Survey Templates Surveys North Americans in Central America

North Americans in Central America

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Hello!

As a U.S. or Canadian citizen who resides in or has invested in Costa Rica, Panama, or Nicaragua, I would greatly appreciate your participation in this survey. It will take about 10 - 15 minutes of your time to complete. I, Jennifer Pera, a graduate student at the University of Oregon, am administering this survey to gain an understanding of North Americans' experiences living in Central America and why they have chosen the relocation destinations they have.

Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. There are no foreseeable risks associated with this project. However, if you feel uncomfortable answering any questions, please feel free to skip them. You may withdraw from the survey at any point.

Your survey responses will be strictly confidential and data from this research will be reported only in the aggregate. No personal information is collected from you or tied to your responses.

If you have questions at any time about the survey or the procedures, you may contact Jennifer Pera at [email protected]. If you have questions regarding your rights as a research subject, contact the Office for Protection of Human Subjects, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, (541) 346-2510. This Office oversees the review of the research to protect your rights and is not involved with this study.

Thank you very much for your time and support. Please start with the survey now by clicking on the Continue button below.

Are you a citizen Citizen of

Canada

United States

Other

Where do you live or own property?

Panama

Nicaragua

Costa Rica

When did you move to ${piping_text}?

Where did you live prior to moving to ${piping_text}?

Did you consider moving to another country besides ${piping_text}? If so, which one(s)?

In what part of Panama, Costa Rica, or Nicaragua do you live? Feel free to be as general or specific as you choose.

Have you lived in any other country in Latin America?

Yes

In which country did you live? Please feel free to comment on why you left and chose to move to your current location.

What is your gender?

Female

Male

In what age range do you fall?

70 years or older

60 to 69 years

50 to 59 years

40 to 49 years

30 to 39 years

20 to 29 years

no comment

With whom did you move to Costa Rica, Panama, or Nicaragua?

Moved by yourself, with no one else

Moved with a spouse or partner

Moved with family, kids under 18

Moved with family (kids over 18) and/or friends

Please rate the importance of each of the following factors in your decision to move to Panama, Costa Rica or Nicaragua

	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important
Real estate prices	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Safety and Security	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Stable political climate	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Ease and/or cost of travel back to the U.S. or Canada	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Opportunities in area for leisure or recreational activities you enjoy	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Good school for children	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Employment or business opportunities	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Tax or investment incentives offered by the government	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Ease of gaining residency in the country	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Infrastructure and services available (includes transportation, stores, etc.)	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important
An English-speaking community or ease of getting by in area without knowing Spanish	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Friends/family living in the area	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Cost of living	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Environmental quality/attractiveness (natural landscape)	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

Health care costs / availability of health care	Critical / Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not important

What were some of the primary motives for your relocation to and/or investment in Costa Rica, Nicaragua or Panama?

Do you rent or own your place of residence?

Rent

Own

Which of the following did you buy?

House

Condo

Land

How much time do you spend at your home in Nicaragua, Costa Rica or Panama each year?

Less than 1 month a year

1 - 3 months a year

4 - 6 months a year

7 - 10 months a year

11 - 12 months a year

If you do not live in Costa Rica, Nicaragua or Panama year-round, where else do you live?

Are you retired?

Yes

Do you work or own a business in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, or Panama?

Yes

In what industry do you work or what type of business do you own?

What type of residency or visa status best describes your situation?

Tourist visa

Residency application pending

Legal resident

Citizen

No comment

Please rate the level of social integration between the local Panamanian, Tico, or Nicaraguan population and the foreign community in the area where you live

High integration

Average integration

Little integration

Please check the statements that best describe your experiences with the local Tico, Nicaraguan, or Panamanian population. Check as many as apply.

Interaction for business purposes (working with a lawyer, real estate agent, etc.)

Interaction in your own business (employing locals to work for you)

Social interaction (you have local friends you socialize with on a regular basis)

Interaction through community or volunteer work

Little to no interaction

Please choose the category that best describes the demographic make-up of the neighborhood where you live.

