As a newcomer to this site it has disturbed me that a small number of individuals who post are extremely negative toward Puerto Rico. They widely condem most everything: people, government, schools, public safety, food, stores and shopping, services, utilities,on and on including PR's culture.
Now there us not one place on earth that is 100% ideal, but after bring here for over ten years I have to say from my experience I find PR my favourite place to be. I have lived in several locations stateside from Michigan to Florida, and I wold not return to any of them. I have travelled throughout the world, and I still compare PR favourably to any of them.
Some people can make no adaptation, and some people easily become homesick. Perhaps this causes them to expound on the negative and
become dissatisfied. They really exaggerate.
Although it is not my purpose to try to defend all the exaggerated naysaying, suffice it to say that if you are someone who is really interested in trying to live in a most wonderful part of the American tropics, Puerto Rico is probably about as good as it gets under the US flag--including Hawaii. There are a lot of positive contributors to this site who can really help you. Don't listen to all the bad. It just isn't totally honest.
Let's hear more from those of us out here who really like Puerto Rico and have very positive life experiences living here.
Puerto Rico is a Great Place!
Well said!! Puerto Rican life should be a positive experience. Only you have the ability to change a bad experience into a great one.
Welcome to Puerto Rico.
Nailed it! I totally agree with your assessment on the mindset that a few can have on the majority of people that may visit this blog. Puerto Rico is a wonderful place to live and as with any other place you call home it is not perfect, and for those looking for that perfect place it does not exist. I can recount from experience visiting every state and many countries that utopia does not exist, life is what you make it and how you accept and respond to the place you are at now. I have spent the last month visiting with family and friends in NY/NJ many of affluent living, and I can tell you that the challenges they face with high cost of living, security and everything else that we all worry about is no different only geography separates us. Therefore to all the naysayers please embrace the life you have chosen and enjoy this beautiful island and all it has to offer, and the things that it lacks are as plentiful anywhere else you may think is better.
Even though, we still are not there, I can honestly say that I believe that our Puerto Rico experience will be a good one. As I had said before, my husband is Puerto Rican as am I and he was born there and I am a New Yorican but love it just the same. We were in the Air Force there at Ramey AFB over 40 years ago, and I know that things have changed there, not always for the better. We have been back many times in those 40 years and look forward to this new adventure in our lives.
Now that the kids are gone, we can do and go where we please and that is Puerto Rico. I can also tell you that I am a bit concerned with all the negative people, who say that the cost of the Electric, fuel, food and housing is up. but we live in New York, where everything is always going up. We know that this will be a change for us but are so looking forward to the warm breezes and beautiful sunsets.
Well said, I've observed that as well. However, all the negative comments haven't influenced my Husband and I choice. We fell in love with Puerto Rico, the people, culture, climate!! I can go on, we are moving in October.
I've been here for more than twelve years and I love it here. The climate, the friendly people, the food, the beaches...
That doesn't mean that I close my eyes for things that I don't like: the very bad economy, the high murder rate and gun violence, the incompetent police, bad infrastructure (roads, power, water telephone/internet).
Both the good things and the bad things are part of life on this island and if people want to write about it they are free to do so.
If you have a decent job, PR can be a good place to live; if you don't, PR can be hell. I know this from my experience as a bankruptcy attorney in San Juan. Although I mostly handle commercial bankruptcy, I've done my fair share of personal bankruptcies for the friends and family of our managing partner, and both the commercial and personal bankruptcies were very painful experiences for those involved.
It is because of the great difficulty in finding employment in PR that contributors like myself, Gary, Greg, and others warn people not to move to PR unless they have a job here and learn more about living in PR before taking a leap of faith. It would be a disservice to advise them otherwise.
Great post! I have been living in Costa Rica for the last year and I am looking for a change. Puerto Rico is at the top of the list.
I totally agree. Well said! I lived in Puerto Rico for 4 years and never experienced any of the negativity I read about the Island. The people are very nice and I always feel welcome whenever I visit. It will also help to visit the Island and see for yourself. The key is to keep and open mind, learn the culture, and try to adapt. You will know immediately if living on the Island is for you. There is a lot to do on the Island. Don't just stay in San Juan, go to Aguadilla, Rincon, Ponce to name a few locations to get a good feel of life on the Island. Puerto Rico is a great place to live and I look forward to experience living on the Island again.
I'm curious about your experience in CR and what's led you to wanting a change after only a year.
Dont get me wrong I love CR. I am just looking for a place with beautiful beaches where I dont have to deal with immigration, border hopping and som other minor things. I also want to have easier access to FL aS my mother is getting up there in years. Also my wife is Puerto Rican and hasnt been tothe island since she was five. It just makes sense. CR has its ups and down like any other place, I enjoy my time here but its time to move on. Check out the Costa Rican forums they are a hoot! See ya soon PR
I wish that we could hear more about those people that have posted here that were hell bent on moving to the island no matter what anybody says. All of a sudden they stop writing. I've said it before and I'll say it again, PR is not for everyone. I loved certain aspects of the island. I loathed others. But the things I have spoken of are not exaggerations. They are the truth. The power is sky high, the water is high, all the services are unreliable, food is very high, etc.,etc. You can't tell me you have lived there for 4 years and haven't experienced any of that. Read my posts. I aim mainly at those who have this idyllic notion that PR is some utopian tropical paradise they can move to. It's not. I've never told anybody not to move there. All I want is for people to educate themselves. Everybody has their likes and dislikes. If it suits you, fine, if it doesn't, that's fine too. But don't make the mistake of turning a blind eye to the islands own unique set of problems. Just as you shouldn't turn a blind eye to it's beauty and wonders.
Especially if your economic situation doesn't leave you a big margin for major set-backs.
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