Looking for more detailed information?

If you're looking for more detailed information about Costa Rica let me suggest 3 books that I am currently reading (and have referenced in the Costa Rica section of my blog)

"Costa Rica for Dummies" by Eliot Greenspan

"Survival Kit for Overseas Living" by L. Robert Kohls

"Living Abroad in Costa Rica" by Erin Van Rheenen

What am I looking looking for?

The place I end up need to have certain things.  Yes, I am willing to compromise and yes, I know if I want everything that I have here then there really isn't a point in going someplace else.  Nonetheless some things are important to me.
1.  I want an internet connection (the faster the better).
2.  A decent sized city.
3.  A nice house/apartment.
4.  A decent gay scene.
5.  A low cost of living

Those are my MAIN requirements.  I know that it sounds like I want all of the things that I have here but that really isn't the case.  Here are some things that I'm willing to do without.
1.  A car (at least for a while).
2.  A cell phone (again, at least for a while).
3.  Movie Theatre's.
5.  Video Games.
6.  Being able to effectively communicate (at least easily).
7.  Allmost ALL of my personal possessions.
8.  Being close to my family.
9.  Being close to my friends.

My life will change drastically.

I haven't told my family of my plans yet because I figure there's no need to make my mom fret over something any longer than absolutely necessary.  I have told my friends though and they support my decision.  I'm hoping that they'll all come and visit often, I mean, a tropical vacation for the price of an airline ticket has to be appealing right?

I haven't been asked this yet but I'm sure it's at least in a few peoples heads and that's, "what are you running from"?  Honestly, I don't think that I'm running from anything, at least not consciously anyway.  I'm looking at this more of a soul searching thing.  I grew up in a small town and did all of the things guys are "supposed" to do.  I thought and acted like the pack.  As soon as I graduated high school I joined the military, and again, thought and acted like the pack.  I ended up coming out (at least to myself) when I was 21 and although that was very liberating, I still had to live everyday acting like the pack.  I've never gotten to truly know who "I" am.  What will I do when I'm all alone with nobody watching.  How will I adjust to these totally new situations and people?  Who will I become, the person that I really am?  I want, I need to do this.  I want to LIVE the rest of my life and not just meander through it.  It's exciting.  It's scary.

The Planning Phase

Being able to retire in your early 30's is both scary and exciting at the same time. I guess I should introduce myself, my name is Mikhal, I'm a thirty-something Army sergeant from the southern U.S. who's about to retire early and I'm gay.

My mind has been full of "what happens now" and I've decided that I don't want to work anymore. and since Army retirement isn't that much I couldn't really "live" here in the states. What's that leave then? Well, I decided that it means leaving the U.S. for someplace where the cost of living and quality of life would be available to me on my new income. I think that place is in Central or South America.

Now where to start? I have a friend who has a place in San Jose, Costa Rica so that's where I immediately thought of. I'm going to San Jose!

Research

Now that I've decided on moving it's time to do my homework. I search the internet over to find out as much as I can about the country of Costa Rica specifically San Jose. I was blown away at the lack of quality information that I was finding and there was NOTHING that I could personally relate to. Everything that I was finding was totally for tourist. I don't want to rent a villa for a week, I want a place to LIVE.

I did, however, stumble upon a REALLY informative website called The Real Costa Rica. This guy is extremely informative and I found the information on his page very helpful. Now I have what I feel is a realistic view of what it's going to mean to relocate to Costa Rica.

One of the things that I found kind of burst my bubble though. I don't think that living in this tropical paradise as I had initially thought. It actually may cost as much or more than it does for me to live here in the states.. That totally devistated me but being the military guy that I am, I'm not giving up. Maybe I can't move to Costa Rica and live out my days with a live-in maid who cooks me three meals a day but there HAS to be someplace where I can still make this dream come true.

If not Costa Rica then where?

So if Costa Rica isn't the place to make my dreams come true then where is? I'm convinced that its someplace in Central or South America. Now I just have to figure out where.

