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	<title>nocalcostarica.com</title>
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	<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com</link>
	<description>San Jose, California to San Jose, Costa Rica</description>
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		<title>Back in the USA Pt 2</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/back-in-the-usa-pt-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/back-in-the-usa-pt-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:38:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel and Transit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nocalcostarica.com/?p=2554</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I spent the first few days with my friends Steve and Frances Stizzo in my old hometown of Roseville. Steve and I go back to when I was still in high school and he was in JUNIOR high. We&#8217;ve played together off and on ever since, sometimes in bands together for years at a time.<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/back-in-the-usa-pt-2/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/back-in-the-usa-pt-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>On the Waterfront</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/on-the-waterfront/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/on-the-waterfront/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:28:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Economy and Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nocalcostarica.com/?p=2518</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[According to the spin in AM Costa Rica, this will be the Chinchilla Administrations &#8216;defining moment,&#8217; much as the CAFTA/TLC trade agreement was for President Oscar Arias. It&#8217;s so early in her administration that I can&#8217;t say this will be THE defining moment, but it is certainly important. For those of us who are old<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/on-the-waterfront/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Back in the US of A, Pt 1</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/back-in-the-us-of-a-pt-1/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/back-in-the-us-of-a-pt-1/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:56:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nocalcostarica.com/?p=2516</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I just flew back from California, and BOY ARE MY ARMS TIRED! But seriously folks&#8230; I spent about 10 days back on my native soil. We all know it&#8217;s different than Costa Rica, but the things we notice most are different from person to person. I will try my best not to make this too<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/back-in-the-us-of-a-pt-1/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/back-in-the-us-of-a-pt-1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Costa Rica is in the &#8216;upper tier&#8217; in Lottery Sales! That&#8217;s Good&#8230; Right?</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/costa-rica-is-in-the-upper-tier-in-lottery-sales-thats-good-right/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/costa-rica-is-in-the-upper-tier-in-lottery-sales-thats-good-right/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Aug 2010 18:12:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nocalcostarica.com/?p=2500</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In this competitive world, being in the &#8216;upper tier&#8217; is usually either a much desired achievement or a badge of shame (#1 in murder rate, for example). So when I ran across an article in Inside Costa Rica about my adopted country, I had to ask myself whether this was a badge of honor or<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/costa-rica-is-in-the-upper-tier-in-lottery-sales-thats-good-right/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/costa-rica-is-in-the-upper-tier-in-lottery-sales-thats-good-right/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Real Estate Exhibitionists</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/real-estate-exhibitionists/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/real-estate-exhibitionists/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:08:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Real Estate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nocalcostarica.com/?p=2480</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Somewhere this weekend (Aug 6&#8230; 2010) there will be a big &#8216;exposition&#8217; featuring a hall filled with exhibitors who hope to entice potential buyers to take a look at their presentations and possibly buy something. I will be out of the country for a while, though I suppose I could go tomorrow for a few<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/real-estate-exhibitionists/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/real-estate-exhibitionists/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Benefits of Free Trade Agreements</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/the-benefits-of-free-trade-agreements/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/the-benefits-of-free-trade-agreements/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:44:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nocalcostarica.com/?p=2471</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The issue has long been settled, though the vote was close, the Costa Rican public approved and that was that. I admit to being a little uninformed in an important area, one which Expatcostarica excels, to whit, cell phones. I don&#8217;t have one, and don&#8217;t really plan on getting one. The only use I have<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/the-benefits-of-free-trade-agreements/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/the-benefits-of-free-trade-agreements/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Getting Rid of Crime and Oil Spills</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/getting-rid-of-crime-and-oil-spills/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/getting-rid-of-crime-and-oil-spills/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Aug 2010 05:22:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Problems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Topics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nocalcostarica.com/?p=2460</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Every morning I start my day by reading the two online English language news websites, AM Costa Rica (except weekends) and Inside Costa Rica. My Spanish is almost but not quite good enough to read La Nacion, so I stick to the English stuff. Well&#8230; this morning I came across an article that normally I<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/getting-rid-of-crime-and-oil-spills/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/08/getting-rid-of-crime-and-oil-spills/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Back to the USA</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/07/back-to-the-usa/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/07/back-to-the-usa/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:43:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Climate and Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relocation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel and