Hola!  I meant to make a  post a few days ago, but Pura Vida got the best of me Our trip down went fairly smooth and got through customs with no problems whatsoever.  We were met at the airport by a wonderful couple Dave and Marcia, who live next door to the house we’re renting and also care take the rental for the owners, who still reside in the States.  Dave and Marcia have been a Godsend.  They have been so hospitable and helpful, both with little things and insights living in Grecia.  They have been a huge part of  making our stay here as comfortable as it has been. We are very happy with our accommodations and location.  We are literally on a hillside smack in the middle of a coffee field.  There is a river way down below us that we can hear (but not see) and when we look out our bedroom window, we see a steep hillside full of coffee plants.  It is serene and the birds are lovely to listen to.  The weather has been very rainy since we arrived, which is what we expected, since it’s Green season.  Yesterday, it poured most of the day, but we were perfectly content since we have a terrific internet connection   It was actually chilly yesterday once it got dark, so much so that I was wearing my winter jammies and grateful I had thought to bring something a little on the warm side. Today we took the bus down to San Jose, the capital, from Grecia to attend the two day ARCR seminar.  Dave was kind enough to drive us into downtown Grecia, rather than have us wait for the bus near the house.  Thanks to his map, we were able to get to the correct stop and to our destination without a hitch! The ARCR seminar is a must in my opinion, if you are considering a move to Costa Rica.  This organization provides a great deal of resources for foreigners here.  Costa Rica functions in it’s own unique way, and navigating through the process of establishing residency, or buying property, cars etc can be daunting when doing it on your own.  ARCR offers great assistance in getting through the bureaucracy, which, from the sound of it, could prove very frustrating at the least.  Even though we haven’t decided to move here yet, we have decided to become members of ARCR.  The fee is well worth it, for if we do decide to move, they can provide us great services on insurance, document prep for residency, and lots more at discounted rates that they’ve negotiated with the various service providers. Steve and I both feel much more comfortable being here this time than we did last year on our first trip. One major conclusion we have come to… we MUST learn Spanish!  To move to a country and not attempt to communicate in the native language and get to know the culture makes no sense to me. So what’s left to decide?  Right now the big decision remains open.. can we adapt to a climate that can have days on end with little or no sunshine?  So far so good, but we’re early into the trip. Pura Vida!