I do TONS of research on most every country in Central America and the two that appeal to me in South America, Colombia and Ecuador.

I found a few places that seemed to have quality information on all of these places, the first of which was International Living magazine. I found International Living full of helpful information (though somewhat biased) but I still couldn't decide. 

Since I couldn't decide which was the best fit for me then I could decide that the best things to do was to research each country the best that I could and then visit each of them. My goal for this blog is two fold:
1. To save you guys the hassle that is has been for me to gather all of this information and to provide it to you in one, central location.
2. To share my uniqe expierence'(s) with you as I go. 

I have no agenda; I just figure that I'm going to have a lot of free time on my hands and need to figure out something to do with it all.

Belize

Since I've pretty much ruled out Mexico the next country on my map is Belize.

Belieze definitely has its high points, the best of which is that the official language is English (I know absolutely NO Spanish)!

Out of all the places that interest me, here's how Belize rates (ratings are 1-7, 1 being the best and 7 being the worst):

5 Overall
5 in Cost of Living
5 in Entertainment
1 in Economy
4 in Environment
3 in Freedom
4 in Health Care
7 in Infrastructure
6 in Risk and Safety
4 in Climate

I also went on to rate each of the countries in the way they felt about homosexuals.  Heres what I found out about Belize.

1.  Illegal - Same Sex Sexual Act (up to 10 years in prison)!
2.  Illegal - Same Sex unions
3.  Illegal - Same Sex Marriage
4.  Illegal - Same Sex Adoptions
5.  Illegal - Gays In The Military
6.  No laws about discrimination against homosexuals.

Its also worth me noting that the same sex sexual act is ONLY illegal for men and not for women (what's that all about).

Honduras

I must admit, Honduras isn't at the top of my list but it's worth me considering right?

This is what I've found out about Honduras according to National Living Magazine:

"Honduras has...a tropical climate, international airports, safe cities, friendly people and most importantly, a very low cost of living".

"The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people".

It is slightly larger than Tennessee.

It's capitol city is Tegucigalpa.

Honduras is the second poorest country in Central America.

They Speak Spanish.

"U.S. and Canadian citizens do not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days in Honduras".

Currency Exchange:  Honduras uses the Lempiras (HNL). US$1 = 18.9 HNL as of July 2011.

Important stats:

Population = 8,143,564

Internet Users = 731,700

Cell Phone Users = 7.714 million

Out of all the places that interest me, here's how Honduras rates (ratings are 1-7, 1 being the best and 7 being the worst):

6 Overall

4 in Cost of Living

6 in Entertainment

6 in Economy

7 in Environment

7 in Freedom

7 in Health Care

6 in Infrastructure

4 in Risk and Safety

3 in Climate

I also went on to rate each of the countries in the way they felt about homosexuals.  Heres what I found out about Honduras.

1.  Legal - Same Sex Sexual Act

2.  Illegal - Same Sex unions

3.  Illegal - Same Sex Marriage

4.  Illegal - Same Sex Adoptions

5.  Illegal - Gays In The Military

Nicaragua

Believe it or not, I'm actually considering Nicaragua. Here's what I've found so far.

According to National Living magazine Nicaragua:

"Managua is rapidly becoming a real First-World city with top-notch theaters and a range of international restaurants".

"Nicaragua is a nation at peace and one of the safest countries in Central America".

It is slightly smaller than New York State.

It's the largest country in Central America.

The capitol is Managua.

Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty.

You are advised to purchase "MedEvac Insurance" which costs about $250 a year, to ensure that in case of an emergency that you'll be airlifted by jet to Houston or Miami from Nicaragua.

"U.S. and Canadian citizens do not need a tourist visa for visits of up to 30 days".

"Nicaragua's lower cost of living does not mean you have to sacrifice the quality of life you have been accustomed to in the U.S. or Canada.  In fact, you will probably be able to live in Nicaragua with even more luxuries than you are accustomed to, simply because the prices are so economical".

