more informa on Call the LTG Box Office 8858-1446 or www.li letheatregroup.org

Al-Anon Mee ngs English language Al-anon mee ngs are open to anyone whose life has been/is affected by someone else’s problem with alcohol.

Mee ngs are one hour long and held twice each week in Escazu 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: 89 93 17 62 (Rosemary) and/or 22 28 10 49 (Barbara) email: rosemaryzitek@yahoo.com. Also in Grecia on Tuesdays at noon (English), contact Cheryl at 2444-1515.

Newcomer’s Club Newcomers Club of Costa Rica (for women) meets the first Tuesday of every month, September through May. September mee ng will be an interest fair. Contact: 2416-1111 costaricaporo@yahoo.com or h p://www.newcomersclubofcostarica.com

American Legion Post 10- Escazu The A L Post 10 has relocated the monthly mee ngs to Casa de España in Sabana norte. The next mee ng will be March 5th beginning at 12:00 noon on the second floor. There is an elevator so those with a handicap will not have a problem entering the building or reaching the mee ng area. If you wish to a end please e-mail or call for direc ons. Terry Wise, Cell#: 8893-4021, Outside CR: 011-506-8893-4021, U S # to C R: 904-352-7043. Claudio Pacheco, Cell#: 8876 1394, Home#: 2225 4239.

American Legion Post 12- Golfito Mee ngs 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.

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 informa on contact us at costaricabirding@hotmail.com Canadian Club The Canadian Club of Costa Rica welcomes everyone to join us for our monthly luncheons, and at our special annual events, like our Canada Day Celebra on, no passport required. As of this year there is no fee or dues to pay, just sign up with your email address and we will keep you informed of Canadian Events, so you can par cipate whenever its convenient for you!

For informa on 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 Jose. Contact Nelleke Bruyn, 22793553, e-mail cr.democratsabroad@yahoo.com. Join Democrats Abroad at www.democratsabroad.org. Register to vote absentee at VoteFromAbroad.org!

Li le Theatre Group LTG is the oldest con nuously running English-language theatre in Central or South America. The group currently puts on a minimum

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Marine Corps League Meets at 11 a.m. the 2nd Saturday of every month, at Tres Hermanas Rest. big bull statue in front. On service road opposite Hospital Mexico on the autopista. Call Bill Enell at 8812-0126.

PC Club of Costa Rica This computer Club meets on the third Saturday of each month at Pan American school, in Belen, 830 to 11:30 a.m. Two months Free Trial for newcomers. For informa on call Chuck Jennings.

Phone 2266-0123 www.pcclub.net Radio control Sailing Club Meets at Sabana Park Lake. For informa on contact Walter Bibb.

Wwbbsurf40@yahoo.com Wine Club of Costa Rica Please mark your calendars. 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 educa on. For more informa on on upcoming events please contact us. Phone 2279-8927, 2257-2223 Women’s Club of Costa Rica The Women’s Club of Costa Rica is the oldest, con nuously opera ng, philanthropic organiza on for English-speaking women in Costa Rica. Founded in 1940, WCCR now includes over 250 members represen ng 25 countries worldwide, drawn together by the mo o: Friendship through Service. The Club a racts fascina ng women who are interested in serving community needs in Costa Rica, par cularly focused on children’s educa on while, at the same me, making deep, meaningful, personal rela onships.

Along with its philanthropic fundraising ac vi es, WCCR also hosts regular lunches, teas and many special interest groups, including a Professional Women’s Group. Guests are welcome and further informa on and a calendar of planned events can be found at www.wccr.org Women’s Interna onal League for Peace and Freedom Open to men too. English language group in Cariari de Belen, English-Spanish group in Heredia, Spanish language group in San Jose. We work on peace and human rights issues. Call Mitzi, 24337078 or write peacewomen@gmail.com.

Veterans of Foreign Wars: Post 11207 No-host lunch at 12 noon in the Club Colonial Casino dining area, mee ng at 1:30 p.m. on the second floor. All members are welcome plus veterans who served overseas may join. Call Bob Sempell at 2588-1475.

