Photo-journalist, Gene Warneke, shown here at home in Grecia, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica. 

I moved to Costa Rica over three years ago from San Diego, California at the age of 54 to retire and live well. I grew up in a navy family and in my adult life I’ve lived and traveled in other countries from time to time So, it was a relatively easy decision to move in Costa Rica and settle down to a new lifestyle.    

            The last several years before I moved had been stressful.  In October of 2002, my wife had committed suicide.  In 2003, I had a small hernia repaired and was then laid off from a high-paying, but very stressful director’s position at the large and historic Hotel del Coronado.  Several months before that my mother had a massive stroke and heart attack.  I took her under my care in my home until she died of dementia at the end of 2004.  In the middle of 2004 I took a bad fall on a slippery outside staircase and tore three ligaments off of my right shoulder.  My only child, a 30 year old son, a doctoral student at UC Santa Barbara was no longer dependent on me financially.

parts of Europe, Peru, Belize, Mexico and the U.S. looking for a place where I would feel comfortable and safe. 

            I took a “Learning Annex” seminar on buying real estate in Costa Rica, liked what I heard and decided to go and check it out.  I booked a four week intensive Spanish course in a small community in the Central Valley of Costa Rica then traveled around for another two weeks with the instructor who taught the real estate seminar.

            Despite struggling to become fluent in Spanish, I decided Costa Rica was the place for me to retire.  I returned to San Diego and sold my home.  A few months later I flew back to Costa Rica to find an apartment, a lawyer, buy a car, secure medical and car insurance, open a bank account and other matters.  I returned to San Diego and had several garage sales to ‘lighten my load’ and then shipped what I didn’t sell or give away in half a container.