Transit]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nocalcostarica.com/?p=2447</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Oh, to be in the Sacramento valley in August, the scent of eggs frying on sidewalks&#8230; Despite the baking heat and the fact that I don&#8217;t have a car, I am going back for a visit to my old stomping grounds in the middle of August. The occasion is a reunion of a band I<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/07/back-to-the-usa/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/07/back-to-the-usa/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Meet the New Blog, Same as the Old Blog&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/07/meet-the-new-blog-same-as-the-old-blog/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/07/meet-the-new-blog-same-as-the-old-blog/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:34:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.nocalcostarica.com/?p=2435</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Well, not exactly. Expatcostarica and I (NoCalRefugee) have split usexpatcostarica.com into two separate blogs. Nocalcostarica will be my writings and Expatcostarica will be on the old site. The reasons behind this are so esoteric and boring I won&#8217;t bother you with it. At any rate, I hope you&#8217;ll bookmark this page and come see what<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/07/meet-the-new-blog-same-as-the-old-blog/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/07/meet-the-new-blog-same-as-the-old-blog/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Child Labor and Costa Rica</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/06/child-labor-problem-costa-rica/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/06/child-labor-problem-costa-rica/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Problems]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=2182</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here I go again&#8230; It doesn&#8217;t take much to get me started. This time it was a video produced by Teletica Channel 7. For those who are less than fluent in Spanish, I&#8217;ll provide a few translated highlights: According to the latest data found in 2002, 115 thousand child workers were reported, 55 thousand are<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/06/child-labor-problem-costa-rica/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/06/child-labor-problem-costa-rica/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>10</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Trip to the Doctor</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/06/a-trip-to-the-doctor/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/06/a-trip-to-the-doctor/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Jun 2010 06:10:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relocation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=2057</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Expats in Costa Rica have a number of options when it comes to medical care. The most direct (and expensive) option is to just go to a private hospital or clinic. Prices will be lower than in the USA but they aren&#8217;t dirt cheap. Another option is to get private insurance through INS. I can&#8217;t<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/06/a-trip-to-the-doctor/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/06/a-trip-to-the-doctor/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Roads, Old Roads (and Bridges)</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/new-roads-old-roads-and-bridges/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/new-roads-old-roads-and-bridges/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 May 2010 01:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Driving and Cars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1740</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week, before the current rains hit, I persuaded a friend to take a trip down the new highway between San Jose and Caldera, as far as the turnoff to Jaco, at least (where we were headed). He agreed to drive and at about 11 am on Wed. May 19 we headed out to check<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/new-roads-old-roads-and-bridges/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/new-roads-old-roads-and-bridges/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Osa Peninsula and Golfo Dulce</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/osa-peninsula-and-golfo-dulce/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/osa-peninsula-and-golfo-dulce/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 May 2010 05:34:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1566</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you look at a map of Costa Rica, and pay attention to the Pacific Coastline, you&#8217;ll see two very large peninsulas jutting out from the mainland, each with it&#8217;s own bay. The larger of the two is Peninsula Nicoya, and the smaller the Osa Peninsula. Osa is much less visited than its big brother<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/osa-peninsula-and-golfo-dulce/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/osa-peninsula-and-golfo-dulce/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Community Outreach, Gringo Style</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/community-outreach-gringo-style/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/community-outreach-gringo-style/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 May 2010 04:36:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Problems]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1554</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Rant warning! Danger! Danger! I came across something in one of the local English language media outlets, did a little sniffing around, and found an article in the Dallas Times about an outreach program sponsored by Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. The resort is offering room discounts for those who participate in<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/community-outreach-gringo-style/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/community-outreach-gringo-style/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trial Run, Continued</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/trial-run-continued/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/trial-run-continued/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 May 2010 04:00:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relocation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1516</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The reasons why I moved out of my First Apartment are small examples of the sort of things you can overlook. One negative was the distance I had to walk (or take a bus) to get to a grocery store. Being new to the country I wasn&#8217;t aware of the &#8216;pulperia&#8217; concept, and I wasn&#8217;t<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/trial-run-continued/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/trial-run-continued/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Updates! Updates! Updates!