An oft-quoted statistic, and one that I cannot back up with any facts other than those batted around online, is that 30-70% of expats pack it in and move out of Costa Rica within one year of their arrival. This doesn’t refer to exchange students, international interns or those looking to temporarily live abroad, so even 30% is a huge number: three of every 10 expats who sell their things, uproot their lives and change their world will decide that Costa Rica is so bad, so absolutely intolerable, that they have no choice but to flee.

Even if it’s not true, even if the real number hovers lower than 30%, most expats, whether they live in Costa Rica or elsewhere, know someone who has thrown in the towel and gone home. Usually, culture shock is what does it — in Costa Rica, many cite unexpected crime rates, infuriating bureaucracy, racism or some combination of factors that make the adjustment more trouble than it’s worth.

Of course, my opinion is that Costa Rica is worth it. Because what, if not our wildest dreams, is worth our hard work and perseverance? Too often, we get caught up in the 9-to-5 daily grind, working to fulfill someone else’s dream, and stop to pursuing our own. When did we forget that things aren’t always easy, or that the things we want most deserve (and often require) the biggest effort?

Costa Rica isn’t for everyone, of course. We do have crime, the government has made an art out of pushing papers (even if it is ugly, paint-splatter art) and foreigners are the subject of racism. But there is no country, no place, not even a tiny town in this world that doesn’t have several cons to balance out its pros. If living in Costa Rica is your dream, pursue it. But do so wisely.

Dreams are valuable, and they deserve patience. Don’t rush toward the reward before carving out a path to your goal. I admit, I am meticulous in this regard — I take days, weeks or even months to flesh out each idea, decide if it’s viable and then chart each step toward its completion. Call this the logical, practical and even boring side of wish fulfillment, but it’s a necessary part of almost any goal.

In my case, moving to Costa Rica required planning, research and then more planning and research. My advice is to forget the glittery guidebook prose and read about real expats in Costa Rica — there are many online resources, including blogs, internet groups and informational websites. We love to complain. Read about the annoyances, assess the risk. Use your imagination, and put yourself in those situations — would you, could you tolerate those conditions? Be honest with yourself. Costa Rica isn’t perfect on paper, and it’s even more flawed in person.

The road to happiness is bumpy, especially in Costa Rica. (Have you seen the potholes?) You may have morose days, petulant moments and weeks of monumental frustrations, but if this country is right for you, you’ll find that it is all worth it. Which brings me to my point: though I fully intend to reboot this blog and get back to my writing roots, I also want to provide a resource to those interested in Costa Rica living.

Let’s talk about life in Costa Rica. Let’s talk about what pisses us off. Let’s talk about what makes us happy. Let’s talk about it all. For a bit of fun and a preview of what’s to come, there’s a short list I like to call…

You know you’ve adjusted to life in Costa Rica when:

-Eating mashed potatoes, fried yucca, and rice all in one meal is completely normal. In fact, the first two count toward your daily vegetable servings, even on that weird, new pyramid.

-You’re not surprised that a new 3 bedroom home costs only $40,000 more than a 1990 Toyota.

-You know that “Tico time” is a euphemism for “I’m going to be at least an hour late,” and you make plans accordingly.

-You hear somebody say “de nada” and wonder what country they’re from. It’ll always be “mucho gusto” to you.

-Spiders, cockroaches, scorpions and tarantulas don’t belong inside, but no longer cause you to run screaming from the room.

10 Comments

• At April 1, 2009, will wrote:

  Hey

  Nice to read something from you after soooo long.

  And it's really nice that you've accepted Costa Rica as it is, many people go there hoping to find the perfect paradise (which I don't think can be found in this world).

  I like your list, you made me crave for yuca frita hehe.

  Keep up the writing, and the good vibes :)

• At April 2, 2009, Daniel wrote:

  Happy you're back too! I'm really looking forward to reading/hearing all of your insights on being an expat there.

  Dan

• At April 2, 2009, Trish wrote:

  I think I'm still working on that last one - it's the ants and roaches that freak me out - but

  it's only really been one month.

  And I totally relate to your planning. It took a month long scouting trip and a year and a half of hard planning to get us here. We're trying our best to not wear rosy glasses, but also focus on the good. I suppose it's too early to see if we'll end up being a statistic, but so far, so good!

• At April 7, 2009, Doug Ward wrote:

  Good info !

  I've visited here for 24 years and lived up on Arenal for the last 3.

  It aint for everyone.

  I wouldn't live anywhere else on earth !!!

  2 months to get a starter for an old Ford. LOL Who cares !

  Pura Vida !

  Doug from Oasis of the toucans....... Dot Com

• At April 8, 2009, Bonnie wrote:

  Going on four years and feel I am fairly adjusted but a roach, tarantula or scorpion will send me screaming any day. It is the girly girl in me.

• At April 10, 2009, Erin wrote:

  @Will: Thanks and sorry to cause a craving... I love yuca frita.

  @Daniel: Thanks so much, hopefully I can keep it up!

  @Trish: The bugs still freak me out, but it's a different kind of freak out -- more along the lines of "okay okay, how do I get this thing OUT without touching it with my bare hands??," instead of complete, uncensored terror. I think I've just learned that in all my encounters with six- and eight-legged beasties, I've never ended up on the losing side, so I don't waste my time with the "what ifs" anymore.

  @Doug: You have the best pura vida attitude! I hope that, after a few more years, I will feel like that. I've certainly relaxed since I moved here, but certain things still do get me going. I try to breathe deeply and remind myself that it's only a long line or an alarm in the middle of the night, and not the end of the world, but sometimes I still feel like kicking pura vida in the butt. ;-)

  @Bonnie: I've given up on the girly girl (as I think you know). Bugs in almost every bag of rice, tarantulas in my shower, roaches the size of my hand and all sorts of other creepy crawlies just don't get high rankings on my priority list anymore. I still don't like getting near them though -- usually I fetch the tupperware and open the door for Fabi as he helps them along to freedom.

• At April 22, 2009, Laurie wrote:

  I'm unconvinced that for those who leave, "Costa Rica is so bad, so absolutely intolerable, that they have no choice but to flee." I believe that many leave because they've enjoyed Costa Rica and it's now time for a new adventure. When I leave, it won't be because it's intolerable here. It won't be because I have no choice but to flee. It will be because there's somewhere else I want to be. I suspect that if you look at many places in this world, perhaps even including your hometown, a substantial portion of the residents eventually leave to go somewhere else. For many, it's an indication of their desire to experience new things, rather than a failure to adjust to their current surroundings.

• At May 29, 2009, Valerie wrote:

  I absolutely love living in Costa Rica... but unfortunately I may end up being one of the statistics. I love sharing this country with my children. I love that my kids are learning Spanish. I love that we don't have a television. Unfortunately, raising a family in Costa Rica is not much less expensive than raising our family in the U.S. Living here, it is easy to see how a single person can live on a small budget. It is very different providing for children. Medical care, nutritious meals, and school supplies are much more expensive than we bargained for. Our family is working to accelerate our plan to find ways to earn a living in Costa Rica to supplement the funds that we thought would last several years. I am hopeful that we will remain ex-pats for many years to come. If not, I will go home to suburbia thankful that my children were able to experience this wonderful country(with all its culture shocks and pitfalls, but more importantly with immense natural and cultural beauty.

• At June 5, 2009, Fabián Pacheco (costa rican) wrote:

  I read this article by accident. I was spending some minutes in front of the computer and I was thinking about my teacher (a polish lady who doesn't like being called “gringa”) and Google led me to this website.

