How I chose Costa Rica:

                My experiences in Latin America are mostly in leisure.  I have gone on family vacations to Barbados, Curacao, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Ecuador (and the Galapagos).  Most notably, I had the incredible privilege of spending my last semester in high school studying throughout Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands with an amazing group of students.  The program, GlobalQuest Ecuador, was a life-changing and humanizing experience, and the rawest and purest fun I will likely have on this Earth (If that experience interests you, check out http://www.leapnow.org/.  While I have no experience with this organization, the high school completion program available in Ecuador appears to offer a similar experience to the one I had.)

  

              When I decided to experience living in Latin America as an adult, I considered nearly every country in Central and South America.  This is not the best or most educated means of selecting a destination, I want you to know how I went about choosing the country to explore.

Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador:  Affordable travel to and from the country, Spanish is spoken by nearly everyone, very low cost of living, but safety concerns for US citizens traveling through the heart of the country, economic instability, very small ex-pat population, lack of potential employment.

Mexico, Columbia: Immediately ruled out because of safety concerns due to organized crime and political unrest.  Also, I have been to Mexico many times; the idea simply lacks adventure.

Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay: Relatively small countries, few opportunities for gainful employment.  While centrally located, Bolivia and Paraguay (to a lesser extent) suffer from lack of seaport and import/export capability.  All three countries are not prime tourist destinations, and I found little demand for native English-speakers.

Chile, Argentina: While travel would be somewhat more expensive, the cost of living is what turned me off these two countries.  I also find the Spanish used in these two countries to be different and less universal than that used in Latin America.  While I absolutely love the accents of Argentina, it’s simply less practical.

Peru, Ecuador: I seriously considered these as destinations, and still may end up in these countries after my TESOL (Teaching English to Students of Other Languages) course.  I love the Andean people, and their cooking, traditions, and craft work.  My semester in Ecuador has left me with a permanent feeling of closeness with the people of Ecuador, and I would love to return.  Unfortunately, while I remember the cost of living being lower in these two locations, the TESOL programs were much more expensive, as were the travel and hosting fees.

Belize: English is too universally spoken, no programs available for TESOL certification

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean: English more commonly spoken, already a large infusion of English-speaking ex-pats, too commercialized.  I still may spend time in these locations, but they do not fit well with my initial goals of getting TESOL certified, staying afloat financially, and experiencing a complete immersion.

Costa Rica, Panama: I ended up choosing to settle in either Panama or Costa Rica.  Both countries have very strong economies, relatively nonexistent unemployment, impressive biodiversity (something that I love), and very strong economic and social connections to the United States.  I chose Costa Rica over Panama because I found a very affordable TESOL course and one month host through  http://www.teachenglishcostarica.com/. The cost was right ($1251 for the 120-hour, four-week course, $400 homestay with all the amenities I need and two meals a day, TESOL certification, guaranteed job placement following successful completion of the course, and all materials, transport to/from the airport), but most importantly, I was able to talk with Marcela Arce (m.arce@teachenglishcostarica.com), one of the program coordinators.  I have spoken with her on the phone and I have been corresponding with her via email to make sure I have everything packed and planned properly for the experience.


I will, of course, keep you posted on the actual quality of the TESOL program when I arrive.  My travels will most certainly take me to other countries in Latin America, if for no other reason than to renew my legal presence in Costa Rica.