</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/updates-updates-updates/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/updates-updates-updates/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 May 2010 03:49:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Driving and Cars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1534</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s been more than 4 months since we started this blog, and we&#8217;ve put up nearly 300 posts on all kinds of topics, from Volcanoes to street vendors to residency procedures and more than I care to list. Nothing stays static and we&#8217;ll try to catch you up on a few things since the original<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/updates-updates-updates/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/updates-updates-updates/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The &#8220;Living in Costa Rica&#8221; Trial Run</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/the-living-in-costa-rica-trial-run/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/the-living-in-costa-rica-trial-run/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 May 2010 07:40:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relocation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1451</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When anyone asks about relocating to Costa Rica, I always advise them to do a trial run first. There are those in this world who love to jump in headfirst to everything they do. Still, no matter how inviting that crystal clear pond looks, it can hide hidden boulders. Or a school of piranha. To<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/the-living-in-costa-rica-trial-run/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/the-living-in-costa-rica-trial-run/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Costa Rica Real Estate Jungle Part 2</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/costa-rica-real-estate-jungle-part-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/costa-rica-real-estate-jungle-part-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 May 2010 07:16:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Real Estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relocation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1416</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Another good thing to know is that there is NO regulation of who can call himself a realtor or broker. There is no multiple listing service. There is no oversight of real estate brokers or agents and there is no disclosure of any sort required. House built on an old toxic waste site? YOUR problem<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/costa-rica-real-estate-jungle-part-2/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/costa-rica-real-estate-jungle-part-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>8</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Costa Rica Real Estate Jungle (part 1)</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/the-costa-rica-real-estate-jungle-part-1/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/the-costa-rica-real-estate-jungle-part-1/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 May 2010 04:31:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Real Estate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relocation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1403</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Some people will tell you that buying property in Costa Rica is a great idea, you can&#8217;t go wrong, it&#8217;s easy. These people are called REAL ESTATE SALESMEN. There are people who have successfully bought property in Costa Rica, these people are called FORTUNATE. If you really want to buy something in this country, I<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/the-costa-rica-real-estate-jungle-part-1/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/05/the-costa-rica-real-estate-jungle-part-1/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
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		<title>Goodbye, Mountain of Death!</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/goodbye-mountain-of-death/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/goodbye-mountain-of-death/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:14:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Driving and Cars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1360</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Shout out the good news! Costa Rica&#8217;s coastal highway, the Costanera Sur, is finally paved all the way! Add this to the completion of the Caldera highway, and boy oh boy, getting around in Costa Rica is beginning to lose its nightmare status. Way back in the distant past (2003) I did my first visit<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/goodbye-mountain-of-death/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/goodbye-mountain-of-death/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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		<title>Switzerland of Central America</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/switzerland-of-central-america/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/switzerland-of-central-america/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:47:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Economy and Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relocation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1256</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you have done any reading about Costa Rica, you have heard it called the &#8216;Switzerland of Central America.&#8217; It has a nice ring to it. The &#8216;Switzerland of anywhere&#8217; sounds great, especially if you can yodel. Way back in my college days, I took a class in Political and Economic Geography. It wasn&#8217;t all<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/switzerland-of-central-america/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/switzerland-of-central-america/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
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		<title>Miss Costa Rica, 2010</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/miss-costa-rica-2010/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/miss-costa-rica-2010/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 18 Apr 2010 05:29:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1215</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Unbeknown to all the Gringos I met last night while I was out carousing, the Miss Costa Rica (Universe) pageant was happening. How they neglected to select me as a judge will remain a mystery to everyone, but the show must go on, and go on it did. I did a little research on the<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/miss-costa-rica-2010/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/miss-costa-rica-2010/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Caja Suspends Breast Implant Surgeries</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/caja-suspends-breast-implant-surgeries/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/caja-suspends-breast-implant-surgeries/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:40:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health Care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1106</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Costa Rican Social Insurance (CCSS, or &#8216;Caja&#8217;) has suspended breast implant surgeries for mastectomy patients after receiving a warning that the prosthetic implants from their current supplier may be defective. The warning came from the Agency for Health Safety of Products for Health (France, AFSSAPS, by its French acronym). Investigations of &#8216;Poly Implant Prosthese&#8217;<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/caja-suspends-breast-implant-surgeries/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/caja-suspends-breast-implant-surgeries/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How Did You End Up In Costa Rica?