  I know almost nothing about expats, but in my opinion, racism shouldn't be such a big problem for foreigners, eventhough they should take some care about that. Much of us don't grow that kind of feelings.

  It is easy to get scared in a situation when you know nothing about what is happening around you and any comment you hear you may think is a threat for you! I suggest to any foreigner who comes to Costa Rica that make a Costa Rican friend, so he/she advice him/her about risks in this country and what is not necessary to get scared about.

  Fabián Pacheco

  (Costa Rican, 24year-old)

• At June 28, 2009, Deb wrote:

  So. Where are you? You talk of Costa Rica... but what about YOU? How are you?

Over the last few months, I’ve thought about whether to continue this blog — it hardly seems fair to call myself a blogger when it’s been so long. But there’s a tiny voice inside my heart, and it’s telling me that it doesn’t want to quit. I love to write; I want to write. Chronicling my experiences has been a thrilling and gratifying exercise — it’s a way to never forget, to hold yesterday’s events forever in the palm of my hand.

So I’m awake. This time, I make but one promise to myself. I will write. I will remember these moments, because I’ll only get to live them once. Every day, every smile, every revelation is important — I will record my memories, my experiences, my thoughts. The good days, the funny stories, the extraordinary experiences and the light-bulb revelations — I will share them.

I began to blog in order to remember what my Swiss-cheese brain would otherwise forget. I am sorry for being selfish these past months, but I write this entry with renewed vigor and recommitted purpose. If wanting to be better is the first step to self-improvement, then I am on my way (again). Thank you for sticking with me.

8 Comments

• At March 31, 2009, Arp wrote:

  I'm happy to have you back with more to look forward to. I'd assumed that life was good and keeping you away from the computer :-)

• At March 31, 2009, Staci wrote:

  hooray! I'm glad you are continuing to blog. In a few days I will have read from start to finish and finish as of yesterday was November 2008. Swiss cheese brain sounds about right, I can identify. Loose collection of thoughts meandering around just waiting to slip away into the black hole of the past.....damn, I'm going to have to unearth my own blog from the cyber-graveyard where it's laying. Somehow the goings on in Chicago don't seem as exciting as Costa Rica....then again, it's all in the presentation eh? :) Cheers to your blog, can't wait to finish pages 100-present day! :)

• At March 31, 2009, Cas wrote:

  Yay! Welcome back to blog land :) If nothing else, you've inspired me to take a long, hard look at Bright Meadow and remember that I actually rather love blogging!

  I look forward to your continued adventures :)

• At April 1, 2009, Josh wrote:

  Glad to see you bad; while it's been quite a while, I kept your blog in my feedreader "just in case." :)

• At April 1, 2009, Fabian wrote:

  Welcome again... Im so happy that you decided to write again in your wonderfull blog!!!!!! :)

  Cant wait to see more in future!

  :)

• At April 1, 2009, Erin wrote:

  Hey guys, thank you so much for the encouragement and for hanging in there through the dry months. I'd really like to get back into blogging, and your support helps a great deal!

• At April 2, 2009, Josh wrote:

  Oh dear. Clearly, I meant that I'm glad to see you BACK, not glad to see you BAD.

  /headsmack

• At April 2, 2009, Trish wrote:

  Keep writing! I've gone through some dry periods in blogging myself. What blogger doesn't? But your writing is so good that you will stay in my blog reader for whatever you produce!

That said, I apologize for having disappeared into the nothingness. I do have thoughts bumping around in my head, things that I wish to discuss. Such as my theory that tico culture is inherently passive-aggressive. Or the homesickness that has crept up on me… I miss the smell of autumn! And the peacefulness that I’ve found in my life, largely thanks to a simpler and slower lifestyle. There are so many things, but I currently lack the energy or drive to write them. Sometime soon, I hope to revive this blog (if there’s anyone still reading, of course), but I first need to knock down my writer’s wall, block by block.

In the meantime, I extend my apologies to all, and thank you for your patience.

11 Comments

• At November 11, 2008, Jonathan wrote:

  Hello, glad to know from you again. I wish everything is going well for you though. Hope you can write more often jeje.

  Saludos...

  P.D.: You could write something on your twitter too :P. jeje

• At November 12, 2008, Julie wrote:

  Welcome back!

• At November 12, 2008, Oscar wrote:

  I knew you couldn't resist the pull and had to come back, sooner or later, to post something, even if it's nothing more than barely a teaser. At least, it reassures me that it's not in vain that I've kept an eye on Gringuitica all these past weeks (months?!).

  ...

  Hey, are we gonna be neighbors soon now?

• At November 12, 2008, Erin wrote:

  Thanks guys, I'll try to write in the next week (I'll be on vacay, so the perfect time to write a bit).

  @Oscar: Nov. 22! I cannot WAIT!

• At November 16, 2008, Jorge Vargas wrote:

  Hi!

  Nice work! Keep it up!

  Greetings!

  Jorge V.

• At November 19, 2008, Jessica wrote:

  I miss you, Ive been checking at lest once a week!

• At November 23, 2008, Saratica wrote:

  I hear you on all counts! I'm into my new life here and it all seems so normal and satisfying (for the most part) that it just doesn't seem NewWorthy... but I'm trying to stay on top of it. Nice to hear you again and to know things are good.

  The passive-aggressive thing: I was talking to a friend about that just yesterday. I think it's why even the most mild-mannered tico becomes so ferocious while driving...

  Pura vida back atcha - see you.

• At November 25, 2008, Lorena wrote:

  I'm glad you're back! I stumbled across your blog a couple of months ago and was immediately interested as I had just come back from a failed attempt to do TEFL in South America. It took a month, but I got the interviews, got the job offers, but ultimately got so homesick that I came home. I was in Buenos Aires - there were a lot of reasons that I picked BA over other South American cities, but was ultimately disappointed. Once I got there I realized that the whole reason I wanted to do TEFL was so that I could experience life in a foreign, Spanish-speaking environment at a slower pace than my life in the U.S. Anyways, I really enjoyed reading your blog entries and admired your optimism and courage.

• At November 27, 2008, Greg wrote:

  It's so nice to see you back. Every now and then I would open your page only to find that there were no new blog entries. I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. I'm happy to hear that things are going well for you and I look forward to your next writing. Pura Vida y Feliz Dia de Pavo tambien!

• At December 3, 2008, thomas wrote:

  I look forward to your writing on passive-aggressive tico culture, if that's what you intend to do.

• At March 25, 2009, Fred wrote:

  Hi Gringuitica,

  You should I hope that you will be back in your writing mode soon. I started following your blog last year and I found it very interesting and full useful information as well as entertaining.

  As an Expat myself, its always nice to read about other people's experiences in CR.

  Hope all is well,

  Fred

There are four basic phases of culture shock. The first is called Euphoria, a.k.a. The Honeymoon Phase. As new arrivals or tourists, we are full of enough hope and excitement to cloud our vision and make cultural differences seem unimportant, even fun. However, after a few days or weeks, we move into the second phase, Irritation and Hostility. This stage is actually what many people refer to as culture shock - homesickness and frustration enter our daily lives, we get angry over little things, and experience depression. This second stage is usually the “make or break” stage, when expats either adjust to their new country or decide to go home.

If we safely make it through, we arrive at the Gradual Adjustment phase, where we begin to adapt to our surroundings and function normally in our new culture. We make efforts to fit in, to actively accept new things, and appreciate the differences of our new culture. Finally, after months or years in stage three, we graduate to the final phase, Adaptation. We are bi-cultural, able to function in both our native and adopted cultures without a problem. We have a strong command of our new language, and many of our old habits are replaced by new, one culture seamlessly folding into the other.

