OMG, I'm going to Costa Rica!

[Shari]

Well, only for about 18 hours. My new job offered to have me perform a (very expensive) courier service to deliver some parts to our manufacturing plant in Costa Rica. Since I'm so new and am not crucial to the office at this point in time, my boss asked if I want to go! Paid trip to Costa Rica! Hopefully the hotel I get up up in has some decent shopping around the area, as I have NO plan in taking a taxi anywhere.

Should be quite an adventure, I know very little Spanish, and I know they have a different accent than the Spanish I know. The manufacturing plant's GM will be "babysitting" me once I land so I don't end up getting myself into a shitload of trouble.

I can't wait! Anyone ever been there?

[Sean of the Thread]

CRIME IS HORRID.. Don't let your guard down. Don't get raped (even by your GM... don't laugh).. don't get robbed.

Don't worry about speaking spanish unless you're gonna be in the boons. They are well "acquainted" with the white tourists. Most will fake like they don't know English to take advantage of you.


I know you're not a pussy but at any rate you gotta be careful to the fullest there. Have fun and be safe.

[Back]

Too bad your married now. Hey, at least you can sit on the beach for a tan.

[Shari]

Yeah, I'm leaving all my jewelry at home, save for my wedding band. We've made copies of my passport, and I doubt I'll venture much farther from across the street from the hotel (and maybe not even that depending on the area). I'm landing in San Jose and I've started looking at websites about the country.

[Sylvan Dreams]

Their Spanish accent is quite distinct and noticeable to other native speakers. The best comparison that I can make is that to me, a Costa Rican sounds almost like someone with an American accent speaking Spanish.

Generally speaking.. they don't roll their R's (trilling I think it's called?), they use an English-sounding hard R rather than the rolling R's.

[Shari]

Aw shit, I'm good at rolling my R's!

[SpunGirl]

I heard they have bugs the size of small children.

-K

[CrystalTears]

Crime is bad anywhere, but I don't think it's that bad in Costa Rica. If anything, Costa Ricans are the nicest people I've ever met abroad. Shopping should be fun for you, it's pretty cheap in comparison to here. Better exchange rate. :D

Have fun!

[HarmNone]

Heh. You haven't said where in Costa Rica you're going, but I assume you'll be sent to San Jose. Don't count on lounging on the beach. San Jose is in the mountains and quite a ways above sea level. ;)

I'm sure you'll be well provided for by your company, and that your safety will be important to them. It wouldn't look good for them to send a new employee to their Costa Rican plant and have something untoward happen to her. Do you know if the people who will be "looking after you" are locals, or transplanted Americans? I'd think there'd be some of "our own" there who'd be happy to show you the sights and inform you of the things to watch out for.

If you can, and have time, the La Paz Waterfall Gardens isn't that far out of the city and is really breathtaking, with a hot springs, several lovely waterfalls, and a butterfly observatory. Shopping in the city is pretty good, although there are some taxes now, more's the pity.

Enjoy yourself, hon. The city isn't the best of the country, but there is much to see and do.

[Hog]

Just get ready to eat a lot of black beans, rice and eggs. We went there for vacation for more than a week and everything went well. No crime related issues at all. We drove from San Jose to Ocotol, getting lost a few times and everyone was friendly and helpful.

[Kierke]

If it came to getting stuck in San Jose versus getting stuck in Belize City, you'd be much more likely to get raped, gutted and skinned in Belize City. San Jose isn't a burg, it's a city, so be smart like you would in any city at home or abroad, and you should be fine.

[Tromp]

You have just as much a chance of being jacked in NYC or Atlanta as you do in San Jose.

Tips:
1. USE YOUR HOTEL SAFE
2. Don't carry a purse or try and look like you just came off of Rodeo Drive.
3. Don't expect the same treatment or customer service etc as here in the states. In other words don't be a typical American tourist idiot.

If you are just staying in San Jose for the night then there is a outdoor flea market you should check out since I think you mentioned wanting to shop.

Oh and make sure you have cash on you when you are leaving the country since there is a tax collected at the airport. Can't tell you how many tourists freak out because they only take cash and not credit cards.

Use the hotel concierge to flag you an English speaking cab driver.

Have fun and make sure you venture outside the damn hotel!!!!

[Sean of the Thread]

Yes and if you do have anything stolen from your hotel room you can usually find it for sale at the local fleamarket or your from your taxi driver.

[Shari]

I checked my itinerary. I land at 9:30ish at night, and take off the next morning at 10am. No shopping for me. :(

The guy who runs the entire plant down there will be my guide. He is picking me up from the airport, collecting the luggage of parts I'm bringing with me, and dropping me at the hotel. Because I'm already partly terrified (I'll get to that in a second) I don't plan on leaving there. The same guy who picked me up will also be taking me to the airport in the morning.

So since I'm new to this whole "corporate travel" thing, I wasn't aware of how it works. I found out I'll have to pay out of pocket, and then they reimburse me, which blows, because I currently have 100 dollars to my name. I guess I'll have to pull cash out before my flight takes off. I don't have a credit card so I'm praying the person who booked my hotel room used the company's credit card to secure it. Otherwise I'm working off the prayer that they will let me use Scott's CC to secure the room. I'm bringing a copy of my marriage license with me.

Other than that, I'm somewhat bummed I practically loose half my weekend, am unable to explore the city, and miss a good Saturday morning of Anfelt shopping. :(

[Sean of the Thread]

"the luggage of parts I'm bringing with me"

lol sounds shady.. havn't they heard of FED EX? WTF they didn't pay for the hotel?

[Kuyuk]

yeah, what exactly are these parts? ;p



K.

[Sean of the Thread]

3 parts cocaine and 1 part baking soda.

lol

[Kuyuk]

No wonder it burns.


K.

[Skeeter]

yeah that's very strange. usually courrier service is for something that has to be there RIGHT NOW!

I once arranged for a conveyor belt motor to be picked up by taxie in houston, driven to the airport. put on it's own plane and flown to Dayton. Where another taxie was waiting on it to bring it to the GM plant here. GM paid for all this, and I got a hefty markup because it was 11p on a monday night. but GM was losing 600grr / minute

Having you bring a suitcase full of parts... seems odd. hope you're not a drug mule.

btw. the engineer that had me move the motor, ordered the wrong part. I dont' even think he got fired. Probably why cars cost so much. True story.

[Makkah]

1g soda every 7g of coke