charliedoggett.net
It is with great sadness that I recognize the expected death of my dear friend Rus Roach. I already miss him. -Charlie Below is the announcement I received from Tom and the funeral is available online An Update from our Executive Pastor |
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| It is nice to live in one of the 10 most low terrorism risk countries, according to the UK’s Daily Mail online news. From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ Chamber of Commerce PR? 🙂 |
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| And the high risk of terrorism includes my beloved Gambia West Africa, I’m sorry to say. I’m surprised that parts of the U.S. and Europe are not included, but frequency may be a factor. And what about this proximity to the equator? It reminds me of mission board’s 10/40 Window of non-Christians. From http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ But comments above by Charlie. |
“A ship is always safe at the shore – but that is NOT what it is built for.”
― Albert Einstein
That title just means some details only concern the persons actually moving here or retiring here and I don’t want family or friends back in the states worrying about my healthcare. I’m fine! Don’t worry! In a different country, culture or situation some things take longer than you expect and you just work them out the best way you can, sometimes one day at a time.
RESIDENCY & PUBLIC HEALTHCARE
It has been 15 months since I filed my application with Immigration and I am still not approved yet. I now know people who have gotten it in 6 or 8 months and another in 3 years, so the bureaucratic government office is always slow and it often depends on which agent’s desk your application ends up on or what is happening in his/her life at the time. So mine is not that unusual, but I talked with my attorney by phone this afternoon and here is the update on my application or what is in his control: I am now his oldest application file, so I’m his number one priority now. Good! He has made an appointment with Immigration for May 13 to request “a resolution” on my application. That is between him and the government office, I’m not allowed to go then, but he is planning for approval on that date and has even made a June 1 appointment with the CAJA Office (government health plan) for me to get my healthcare card (Caja Card) which is separate from my residency card (Cedula) and I think that same day we may apply for the “Gold Card” which is for us old people to get discounted or free services like buses, etc. That means we have to do some paperwork and Social Security Office visits between May 13 and June 1. I will try to stay available though I do have a May 20-23 birding club trip. SO I’M HOPING FOR RESIDENCY BY MAY AND CAJA BY JUNE OR JULY. I will not hold my breath! Everything here usually takes longer than suggested!
The primary reason I’m in a hurry to get this residency and public healthcare coverage is because I really can’t afford to keep private healthcare insurance! For a reasonable amount per month I will be on something like medicaid or medicare in the states (only much better!). There will be no co-pay or charges for any doctor visit, surgery, hospital visits, prescription drugs, etc.! I will pay a monthly charge based on a percent of my SS income. I need this kind of “socialized medicine” as some Americans like to call it. Read on to see why.
PRIVATE MEDICAL CARE AND PRIVATE HEALTHCARE INSURANCE
I’m thankful I’ve had no big health issue like cancer or needed surgery, injury, etc.! But private doctors, hospitals and other medical services are so much less expensive here than in the states that for my usual medical needs so far in my life I could afford to have no insurance and just pay cash out of pocket for doc visits, x-rays, EKGs, prescriptions, etc. But prudence makes you plan for the worst and have insurance when you are not on the government health plan yet, as has been my case for the last year.
When I first came, I was could tell my Medicare Supplement Insurance that I was on an extended vacation and be covered for I think it was up to 4 or 6 months. When that expired, I cancelled that policy and purchased a Costa Rica Private Healthcare Insurance Policy which covered 80 to 90% of everything including prescriptions with a few restrictions I won’t get into here. But like in the states it was based on age and for someone turning 75 it was $3,000 paid up front for the whole year. It expires the end of this month and I just sent in my claims for the whole year, so waiting on a check!
Since I still don’t have my residency and thus the almost free government healthcare plan, I figured I probably should go ahead and renew for one more year “just in case.” Well, they do everything at the last minute here and I just got my renewal notice with the shocker that I this year move into the next age bracket of 76-80 years old and thus my renewal cost would now be over $6,000 for the year! NO WAY! That precipitated the above-mentioned call to my attorney and my push to get residency and the government healthcare plan expedited if at all possible.