At least, that’s the theory. In real life, culture shock is a much more personal, individual experience. My euphoric phase was marked by an appreciation of the mountains that surrounded me, an amusement at the crazy drivers, and a sense of awe that I was finally here. By phase two, I still appreciated the mountains, but those crazy drivers were assholes, and my only wish was to be able to curse well enough in Spanish to give them a piece of my mind the next time one blew threw a red light as I crossed the street. There was no dulling sense of awe or wonderment anymore, I no longer woke up in the mornings congratulating myself, “You live in Costa Rica!” I was often frustrated by being stereotyped as a gringa, spoken to in English, and ripped off at every opportunity. If I had been just a little less mature, I would have stomped my feet and hurled myself to the ground for a good, cathartic temper tantrum. Every day.

For several months, I grappled with being a minority for the first time in my life. I wondered if the bus driver had given me incorrect change on purpose. I secretly raged at strangers who spoke to me in English, even though I spoke perfectly passable Spanish. I was angry. I wanted to know where all the nice ticos had gone. I wanted sales people to leave me alone, instead of breathing down my neck. I wanted people to just say “no” instead of “puede ser,” show me brutal honestly instead of feeding me white lies. But then, slowly enough to not warrant my own notice, the “want want WANT!!! turned into a gentle acceptance of my surroundings. All things tico started to make sense, without my consciously making sense of them.

Phase three is a happy place - I’m comfortable and calm, learning something new everyday. Like a child, I learn through observation, mimicking my tico friends in everything they do. Instead of using a finger or head nod, I see them use their lips to point out a location, and then I practice doing the same. They say “mae” every other word, and like a parrot, I say it, too. I’m learning how to time the traffic, and I cross streets without [much] fear. When it’s necessary, I know how to stop most errant drivers dead in their tracks with a few well-chosen palabrotas (bad words) and an icy stare. And about those mountains… they are still forever beautiful.

In many ways, I’ve already hit the fourth phase of culture shock, adaptation. But I don’t want to. Like in love, I don’t want my relationship with Costa Rica to ever feel stale. I never want to be so perfectly adapted that I take my surroundings for granted. It’s a vicious cycle - Costa Rica is not my native home, and so if I ever grew “used to” being here, I would never achieve cultural fluency. The day that I accept my Spanish as “good enough” will be the day that I stop improving my accent and vocabulary. If I ever stop questioning exactly when I should snap my fingers in disbelief or place them all together to indicate that something is full, I will always be on the dusty outskirts of tico culture. Without questioning and wondering about everything around me, I will never be able to discover all the amazing nuances of my new home and language.

May I never grow complacent and merely accepting of unique gestures, rolling mountains, artistic churches, perfectly laid stone fences, incredible forests, and linguistic idiosyncracies. Because to me, phase four — Adaptation — is apathy. It’s the acceptance of everything around you to the point of feeling so comfortable that no further effort is needed. But my love affair with Costa Rica is special, enduring, and for that reason, I hope to never adapt.

15 Comments

• At April 15, 2008, Fabi wrote:

  Erin,

  I love this post!!!... Es muy interesante como escribes sobre las fases del Cultural shock y como afrontas al final tu punto de vista acerca de "no adaptarte" por completo.

  Really, Its a smart and interesting !!! Además de bellamente escrito ;)

  Excelente baby.. Fabi...

• At April 16, 2008, Julie wrote:

  What a great post! It brings back so much of my own experience, and also shows what is to come - can't wait!

• At April 17, 2008, Arp wrote:

  I know we've only been through the honeymoon phase (how far can you really get in a month?), and I'm way curious about how the next phases will go. I definitely thought the drivers were amusing, but I used to be an asshole just like them (in the US) until recently. It is interesting how the Ticos avoid confrontation, but not surprisingly, they have to let it out somewhere. I'm sure there are safer ways than doing it in speeding vehicles.

  You did hit one reason I have for not wanting to live in the US - adaptation. There are plenty of places in the US to try but familiarity will always be lurking behind a corner. I hope, like you, to never get to the state of perfect adaptation in Costa Rica.

• At April 17, 2008, Erin wrote:

  Fabi, I'm glad you loved it! You've been the unfortunate witness to many of my rants and moods - how nice that you can see them in written form, and still find the humor. ;-)

  Julie, I think every expat experience is different, so I'm sure you will go through the phases differently than I did. But it's a wild ride and if you're really cut out to be an expat, it's mostly enjoyable. Have fun, and don't forget to blog it!

  Arp, Be prepared to go through the honeymoon phase all over again when you come back. The second time, at least for me, was even more exciting, because I was moving and so excited about everything I imagined would happen. Much of it did happen, and I've had so much fun during the entire process. I just hope, as you noted, that I never stop finding new things to appreciate.

• At April 17, 2008, Arp wrote:

  Thanks - we SO look forward to going back. I know the second time will be something special since it will be the realization of a dream, and that energy will be something else.

• At April 23, 2008, Teri wrote:

  This is an excellent article and very well written. I think we all can empathize, the ones that have stayed through the different phases only to fall in love with Costa Rica one more time. Teri

• At April 25, 2008, elle. wrote:

  hey erin,

  lots of stuff to think about. i think i am mos definitely in the honeymoon stage right now as you can see my my latest blog post! it will be interesting to see how the different stages manifest.

• At April 27, 2008, Thomas wrote:

  Erin,

  Keep up the good work. Interesting take on culture shock!

  Thomas from "Costa Rican Spanish"

• At June 7, 2008, Teri wrote:

  Did you quit blogging? I tried refeshing the page and April post keeps coming up.

• At June 25, 2008, Deena wrote:

  Excellent writting, love all the articles you have written. Nostalgia comes to my mind. Beautiful pics, loved the fence but most of all your take on the cultural side of it.

• At July 12, 2008, Esmit Perez wrote:

  La que salio en CNN eras vos? En un reportaje del restaurante de Sushi?

• At July 13, 2008, Tom wrote:

  You know when you don't post we all think something horrible happened to you. Just fire up the blog long enough to say goodbye.

• At July 25, 2008, Erin wrote:

  I'm alive and well, just extremely busy! My apologies to anyone who thought anything had happened to me. I promise to post as soon as possible.

• At August 24, 2008, Anna wrote:

  Great article. I am a gringa going through the transition now. I came down to gorgeous Costa Rica to teach English. We arrived in late July.

  Are you still here? Last I saw was April and I grew nervous that you packed up and ran off.

• At November 12, 2008, Roca wrote:

  Great read. Did you take the photographs here?

  I was wondering... you mentioned in your about blurb that you're a freelance writer working living in Costa Rica. Is writing your primary means of employment or you're employed by a company in CR and you're doing the writing on the side?

My divorce left me relieved and happy with my newfound freedom, but it also left me broken. What had been a hopelessly romantic girl had given way to a slightly jaded woman, and it was evident. Ripping my heart off of my sleeve, I stashed it away in a soundproof vault and began to believe in things like “the only person that will ever look out for me is me” and “no one ever loves someone just as she is.” It never occured to me that this could be my heart’s defenses clicking into place; instead, I thought that I had finally discovered a Universal Truth.

I think there’s a process that every recently-single person goes through: First, there’s anger and rage toward the person you no longer love, and a spiteful satisfaction that you don’t have to tolerate his presence anymore. Then you graduate to the insecure phase, wondering how much of the breakup is your fault, and eventually convincing yourself that you are completely unlovable and will never walk hand-in-hand again. During these first phases, there is much introspection and self-discovery, and it can be excruciating. But when we allow ourselves to deal with our inner demons, we emerge as happier, healthier individuals. We move into the final stage of self-acceptance where we’ve come to terms with our past and are willing to move into the future, ready to love and be loved.

