Ivo’s Blog by Godutch Realty

a Costa Rica real estate blog

How important is family in Costa Rica and how to deal with themArtboard 2

How important is family in Costa Rica and how to deal with them

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Did you know that family is very important to everyone in Costa Rica? In Costa Rica, family sticks together, even if they can’t stand each other. Costa Ricans do everything with their family as much as possible. They are very traditional in their family lifestyle and can have multi-generation households…

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Traditional Costa Rican Christmas foodArtboard 2

Traditional Costa Rican Christmas food

Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Traditional Costa Rican Christmas food is probably much different than what you used to eat during the Christmas holidays when you grew up. Getting used to local food in Costa Rica might be more complicated than you think, as Tico’s taste buds are very different from yours (and mine). The…

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Christmas traditions in Costa RicaArtboard 2

Christmas traditions in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 7 Minutes Christmas traditions in Costa Rica are probably not what you are used to.  You can prevent culture shock by learning what Ticos do during the Christmas holidays and where they go. Christmas Eve in Spanish is Nochebuena. This country is definitely not boring during Christmas time; there is plenty to…

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8 Unusual things housekeepers in Costa Rica doArtboard 2

8 Unusual things housekeepers in Costa Rica do

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes This week, I want to share some interesting habits of housekeepers in Costa Rica—things that might seem unusual to us, who come from different backgrounds but habits that are entirely normal to them. These actions stem from cultural differences and unique lifestyles, which expats must understand before hiring a housekeeper…

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Pet culture and stray dogs in Costa RicaArtboard 2

Pet culture and stray dogs in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes Until recently, dogs were not part of most families in Costa Rica, nor was there any pet culture at all. Now, almost everyone has one or more pets at home. Some years ago, people were complaining that in their condominiums, dog owners wouldn’t clean up the poop their dogs leave…

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Parking your car in Costa RicaArtboard 2

Parking your car in Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes You’d say, “What is so difficult about parking your car”? It seems simple, but let me tell you a few things. It might save you from getting a ticket, having your tag taken, or getting your car scratched all over. Once you move to Costa Rica and drive your own…

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Back home we do things differentlyArtboard 2

Back home we do things differently

Estimated Reading Time: 5 Minutes So, you did things differently back home? Well, guess what? They do things differently in Costa Rica than you are used to. Who says that the way you do things is the correct way? I see expats get mad too often in the grocery store, the bank, the hospital, the…

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What NOT to pack when you move to Costa RicaArtboard 2

What NOT to pack when you move to Costa Rica

Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes What and what not to pack when you move to Costa Rica? Probably half the stuff you plan to pack you do not need. But there are other things that you don’t see the need to bring but you might kick yourself in the head later. The title of this…

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In Costa Rica we drive over the dead - speed bumpsArtboard 2

In Costa Rica we drive over the dead – speed bumps

Estimated Reading Time: 3 Minutes We have speed bumps in Costa Rica, lots of them. And often won’t even see them until you hit them at full speed. In Spanish, they call them “muertos”. The translation of un muerto is a dead person, but it is also a speed bump. I know, it’s a strange…

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