It is close but the timing of my May residency and June healthcare plan may be just right! Though I may have a couple of months without insurance, so just don’t get sick! Private insurance companies here are about as bad as the states for high costs, but the government plan is certainly a lot better! And I hope to be on that soon!
If anyone considering a move here wants more details, just email and I will be glad to discuss it further and keep you posted on what happens, though I will do that here on the blog too once I’m approved and probably have stories of government bureaucracy to share. 🙂
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| And this small child stole the show as she led her toy oxen in pulling a toy oxcart! |
In fact there seemed to be more of an emphasis on the children this year in what has always been a family affair to celebrate and remember the important part boyeros (oxcart drivers) played in the history of Costa Rica as the first land shippers of coffee and bananas to the two big port cities for shipment to the U.S. and Europe.
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| The parade still had the colorful oxcarts! And the big oxen! |
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| And most included the whole family as usual. A Family farm affair! |
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| But many were led by children this year as the Oxcart Leader or Boyero. |
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| And a few even had young oxen! |
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| While others had their hands full! |
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| But all accepted their responsibility with pride! |
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| Goat Carts were in parade this year for the first time, led by kids of course! Pun intended! |
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| And there are more Women Boyeros each year! |
And the whole time the Central Park is filled with tents, entertainers, arts & crafts, food & drink vendors, a playground, and plenty to do if you get bored with the parade.
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| A Rooster on Stilts! and . . . |
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| . . . and another on foot, representing Gollo, a big furniture/appliance store. |
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| Someone leading the children in games before the parade started. And of course all the food, drink, balloons, etc. available to buy! |
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| The parade always starts with police and horses, one carrying the Costa Rica Flag: |
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| Red, white and blue patriotism! |
I watched the parade with 3 friends, Anthony, Jean and Carolyn and then afterwards we went to La Finca for pizza and pasta. A fun day! And if you want to see photos of the bigger oxen being led by men and other views, see my photos from last year’s parade at: 2015 Oxcart Parade on this blog.
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| Another happy day in Costa Rica! |
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| Step into my main garden from the driveway or back door of house. Surrounded by the trees and other flowers of neighbors. You know you are in a tropical place! |
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| Out my backdoor you are greeted by a pottery bird garden-art by Anthony. Anthony Jeroski will soon be moving into the house across the driveway since Don & Lynda just moved back to the states. Anthony & I have plans for a garden-art bird nest made of wood & wire that will feature a glass egg made by my Nashville friend Kevin Hunter. I think you will like it Kevin! |
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| Here a garden is really your whole yard and terrace and that is true for me. With watering during the dry season, my “front yard” jungle has grown, especially the Cecropia or Guarumo tree, many palms & flowers on a slope. |
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| One is a Nance Tree which by July will have little yellow fruits I can eat! |
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| Bougainvillea is blooming on my terrace and down below on the slope. There was not one here when I came and I consider it the quintessential tropical flower I got used to in Florida and The Gambia. I have two now! |
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| Once de Abril Planta or 11th of April Plant is what my gardener calls it. It is becoming very tall and full shrub, adding to my privacy screen and it blooms year around with seasonal yellow berries that birds eat quickly. It is one of my favorite plants and was a surprise gift from my gardener. The 11th of April is Juan Santamaria Day, our only war hero. He was the drummer boy who stopped the American Walker from taking over Costa Rica as his personal slave state. DO YOU SEE THE BEE ON THE FLOWER? Click image for larger view. |
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| The largest of my 4 Heliconia plants. |
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| The brightest of my Heliconia plants. |
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| The smallest of my Heliconia plants. |
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| And the most prolific of the 4 Heliconia plants. It greets you at the driveway next to the Plumbago. |
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| Red Ginger is all over my garden & prolific. |
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| Lantanas are my border and called multiple things here. Grow fast! I have to cut them back regularly or they become shrubs! That is something like a Florida White Butterfly here today. |
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| A type of Petunia that blooms abundantly every morning, then by mid-afternoon the blooms have all dropped to the ground. More the next morning! Year-around. |
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| Flame Vine in English or Triquitraque in Spanish which literally means “firecracker” in Spanish |
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| Flame Vine or Triquitraque |
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| Plumbago is beautiful and my most prolific bloomer. My background plant. But it grows so fast I have to cut it back every few months, losing some color. But it blooms year-around and especially on the new growth after trimming. |
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| “Crown of Thorns” is what Lynda called it. I bought at Don & Lynda’s Moving Sale. |
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| Aloe Vera – I’m always ready for burn! 🙂 |
Sorry I made so many photos this morning! And that is not all of my garden! 🙂 I love it!