Those first two stages were hard for me, tossing me around like a kayak that had been carried into the Bermuda Triangle by a tidal wave, only to be welcomed to that maritime hell by a class-5 hurricane. But after confronting and dealing with each one of my fears, I knew that I would love again. And I was certain that our love would be perfect enough to make Aurora, Cinderella, Ariel, and all the rest of them absolutely green with jealousy.

I was single for 28 months before I met the last man I will ever love. For the first few weeks, I showed him my wildly confident, slightly flirtatious side. I was so convincing that I think I scared him a bit. But on the inside, I was terrified, and had no idea what I was doing. But with a good dose of humor and a generous serving of patience, we made it through the awkward first encounters and became a couple.

So then I thought, “finally! now is when it gets easy!” Wrong again. Opening up to Fabi — letting him into the confines of my soul — was anything but easy. Because when we finally let someone in, we give him the ability to hurt us. As I whispered my secrets and ground him a copy of the key to my heart, I felt vulnerable and fragile. And that is the opposite of easy.

But fear is no excuse to hold back. If we never risk, we never gain. And that it is why we must do the very thing that stands to lose us the most: open up and give of ourselves. With baby steps, I began to confide in Fabi and tell him my past, show him dreams, and share confidences. And with each little test I gave him, he proved that he was worthy. And knowing that was worth far more than 28 lonesome months.

My relationship would not work for everyone, but for me, it is the best union that will ever exist. With confidence that he will always love and accept me, I can share my laundry list of fears, mistakes, insecurities, and sins. I know that he will not always agree with me, but that his love will never waver and our relationship will strengthen, not weaken, from our complete, naked honesty. And this is why, someday, Fabi will know everything that there is to know about me.

Sharing yourself with someone will never be easy. In fact, I think it’s the most risky and frightening thing that we can ever do. But if you start small and open yourself up like a flower in bloom, you’ll find that this leap of faith is the best one you’ll ever make.

6 Comments

• At March 11, 2008, lisa wrote:

  i love when i inspire people to write ;)

  erin, you've explained much more eloquently than i ever could the fear involve. it's hard telling someone everything, but it's harder still to hand them the key to your heart and trust them to know everything and not hurt you.

  i've never been seriously hurt by a relationship, but i think that's because i've never given anyone, ever, the key to my heart. i've opened windows here and there, but the door has never been wide open, either from fear that someone wouldn't walk through it, or that they would, and destroy me from the inside out.

  i am envious of you and Fabi for that. i don't know if i'll ever get to that point, but i know that i want it more than anything. my fear, though, is large. it's going to take a long time to be able to let someone in that deeply.

• At March 12, 2008, Fabi wrote:

  HI Erin, my baby!

  Lisa says something that apply to my self for my past romantic life:

  "i’ve never given anyone, ever, the key to my heart".... but know all is different because of you!!! You have the key of my heart and my soul... My partner, my friend, my lover!!

  Baby, Gracias por existir y darle un nuevo sentido a mi vida..... :D

• At March 25, 2008, Fabi wrote:

  I love you :D

• At April 13, 2008, Leigh wrote:

  I really enjoy your blog and your writing. I admire the level of honesty you touch here. I can't say I do quite the same in mine. I'm glad we met as well.

• At July 20, 2008, Fabi wrote:

  Te amo.... we miss your blogs! :)

• At August 5, 2008, Xavier wrote:

  Hello Erin.

  I am a man from Catalonia that loves Costa Rica. I've visited the country 3 times, and it has been even better than what I expected. It was really love, I will try to retire there, because I feel Costa Rica as my contry in my heart. Believe me, it's much deeper than "oh what a pretty sunset", or "aww look at the toucans".

  Your blog is one of the best 5 I've visited about CR (and I've read dozens of them). This last writing has been really inspiring, and I agree with you about most of the things you wrote. You know, after receiving some injuries inside me during life, I believe that it's very strange when the end of a relationship is only one side's fault. In almost 100% of the cases each one in the couple has some responsability. And it doesn't mean that any of the two are a lesser being, or a person of a low value. Almost surely both persons are good and love-deserving beings who deserve the best, but don't mix well. Just that, and I agree, it hurts, but you've got to take good things and keep them inside forever, it'd be sad to bury them below sadness and anger. One positive weights more for me than 10 negatives.

  That was all, I hope I've written clear enough, sometimes it's difficult to me to express feelings in words.

  I hope you're ok and things are on the best way for you. Take care and pura vida. :)

  Xavier

Culture shock, and its ensuing frustrations, is a right of passage and a growing experience. In exchange for living in a country as beautiful and varied as Costa Rica, we have to adapt and relearn how life works. Of course, every expat takes a different journey, but when we come out on the readjusted end of the tunnel, we are changed. And our reaction to this change is a likely indicator of our staying power in Costa Rica.

I truly believe that everyone, regardless of location or situation, is constantly learning life’s gentle lessons. But living here puts us on an accelerated path, and we decide which streets to take. When presented with the clash between old and new, each expat will in turn recreate himself, fine-tuning a mixture of what we grew up loving and what we are now learning to love.

Fourteen months into my move and several huecos in the road later, I have finally given myself up to this country. For over a year, its culture has tugged on my heartstrings and urged me to step out of my shell. Gone are the days when I worried about the Joneses’ latest acquisitions or dreamed of a home with a separate wing for visiting family. In their place, simplicity and gratitude have taken root: my one bedroom loft apartment is not small, but rather “easy to clean”; a sixteen-hour bus ride is well worth the savings of a few hundred dollars in airfare; a soul is washed clean by a breathtaking view and a gulp of mountain air.

I don’t want to oversimplify my fears and frustrations, so I admit that everyday is an effort. On the bad days, I just want to put my head in a pillow and scream until I lose my voice. On the really bad days, the only thing to assuage my feelings is a good stomp around the city, letting the world feel my wrath. But on the good days — most days — I continue in this self-exploration, challenging myself to build a better Erin. I feel so lucky to be here, cultivating the culture of Me. And now, more than ever, I feel like a true gringuitica.

16 Comments

• At March 3, 2008, elle. wrote:

  building a better me.... i love the title. i totally feel like we're on the same page, but maybe that's because you visited me last weekend!

• At March 3, 2008, Oscar wrote:

  Potholes? What potholes?! x)

  You ARE a true "gringuitica" and a very fine friend to boot.

• At March 4, 2008, Simon wrote:

  Lovely writing, perfect photograph.

• At March 4, 2008, Danielle Barkhouse wrote:

  Erin, that was very nicely said. As an expat in India, if there's one thing I understand--it's culture shock. I truly believe it takes at least a year, maybe even more, to adjust to living in a developing country or a country that is not as developed as your own. I do understand why people give up and return "home." The life of an expat is not for everyone. I'm looking forward to reading more about your adventures in Costa Rica.

  Kind regards,

  Danielle Barkhouse

  www.expatarc.com

• At March 4, 2008, Fabi wrote:

  Yes, I agree with all your feelings! Now you are a real gringuitica.... keeping the best of 2 worlds in your life!

