Line V

Since we applied for our bank account in San Jose, we had to go to the local branch
of Banco Nacional in La Fortuna after we got back.

When we got into the bank, the line for the tellers was around15 to 20 deep. Luckily, we could wait in chairs, for one of the folks to help us since we were getting cards and not doing any transactions.

It took around 25 minutes, and then we received our cards. We asked about setting up the automatic payments each month, and the woman told us that we had to go see one of the other folks down the way, as she didn't do that from her cubicle.

We pulled another number and waited a bit before we were called up. Again, since I'm the primary, the transfers have to be done in my name and changed over from my account. However, when the woman tried to activate my card, she frowned, looked things over and then told us that my card wasn't valid.

Why not? We asked.

This is a woman's card, she said.

Sure enough, on the card, it said BN Mujer, and mujer is woman. Who knew there were banks that issued cards for men and women? (The women's card is the white one on top, while the yellow is the man card.)

So, nothing further to be done that day. I had to go back to the bank the following day, get my man card and then set everything up. That was relatively quick, taking just 90 minutes total to get the card and set up the monthly transfers.

Line IV

Once back here, we needed to head to the La Caja office in Ciudad Quesada to change the code on our carnet (card) to reflect the fact that we were with the ARCR and no longer on our own, in order to get the cheaper monthly rate.

So, we headed up to Quesada early to be one of the first in line, as the kind folks at ARCR said we needed to go to the La Caja office first, change the code, and then head to the clinic to get our new cards.

That, apparently, is how it works in every other La Caja office in the country. Not so in Quesada.

After waiting in line for around 30 minutes, we were told that in this area, we have to go to the clinic first and then return to the La Caja office afterward.

Back in the car, back to Florencia and another line. This one, thankfully, was pretty quick and painless and we got our new cards with new codes pretty quickly.

At that point, Lucy hopped in the car to head back to Quesada and I took a cab back to the hotel to check in on the guests.

The man at the La Caja office in Quesada was surprised to see Lucy back so quickly with the new cards.

However, when he tried to do the change there, he told Lucy that the cards would not be in the system for another two weeks, necessitating another trip to La Caja around the middle of September.

Line III

So, it was off to Banco Nacional to set up a bank account for our immigration needs.

When we arrived there, we ended up sitting next to a gentleman who was waiting to pick up his credit card. He took a look at us, and said: Are you with ARCR? We said we had just joined, and Mel said he was the president of the association. We got some more information while waiting in line and some tips on setting up the account.

Of course, the bank's computers were down when our number was called, so we walked around for a couple of hours, got some lunch and then headed back to the bank.

The computers were back up, but really slow, so it took around an hour-plus to get everything set up.

Since I was the primary on the immigration status (so why did I just get one year and Lucy two? Who knows?), I had to be the primary on the bank accounts as well.

We needed to set up a dollar account and a colone account. One of the hitches to our type of residency (called rentista) is that we have to change $2,500.00 per month into colones; not an insignificant sum. However, as everyone we talked to (including our lawyer, the ARCR folks, etc.) told us, there is a loophole. Once we change the dollars into colones, we can change the colones back into dollars the same day. So, we just need to keep the money revolving in and out of the accounts and make sure we change it monthly.

We set it up to do it automatically through Banco Nacional, so now we don't have to stand in line as much.

Fire. . .

We interrupt the usual drivel with a bit of late-breaking news.

Last night, the power went out here at the hotel. Not a normal occurence (maybe once every few months) but since we have been waiting for a new transformer and power lines, it has happened a bit more as the old lines just can't handle the load.

Lucy headed up to the box by the front of the hotel to flip the switch. She hauled back here to the house toot-sweet and said the power lines were on fire.

I got to make every sportswriters' dream call, when I called Miguel and told him, for real, we were "En Fuego".

The lines that go from one side of the road to the other were shot and that caused the meltdown and loss of power. The meter box up front was also fried and nearly melted completely down, which was pretty neat to see.

The power company came out and we had power restored in less than 2 hours.

The power guys were happy to climb the poles in the dark and hang out up high while Miguel and I (the only two idjits wearing shorts) stuck to the ground with flashlights to help the guys out. We got chewed stupid by mosquitoes and the electric company guys weren't keen to head back to the meter box, as it's a few yards back into the jungle and they were worried about the snakes.

This, hopefully, will light a literal fire under the electric company to get out here and put in the new lines and transformer.

Line II

Getting to meet the other couples was nice, as we got to hear about where they lived (one up by the beach in Guanacaste and the other by the Poas Volcano) and we learned one nice little bonus: We could save some moolah on our mandatory health care.

We found out about the ARCR: Association of Residents of Costa Rica. By joining the group ($60.00 per year) we could get our La Caja for just $77.00 per month, as opposed to $190.00 per month on our own. A nice bit of savings.

So, after our time at immigration, we hopped a cab and went to the ARCR where we joined up and got the information for joining La Caja under their umbrella.

It's a very helpful bunch of folks and when they heard our story of what we needed to get done to enroll in La Caja in the first place, they all looked at each other and the general conclusion was that our main La Caja office in Ciudad Quesada is the hillbilly capital of La Caja offices.

They gave us useful information on how to exchange our money and good advice on which bank to use, and so with more information and some introductory letters we were off to the bank.

Line I

Our first appointment down in San Jose was at the immigration office,
where we met Manyane, the very helpful assistant here in Costa Rica for the firm that took care of our immigration paperwork.

Here's some of what we needed to get to the offices to get the process rolling: Certified copy of our birth certificates; a criminal background check; a certified copy of our marriage license; proof of bank accounts in the United States and Costa Rica.

Those, of course, needed to be translated into Spanish and then put into the system. It took nearly a year before we got the official stamp of approval, and then we had to go to San Jose to get things taken care of.

We arrived at the offices at 9:30 a.m. and met two other couples that Manyane had been working with as well. I spoke the second-most Spanish of the group, so Lucy was the main translator for everyone. Around 11:15, we were told that we all could now go stand in line outside of the main office.

Around noon-ish, Lucy was called back to the offices, while I waited. About 15 minutes after Lucy was done, it was my turn.

It was pretty straight forward: Make sure the name is spelled correctly, the date of birth is fine, etc.

After that, a printout was made and this was our official certificate-in-waiting until our cards were done.

We had two options for our cards: Return to the office in San Jose in 12 business days to collect them, or pony up 3,500 colones (around $7.00) each and the cards (or carnets as they're called here) would be at our local post office in La Fortuna in three days. No brainer on that call.

We now have our cards. However, Lucy's card is good for two years, while mine is only good for one. The reason? No one really knows. This way, I suppose, I'll have an idea of what it takes to renew next July

Back home. . .

After a week down in the city, much taken up by appointments, etc., we're back home here and it's good to be back. We're heading into the slower part of the year, so not fully booked all of the time, which is a nice break. We had a couple of nights where we had two and three tree houses open (the first time that's happened since last year at this time) though starting tomorrow, we're fully booked for about the next two weeks. Then, it will be somewhat sporadic with some nights full, others not so much, until late November, early December, when we'll be back to full capacity, most likely, until August/September of 2012.

Actually had some folks book five nights for Christmas--2012--already.