Hi all,
my name's Joe and I have been a teacher of English for over twenty years now. I'm 58, born in Italy but, since my grandma was british, from Christchurch, Dorset, UK, I grew up learning two languages. I am currently working in the south of Italy, 50 km south of Naples and, by June 15th, I will have finished my contract.
My goal is to move to Costa Rica in few years' time at the latest but the sooner the better.
Once there I would like to carry on teaching English - part-time would be a good option to begin with but I am open to consider other opportunities. My intention is ti rent a small flat, possibly not far from the sea - Atlantic or Pacific does not really matter though.
I am also looking for some contacts in Costa Rica who might help me to settle there, especially at the beginning.
Thanks a lot to anyone who will help me out tryingt to achieve my goal.
The best of luck to everyone,
Joe
Moving to Costa Rica
Joe, unfortunately you must either find an employer who will offer to help you get a work visa... which most have no interest in doing so.... or wait until you have gained Permanent residency before it is legal for you work here. There are many 'English teachers' working illegally here and the salaries are low and they have to work multiple positions to afford to stay.
Here is a link to more information regarding the financial aspect of living here.
Atlantic or Pacific does matter. The only place on the Caribbean side that would cater to what you are looking for is the Puerto Veijo area as well as Cahuita. It is beautiful, but everything else there should only be left to the more experienced Costa Ricans/expats, including Limon.
The Pacific side is dotted with many communities. More so in the Guanacaste. I recommend traveling around and feeling out what fits your style. I think you will be surprised the amount of Italians in CR too. Please note that although the country is small it is rather difficult to get around. Expect long travel times between destinations, especially if traveling by bus. Right now it is the "green" season and prices are lower because of the rains. I suggest finding a nice area and then getting online on one of the local communities FB pages to ask about rentals. AirB&B is also quite popular here too. Good luck.
If you manage to get a work visa from a language school, you may stand a better chance, to teach Italian.
Hi Joe,
I would suggest you check with schools. My son attends a bilingual school in the area of Montezuma. I know they are always looking for teachers. You can have a look at it : www.futuro-verde.org .
Montezuma is a very nice laid back community on the beach. The school is at only 4 k from the ocean.
Costa Rica is a great country. Good luck with your new project. Gini
Hi Joe,
We highly recommend our attorney, Adrian Fernandez to help you. He can offer free advice and answer any questions you may have about residency. He speaks perfect English and has become a good friend of ours. He can reached at 506-8386-1698 and at [email protected].
Good luck in your English teaching endeavors
Alan And Gina Hill
Hello Joe,
I cannot help you with resident information about moving to Costa Rica since I am in CR on an exploratory trip myself. I am spending two weeks in Heredia, will be in San Jose for a few days, and then about 12 days moving up the Nicoya Peninsula coast - approx. four weeks total. CR is my fourth Central American country (Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua last year for one month each), and so far I have not been persuaded to relocate full-time to any of them. You might want to read my post on this site called Costa Rica Reality vs Fantasy.
You might have some helpful information for me, however. I am an Italian American woman with a Master's degree and with seven years' experience living and working in international sales in Italy, but many years ago. I am now a certified TESOL/TEFL teacher and am interested in teaching in Italy. I'm wondering if parochial schools would be easier to get hired into rather than municipal schools? How far in advance should I contact a school? I have well-placed family in Italy. Should I expect that their references will be helpful?
Thanks and good luck in your Costa Rica efforts.
Marianne Marzano
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