Costa Rica

Moving to Costa Rica seems like a dream come true. Although the beaches are calling your name, you will need to prepare properly before the big move. Let us help you out with the transition. Here are some things to know before moving to Costa Rica.   Transportation One of the best ways to get around in Costa Rica is the bus system.  It is also a great way to view the beautiful country. The buses are inexpensive and modern.  The inter-province train system is also a great way to travel in Costa Rica. It connects with parts of the Greater Metropolitan Area and is expected to expand in the upcoming years to make trips to the Caribbean and the Pacific. Renting a car will also be a good option for short-term visitors to easily navigate throughout the country.     Where to live There are many options on where to live in Costa Rica, with the country being spilt into five sections. You can choose from the Central Valley, Gold Coast, Arenal, Southern Zone, and Central Pacific. Expat communities are popular in towns such as Jacó, Uvita, Atenas, Grecia, and Viejo. An interesting fact about buying real estate in Costa Rica is that locals and foreigners have the same rights. Property ownership is protected by the constitution! You do not need to live in Costa Rica to buy property; a tourist visa is enough to purchase a house.   Healthcare The state-run healthcare is called Caja Costarricense de Seguro Socia, but most people refer to it as Caja. All citizens and legal residents have access to healthcare, but have to pay a low monthly fee. Proof of Caja coverage is also required to purchase property. Tourist will not be turned away from Caja in the case of emergency, but getting adequate health insurance before coming to Costa Rica is encouraged. At TEFL Connect, we are here to support you through the move and will advise you on how to get insurance to cover healthcare in Costa Rica.     If you have any suggestions about things to know before moving to Costa Rica, comment on our Facebook page!   Learning the Language The locals in Costa Rica are known for being very friendly, but it’s difficult to form friendships when you find it hard to communicate. Speaking their native language, Spanish, will help you bridge the gap and make friends. Here is a list of basic phrases to get you started! Hello: ¡Hola! Welcome: ¡Bienvenido! Thank you: ¡Gracias! You’re welcome: ¡De nada! Sorry: Lo siento What is your name: ¿Cómo te llamas? Yes: Sí No: no Can you help me: ¿Puede ayudarme? Water: Agua   If you want to learn more about Costa Rica, then check out of TEFL in Costa Rica page!  

If you are a nature lover and explorer than Costa Rica is the place for you. Venture into the rainforest, climb up volcanos, or relax on the beach in Costa Rica. The country offers beautiful scenery and constant warm weather. Here are our top five places to visit in Costa Rica.   Beaches How about lying back on white sand and listening to the sound of the waves on your average Saturday afternoon? Costa Rica has amazing beaches. Some of the most popular beach destinations are Manuel Antonio Beach, Santa Teresa, and Malpais Beach. A couple beaches that are less frequented are Conchal Beach and Nacascolo Beach. There are also great surfing beaches, such as Tamarindo Beach and Nosara Beach.   Volcanos Galore Costa Rica is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Central America Volcanic Arc. There are 200 volcanic formations with half classified as active! The Arenal Volcano is one of the most famous volcanos in Costa Rica. It has been inactive since 2010, but you can still explore the national park. The park is also home to La Fortuna Waterfall! Another volcano to check out is the Irazú Volcano. Irazú is one of the only volcanos that you can drive all the way to the top. It is still considered active, but the main eruptions occurred in the 1960s.     Mangrove Forest of Sierpe Terraba Exploring the mangrove forest is an experience of a lifetime. A mangrove is a small tree or scrub that grows in brackish waters and plays a huge role in protecting the coastline from erosion.  The Sierpe Terraba mangrove forest is the place to visit to see the mangroves as well as a variety of animals native to Costa Rica. In the forest, you can find crabs, caimans, crocodiles, boas, tree frogs, river turtles, iguanas, white-faced capuchin monkeys, and an immense variety of birds. If you would like to learn about the wildlife, a professional naturalist can guide you through the rainforest and teach you about all the species.   If you have any recommendations on destinations to visit in Costa Rica, comment on our Facebook!   Whale Watching Excursion Costa Rica is an animal lover’s paradise, but seeing giant whales will be the ultimate experience. Humpback whales migrate to Costa Rica from Antarctica between December and April. Killer and pilot whales are also seen inhabiting the waters. The Marino Ballena National Park has whale-watching tours where you can see these amazing creatures in their natural habitat. These tours are a perfect way to spend an afternoon in Costa Rica. Since the whales migrate to Costa Rica every year, you are bound to see a couple of these gigantic creatures.     View from above Seeing Costa Rica from the ground is beautiful, but seeing it from the sky is something you cannot miss! There are two ways to view the beautiful landscape from the sky. One way is to take a hot air balloon around the country. From the sky, you will be able to see the volcanos, wildlife, towns, beaches, and valleys. Serendipity and Centaura are two companies that will expertly lift you into the air at sunrise and take you around the beauty landscape. The other way to see the amazing views is a helicopter ride. At HeliJet Aviation, you can pick the route with your favorite aspects of the country such as volcanos, coastal areas, rainforests, or cities.  You can also customize your flight. What better way to explore Costa Rica than from the sky!   If you want to more information about Costa Rica, check out our our blog about things to know before moving to Costa Rica!  

If you are looking for sunny beaches, exotic wildlife, and friendly people, then Costa Rica is the perfect match. Costa Rica offers a wide variety of adventures such as the best surfing beaches of Tamarindo and Nosara, the Arenal Volcano, and the Sierpe Terraba Rainforest. Living and teaching here also have its benefits, like the healthcare system! Here are some of the benefits of TEFL in Costa Rica.   Teaching Opportunity Costa Rica is one of the best places in Latin America to teach English because of the friendly people and beauty landscapes. To teach English in Costa Rica it’s not necessary to have a degree.  All you need is a TEFL course under your belt and you are ready to start teaching.  Language schools are the main source of work for teaching English in Costa Rica. You can also teach at private and public schools. San Jose is the main city for teaching, but you can also find work in smaller towns. English teachers are also able to live in Costa Rica with their wages due the low cost of living. Teacher’s salaries and minimal work hours allow them the time to explore.   If you love exploring Costa Rica, then comment your favorite place to visit on our Facebook!   Travel English teachers usually work 20-25 hours a week, leaving time to explore the country and beyond. There are so many options when it comes to travel in Costa Rica.  You can explore the rainforest to see the diversity of wildlife in Costa Rica. The adventure junkie can hike up active volcanos and the beach bum has hundreds of beaches to lay on during their stay. If you love marine life, you can go on whale watching tours or learn how to free dive in the Pacific Ocean or the Caribbean Sea. Due to Costa Rica’s location in Central America, you will be able to travel to other amazing countries like Nicaragua, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru! Culture, nature, beaches and gastronomy! Costa Rica has something for everyone. From the beaches to volcanos and everything in between you will never be bored in Costa Rica. It also has some of the freshest food in Central America. Due to fertile soil and the perfect climactic conditions, Costa Rica has some of the freshest fruit in the world.  The traditional Casado dish of rice, beans, plantains, salad, a tortilla, and your choice of meat will make you fall in love with traiditional gastronomy in Costa Rica.   If you are dreaming of a new life in an amazing country and want to learn more, check out our blog about the top five places to visit in Costa Rica!