All of my Apostilles are in! Now all I have to do is get my birth certificate, Social Security papers and background check all with their apostilles to my attorney in Costa Rica, Roberto Umana, so we can walk them through immigration.
NEXT...I am now working with my shipper, Ship To Costa Rica S.A., Charles Zeller. It is not inexpensive to ship. It is also going to be hard work. Every box has to be numbered and marked with what is in it. Not each item, but for example "kitchen utensils." Every piece has to be named Ex. dining table, dining chair, dining chair, dining chair, dining chair. This is for customs. The shipping company will deliver a 20 foot container and leave it at my house for 4 hours for me to load. It is then trucked to Galveston and loaded onto a ship headed for Costa Rica. Once it gets to CR, customs unloads the entire container and checks the loading list with each item, box etc. that is taken off. Customs will access the amount of tax they are going to charge. This tax has to be paid before the container goes any further. Once the taxes are paid the container is reloaded and delivered to me at my new home. Thank goodness the shipper does unload the container and brings everything into the house. At this point it will be 4-5 weeks since my belongings left my home in Greenville and arrived in Puriscal.
If you decide you want to move to another country it is not really hard as long as you are organized and pay close attention to detail. You need to make a list and take one bite daily. Otherwise, you are sunk!
Pura Vida
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Reality
Today I learned what "surreal" not only means but feels like. I've heard most everyone use the word, and I may have used it but never really experienced it.
Tomorrow is my last day of work. I will be retired at 5:00 PM on April 27, 2017. I can't believe it! Today I took all my paintings off the walls of my office and took them downstairs to load into my car. As I reached for my back hatch it hit me, THIS IS HAPPENING! THIS IS NO LONGER JUST A DREAM! With all my organized discussing, thinking, researching, planning and implementing my plan I had not taken anytime for the reality to sink in. I am really retiring and moving to Costa Rica.
I have worked for the most wonderful company for the last 7 years, National Write Your Congressman. I do not believe there could be a more supportive and caring company in the world. I have been treated with the utmost respect and genuine friendship. They have become my 9 hour a day family. These amazing people are giving me a retirement party in the afternoon before I leave. There is not a chance in the world I will not cry. As excited as I am to not have to get up at 6:30 in the morning anymore I will miss each and everyone of them.
Pura Vida
Tomorrow is my last day of work. I will be retired at 5:00 PM on April 27, 2017. I can't believe it! Today I took all my paintings off the walls of my office and took them downstairs to load into my car. As I reached for my back hatch it hit me, THIS IS HAPPENING! THIS IS NO LONGER JUST A DREAM! With all my organized discussing, thinking, researching, planning and implementing my plan I had not taken anytime for the reality to sink in. I am really retiring and moving to Costa Rica.
I have worked for the most wonderful company for the last 7 years, National Write Your Congressman. I do not believe there could be a more supportive and caring company in the world. I have been treated with the utmost respect and genuine friendship. They have become my 9 hour a day family. These amazing people are giving me a retirement party in the afternoon before I leave. There is not a chance in the world I will not cry. As excited as I am to not have to get up at 6:30 in the morning anymore I will miss each and everyone of them.
Pura Vida
Friday, April 14, 2017
Poco a Poco
When I was in Costa Rica exploring the option of retiring there 5 years ago I was told by my friend, George Lundquist, I would need to learn to take things slowly. Be patient. That is a tall order for a girl that has been living in a large city most of her life. I drive like a bat out of hell to get to work everyday, and 9 hours later do the same thing to get home. I'm rushing at work and rushing to everywhere I go. Now now now!!!!
I am already learning the lesson of "poco a poco;" little by little. I am on top of it...Soon as I got home from my trip 3 weeks ago I immediately researched how and where to get my apostilles for my residency status in CR. I quickly got the papers together, overnighted them to Austin with an overnight return envelope. 6 days later I came home from work and my return envelope was on the front porch. I excitedly opened it ready to see my apostilles and ship them straight to my attorney in Costa Rica. I was stopped dead in my tracks. Only the background check had an apostille. I sent my original birth certificate and my papers from Social Security. They rejected the birth certificate saying I needed a more recent one...hold the phone! They seriously rejected my original birth certificate with all the info required on it and the State Seal. I had to send off for a new copy of my birth certificate! Another overnight envelope with another overnight return envelope. The Social Security papers that came from the US government to me they said I needed to sign somewhere on the page with a notary! We had to draw lines to sign on.