Currency Exchange:  Nicaragua uses the corodba (NIO).  US$1 = 23 NIO.

Important stats:
Population = 5,727,707
Internet Users = 199,800
Cell Phone Users = 3.771 million

Out of all the places that interest me, here's how Nicaragua rates (ratings are 1-7, 1 being the best and 7 being the worst):

7  Overall
1  in Cost of Living
7 in Entertainment
5 in Economy
6 in Environment
6 in Freedom
5 in Health Care
5 in Infrastructure
5 in Risk and Safety
5 in Climate

I also went on to rate each of the countries in the way they felt about homosexuals. Heres what I found out about Nicaragua.

1. Legal - Same Sex Sexual Act
2. Illegal - Same Sex unions
3. Illegal - Same Sex Marriage
4. Illegal - Same Sex Adoptions
5. Unknown - Gays In The Military
6. Laws about discrimination against homosexuals.

Costa Rica

I have to admit that I've done more research on Costa Rica than any of the other countries that I've looked at.  Are you ready for some info, because there's a lot.

Let's start off with the basics; according to National Living magazine here's the run down of Costa Rica:

The mild tempatures of the Central Valley are just two hours by car from the tropical beaches of the Pacific Coast.

It has, a low cost of living, a modern telecommunications structure, theaters, art galleries, fine dining, a year-round tropical climate and modern cities.

"The standard of living is relatively high".

It's slightly smaller than West Virginia.

The capitol is San Jose.

The electricity is 120 volts and American-style plugs are the norm.

It has the "best health care in Latin America"

Americans and Canadians can stay in Costa Rica for up to three months on a tourist visa.

According to the book, "Living Abroad in Costa Rica" there is limited hot water in Costa Rica.  "Often the only hot water to be had in a Tico house is in the shower".  "Many houses, especially in the hotter areas of the country, have no hot water at all".

"San Jose is known as a gay-friendly city.  There are many openly gay bars in town, lots of gay-friendly restaurants and guesthouses, and in 2003 the city organized its first gay pride festival".

"Around the country, there are pockets of openly gay culture; Manuel Antonio (near Quepos, on the Pacific coast) is one of the best-known.  In general, though, outside of the Central Valley, more traditional mores hold sway, and gay individuals should be as aware as they'd be in the less-tolerant areas of their own countries".

"My first apartment (in the safe and pleasant San Francisco area of San Jose, in 2001) cost me US $200 a month, with a US $200 deposit paid in two monthly installments".  "My monthly electric bill was about US $3, and I paid about US $25 for the telephone (unlimited Internet access was an additional US $20 per month".  "Prices have gone up since then, of course, with electricity now US $10-20 per month.  Internet ranging from US $20 for dial-up to over US $150 for cable, DSL, or satellite, and telephone rates are all over the map depending on the company".

As far as cable and Satellite TV goes, here's what "Living Abroad in Costa Rica" has to say... "Most expats go with satellite service SKY TV, which used to be called DIRECTV.

Getting around without a car..."Costa Rica has a great bus system - cheap, extensive, and often on time.  You can get just about anyplace in the country for less than US $15".  "In the San Jose area, taxis are plentiful.  Official taxis are red, with the taxi's ID number in a yellow triangle on the door".  "There are thousands of taxis in the San Jose area and it's easy to flag one down..".  "Besides all the official cabs tooling around the city, there are also thousands of piratas, pirate cabs that may be red and even have a maria, but which are not registered.  The proof is in the ID number on the door...".  "Some piratas aren't really taxis at al, but criminals cruising for marks.  Women traveling alone should be especially wary, but everyone needs to stay alert".  "Cabs waiting outside hotels or discos will often charge you several times the normal rate.  Ask before getting in if there's a maria; if there's not, ither negotiate the fare before entering the cab or look for another cab".  "Hiring a taxi driver by the hour or day is a good way to explore.  Especially in the Central Vally....".  "Most taxi drivers will charge about US $10-15 an hour or under US $100 a day.  If you're going to need a car for several days, you can probably negotiate a lower rate".

