First, let’s get something clear. My job is to be the “devil’s advocate” and secondly to publish contrarian views that just might change a fixed mind set of Costa Rica.
No question that we have an amazing amount of natural beauty. However, we also have significant challenges for those of us who live in this country. It is similar to something like Puerto Vallarta or Mazatlan of Mexico: there are the tourists, the retirees who order Corona while sitting in the warm sun along the beach front in January and the thousands of people who economically suffer each day just to feed their families within that same community, however conveniently hidden from the eyes of vacationers.
Why is Costa Rica any different? Well, it is not!
We have in each foreign tourist sector of Costa Rica visitors who only see happy faces, local dancers in colorful costumes and tropical animals that just love to perform for tips and bananas. And so goes the drink as well as food which are not at all national.
We tend to feed off Craigslist, a firm with, at last count, only had 19 employees, that posts for sale or to purchase everything from condos to women. But this also is not Costa Rica.
We have a profound culture and history which has given way to pineapples, prostitution, fishing and the newest delight; adventurism (whatever and the hell that means.)
Give me a foreigner and I will introduce them to the beaches, to the wildlife, to the forests, to the rain, the museums, the art, the sun and to other Ticos who proudly will share their life experiences over a good cup of coffee.
Remember, the national sport of Costa Rica is not soccer but rather “politics.”
How we love to vehemently argue our views! From the locals to the taxi drivers you can expect a profound, emotional perspective that might invoke Jesus on how the country should be managed. (Some times in Spanish but a lot in broken English. They really hope you might understand, but it is sort of a national duty for them to express their convictions.)
The “all inclusive resort/ hotel” travel experience is safe and readily obtainable but it does not represent, in any form, our Costa Rica.
We are the people, we are the land, we are the trees and wonderful experiences for tourists to visit first hand life in the tropics from the intense afternoon rain to the boiling sun and soft nights of eat and drink. Imagine the two oceans (Pacific and Atlantic) and thousands of rivers, fauna and animals all in such a small space of land? (Perhaps enjoy our nation in candlelight since the electricity and water might drop off the grid.)
This is what we are what we are for you and nothing more or less. What we are is proud and we feel at home with the seemingly weird anomalies of the tropics and we hope foreign tourists will feel the same after their “too short” visit.
But tourist, please do not forget those who call Costa Rica home and serve you because while we are the first line to self criticize and the first to struggle to earn a living, yet we will not complain at all and need your help.
We depend on you, very much.
Well said! There is a much needed blend between Disneyland and the true CR lifestyle. One is a “show” for foreigners, the other is the reality. I once saw a hotel training video of poolside bartenders and on the beach they taught workers how to smile and say those all important words, “Yes,” followed by “Pura Vida.” The same person probably goes home after his/her shift to a place without running water, a communal toilet and buys a bunch of tortillas and beans to feed his wife and kids. Maybe, on weekends when the tips are good, a small portion of protein of fish or cholesterol ridden “chorizo” . Hey! How about a tour of reality that reflects the lives of tourism staffers of the farms, the slums in Costa Rica and even less attractive, those in Mexico. What a great tour of reality!!!!
Billtico.. ignorant comment.. as if this point of view is just costa rica.. ALL places have the same issues with vary degree’s.. I mean for godsake..
growing up in NYC catering to tourist.. with sinatras NY NY song.. all the same.
with any tourist market.
there is no blend needed because people do not want to hear the truth on vacation.. does this make sense??
personally I wish all the american expats and your predefined ideas of how things should be..would just get the heck out of costa rica and go soil other country’s with your propaganda.
but again this is also not reality. 🙁
“Profound history???” Hardly. Cuba Colombia and others have deep (profound/lengthy) history – Costa Rica culture is rather new and considering international history and culture, it’s fairly insignificant – that is until now. The ironic thing is what Costa Rica has culturally is needed now – and more than ever – and as globalism eats more than its daily minimum requirements of cultural differences only to excrete cultural materialism as the norm that bonds us – what we have in shrinking amounts is exactly what the world needs more than ever…
National sport is arguing politics – hardly Juanito. You are obviously not Tico and do not understand the culture. Big fat zero on that one.
yeak Juany – tourist want to escape their western culture of 50-60 hours using their left brain consistently to deal with what you think Ticos need (more money and more electrodomesticos)? You are a victim of the material culture you rail against – your POV is severely conflicted. What do you think, tourist are part Pope and part Bill Gates descending on CR to rescue the Ticos? That is the confused ideas that have polluted us. We don’t need the tourist’s values. We know what is important much more than they do – and by what you write much more than you do as well. Actually what we give to them is the security of knowing that people can be humble yet happy – and that we don’t need to devour the earth’s resources for X-boxes and fancy refrigerators. Who are you to speak for us Ticos anyways? I don’t welcome your POV as representing our national treasure, which is Humility and Tolerance, We are happy being who we are – not who you think we should be. You need to get a grip. If one is not part of the solution he is part of the problem. You my friend obviously don’t know whose side you are on – or do you????
BTW _ we don’t see our reality and culture as “Wierd anomalies of the tropics” only forigners do. That should tell you something – as in “until you understand Tico culture don’t crusade for what you don’t understand.” Your pompous sophomoric dribble in this article is shameful. Devil’s advocate? ha! gringo culture advocate is more like it.