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Why do people move back after relocating to paradise?
There are quite a few good reasons to relocate to Costa Rica. Try adventure, sunshine, lower cost of living, being happy, a better lifestyle, to mention a few. But what are the reasons to move back again?
It is either a great decision or a horrible one, there is nothing in between, no matter if you have moved to the city or to the beaches.
If it is a happy story or a horror story does not only depend on being committed or not. There are a lot of big and small details involved.
When I moved to Costa Rica in 1980, Costa Rica was different. The whole world was different. Google didn’t exist and it was not so easy to do due diligence on a distance. The only way to make it happen was to burn your ships back home and give it a shot. I never regretted the adventure and still enjoy every day of it.
My own family
My mom and dad left Costa Rica after 10 years because my dad couldn’t adjust here. They didn’t move back to Holland. They moved to the Canary Islands first. Then, the same thing happened there and they moved back to Holland.
My two little sisters married in the Canary Islands and still live there, with their husbands and kids.
My brother moved back to Holland after 5 years, Then, after a few years he found out he couldn’t adjust back home anymore. He then moved back to Costa Rica for a 2nd time.
I can assure you that everyone is and has been enjoying the adventure, even my dad.
Love or hate
I have clients who moved to Costa Rica and moved back after some years. That sometimes happens when the political party of their choice wins the elections. Most have great memories of their time in Costa Rica.
I do know a few who did move back with horrible memories. They just hate Costa Rica and anything that has to do with Costa Rica and Costa Ricans. Like the couple who thought they’d love living in Atenas but hated the mangoes.
Moving to Costa Rica is about making the decision to change the direction you want your life to go. Then you have a certain expectation. You enjoy it while it lasts. And then it all goes wrong.
It’s like taking a new job. You like it a lot in the beginning. Then something happens and you start hating that job. Then you look for a new job. But when there is much unemployment, the solution isn’t so easy.
Therefore, once you decide to move back, you need to commit again.
Success or failure does not depend on playing golf all day or going fishing. or making friends or not. It depends on real-life changes, which can happen at any time.
9 Reasons to Move Back
- No commitment to the adventure
- Not adjusting to a new environment
- No commitment to learning Spanish
- Miss the children or grandchildren
- Getting sick and needing better treatment
- Your spouse hates it here
- Buying property in the wrong place
- The economic situation changes
- Having a disability that doesn’t allow you to live comfortably
What percentage moves back?
Do half the people who move to Costa Rica really move back again? I don’t know the percentage that does. I doubt there are any statistics on the matter. Al the above reasons can interfere in the adventure. But that shouldn’t mean it makes the moving back an unhappy one.
I always like my clients to move back with good memories, that’s really what matters. Most have great memories of their time in Costa Rica. Many of my clients who moved to Costa Rica and moved back stay in touch.
Many still read my blogs. If they’d hated it here, you think they would? Check our testimonials and you get a great idea.
The Ugly People
Now and then, we all meet one. I call them the ugly people. Those are people who hate everything in their world. Or they have a serious problem that they can’t fix. And they try to take it out on others. They can’t stop complaining. Also, they’re the ones with all the negative comments on Facebook. I’m used to them. By now, I have thick skin.
Unfortunately, for them, they are stuck in a world they hate.
I can only recommend that when you get to that point: move back to where you came from. As fast as you can. For sure, there will be a few who will gloat at your homecoming. Those who didn’t wish you well in the first place. But you’ll have to bite the bullet… again!
Our real estate agents have relocated hundreds of people to Costa Rica, besides themselves. We love what we do enough to offer you the ultimate real estate experience. We hold your hand from day one all the way past the closing and will always be there for you.
What we ask you to do is to make the commitment to be successful in your move to Costa Rica. We’ll try to deliver the rest. Are you ready? Contact us when you are.
Meanwhile, start and enjoy surfing our website for Costa Rica homes for sale.
The grammar of the Spanish version of this blog was checked and corrected by Wagner Freer of Spanish School for Residents and Expats. We strongly recommend this language school as your best choice to learn Spanish, click here to contact them.
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I DO want to remind our readers that we appreciate any referrals you can send us. Also, please remember the GoDutch Realty agents when you talk about your home in Costa Rica, we appreciate it.