Young Expats of Costa Rica Some Expatriates under the age of 40, and currently living in Costa Rica, have formed a new social club to be coordinated through their website This club will help younger expatriates living in, or moving to, Costa Rica meet other expats in their age group for: friendship, romance, travel and ac vity partners, and professional networking. www.YoungExpatsOfCostaRica.org

El Residente

November/December 2014

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Exchange rate of the Costa Rican ¢ to the US Dollar April May June July August September

556.16 559.88 548.66 543.93 545.32 545.52

Basic Interest Rate April May June July August September

6.70 % 6.85 % 6.95 % 7.00 % 7.10 % 7.15 %

Exchange rate of other currencies to the US Dollar

'&+%#- 3511-8 31'%+#-+343 +/ 034# +%# 3+/%'

Ostomy -'#3' %0/4#%4 53 #4

052 3402' /5.$'2 02 %0/4#%4 052 #/#)'2 Wound Care &+2'%4-8 #4 02 (02 120('33+0/#- 3'26+%'3 %#-- 53 #4 52 '.#+- #&&2'33 +3 +/(0 #4-#/4+%#.'&+%#- %0. #/& 052 3402' +3 Incontinence %0/6'/+'/4-8 -0%#4'& /'#2 4*' 031+4#- # #49-+%# "' #-30 0:'2 *0.'

Dermacosmetics 6+3+4#4+0/ 3'26+%+'3 ( 805 #2' %0/%'2/'& #$054 35/$52/ 31043 12'.#452' #)+/) #/& '6'/ 3,+/ %#/%'2 +/ 034# +%# 1204'%4 80523'-( 7+4* 777 +(% 31#+/ %0. 120&5%403 *'-+0%#2' +3 4*' .034 #&6#/%'& /#452#- 1*040 +..5/01204'%4+0/ 35/3%2''/ +/ 4*' 702-& #/& 7#3 &'6'-01'& #4 #26#2& '&+%#- !%*00- ! #4 052 3402' 40 #-- #/& 4*'+2 (#.+-8 .'.$'23 52%*#3' #/& 2'%'+6' # &+3%05/4 0/ 8052 152%*#3'

AtlĂĄntica Medical Supply Company

Giro Canadian Dollar Euro Swiss Franc Nicaraguan Cordoba Danish Krone Norwegian Kroner Swedish Krona Honduran Lempira Bri sh Pound Argen ne Peso Columbian Peso Mexican Peso Dominican Peso Brazilian Real Guatemalan Quetzal Korean Won Japanese Yen Venezuelan BolĂ­var Hong Kong Dollar Taiwan Dollar Bolivian Peso Chilean Peso Russian Rouble Peruvian Sol Polish Zloty Australian Dollar Chinese Yuan

1.48258 1.11830 1.26090 0.95670 26.23800 5.90320 6.42560 7.22910 21.22810 1.62150 8.48040 2,023.00000 13.47170 43.78100 2.45830 7.67250 1,055.21000 109.61000 6.29210 7.76720 30.42500 6.91870 599.41000 39.65940 2.87250 3.31560 0.87320 6.13940

Libor Rate 1 month 3 month 6 month 12 month Prime Rate

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0.15650 % 0.23510 % 0.33040 % 0.57860 % 3.25 %

El Residente

Holidays of Costa Rica Thursday, December 25th Christmas Day - Na onal Holiday (ARCR Closed Dec 25th-Jan 5th) Wednesday, December 31st New Year’s Eve - Na onal Holiday Thursday, January 1st New Years Day - Na onal Holiday A Touch of Wisdom “One might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.”

- N. Rogers (1662) “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

- Asian proverb “Time is an herb that cures all diseases.”

- Ben Franklin (1706-1790) Funniest One Liners...

The severity of the itch is inversely propor onal to the ability to reach it.

You can’t have everything; where would you put it?

I took an IQ test and the results were nega ve.

Okay, who stopped the payment on my reality check?

We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.

42.7 percent of all sta s cs are made up on the spot.

Be nice to your kids. They’ll choose your nursing home.

November/December 2014

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El Residente