Yesterday my birth certificate was on my front porch, and I had my Social Security papers notarized. So, I put it back together and sent them overnight to Austin with another overnight enclosed envelope. This has become very expensive.
What I thought would be an easy one week process turned into over 2 weeks, and it will probably be another 6 days before my overnight envelope lands on my front porch again. Hopefully, this time with apostilles. Poco a poco.....I'm trying!
Pura Vida!
I am already learning the lesson of "poco a poco;" little by little. I am on top of it...Soon as I got home from my trip 3 weeks ago I immediately researched how and where to get my apostilles for my residency status in CR. I quickly got the papers together, overnighted them to Austin with an overnight return envelope. 6 days later I came home from work and my return envelope was on the front porch. I excitedly opened it ready to see my apostilles and ship them straight to my attorney in Costa Rica. I was stopped dead in my tracks. Only the background check had an apostille. I sent my original birth certificate and my papers from Social Security. They rejected the birth certificate saying I needed a more recent one...hold the phone! They seriously rejected my original birth certificate with all the info required on it and the State Seal. I had to send off for a new copy of my birth certificate! Another overnight envelope with another overnight return envelope. The Social Security papers that came from the US government to me they said I needed to sign somewhere on the page with a notary! We had to draw lines to sign on.
Yesterday my birth certificate was on my front porch, and I had my Social Security papers notarized. So, I put it back together and sent them overnight to Austin with another overnight enclosed envelope. This has become very expensive.
What I thought would be an easy one week process turned into over 2 weeks, and it will probably be another 6 days before my overnight envelope lands on my front porch again. Hopefully, this time with apostilles. Poco a poco.....I'm trying!
Pura Vida!
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Getting Your Paperwork Together For Your Move To Costa Rica
It has been a very busy couple of weeks for me. There is a lot of paper work that must be order, put together then sent off to the proper place to be authenticated.
I posted the different classifications that a person can move to Costa Rica under. I am moving there under Pensioner Resident. "The Pensioner Resident is required to show a verifiable minimum monthly pension of $1,000 US. The pension must be guaranteed for life. Only Social Security pensions, or similar, are permitted. No other kind of income will satisfy this requirement as it has to be a life time beneficiary to secure not less than $1,000, and petitioner should have to demonstrate that the issuance company has the ability to secure this monthly income for life. You can do this by certified copies of the financial status of the company. Expires every 2 years."
After meeting with my attorney in CR, Roberto Umana, I was told I must present my birth certificate with my mother's maiden name with the States Seal, my paper work from the Social Security Administration, and a background check from the State. All of these must be accompanied with a cover letter of authentication called an "Apostille." After pricing different companies I found on Google to get the Apostille I found that I can send it directly to the Texas Secretary of State office. The companies offering to do this cost anywhere from $55. an Apostille to over $125 per Apostille. The Secretary of States charges $15.00 per. What a difference! Just another example of DO YOU HOMEWORK! I had no one to instruct me where to look or the best way to do this. I just kept looking until I found the answer.
Another hint! For the background check...don't bother going to your local police department. I did that first and found they cannot do it. I went to a company called, Identogo, that the police dept. recommended, and for $25.63 they took my finger prints, took my picture and sent off to Crime Records Dept. at the Texas Department of Public Safety. They ran the background check and mailed me the official paperwork with the results.
I have sent all my paperwork to the Texas Secretary of State's office with a self-addressed pre-paid envelope, and am waiting on them to come back with their Apostilles attached.
Pura Vida!
I posted the different classifications that a person can move to Costa Rica under. I am moving there under Pensioner Resident. "The Pensioner Resident is required to show a verifiable minimum monthly pension of $1,000 US. The pension must be guaranteed for life. Only Social Security pensions, or similar, are permitted. No other kind of income will satisfy this requirement as it has to be a life time beneficiary to secure not less than $1,000, and petitioner should have to demonstrate that the issuance company has the ability to secure this monthly income for life. You can do this by certified copies of the financial status of the company. Expires every 2 years."
