The Expat Files - 04/16/12

-If you’re interested in attending my Latin American Insider’s seminar June 26, 27, 28 in Guatemala, email me at theexpatfiles@gmail.com with the word SEMINAR in the subject line or better yet, go to www.expatwisdom.com and sign in with your email and you’ll get full details and updates. Its already more than half sold out and there are only 24 seats total, so plan now and don't miss out! -Despite my advice to the contrary, people still are stuck on the fantasy of living in Costa Rica. Here’s an email where the author he tells me he’s NOT going to the parts of Costa Rica I always talk about (and warn against) but instead he says he’s going to avoid all that and hit the little travelled, more laid back, mostly Black populated Caribbean side of the country- where the normal yuppie gringo traffic is not much in evidence. What he doesn’t know is that crime over there is 10x higher than in the rest of CR -Just how many Gringos saturate Costa Rica every year? Here’s a comparison; did you know that in the year 1960, 1/2 million Americans visited Europe? And in the year 2011 over two million gringos visited Costa Rica? That means 4 times as many gringos visit CR each year than they did in all of the countries of Europe in 1960! And Europe has 200 times CR’s land mass! Yup, CR is completely saturated with gringos and dollars. It’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there! -When first world boys meets third world girls (and vice versa) and the various double standards that come into play. -Everyone wants to know which Latin country, or countries, are on the fast track to becoming the next Costa Rica. Gringos are dying to get in on the ground floor. Here are some tips on how to pick the next winner (or loser) in that race. -The truth about the rumors of kidnappings and crimes against gringos in Central America.