  Really nice post!!! :D

• At March 5, 2008, Mary wrote:

  Wow Erin,

  What an inspiring post, and love the photo! I stumbled on your blog while researching information on Costa Rica as I had started following a blog called Costa Rica HQ and wanted to find out more about the country. It has been interesting reading various blogs and reading about peoples different experiences with living in Costa Rica. I plan to initally visit the country, but am not ruling out the possibility of living there some day. I have lived in other countries and initially would have found it a complete culture shock but as time went by, I began to embrace my new culture, stopped making comparisons to where I had come from, and only then did I truly start to enjoy the experience. Many of my friends gave up and went home but now have regrets that they didn't stay on. Experiencing new cultures is an awesome thing and one can learn so much and each new experience develops us more as a person. I loved your comment on simplicity and gratitude. I have reached this in my life. There was a time when I too would have worried about the Joneses' but now I focus on me, making myself a better person, and experiencing true happiness. Looking forward to more of your adventures Erin.

• At March 5, 2008, Amelia Hart wrote:

  Thank you for the raw openness with which you expressed yourself. I moved from Miami to Connecticut and felt an extreme culture shock. I ended up moving back to Florida six years later and I am truly changed. I actually miss Connecticut, even after thinking I never would. Your writing is fresh and inspiring. I've been reading about this guy who just moved their not to long ago. His blog is called Costa Rica HQ. He speaks of the beauty of CT and the challenges to, but not to the extent that you do. Thanks again and I look forward to more of your writing.

• At March 6, 2008, Saratica wrote:

  Beautifully put. Hear, hear! I just started going to the gym every morning with my new friend, Barbara, who has been hear since she was 11 (so 39 years). She was saying that, as an expat growing up here, you learn not to attach to people until they are here for a few years. Too many people come and go to get attached, heartbreak waiting to happen. Makes it hard to "bond" here in the first two years, no one will really commit to being your friend. But now that we are past that, we understand...

• At March 6, 2008, Saratica wrote:

  Me again. I've switched to Yahoo from Google and can't find a way to subscribe via rss feed via anything but google... am I doing something wrong? when I click the rss feed button, I only have google as an option...

• At March 6, 2008, Rick Carlson wrote:

  i just love your pictures, Costa Rica seems like a wonderful place, except for the potholes of course. I have been researching my move here and ran into another blog with some interesting stories at Costa Rica HQ that has been helpful.

  I liked what Fabi said, to keep the best of two worlds in your life.

  Great post.

  Rick

• At March 8, 2008, Erin wrote:

  @elle: I think talking things out helped me clarify my thoughts.

  @Oscar: There was this great story I once heard from a friend about learning what a Costa Rican hueco was: She & her friend were in a taxi and the driver had said that a hueco was coming up. They didn't know what that meant, so they asked. The driver thought that it would be a perfect learning opportunity, so he proceeded to hit every, single pothole and yell out HUECO!! each time, just so that they'd really get it into their heads. Safe to say that my friend will never forget. :)

  @Simon: Thank you!

  @Danielle: Thanks for stopping by! I would imagine that a move to India would be even more jarring and adjustment-inducing than a move to CR, so I definitely look forward to reading more of your adventures.

  @Fabi: That's the idea... we'll create our own culture, a mix of our favorites.

  @Mary: I am so glad to finally be into this phase of simplicity/gratitude - it's such a nicer place to be. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in felling this way, either! And since you've embraced this as well and can let go of some "amenities," then I'd say you'll do well here in CR. Give it a try -- a long visit -- and see what you think.

  @Amelia: Thank you very much, I'm glad you enjoyed my post. I understand completely where you're coming from: when I was 18, I moved from suburban Philadelphia to rural Virginia - just about as big a change as I can imagine!

  @Saratica: When I first arrived, I made friends with many gringos... I felt we had a lot in common, dealing with the same feelings. Unfortunately, most of their stays here were brief, and I had to say goodbye to my newfound friends. I now insulate myself and try to make friends that have "staying power." With regards to your feed issues: I think this site may help.

  @Rick: Thank you! I have trouble properly incorporating photos into my posts, so I'm working on that. Good luck on your research & subsequent move and please hang around if you'd like!

• At March 9, 2008, Scott S wrote:

  I have begun to find fascination in the number Americans that now live in Costa Rica. I must have read a dozen blogs about that in the last two days.

  Two that I specifically recall are Costa Rica HQ and one called yo-yoinparadise. They are both by Americans that moved to Costa Rica.

  They are all passionate advocates of how great a place Costa Rica is to live.

  Is there a large American population there now? Do many live together and are there "American" areas? Is there an expat community or communities? Are there any expat organizations in Costa Rica that keeps everyone together?

  Scott S.

• At March 9, 2008, Erin wrote:

  Scott: Are you thinking about making a move, or just interested in what it was like for those that have? As far as I know, there are quite a few US expats here, though I can't give an exact number. As for keeping track of them all, some make themselves present in the blogosphere, in various expat groups, or through the American Embassy, and others prefer to just slip away into the Costa Rica ether.

  To all of you, thank you for your time and comments. I took a look at Costa Rica HQ, and I'm just curious how you found your way to me from there? I didn't see a link, so curiosity is getting the best of me.

• At March 11, 2008, Oscar wrote:

  LOL! That's a sure fire way to learn, if there's one. That reminds me of something that happened to my friend Harry. He took a cab during his first visit to Costa Rica and told the driver that he wanted to see the countryside sights. Apparently, the driver was a bit careless and hit a pothole while driving at a considerable speed. Harry used to tell me that the taxi jumped in the air, and that he hit the roof with his head. "Only thing I still, to this day, thank God for -Harry would say- is that I didn't had my dentures on that day!"

• At March 26, 2008, joyceyoj wrote:

  What a lovely story very inspiring! I've been researching the net for info about this country which we plan to visit and have a vacation. Having checked Costa Rica HQ very detailed on what to expect but yours was pretty inspiring.

  Thanks a lot for sharing i did enjoy reading!

• At May 17, 2008, Ram krishna wagle wrote:

  Hey Erin, as usual a great blog entry.

  Thanks for telling the world how hard times can be turned into fun and on top of that enable you to be a better person ie, adapting to a culture shock in pleasant way.

  Looking forward to your other adventures.

Street noise haunts my dreams, and the local motorcycles like to wake me up every night on their 1 a.m. jaunts. Pollution from the city’s huge bus fleet and myriad drivers invades my lungs and irritates my eyes. During rush hour, it takes 30 minutes to cover a distance of a kilometer or two. This comes part and parcel with the city life, but every once in awhile, a girl needs a break.

On top of city frustrations, the past few weeks have been busy and exceedingly stressful for both Fabi and I, and we were in need of a getaway. But with too much work and no vacation time in sight, we weren’t able to take off for the hills of Turrialba or the beaches of Manuel Antonio. And as nice as it is to hole up in the house, crawl under the covers, and refuse to let the outside world in, that plan of attack just wasn’t going to massage away the stress.

So instead of wallowing in the doldrums of irritability, we opted to be tourists in our own town. Rifling through my Costa Rica guidebooks, I crossed out all the museums we’d been to, parks we’d picnicked, and opted for something new. What we found was so tranquil, so beautiful, that I almost don’t want to mention it. We plan to return many times and my biggest fear will be to find our secret paradise teeming with people, just like the dirty streets of San José.

Lucky for me, my blog readership isn’t large enough to make such a dent, and since a guidebook hasn’t ruined this urban Shangri-La, I figure I’m safe to tell you. The Spirogyra Butterfly Garden is secreted away into a section of Goicoechea (Guadalupe) best known for its loud music and party scene. Just blocks from El Pueblo, the gardens are so quiet and peaceful that we could almost forget that we were in the heart of the city. And as I meandered through the gardens, zooming in on every butterfly I could find (and there were many), I felt some of my pent-up stress begin to dissolve. By the time we had finished the garden’s beautiful Contemplation Path loop, I was convinced that we’d fallen down the rabbit hole into our own version of Burnett’s secret garden.