After meeting with my attorney in CR, Roberto Umana, I was told I must present my birth certificate with my mother's maiden name with the States Seal, my paper work from the Social Security Administration, and a background check from the State. All of these must be accompanied with a cover letter of authentication called an "Apostille." After pricing different companies I found on Google to get the Apostille I found that I can send it directly to the Texas Secretary of State office. The companies offering to do this cost anywhere from $55. an Apostille to over $125 per Apostille. The Secretary of States charges $15.00 per. What a difference! Just another example of DO YOU HOMEWORK! I had no one to instruct me where to look or the best way to do this. I just kept looking until I found the answer.
Another hint! For the background check...don't bother going to your local police department. I did that first and found they cannot do it. I went to a company called, Identogo, that the police dept. recommended, and for $25.63 they took my finger prints, took my picture and sent off to Crime Records Dept. at the Texas Department of Public Safety. They ran the background check and mailed me the official paperwork with the results.
I have sent all my paperwork to the Texas Secretary of State's office with a self-addressed pre-paid envelope, and am waiting on them to come back with their Apostilles attached.
Pura Vida!
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Do Not Stand In You Own Way
I read a cute blog today by Becca Martin. I loved many of the things she had to say about taking your life in your own hands.
"No one will believe you can do it until you do, so you have to want your own dreams. Others can want your dreams for you, but you are the only one that can make them happen and you are the only one that can succeed or fail in reaching them." This is so true! If you have a dream, as I have, you have to act and start now. I want to retire. I do not want to work until the day I die. This was my first motivation to look at options. I went to Costa Rica on vacation 5 years ago with the idea of also looking at it as a possible place to retire. My friend, George Lundquist, has a tour company that is for people considering retirement in Costa Rica. He took us to an attorney, hospital, dentist, housing, and different towns at different sea levels for temperature differences. We ended the tour with the opportunity to visit with others who have made the move. http://costaricaretireonss.com I found through this that not only is the country beautiful and the people kind and helpful; I can do it and mainly on my social security.
"There is no way to sugar coat it. You are your own worst enemy; you are the only one standing in the way of your goals and your successes." Again, no way around this! Do you want to retire? Do you want to find a place to retire where you can afford to live comfortably? Be realistic. If you want to live the high life you better have the money to do it. If you want a comfortable life without spending 9 hours a day working to have only a few hours of daylight left to enjoy, then this is a GREAT option!
Do your due diligence. You cannot reach your dreams without first doing your homework to make sure it will be a dream and not a nightmare! But the moral of the story is DO IT! Make a plan and work it. Don't be one of thousands who, when it's too late, look back and say, "I wish I had." Be the one sitting on the beach sipping your drink of choice saying, " YES, I DID IT!"
Pura Vida!
"No one will believe you can do it until you do, so you have to want your own dreams. Others can want your dreams for you, but you are the only one that can make them happen and you are the only one that can succeed or fail in reaching them." This is so true! If you have a dream, as I have, you have to act and start now. I want to retire. I do not want to work until the day I die. This was my first motivation to look at options. I went to Costa Rica on vacation 5 years ago with the idea of also looking at it as a possible place to retire. My friend, George Lundquist, has a tour company that is for people considering retirement in Costa Rica. He took us to an attorney, hospital, dentist, housing, and different towns at different sea levels for temperature differences. We ended the tour with the opportunity to visit with others who have made the move. http://costaricaretireonss.com I found through this that not only is the country beautiful and the people kind and helpful; I can do it and mainly on my social security.
"There is no way to sugar coat it. You are your own worst enemy; you are the only one standing in the way of your goals and your successes." Again, no way around this! Do you want to retire? Do you want to find a place to retire where you can afford to live comfortably? Be realistic. If you want to live the high life you better have the money to do it. If you want a comfortable life without spending 9 hours a day working to have only a few hours of daylight left to enjoy, then this is a GREAT option!
Do your due diligence. You cannot reach your dreams without first doing your homework to make sure it will be a dream and not a nightmare! But the moral of the story is DO IT! Make a plan and work it. Don't be one of thousands who, when it's too late, look back and say, "I wish I had." Be the one sitting on the beach sipping your drink of choice saying, " YES, I DID IT!"
Pura Vida!
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