Pura Vida in the Rearview: Conclusions

So,  as many of you know, one of our reasons for an extended visit to Costa Rica is tied to our ongoing search for “the” (or at least “A”) place to land once we finish our Bluebird nomadancy [sic].  I have been curious about the expat experience (as a substitute for the stress and anxiety in the USA at the moment), and Costa Rica is often mentioned as being very expat-friendly and totally stress free. Could this be the kind of place where we might choose to end up? 

What are our conclusions, now that we have been all around the country for an extended period?

First a caveat…these are mostly my opinions…ones Liz may or may not fully or even partly agree with.   Liz DID discover a unique and beneficial “rule” she (and we!) can use to evaluate all future Expat-opportunities…more on that. Below.  Anyway,  some of these opinions of mine may sound political,  but I assure you, they are not.  Somewhere along the way,  politics lost its way.  Politics has become a way to divide the population into competitive tribes, instead of a means to act for the common good.  So,  I guess by realizing and exposing this, and the alternatives we are seeking/witnessing, this post IS political.  But only in the best way.

As we are about to return to the US, we cannot help but notice that the sh*tshow at home has gotten even more strange and sh*tty than the one that caused us to bark up the expat tree.  Yep, we will soon return to a place that is actively bombing innocent civilians in other countries,  with rising gas prices, rampant gun crime, repressive education strategies, warrantless police actions carried out by masked bandits, violent political “discussion” between thoroughly polarized, consensus-free neighbors, healthcare that ranks WAY behind the rest of the first world and even places like Cuba (which appears to be next on our war-mongering agenda), increasingly inaccessible and unaffordable housing, rising prices for everyday necessities, anti-religious and antisemitic rhetoric and policies, and…the list goes on and on.  Making me,  for the first time, wonder why we returning. Which means leaving a place where the population insisted on eliminating their army way back in 1948, spending all the money they saved on Education and Healthcare. Where the commonly used phrase, “Pura Vida” seems NOT to be a marketing effort by the chamber of commerce, but real, heartfelt intention. 

What about “Pura Vida.”  Directly translated, it means “Pure” or “Simple” Life.  But it is used to mean many things, here.  For example, if you ask someone how they are,  they might answer “Pura Vida,” and they mean truly copacetic.  If the bus is late or the A/C is broken, someone might say, Pura Vida, and they mean that being upset won’t fix it, and it’s all A-OK in the cosmic scheme of things.  A lazy afternoon at the beach? Pura Vida!  An excellent meal at a restaurant? Pura Vida! I think it is really a Zen-Like acknowledgement of what is (and is not) important in life!  Pura Vida means “Thank You.” And “Of Course!” And it seems very central to how things are and work in Costa Rica.   If you really think about and LIVE Pura Vida,  its hard to be (or stay) upset about things.  Pura Vida is good for the blood pressure, at the very least!

But, after the Pura Vida, there comes the reality of Costa Rican Life.  And, I can say that there is a lot to like, but also a lot to deal with.  The weather is warm.  Dry at the moment, but not always so.  The beaches are gr8.  There are a variety of other climates one could ”choose” (or visit) within a short distance. There is good access to food, hardware, housing, public and affordable transportation.  Water is sanitary and drinkable straight from the tap. There is an international airport with direct and reasonable access to the US and elsewhere. The people are universally friendly. 

Here is a characteristic that I took note of: There is UNBELIEVABLE Internet Access. This is not a technogeek thing… The government has decided that highspeed internet is important for an educated and informed population, and is therefore a national resource, and it is truly available everywhere.  Every single restaurant has free Wifi, every AirBNB…even in tiny, remote Paquera, had it.  And, really high-speed, too.   Between policies and vision like this and universal education and healthcare, there is a reason that Costa Rica is NOT a stereotypical impoverished, central American country, but rather a country with a significant economic engine and first-world aspirations.   The leading industry by GDP: Medical Devices.  The tech sector is lively, tourism (obviously) brings in lots of capital and jobs, etc  And then there is the coffee!!  .  There are places that look threadbare, but I think (and it is backed up statistically) there is sustainable income, housing, healthcare and living standards here.  Things that we have seen many communities in many US States struggle with.

I would say overall,  CR has at least “effective” Infrastructure.  As mentioned, Reliable power, sanitary water. Internet. Accessible food (groceries).  Perhaps the best example is the public (really semi-public) transport system.  It’s “old school…” There are buses to and from almost everywhere.  They may not all be air conditioned, but they are inexpensive and reliable.  We did not have a car for our entire stay here, and though we occasionally hired a car (or used UBER, which is super-cheap in cities of any size), we often took the bus.  This works because Costa Rica is small, but it definitely works.

Being honest, tho,  things aren’t all “Pura Vida” here.  First,  it is NOT inexpensive to live here.  Some of that is, I suppose, because we visited many areas where expats live, such as Jacó, where housing, food, restaurant and entertainment prices seem on a par with many places in the US.  Most manufactured goods are shipped here, so that adds a layer of expense.  But,  there are MANY brands from Korea and China that we don’t have in the US,  and that do offer cost-effective options.  For example BYD (Chinese) Electric Vehicles are available…not sold in the US and WAY cheaper than the ones that are.  The cost of living is certainly less in areas away from expat centers, but not orders of magnitude less.

We also found that generally, CR is lacking amenities we assume and rely on.  It IS definitely Rough around the edges.  For example,  Hot water is not a base standard at all (though clean water is). Liz could not find enough Yarn Stores.   A lot of places, buses, cars, etc. are not Air Conditioned in a tropical climate.  Sidewalks are often not present, or when they are, they are quite uneven.  We noticed an effort to provide handicap ramps on sidewalks,  but often these led into ruts so deep a wheelchair would never escape.   Many roads are paved, but many are not.  Getting around takes a lot longer than the distances would suggest, because roads are not great. But, it is also true that  being “not great” is a matter of perspective! You CAN get around, just not quickly and for not a lot of $$$. Pura Vida!

In fact, the amenity situation in CR has led us to discover a VERY SIGNIFICANT thing that we can use to pre-screen any future domicile decisions home or abroad… It’s actually more about us than Costa Rica, and it’s dumb,  but I guess so are we!   You cannot flush TP anywhere in Costa Rica…the sewage/sanitary systems just can’t handle it!

Discovering this will help quickly ascertain if a place could suit us for fulltime living: Let’s call it “The Flush Standard!”   If you can’t, it won’t. 

So,  our conclusion after almost 2 fantastic months here: Costa Rica is a GREAT place to visit…even for an extended visit.  It ticks a lot of boxes…especially the Pura Vida attitude.  But it is NOT a place we can commit to for the long term, full time. At least for us.  We’ll be leaving on Monday 16 Mar. and I doubt we’ll be back…not because we didn’t enjoy our stay,  but because there are many other places we want to see.