Calling home from Costa Rica and fitting in with the Ticos?

Question

I am going to San Jose, Costa Rica next week and will be living there for a month. I was wondering what the best options are to make phone calls back to the US. How much does it cost?

Also, as a female college student attending the university, I was wondering what kind of clothing to bring in order to blend in (as much as a gringa can!).

Answer 1

Use skype to call home.  It's available in internet cafes all over costa rica, or if you have your own computer just download it, is so much cheaper than a phone card, only costs a couple of cents a minute to call phones and free if you talk over the internet.  Just bring casual clothes, most people in San Jose just wear jeans and stuff, shorts not so much.

Answer 2

, Skype is the best way to call, but, i don't know exactly how they do that from there because i live in USA for the last 12 years.  Some friend of mine said to me a few weeks ago that she call for free with skype ...try!  I'm not really sure if that's true.

The whether:  we are in winter, but winter for us is only cloudy N' rain days, not too cold, n' not snow over there.

The clothes...nothing special.  Jeans, t-shirt, sport shoes for week days n' something different for those nights that you are going to the clubs.  Thin impermeable  jacket for a rainy day...n' that's all.  Hold on!   umbrella, very important.

Answer 3

hey...

wear anything that makes you comfy

we are on the rainy season but it rains most of the times between 2pm to 5 or 6pm

Answer 4

You can buy phone cards to call the US almost anywhere(convenience stores super markets etc) the price depends on how many minutes it has,not expensive at all.

You should know that the dollar is at 523 costarican colones right now.(Can go up or down anytime).

Um as for clothes...I wouldn't worry about it.Whats in in the states is usually in in CR.

Answer 5

You can $10 or $20 dollars.  If there are other gringos they will be able to show you where.

Clothing anything light:  Jeans, shorts, t-shirts, etc.

Answer 6

First, give up the idea of blending in unless you look somewhat Central American (wide variety of looks, none of them north European) and speak  Spanish with a Costa Rican accent.  Use your regular clothes, maybe a bit more conservative then university normal unless you want to be whistled at and harassed constantly.

The cheapest way to call is to go to almost any Internet cafe and use Skypes.   Most Internet cafes charge about 300 colones (60 cents) per half hour,  sometimes 500 colones (1 buck). Lots of people have Internet in there homes so maybe you can call for free.

Answer 7

Calling the US from Costa Rica can be quite expensive if you do it through the ICE, which is the nationally owned telephone company.  You can buy a 3 thousand colones (local currency) calling card, which is almost 6 dollars and speak for about 18 minutes.  However, if you go to any of the Internet Cafe's in Costa Rica that have VOIP, you can save yourself a whole lot of money.  You can cut the cost in more than half, or speak for 40 minutes on 3 thousand colones, however you want to look at it.  If you are planning on being near any major city, you should be able to find an Internet Cafe.  If not, then your best bet is the calling card.

Answer 8

I was there last year for about 2 weeks. I'm not sure about the phone calls but i can tell you that you can wear basically anything. Costa Ricans wear the same clothes we do (except alot less Hollister and Abercrombie.. lol).  Alot of Americans go to Costa Rica. I will warn you that there are some places of San Jose that are not safe for you to be in. Especially if you're alone.

Have fun and enjoy your trip!