The rest of the weekend was spent on other stress-relieving activities, like visiting the Parque Zoologico Simón Bolívar, which has greatly improved its conditions over the last few years, walking the streets of Barrio Amon and the pedestrian-only paths of downtown, enjoying iced tea at a tiny café, and wandering the sidestreet maze of our own part of town. It was more activity than we’d had in awhile, and yet we both felt more relaxed and refreshed than we had in a long time. It was the perfect weekend, just what we needed, and we’ve vowed to do it all again (at new locations) this weekend. And while it may seem odd to declare this at 24, I think I’ve finally discovered what weekends are for.

5 Comments

• At January 26, 2008, fabi wrote:

  Yes baby.. we can re-discover the city and have fun!!!

  Let see what happen the next days.... more secrets and surprises will appear!!! :)

  Fabi

• At January 27, 2008, josue wrote:

  wow that butterfly garden looks awesome!. glad to hear you guys are having fun. we are too. and, you still have to come to the hills of turri :p

  love u bye

• At January 30, 2008, Teri wrote:

  Sometimes I wake up and say, what if this was my last day here, what would I do?

  It's nice to get familiar with your surroundings and enjoy being here now.

  Teri in Hermosa/Jaco

• At February 29, 2008, darwin o. wrote:

  For those of us who have to settle for the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the urban jungle here in the states, it would be nice, even if it was just for a day, to see what it is like to be in an acutal jungle. Erin, you are SO lucky to have such a huge backyard!

• At March 3, 2008, Erin wrote:

  Fabi: I know that being a tourist in your own city is a little silly, but our little weekend adventures are what keep me sane!

  Josue: They're incredible - I'm definitely dragging you & Lisa when you get back.

  Teri: That's a great philosophy! Unfortunately for me, there are so many things I have yet to do in CR that my hypothetical last day would probably be spent microplanning what to do!

  darwin: Thank you. I know I'm lucky, but like people everywhere, I tend to take my own backyard for granted... I hope that my explorations will continue and that I will always appreciate what I have.

Individual days seem to have passed slowly enough, but last January 6th merely feels like a distant yesterday. I distinctly remember the smell in the air, the [relative] heat, and the jittery excitement that coursed through my body that day. My first views of the Central Valley and its beautiful mountains are gloriously haze-free in my mind’s eye. I can still feel the terror of speeding along my first Costa Rican road in 7 years, with a taxista who seemed afraid of nothing at all. And seeing my apartment with my own two eyes, instead of through the photos I had poured over for months, is a moment that I will never forget. Indeed, the details of that day are as clear to me now as they were when I woke up on January 7th, 2007.

But no matter how well I remember that day, no matter how close it seems to me, I cannot deny the changes that a full year has brought. I came back to Costa Rica not knowing how long I would stay, having little idea of what awaited me, and very unsure of my Spanish, my self-sufficience, and even myself. Though I doubt that anyone ever knows herself entirely, I can state with certainty that I am much more self-aware than I once was.

There are few things that would test my character more than moving to a new country, throwing myself into a foreign language, and jumping head-first into a different culture. In many ways, my background in anthropology and Spanish helped my adjustment, but they also created a sense of false confidence. Though I was likely more prepared than many who make the move, every moment in my new home taught me something new. Most of these lessons were novel and exciting, grounds for funny stories I would tell in the future, but some truly tested my patience and fortitude.

On the lighter side, I now know how to make worm-free cas juice, I can effectively remove a tarantula from my home with only a Tupperware container and a few sobs of fear, I know to automatically translate a tico’s “puede ser” as a polite synonym for “no,” and I can throw a coherent, quite effective tantrum in Spanish. But I know also the frustration of being on the receiving end of prejudice - how it feels to be taken advantage of, charged gringo prices, hated for something my president did, and outright ignored because of an ugly stereotype.

A lesson I’m currently learning is how to not let this affect me. Racism, hate, and prejudice exist the world around and letting these attitudes hurt me only gives them momentum. On a good day, I remember this. On a bad day, my Spanish tantrum skills come in handy. As with everything else that I’ve learned here, this lesson is having its ups and downs, its struggles and victories. This one will take awhile, and in the meantime I do what I can to have power over my own situation.

Despite the downs, in actuality, I feel more tica than gringa now. Of course, there are things about me that will likely always remain gringo, but everyday I feel a slightly weaker tie to my U.S. roots. Spanish rolls off my tongue almost as easily as English, and some say my accent is hardly noticeable (though I don’t believe them). I toast my tortillas on the stovetop and I think it’s funny when tourists eat gallo pinto for anything other than breakfast. I think cumbia music is awesome and the way that ticos dance it is far better than the traditional Columbian style. Throwing toilet paper in the toilet is weird, though there’s nothing strange about washing my dishes in cold water.

I used to doubt that I’d adjust enough to feel truly comfortable in my tico surroundings, but with 367 days under my belt, I know that I’m well on my way. In fact, in perhaps the biggest indication of my shifting identity, whenever the mercury dips below 23 degrees, I get so cold that I swear my toes are going to fall off.

16 Comments

• At January 8, 2008, Saratica wrote:

  Nice to hear from you again, gringuiTICA! Wish my Spanish were as good, but you are younger. I'm going with that...

• At January 8, 2008, Fabi wrote:

  Hi my dear Gringuitica!!!

  Happy aniversary... is incredible how the time flies, right....

  Se q para vos ha sido dificil adapatarte e una nueva cultura, pero creo q lo has hecho muy bien!! Con el tiempo aprenderás muchas cosas mas y de esa manera te sentirás mas ha gusto en lo q es tu nueva casa... Costa Rica!!

  Congratulations again... your dreams may come true in this crazy but beautifull place on earth!!

  with love,

  Fabi

• At January 9, 2008, Fabi wrote:

  ah.. your spanish is great!!! tu acento casi no se nota.... beleive me!!

• At January 9, 2008, Nadine wrote:

  It sounds as though you're settling in quite nicely, and you're a much more intrepid person than I will ever be. Loving the culture where you live probably has a bit to do with it as well! Congrats on a beautiful life and loving where you are!

• At January 14, 2008, elle. wrote:

  hey laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaady. i miss you so much. congratulations on your anniversary.

• At January 14, 2008, Jesse wrote:

  I thought I had culture shock once but it turned out to be food poisoning. Where's the whole "I hate this country" thing that my anthro profs said would happen? Three months must be long enough to know a place well enough to really hate it.

• At January 31, 2008, Doug wrote:

  Congratz.

  I've been full time here almost two years.

  Aint going nowhere.

  Jesse.

  People who can't :teach

  People who can : Do

  Nuff said !

• At March 2, 2008, Jonathan wrote:

  Saludos me encanta leer tu blog, aunque no paso muy a menudo dejando un comment pero me agradó mucho este post y de verdad que me impulsó a dejar el comentario.

  Me reí bastante con lo del "puede ser"

  Feliz Aniversario jeje.

• At March 3, 2008, Erin wrote:

  Saratica: I know, shame on me for posting so infrequently... unlike someone else who is actually attentive. ;-)

  Fabi: Thanks, but you know that I won't be satisfied until there's no trace of an accent!

  Nadine: Thank you so much, this certainly is an amazing place to live.

  elle.: Thanks chica, and it's your anniversary, too (more or less)!

