Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Golden Gringo Chronicles: Part 1
    The Golden Gringo Chronicles: Part 1
    The Golden Gringo Chronicles: Part 1
    Ebook79 pages1 hour

    The Golden Gringo Chronicles: Part 1

    By Bob Normand

    4/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    This is a true story of a gringo in his sixties who visited Costa Rica eight times over five years, felt very comfortable visiting the country and decided to retire there at the age of 65. Our hero’s name is Dudley Bodoh and his resemblance to the author is significant.
    The story explains the reasoning process behind Dudley’s decision to move to Costa Rica and why he decided to take up residence on the south central pacific coast in a small town called Quepos that is contiguous with a well-known resort area called Manuel Antonio. His love for the beach and the wildness that is the Costa Rican jungle, as well as the friendliness of the natives leads him to choose this particular part of a beautiful country. He analyzes his living situation in Florida and concludes that leaving behind all he’d known for ten years would be emotionally difficult but easily accomplished physically.
    In a rush of enthusiasm, our hero decides to drive to his adopted country but runs into many obstacles that challenge his unbridled and unrealistic expectations. Problems mount further for Dudley when a new friend and expected travel companion who was fluent in Spanish, surprises our hero by announcing a few days before departure that he can’t go for legal reasons! Undaunted by this reversal, Dudley decides to drive to Costa Rica alone but encounters a fresh set of problems, some of which he created himself, that turn him back from the Mexican border.
    Dudley then spends a whole weekend in Brownsville, Texas ruminating about his trip and the problems he is facing. He receives some unexpected wisdom from a chance encounter with a young lady on the beach at South Padre Island. And, after meeting some experienced Central America travelers (legal and illegal) in a Brownsville restaurant Dudley decides to reverse his decision to drive to Costa Rica, return to Sarasota and come up with a Plan B. Within two weeks he is able to sell his car and reduce his belongings to a couple of suitcases. The he accompanies three ladies on a trip by air to Costa Rica that he had planned months before, using an airline ticket he had planned to abandon.
    Once there our hero took up residence sharing an apartment with an acquaintance he had met on a previous trip. Within a short time, that deal fell through and Dudley had to find a living place of his own. With help from friends and a great deal of good luck, he quickly found a place in downtown Quepos that would turn out to be his living abode for years to come.
    Dudley spent the next few weeks trying to establish bank accounts, learning the ropes when it comes to where to go to buy anything and getting used to limited facilities in a small town in a developing country. He learned some things will have to wait until his residency was more formal, at least with the government.
    But our hero still looked forward to melding into the community and enjoying his retirement without incident.
    Maybe, amigo.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBob Normand
    Release dateJan 26, 2014
    ISBN9781311577436
    The Golden Gringo Chronicles: Part 1
    Author

    Bob Normand

    Currently retired and living in Quepos, Costa Rica, Mr.Normand currently writes a monthly newsletter called the Golden Gringo Chronicles about being an ex-pat living in one of the most beautiful countriies in the world.Professional background: Mr. Normand has served as principal management consultant to more than 100 businesses ranging from $500,000 to $50,000,000 in annual sales and has owned and operated several small businesses of his own in diverse industries. Mr. Normand’s small business philosophy is premised on the belief that small business management skills can be developed by busy entrepreneurs using readily available information, tools and procedures not found in business schools or formal degree programs. His direct industrial experience as an executive includes chemicals, plastics, computer systems, office furniture, financial services, banking and small business management consulting.Academic: B.S. University of Massachusetts, M.S. Villanova University, MBA Program Ohio University. Past Adjunct Professor of Small Business Management, Northampton Community College. Author: Entreprenewal!,The Six Step Recovery Program for Small Business.

    Read more from Bob Normand

    Related to The Golden Gringo Chronicles

    Related ebooks

    Central America Travel For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Golden Gringo Chronicles

    4/5

    1 rating0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      The Golden Gringo Chronicles - Bob Normand

      Mcbook_preview_excerpt.htmlXrNRRՈZlAf1Ej\t ZltCp<OwO%96X2z˹瞋3MpM~ԋ.og:~<'ǧdEHYOX:!ZWZzt~^]?s!K+c&N%\Ƿ]4F}1/v^t6)Ç7-f8SӾ7,l/!)#^bԫf ^8~=YCy&~ڋCGF3h2V̿mImKb y05)!U Y:6qneùјǵkqgc.ן$ tJ y:B5%e})E 'Hk|rIי|肺B3JqG#d!)PpT;{$F7jg\Vx8z 3&P||{CÑU&4K_ GQԦS#* ժk0I6z1 q7%V1ӤC7Y@Cft !GZx$Tkp pߋE^Pt8s CB_k_DO}HD? u|՗l\C-ʊ{[ r\>iԝ%6(?+RaOvW #O$ WjhkBƕL^2Ar[U&@ ^ 5}ݎ7A Φq1Y|\P %ut )J:'$ƥKR\H4zP{T9&>"o (x5v(QKGԮD d*Vˉb=jJ4A{f6se|J%&rqwhpAzdqQ4$E{d.+pٱOh3{R'GWତf[_ Uɶ4`7-Du*0Aɡ(& {x=PmfX[\VmByo8FL - @At#&=pUyaX б@ KϖTi&@ ZHՊK/>Io%63AwVq_:[mrO} *X孄[4<T1jEW1!'f]"72_QQf@FsxAZOY]*s >,ߜNzH_:N1βbcHy pڪD&:ey=VS[c{m'܆WZ:C6+95 ([n@:T-\s3DDn␘R>eNi9F؀gMD*`"&gYkiXi#A$͟?7UY'@kU8&2|r5#q~GW}jwcҢ<}N:AG"`AZZZ~V/0nH~4:?L/Ao8!v\Yfza|gZQQf˧f>_I`&i淤)n)y9sei*HP%itN:5᦯UD4Mi&-2bu<mUVz*fJiVG _U.Ro'/*zw9*^Ǎ4,*b &~8,:ŷ%K[eV-!_+Qb3w^M(m~ e0\&Τm\esLoS00aXRg:J~ų
      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1