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| Any Excuse for a Fiesta! Climate Fair celebrates our reputation here for the “best weather in the world!” Mejor Clima del Mundo! Friday & Saturday is a crafts & food fair with lots of live music including big bands on the stage at night. I rarely go out at night. 🙂 Old man! |
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| Daytime boring music with the old men playing the Marimba or . . . |
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| One of the small rhythm and brass bands playing traditional music. The park is a lot livelier at night with rock, pop and lots of dancing. |
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| And midday Sunday is our famous annual Oxcart Parade which I will see and photograph again this year. This is a photo from last year. |
I can hear the high school marching band practicing tonight, so I guess they will be in the parade Sunday. And I can hear the lively pop music from the Central Park stage that attracts the young people and those who love to dance. There are lots of “happy sounds” around here most weekend nights and occasionally on a weeknight.
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| A Corridor Invites You to Step into the 15th Century. |
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| Am I in Europe? Spain? View of Cathedral de Granada from Bell Tower of La Merced Church |
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| A Magical Sunset without extreme light pollution. |
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| An “Old Fashion” Funeral |
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| Crowded Market Street as in all third world countries even today and inside the mercado can only be experienced in person with the smells, sounds, jostling, goods. The majority of the world! |
This is a tinge of what I experience in Nicaragua which would still be considered by most as “3rd World,” whatever that means. While Costa Rica would probably be called “2nd World” which is also not an official description. We have our poverty and crowded streets and old-fashion markets with some of the same smells and sounds, but without the colonial color much of Central America has. There is a long, complicated historical explanation of why Spain did not build a lot of colonial buildings in Costa Rica, other than churches. And today’s Ticos love to consider their country progressive with a NASA astronaut, big businesses and shiny new shopping malls. I have to go to small rural villages to experience even some of what I did in Nicaragua. And I do!
I’ll try to stop talking about Nicaragua now, so maybe these are the last photos I will share. There is the oxcart parade in Atenas this weekend, so a refocus back here! 🙂
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| Oxcart Sharing the road with all kinds of vehicles in Nicaragua! |
These and other photos are now in my online gallery: Nicaragua Birding Trip 2016.
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| The road approaching Montibelli Nature Reserve in Nicaragua Talk about a “Road Less Traveled!” A wonderful place! In dirt walls along the road were holes/nests of Turquoise-browed Motmots |
And I now have my photo gallery up for my Nicaragua Birding Trip 2016 with all birds labeled and most of the other photos, though still working on the labels. The above image is one.
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| It was very good with real animals animated – how do they do that? Nothing is as good as Disney’s original cartoon films, but this comes close! It is better than the earlier life-action movie version and yes, I understood most of it! |
I went by myself as most of my adult friends don’t go to children’s films and most gringos wouldn’t see one in Spanish! Plus I wanted to try the VIP “Premier” theater again where I sat in a huge recliner and had waitresses bring me food and drink. Pretty cool! 🙂 And oh yeah, two days ago I downloaded the book Jungle Book on my Kindle and read it first. That helped! It is just a few short stories in a bigger book of assorted jungle and animal stories by Rudyard Kipling including another favorite of mine, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. Wow! I’m really enjoying life! Like a little kid! 🙂
My homework assignment for tomorrow morning’s Spanish class was to write a sentence or two on what has been the best day of my life. I wrote that it is always today! Then told about going to this movie! Here’s the uncorrected version before taking it to class tomorrow:
Okay, the red shows the editing that was done to my work in class. Not major changes but representing the kinds of mistakes I continue to make. This is work!