There are many neighborhoods in Costa Rica and from what I have read in "Living Abroad in Costa Rica" here are the ones that appeal to me and why.
San Pedro; "San Pedro is livelier, by day but especially by night.  The presence of the largest University of Costa Rica guarantees and abundance of bars, clubs, cheap restaurants, and funky clothing stores".  "At night, people come from all over the city to hang out at the bars, restaurants, and clubs".  San Pedro now stands "across from the Outlet Mall" which has "four floors of upscale clothing boutiques, music and electronic stores, multiple movie screens, and plenty of mall food".
La Sabana; "Down the street and quite a bit livelier is La Sabana, San Jose's largest park... where you can jog withoug having to fight traffic.  You can also play basketball, volleyball, or tennis; swim in an Olympic-sized pool; or take one of the free aerobics classes offered on weekends".
Barrios Amon, Atoya, and Aranjuez; I don't think that I'd want to live here but I found this comment funny, "you'll see a fair number of streetwalkers who, if you opt for a closer look, turn out to have more than you bargained for unter their miniskirts".
Escazu;  I'm not going to quote the book on this neighborhood but from what I've researched it's the place to live and is 15 minutes from San Jose.  It's also the most expensive.

What else have I found out about Costa Rica?  Here are some quick things:
-Bringing your ride is going to be EXPENSIVE.  You can expect to pay an import duty anywhere from 60%-80% of your cars RETAIL value.
-You should ALWAYS take a cab to and from the club.
-You gotta watch out for pick pockets, especially when riding the bus.
-Don't change money on the street or at a store.

As far as quality websites go, there arne't that many, here are the ones that I've found helpful.
The Real Costa Rica 
Brent Russell 
Airbnb 
Globalgayz 
Puchos Night Club 
Travel Costa Rica Now 
I REALLY like this site.  It's two gay guys who do tours and stuff in Costa Rica.  Check out their gay section on the website.; the have some AWESOME videos including ones on clubbing!  Also, check out their 18+ section for some other info that may be "good to know".

Important stats:
Population = 4,576,562
Internet Users = 1.485 million
Cell Phone Users = 3.035 million

Out of all the places that interest me, here's how Costa Rica rates (ratings are 1-7, 1 being the best and 7 being the worst):

2 Overall
6 in Cost of Living
2 in Entertainment
7 in Economy
1  in Environment
1  in Freedom
1  in Health Care
3 in Infrastructure
1  in Risk and Safety
6  in Climate

I also went on to rate each of the countries in the way they felt about homosexuals. Heres what I found out about Costa Rica.

1. Legal - Same Sex Sexual Act
2. Illegal - Same Sex unions
3. Illegal - Same Sex Marriage
4. Illegal - Same Sex Adoptions
5. N/A - Gays In The Military
6. Laws about discrimination against homosexuals.

Colombia

When Americans think of Colombia they think of drugs, drug lords and more drugs.  At one time this was very true but the days of Pablo Escobar have long come and gone.  The current president of Colombia was actually the Chief of Police that led the charge to take Pablo down.

Now Colombia is a striving country with at least two major cities, Medellin and Bogota and both of them are looking EXTREMELY attractive to me.

Here's what International Living magazine has to say about Colombia..."Once you've been here, you'll know of a country where you can live a dignified lifestyle on a Social Security check...and a luxury lifestyle on just a bit more".
To me, that's a pretty powerfull statement; I wonder if Colombia can live up.
ILM goes on to say, "What's more, Colombia boasts beautiful areas where the cost of living is the lowest you'll find anywhere in South America" and "Colombia can offer you a sophisticated, modern urban scene...".

