San Jose, Costa Rica

[Mencken]

nice to be able to use and abuse people who are less fortunate!

No more or less true than here at home. Costa Rica is a relatively wealthy Central American country with strong laws against pimping and underage prostitution. While it is impossible to know all the individual situations it appears as if SPs there are less likely to be coerced than here in Canada.

Of course money is coercion as well, and when poverty is so extreme that it forces people into prostitution (who would not otherwise consider it) then it crosses the line into immoral. Problem is that it is hard to know exactly where that line is. Both here or in Costa Rica, for example. All I know is that most Costa Ricans are very happy with their country and laugh at the idea of going to the US or Canada. And for the most part they can get employment that gives them a middle class lifestyle. They are better educated, on average, than Americans and probably Canadians. And their health care system is excellent. And prostitution is legal although "living off the avails" is not - is my understanding.

 

[Magaya]

But isn't lack of English speaking SPs a problem for the hobbyists? To monger in a foreign country with language barriers on top plus massive amount of crime seems a very hard choice to make.
Or is there too much bad press CR is getting of late?

 

[affiliated]

But isn't lack of English speaking SPs a problem for the hobbyists? To monger in a foreign country with language barriers on top plus massive amount of crime seems a very hard choice to make.
Or is there too much bad press CR is getting of late?

Massive amount of crime?

 

[Doug]

Less crime than elsewhere in central america, or for that matter probably less than in many cities in USA. Each person chooses where to visit depending on their own comfort level. Having been to a few foreign countries I felt as safe in CR as in most, or maybe safer. Tourism (general tourism, I mean) is a major industry in CR.

 

[gypsy]

Less crime than elsewhere in central america, or for that matter probably less than in many cities in USA. Each person chooses where to visit depending on their own comfort level. Having been to a few foreign countries I felt as safe in CR as in most, or maybe safer. Tourism (general tourism, I mean) is a major industry in CR.

While that is true about having less crime than elsewhere in central america, you need to have alot of street smarts to not be a victim of crime in costa rica. Petty crime mostly goes unpunished, so reporting it and expecting an end result is just a waste of time. Best to just prevent it from happening in the first place by always being vigilent of your surroundings.

 

[gypsy]

But isn't lack of English speaking SPs a problem for the hobbyists? To monger in a foreign country with language barriers on top plus massive amount of crime seems a very hard choice to make.
Or is there too much bad press CR is getting of late?

I've lived in costa rica for over 10 years and have never been a victim of crime (knock on wood). I think it is because I am more vigilent here. Toronto on the other hand, I have been a victim of crime my last 2 trips, and for that reason I have quit returning. Not to turn this thread on its head, but in toronto it is the complacency that is the killer. Both trips in high end hotels, the hilton and intercontinental in toronto, I have had my car broken in to, windows smashed and everything. I can assure you that in a high end hotel in costa rica (or even a low end one) there is always very tight security and that would never happen. The response from the hotels in toronto: 'sir, we do send a regular security patrol into the garage at about 2pm every day and we report to the police if we see anything suspicious'. Completely useless.

And yes, the more spanish you speak the greater experience you will have. Thats not to say that when I got here and didn't speak a word of spanish I didn't have a great time, but your doors magically open when you speak the mother tongue. However, even without any spanish at all its still 100 times more fun than anywhere in boring canada. If you speak spanish and aren't totally hideous, I could give you a list of bars where you can pull insanely hot regular girls for free who just like to have a good time. Most girls are pretty slutty here. Bareback sex on the first date is the norm after dinner and drinking. Girls are just more sexual and much hotter than canadian girls. Plus there is no competition at the bars I go to. Ex-girlfriends who are married still call me to 'hook up' when their husbands are out of town, I'm no john wayne either, just a fun guy to party with I guess. Pretty much any girl can be yours if you got some skills.

 

[gypsy]

nice to be able to use and abuse people who are less fortunate!

I think you are on the wrong forum, Sir?