  Jesse: I've actually felt my fair share of culture shock... discrimination and the like has given me a good wallop over the head. But it was certainly nothing like what I was taught to watch out for, you're right!

  Doug: Thanks, I look forward to being able to say the same.

  Jonathan: Muchísimas gracias, me alegro que le guste tanto. Y eso de "puede ser" es definitivo... la vida es mucho más simple si alguien mantiene en mente esa traducción! ;-)

• At April 3, 2008, Chris wrote:

  Still here. Nice to read you.

• At April 3, 2008, Chris wrote:

  !

• At April 4, 2008, Costa Rica Blog wrote:

  Transforming to a Tica...

  Expats originally come to Costa Rica for the beaches, the warm sun, the tasty food, and...

• At November 21, 2008, david wrote:

  hello erin

  you won"t ever be a "tica" untill you learn to spend at least an hour to put makeup on and fix your hair. as a gringo living here 8 months a year and a typical horny old guy, i date alot and consider myself almost an expert on the subject of ticas. i hope that you never become one. i'm so intellectully starved for a gringa that i'd walk a mile just to stand in a puddle of your pee.

  david

• At March 30, 2009, PINTICA... wrote:

  Ay Machita que cositica mas rica!!! que tuanis leer eso... ojala me le este llendo muy tuanis con todo, que aproveche bastante y me la traten muy bien los compatriotas...

  Sepa que seria un gustazo invitarla a una birrita bien fria con su respectiva boquita. No se me aguebe por los pintas y ratas que sobran aca, la mayoria somos solo bueno y lo que importa es la pachanga, y chotear un rato, si me la molestan por las burradas de Bush no les de pelota...

  No deje de echar pa adelante y goce bastante que esto solo un ratico y hay que aprovecharlo..

  Pura Vida

• At April 15, 2009, Guillermo Rojas wrote:

  Erin: un gusto en saludarle gracias por traducir de forma positiva la frace de los ticos among others ( puede ser ) a veces no tenemos big balls or guts para decir upfront (NO) de otra forma no habrian tantos mal entendidos, como cuando la gente no se presenta a tiempo a una cita o a trabajar I live in TX for over 17 years and I know what you talking enjoy the back yard have a beer or two because the lack of freedon it kills.you have plenty now, yet no real but still. adelante Erin.

• At June 21, 2009, Kyla wrote:

  I am moving to Costa Rica in three weeks. Cano Palma, Tortuguero. I have no job or friends in the area. I simply know I should be there, so I'm going. I am living at a small cabina on the canal. I speak no Spanish! I have questions for you about how to stay in the country and how to receive mail. I appear Tica, so I do not have the problems of getting overcharged as long as I keep my mouth shut! Send me an email if you get time. -Kyla

It is the hard drive. For the second time in ‘07, it has crashed and burned, taking everything with it. Not even a byte of info to be recovered. That’s okay though, as I have my most important files archived onto an external hard drive. Beyond the immediate hard drive issue, the problem was that I had a lemon. Yes, had. Hold your horses.

Apple’s official policy is that they will not replace a computer until it has had three major failures under-warranty. A borked keyboard, though it rendered my computer unusable, is not considered major, and so I therefore only had two majors. Furthermore, all work on the the Mac had been done in Costa Rica, where the computers apparently don’t sync records with the U.S. You may see where I’m going with this.

I called Apple U.S., sure that I would get further with them than with Apple Costa Rica. I had bought my Macbook in the U.S., the warranty was U.S. (worldwide usage), and the U.S. is more focused on customer service. It’s a cultural thing. Anyway, I fired up Skype, which threatened to bring the P3 Dell I’m using to its knees, and called the Apple 800-number (haha!). After sitting on hold for 20 minutes, unable to work for fear of crashing my writings, my phone call, and the computer in general, I began to chat with a nice man named Landus. I explained the problem to him, told him why I wanted a replacement computer instead of a replacement hard drive, and he said “no problem,” off in search of Someone In Charge who could order me the new computer. After another 10 minutes of holding, which brought the call to a full 1 hour, 10 minutes, the line went dead. Breathe, Erin, breathe.

I called back, waited on hold for another 20 minutes, and began a chat with Webster, who wasn’t quite as cheerful as Landus. Or helpful. He told me “no, sorry.” I said, “Put me through to your supervisor.” Supervisor Chris came on the line and for 25 minutes, treated me as only an asshole can, explaining that he didn’t care that I was out-of-country, used my computer for my job, and was being subjected to torture because of an assembly-line failure that smelled distinctly of rotten, lemony Macbook. Furthermore, he didn’t have any repair records from Icon (Apple Costa Rica), and even if he had, they’d be in Spanish, which he doesn’t speak. So sorry, he absolutely wasn’t going to help me. I tried staying cool as a cucumber, even tried pouring some honey on, but he didn’t care. I told him I wanted to speak with his supervisor. He said he was it.

By this time, I had been on the phone for about 2.5 hours, and was nearing tears of frustration. I just wanted a Macbook that worked. That’s Apple’s reputation, after all. So I told dear Christopher to transfer me to someone with a heart. That’s when Marlene at Customer Care came onto the line. In the first accented English I’d heard all day, Marlene asked me to detail the situation. I did, again. She explained, also again, that Apple won’t replace a product that’s only had two major failures. I asked for her sympathy — nay, I begged for it — and told her that in Costa Rica, parts and installation take about 6 weeks. That’s 6 weeks without my Macbook. 6 weeks on a PC. She caved.

Marlene called me “honey,” she identified with what it’s like living in a new country where things don’t work the way you’re used to, and she understood that a Macbook just shouldn’t work like this. After another hour on the phone, Marlene had ordered me a new computer, sent a shipping label to my email, and was clearing up the situation. Since I’m going back to the States for Thanksgiving, a brand new Macbook will be waiting, equipped with a faster processor than the one I already have and supplemented by all the original upgrades I ordered. The computer will come equipped with Leopard, iLife ‘08, and all the new goodies that Macbooks come with these days. It has a brand new warranty on it, which is quite convenient, given that my previous warranty was set to run out in a few weeks. Furthermore, Apple is sending me that Macbook before they even receive the old one… when I get to the States, my new Macbook already awaiting me, all I need do is affix their prepaid shipping label to a box, call the courier, and have them pick up the lemon at my doorstep.

Lemons happen, I don’t fault Apple for it. What matters is how customer support issues are dealt with after a problem has been identified. On the exterior, my 3.5+ hour story of woe may seem painful, but let’s face it: no computer manufacturer wants to replace a $1800 piece of equipment. But with a bit of patience and a lot of perseverance, Apple did it. Try getting that from a PC manufacturer.

12 Comments

• At November 14, 2007, Helene wrote:

  Dear Gringuitica,

  I hear you loud and clear regarding computer problems!!!! I have tales to tell myself, but they don't call me darling, honey, etc. You must have very well developed patience and charming phone manners! By the way, how is the weather now? Has it cleared up to lighten your spiritn that category?

  Take care,

  Helene

  PS I will be in San Jose, Arenal, and Monteverde from Dec 13-20. I'd love to meet you in person over a great cup of Costa Rican coffee!

• At November 14, 2007, Fabi wrote:

  Of course Mac is not perfect but definetly is better than PC System.... I passed a lot of predicamentes with the "powerfull PCs" and the most of the times, i have to fix the problems by my self (hardware and sofware problems, i mean)

  You have really good luck with this situation!!! estoy feliz que te vayan a dar una Macbook nueva...... Really, you had a "Lemon" Macbook!

  como dije, las Mac tendran sus problemas, nada es perfecto..... pero mucho mas estables que las Pcs parece que si lo son.... hasta ahora me gustaria la idea de tenrer una Mac algun dia.. maybe someday ;)

  Fabi!