</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/how-did-you-end-up-in-costa-rica/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/how-did-you-end-up-in-costa-rica/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Apr 2010 07:08:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relocation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1143</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Probably the first step along the path that led me here was when my parents were talked into buying a set of encyclopedias. It cost them quite a bit of money at the time, looking back, but to my credit I made good use of them. Along with the encyclopedia itself were some companion sets<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/how-did-you-end-up-in-costa-rica/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/how-did-you-end-up-in-costa-rica/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Guns &#8216;N Roses&#8230; The Concert that Wasn&#8217;t</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/guns-n-roses-the-concert-that-wasnt/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/guns-n-roses-the-concert-that-wasnt/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Apr 2010 05:31:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1097</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Let me start by quoting myself: While local fans are awaiting Guns ‘N Roses and their scheduled show April 9 (tonight, as I write this) I didn&#8217;t emphasize &#8216;scheduled&#8217; in my original quote I admit, but I should have. From the beginning, there was doubt about whether the concert would actually take place. Accounts had<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/guns-n-roses-the-concert-that-wasnt/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/guns-n-roses-the-concert-that-wasnt/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Costa Rica ROCKS!</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/costa-rica-rocks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/costa-rica-rocks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 10 Apr 2010 08:02:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1079</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[And no, I&#8217;m not talking about earthquakes. I am talking about ROCK AND ROLL! Well, rock and metal, or whatever you choose to call it. The deal is, we&#8217;ve got both Aerosmith and Megadeath ready to play separate shows right here in Costa Rica, at the Autodromo in La Guacima. To the casual observer (listener)<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/costa-rica-rocks/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/costa-rica-rocks/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Day San Jose Stood Still</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/the-day-san-jose-stood-still/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/the-day-san-jose-stood-still/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Apr 2010 03:09:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Holidays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=1011</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On an ordinary day, the city of San Jose, Costa Rica bustles with people going about their daily business. But Friday, April 2, 2010 was no ordinary day. It was&#8230; &#8220;The Day San Jose Stood Still&#8221; Something was terribly amiss in San Jose. Streets that teemed with traffic were empty. The people who normally filled<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/the-day-san-jose-stood-still/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/04/the-day-san-jose-stood-still/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lose Your Camera? Check Here.</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/lose-your-camera-check-here/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/lose-your-camera-check-here/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:22:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Problems]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=842</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Early on in my wanderings through downtown San Jose, I stumbled upon Pawn Shop Row (my term, feel free to use it). The general area is around Calle 12 between Avenues 1 and 3, at least I think it is. Naturally there are no street signs. I just know how to get there from my<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/lose-your-camera-check-here/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/lose-your-camera-check-here/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Tortuguero National Park</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/tortuguero-national-park/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/tortuguero-national-park/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 06:59:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fauna and Flora]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vacation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=806</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Although visitors can only reach Tortuguero National Park by airplane or boat, it is still the third most visited national park in Costa Rica. Located in the remote northeastern part of Costa Rica, in Limón Province of northeastern Costa Rica, the park&#8217;s amazing biological diversity attracts visitors from all parts of the world. Among its<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/tortuguero-national-park/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/tortuguero-national-park/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Dollarization – Miracle Cure, Poison Pill, or Placebo?</title>
		<link>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/dollarization-%e2%80%93-miracle-cure-poison-pill-or-placebo/</link>
		<comments>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/dollarization-%e2%80%93-miracle-cure-poison-pill-or-placebo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 27 Mar 2010 18:40:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>No.Cal Refugee</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Economy and Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.usexpatcostarica.com/?p=782</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Dollarization From Wikipedia: Dollarization occurs when the inhabitants of a country use foreign currency in parallel to or instead of the domestic currency. The term is not only applied to usage of the United States dollar, but generally to the use of any foreign currency as the national currency. There has been a lot of<br /><span class="excerpt_more"><a href="http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/dollarization-%e2%80%93-miracle-cure-poison-pill-or-placebo/">[continue reading...]</a></span>]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.nocalcostarica.com/2010/03/dollarization-%e2%80%93-miracle-cure-poison-pill-or-placebo/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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