Bogota; "...The best areas lying to the north and east of Centro...Other popular zones here are Usaquen, Rosales, and El Chico".  "As you move south you'll eventually leave the upscale cafe culture behind and instead find a lively and inviting Latino feel, with salsa music and swaying ballads playing, lively nightlife and down-home mom-and-pop restaurants..."

Medellin; "Medellin sits at the perfect 5,000 feet above sea level, which explains the ideal climate withdays that are plesantly warm, and nights were agreeably cool.  The city is bustling, modern, and has everything from large shopping malls to mom-and-pop stores.  You can get almost anything you can back home".  "...it boasts clean, residential neighborhoods.." and "expats gravitate towards El Poblado, the sector known for its shady parks, trendy restaurants, sidewalk cafes, great shopping...".

Here are some fast facts:
- Its slightly less than twice the size of Texas.
- The capitol is Bogota
-Spanish is the official language

Important stats:
Population = 44,725,543
Internet Users = 22.538 million
Cell Phone Users = 42.16 million

Out of all the places that interest me, here's how Colombia rates (ratings are 1-7, 1 being the best and 7 being the worst):

4 Overall
7  in Cost of Living
4 in Entertainment
3 in Economy
2 in Environment
5 in Freedom
2 in Health Care
1 in Infrastructure
7 in Risk and Safety
2 in Climate

I also went on to rate each of the countries in the way they felt about homosexuals. Heres what I found out about Colombia.

1. Legal - Same Sex Sexual Act
2. Legal - Same Sex unions
3. Unknown - Same Sex Marriage
4. Illegal - Same Sex Adoptions
5. Legal - Gays In The Military
6. Laws about discrimination against homosexuals.

Ecuador

I have a slight advantage when considering Ecuador since I was there on a humanitarian mission in the late 1990's.  Not only was I in the country's capital, Quito, but I was in the outlying towns and villages as well.

Ecuador is extremely appealing to me.  The cost of living is low, the infastructure is decent and the gay scene is pretty good.  I think that it may be a perfect fit.  The only problem that I can see is that more and more expats are moving to Ecuador, paying whatever price someone is asking (whether it's a clump of banannas or a house) and its driving inflation through the roof.  Not only are they making it harder for the expats that will follow them but they are making it near impossible for the average Ecuadorian to be able to afford ANYTHING.

Here's what International Living magazine has to say about Ecuador.
"Ecuador is gentle...safe...healthy...private...civil".  "In fact, we ranked Ecuador as the world's best retirement destination in 1999, due to the amazing values.  And 13 years later (and for the fourth year running) we have voted Ecuador the top retirement haven in the world...".  It goes on to say, "Ecuador also offers a high quality of life" and In the major cities like Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca, you can enjoy all of the Western conveniences you are accustomed to...Everyone has cell phones, and internet connections are just as common".  Ecuador has "World-class restaurants that serve excellent meals, yet you'll be hard pressed to pay more than $50 for a dinner for two, drinks included".  "It's not difficult to live in Ecuador on less than $17.000 a year, and you don't have to live an unattractive lifestyle in order to do so".

Fast Facts:
-  Although Ecuador marked 30 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability.  Protests in Quito contributed to the mid-term ouster of three of Ecuador's last four democratically elected Presidents.
-  The capitol is Quito.
-  It has at least 30 peaks of volcanic origin, including six still active.
-  The entire country enjoys 12 hours of direct equatorial daylight 365 days a year.
-  The equator is less than 20 miles north of Quito.
-  Quito's climate is spring-like year around (about 50 degrees at night and as high as 76 during the day.
-  The official language is Sanish
- The U.S. dollar is the legal tender
-  The majority of electrical outlets are 110/120V AC (60 Hz).
-  The internet is very popular in all the cities and towns.  There are hundreds of "coffee-nets" in the commercial and tourist areas that offer net2phone, email, internet and fx services at very reasonable prices.  Internet is expanding very fast and is easy to find at least one computer center at any neighborhood of a big city.  Service in these places is better in tourist areas, and the rates may depend on the category of the computer center, but rates are cheap most of the time.