• At November 14, 2007, Mario wrote:

  I`ve been using Mac the last 14 years and the situation you describe sounds unbelieveble to me. In 14 years I had just 3 problems with my hard disk!! (and I work on graphic design)

  I would like to recomend you a place called Reprocolor (236 6070). They help a lot and are very "user friendly"

  Of course that will help you only if you live in or near San José.

  I wish you good luck!!

• At November 14, 2007, elle. wrote:

  hey lady!

  I'm so happy for you. i will email you soon about my seo woes. just google plantatree wine if you want to get a taste of my predicament. stupid flash!

  lisa

• At November 14, 2007, Edrei wrote:

  I had that with my laptop and it's a Toshiba and a friend of mine had the same experience with their Dell laptop. We got ours replaced without problems at all. In fact, I got mine with an extra power plug to it as well and a free bag which was great.

  Seriously, to say Apple has the best customer service and is better than its non-mac counterparts sounds like you're caught in the fangirl-ism hype. I say we do work on what we work on best. I've had horrible problems working with Macs and I spurn them with a vengeance. Doesn't mean that other people can't use them the same way I use Windows and Linux platforms. I have everything at the palm of my hand and even more so when I custom build my rig myself.

  If it works with us, use it. But it doesn't mean that other things are bad.

• At November 14, 2007, Ben wrote:

  The whole world should have a Mac because you got to muck around on the phone for 2 1/2 hours trying to get a lemon replaced and finally you managed to beg someone into doing their job??

  No offence but I think I'll stick with my HPs. ;)

• At November 15, 2007, Saratica wrote:

  congratulations! I was a Mac-Head until I became a real estate broker - all the MLS software was only available on a PC. I cried!!!! Now we all have PCs, I have an old ibook that I fire up every once in a while for nostalgia... to see my happy smiley face! How fun to get a whole new book! I'm toying with going back to mac once my sony vaio pos (piece of shit) breaks down totally... shouldn't be long now... have fun over thanksgiving.

• At November 15, 2007, Erin wrote:

  Maybe I haven't had much luck with my PCs, but I've had a Dell, HP, & one off-brand (thank you, Sam's Club) laptop break down on me. With the off-brand, they simply refused, flat out, to honor the warranty, no matter what I did. After spending $300 on trying to prove it needed a repair (don't ask) and with no luck, I gave up and bought an HP.

  The HP worked well for quite awhile, until the hard drive failed. I called, talked to customer service for who-knows-how-long before finally being transferred to someone who "wanted" to help. After getting my promised part "mailed," it never showed up. Back to the drawing board.

  After the HP, I went with a Dell. It had a horrible, high-pitched ring to it every time it turned on, and I had to spend at least 5-6 hours on the phone, trying to explain the problem to people who clearly didn't speak English well enough. Regardless, I spent all that time on the phone only to have them misdiagnose the problem and send me a part that didn't fix the problem. Finally, after God knows how much longer on the phone, they agreed to send me a new laptop (keep in mind, it was less than a month old) and when it arrived, the specs were wrong. (Wrong amount of RAM, smaller hard drive than the original.)

  Maybe it sounds like Apple fangirl-ism, Edrei, but for me, this is the best service I've ever had with a computer problem. What further impresses me is the manner in which they're fixing the problem, which is to attend to my individual needs (only going to be in the States for 6 days) and not the corporate mantra. And Ben, their job is to tell me that my Macbook is under warranty and they will replace the bad part, not to forgo typical procedure and give me what I want. Furthermore, and I find this very impressive, they've given me $208 in software upgrades, including the new OS, and they've given me a brand new warranty. I am hard-pressed to believe that Dell or HP or anyone else would replace a 49-week old XP laptop with a new one, armed with Vista (not to say you'd want it) and new software plus restart the warranty back to day 1.

• At November 19, 2007, Francisco Duran wrote:

  lo siento mucho... esta historia me dio mucho pesar cuando la lei! seguro fue muy angustiante en el momento... pero bien dicen que "cosas buenas vienen para los que saben esperar"!

  y es cierto, de las pcs no se puede esperar mucho, son mas del tipo desechables, pero en mi caso que soy del area de it, nunca he tenido muchos problemas con las pcs y en todo caso y como ultimo recurso yo mismo compro los repuestos y las arreglo ahi en mi casa. si tuviera una mac, creo que no podría hacer ese tipo de "despelotes"... por eso y como dicen: "cada loco con su tema". :o)

• At November 27, 2007, Sean wrote:

  Hey Erin. After reading your post all I could think was "wow!". It's good to know that Apple stood by its product and warranty. I hope you enjoy your new machine.

  It's also good to know you do regular backups. Even new hardware can fail, so you might even want to consider backing up your external drive to CD's or DVD's once in a while too for extra protection.

  Side note, all computers are PC's. Personal Computer. Back in the day, yes I can say that as I'm 35 :) you had a choice of an IBM compatible (DOS, Windows or Linux based Operating Systems) or an Apple computer using Apple's Operating System.

  I know that I'm probably opening a can of worms here but now that Apple computers are mostly Intel based processors (which run Windows too) I think it's safe to say the choices are either a Windows based, Apple based or Linux based computer :)

  For the record, I use both Apple and Windows based machines along with a few flavors of Linux. Yay multiple booting OS computers.

• At December 10, 2007, elle. wrote:

  I LOVE YOU.

• At December 11, 2007, Teri wrote:

  and here I thought I was all alone in computer hell with my computer woes.

  Thanks for sharing. Teri

9 Comments

• At November 7, 2007, Francisco Duran wrote:

  lo siento por la computadora... tambien me ha pasado y definitivamente los discos duros son los que fallan mas a menudo.

  tenias respaldos? :o/

• At November 7, 2007, Erin wrote:

  Si, despues de la ultima vez, si! Pero ahora tengo q esperar q me digan lo q pasa y luego, q Apple me arregle la situacion. Ya veremos...

• At November 7, 2007, Fabi wrote:

  Yo tambien entiendo muy bien por lo que estás pasando!!!!

  Esperemos a ver que pasa con la Tienda y si es necesario que te cambien la Mac por una nueva de una vez por todas!!!!

  Im with you! FABI

• At November 9, 2007, LondonGirl wrote:

  OK now I feel way ignorant for not understanding the spanish - fingers crossed you get it fixed. I would hate to be back in the world of internet cafes...

• At November 10, 2007, Arthus Erea wrote:

  Sorry to hear that... *crosses fingers for you*

  Makes me glad to be using Time Machine now... :)

• At November 10, 2007, Chris Morrell wrote:

  Sorry to hear that Erin, I lost a Macbook hard drive also, now I back up everything on my local server. Wasn't a fun way to teach myself to backup data, lost months of work. Goodluck and I hope it isn't the hard drive!

• At November 12, 2007, elle. wrote:

  aaaaah. pobrecita. josue me dijo que eso te ha pasado y lo siento mucho. tengo que hacer un respaldo pq tengo miedo ahora. cuidate mucho y buena suerte con todo.

• At November 12, 2007, Ben wrote:

  Ouch... that sucks. I hope it's under warranty cause computer stuff is so expensive in Costa Rica.

• At November 14, 2007, Fabi wrote:

  que bueno que ya todo esta solucionado... Pronto tedras tu Mac nueva en casa!!! ;)