Predominantly other North Americans

Predominantly North Americans and Europeans

Mix of foreigners (North Americans, Latin Americans, Europeans, and/or others)

Mix of local (Panamanian, Tico, or Nicaraguan) residents and foreign residents

Very few foreigners, mostly local (Panamanian, Tico or Nicaraguan) residents

Please choose the category that best describes your level of Spanish

None

Limited (can communicate basic necessities but not carry on a conversation)

Conversational (can carry on a basic conversation)

Intermediate (can understand most things, speaking may be limited to more general topics, can communicate most needs)

Advanced (can easily understand Spanish and can communicate almost anything needed, including technical subjects)

Bilingual (grew up speaking both or have studied Spanish to a near-native fluency level)

While living in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, or Panama which of the following have you done to influence decision-makers in your community or to be involved in your community?

Voted in local or national elections

Supported local or national campaigns monetarily

Volunteered for a civic or community organization

Visited government offices to talk with local leaders about concerns

Communicated with U.S. or Canadian public officials (including Embassy personnel) about concerns

Involved in an expat group (like an Association of Residents or Democrats or Republicans Abroad)

Gave money to a non-governmental organization or group of businesses to get something accomplished (improvements to roads, schools, etc).

If you want, please comment more specifically on your involvement in community groups: what groups, length of time, leadership position, etc.

Do you vote in U.S. elections from abroad?

Yes

Please rate how difficult or easy it was to adapt to the culture in Costa Rica, Panama or Nicaragua

Difficult

Slightly difficult

Neither difficult nor easy

Fairly easy

Very easy

How challenging have the following factors been in your adaptation to life in Central America?

	Very Challenging	Challenging	Slightly Challenging	Not Challenging
Security and feeling safe	Very Challenging	Challenging	Slightly Challenging	Not Challenging

Language	Very Challenging	Challenging	Slightly Challenging	Not Challenging

Cultural differences including time, how things are done, etc.	Very Challenging	Challenging	Slightly Challenging	Not Challenging

Lack of infrastructure or planning	Very Challenging	Challenging	Slightly Challenging	Not Challenging

Political climate	Very Challenging	Challenging	Slightly Challenging	Not Challenging

Gender norms	Very Challenging	Challenging	Slightly Challenging	Not Challenging

Socio-economic stratification in society	Very Challenging	Challenging	Slightly Challenging	Not Challenging

Feeling like an "outsider" or being treated differently because you are a foreigner	Very Challenging	Challenging	Slightly Challenging	Not Challenging

If you want, please comment more specifically on some of the challenging aspects of adapting to life in Central America or list any factor not covered in the previous question.

Logistically how easy is it for North Americans to gain residency in Panama, Costa Rica, or Nicaragua?

Easy, no problems whatsoever

Fairly easy, only minor problems

Neither easy nor difficult

Fairly difficult, expect obstacles but nothing insurmountable

Difficult, must be prepared for many obstacles

No experience with residency process

Logistically how easy is it for North Americans to buy property in Panama, Costa Rica, or Nicaragua?

Easy, no problems whatsoever

Fairly easy, only minor problems

Neither easy nor difficult

Fairly difficult, expect obstacles but nothing insurmountable

Difficult, must be prepared for many obstacles

No experience with buying property

Compared to five years ago, how easy is it for North Americans to move to Panama, Nicaragua or Costa Rica?

Easier

About the same

More difficult

Not sure

What do you feel are some of the positive impacts North Americans or the foreign community in general have had or might have on the town where you reside or the country as a whole?

What do you feel are some of the negative impacts North Americans or the foreign community in general have had or might have on the town where you reside or the country as a whole?

How long do you expect to live in Panama, Costa Rica, or Nicaragua?

0-5 years

More than 5 years

Plan to stay here indefinitely

Not sure yet

Is there anything that would cause you to move from Costa Rica, Panama, or Nicaragua? If so, what?

Please share anything else you would like to add about your experiences living in Central America.

How did you find out about this survey?

From a friend

From an online listserve / yahoo group

From a newspaper article

From the researcher herself

From a group you are involved with (women's organization, association of residents, etc.)

Other

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