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Costa Rica culture: happy, relaxed and artistic, pure life!

Culture in Costa Rica seduces many tourists into staying permanently, and the ranks of expats that settle in this wonderful country grow each year. What is so special about the culture of Costa Rica?

The “ticos”, as Costa Ricans are affectionately called, have a beloved saying: “Pura Vida”, meaning pure life. This saying expresses the essence of Costa Rica culture: used as a greeting, question, answer and qualifier, “pura vida” means good, great, feeling relaxed and happy. The culture of Costa Rica is all about feeling good and making others feel good too.

Because of its particular history, Costa Rica culture has always been an inclusive, homogeneous one – there is not a stark difference between social classes, and all Ticos to a man enjoy similar pastimes (soccer, horse shows, dancing, going to the beach), foods (chicharrones, casados, empanadas) and drinks (Imperial beer and Cacique schnapps). The culture of Costa Rica is easy going and relaxed, which in the business world may translate in lateness, commitments not being kept and deadlines being thoroughly ignored – but hey, “pura vida, man”, this is Costa Rica culture! Chill and enjoy yourself!

Here are some basic points to keep in mind when trying to immerse yourself in Costa Rican culture:

  • Ticos hate confrontation and are terrible at saying no. This means you may find yourself occasionally stood up socially or facing a non-delivery at work. Don’t take it personally – it’s just the culture of Costa Rica.
  • Ticos love making new friends, and they will invite you to their house at the first opportunity. They do mean it, and if you go you will be earning their affection (and their entire family’s!).
  • A fun fact about Costa Rican culture: if you go into a house, you will be offered food, and “no” will not be taken for an answer. It doesn’t matter if you just ate, you’re on a diet, you’re afraid of trying new foods or you’re fasting for Lent – a Costa Rican hostess worth her salt will feed her guests or die trying.
  • Culture in Costa Rica is popular and all over: you will find a singer, a painter or a sculptor in the unlikeliest places. Make the most of those brushes with artists – their hearts are in the right place, and many of them are in fact very talented!
  • Because of its agrarian history, horse culture in Costa Rica is a rather big deal, with horse parades (known as “topes”) and bull fights (bloodless, mostly) being massively attended and enjoyed events. If you have a chance to go to one, don’t miss it: even if you don’t care about the horses, the atmosphere will win you over, like most things in Costa Rican culture.

Living the Pure Life in Costa Rica

Nov 05, 2015
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Pura Vida is one of the most common terms that you will hear when visiting or staying in Costa Rica, but its connotation is not relegated to one meaning. How to use Pura Vida? Pura Vida is used in a variety of situations. It can be a greeting, or it can be an answer to a...   [ Read More → ]

The Guatil Pottery Village of Guanacaste

Aug 25, 2015
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Table of Contents A Village in Guanacaste Visiting the Village Guatil Pottery of Costa Rica A Cultural Tour Instead Many of the tours of Costa Rica focus on adventures, the natural beauty of the country and its wildlife, but the Guatil Pottery Village focuses on the arts of the...   [ Read More → ]

Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica: 10 Best Ceilings Around The World

Jun 01, 2015
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The National Theater in Costa Rica was recently recognized for the beauty of its most famous painting (Alegoría al Café y Banano) in an article from USA Today. The National Theater found itself on a list the likes of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City and the Strahov Monastery in...   [ Read More → ]

Memorial Day in Costa Rica

May 25, 2015
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Expatriates from the United States, relatives and others gather today in Costa Rica to pay homage to those that have given their lives in service to the United States of America. It may seem strange to some that expats still honor Memorial Day in Costa Rica, but many living here...   [ Read More → ]

The International Festival of the Arts in Costa Rica

Apr 28, 2015
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The past weekend saw artists, musicians and thespians from around the world converge on a number of locations in Costa Rica for the beginning of the International Arts Festival. The Festival Internacional de las Artes 2015 is taking place from the 23rd of April, 2015, to the 3rd...   [ Read More → ]
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