Cities:
Cuenca; "Cuenca is Ecuador's third-largest city" with a metro population of 450,000.
Quito;  "Quito has been described as the most beautiful city in South America" with a metro population of about 1.5 million.  Traffic is reasonable, except at rush hour and during major road resurfacing projects.  The public transportation system, including taxis, buses, and trams is excellent.
Guayaquil;  From what I've foung, Guayaquil is the largest city in all of Ecuador.  It's right on the Pacific Coast and, at a glance, will put you in mind of a large U.S. city.  What concearns me the most about Guayaquil is safety.  I mean, the U.S. State Department has forbidden their employees from taking ANY form of public transportation in Guayaquil except for three taxi companies which have been vetted by them personally and even with these the taxi has to be called and can't be hailed.  That worries me and makes Quito look more and more appealing.

Important stats:
Population = 15,007,343
Internet Users = 3.352 million
Cell Phone Users = 14.781 million

Out of all the places that interest me, here's how Ecuador rates (ratings are 1-7, 1 being the best and 7 being the worst):

1  Overall
2  in Cost of Living
1 in Entertainment
4 in Economy
5 in Environment
4 in Freedom
3 in Health Care
4 in Infrastructure
3 in Risk and Safety
1 in Climate

I also went on to rate each of the countries in the way they felt about homosexuals. Heres what I found out about Ecuador.

1. Legal - Same Sex Sexual Act
2. Legal - Same Sex unions
3. Illegal - Same Sex Marriage
4. Illegal - Same Sex Adoptions
5. Legal - Gays In The Military
6. Laws about discrimination against homosexuals.

The Plan

So there's all of these countries and I don't think that all the research in the world could tell me which one is the right fit so I've decided that I just need to try them ALL out.

By the numbers, here's the plan:
1.  RETIRE!  This means that once I don't have to go to work anymore, I ensure that all the money is flowing the way that it's supposed to and making sure all of that is running smoothly.  One thing that I do NOT want is to have a snag with something while I'm in some Latin American country.
2.  Pack.  I've been making a list and checking it twice and now I have to decide exactly what I'm going to take.  The catch is, ALL of it is going to need to fit into one backpack.
3.  Renew my passport.  Even though my passport doesn't expire until 2014 I'll feel a lot better carrying one that has a lot more miles left on it.
4.  Buy the ticket.  It's going to be a one way ticket from here to Belize City, Belize.
5.  Put all my stuff in storage.  I can see no reason for maintaining a place back home when I'm not going to be there for over a year.  I can store it all in a nice, climate controlled storage unit for less than 1/10th of what it would cost me to keep it as it is.
5.  Say farewell.

The overall plan is to fly to Belize where I will stay the maximum amount of time that I can on my visa (which is 30 days).  I'll hostel it for a night or two until I can find a decent, furnished apartment that I can rent for a month and then settle in.  While I'm there I'll get a small taste of what its like to live in Belize and when my time is through, hop on a bus and head to Guatemala (I know that Guatemala isn't on my list of possible places to retire but since I'd have to travel through there anyway, I might as well hang out some right)?  I can stay in Guatemala for 90 days on my visa so I may try out a couple different cities by renting an apartment at one for like a month, another city for a month (you get the picture).  After Guatemala is onto Honduras where I can stay another 90 days on my visa and pretty much do the same thing I plan on doing in Guatemala.  You're getting the picture right?  It's going to be Belize to Guayaquil, Ecuador for a year and three months.  I'll spend the majority of my Costa Rica time in San Jose but I also want to check out Manuel Antonio.  In Colombia I'll spend most of my time in Medellin and in Ecuador, Quito.

It's both exciting and scary at the same time.  I'm going to do everything I can to prepare for it but I think in the end I'm going to have to dive in rather than stick my toe in to test the water.