Costa Rica

Upon returning from my trip to Costa Rica I found that I had "reentry" culture shock. It was very subtle, but never the less present. I first noticed the difference between Costa Rica and the Untied States when I was driving away from the San Francisco airport. Where my fellow Americans were trying to kill me with their cars in the attempt to be the first to inch further ahead toward the freeway. This observation was the first to start my mind thinking about the funny little differences between the two cultures. The most, personally, important things I came away with where: how "human" the Costa Rican people treated each other; the difference in pace of life; and lastly, the landscape in the metropolitan areas (highways, cities and towns).

We were only in Costa Rica for a very short stay, nine days, so my theories are not in the least bit scientific by any stretch of the word. So this essay should be read with the mindset of "just a persons personal observations". I felt very welcomed from the time I stepped on Costa Rican soil till the time I returned home to the States. The Costa Rican people are very warm and caring as a culture. I would not call Costa Rica a "third world Country" but a developing Country.

Our Ecology Biology class was fortunate to dwell at both natural reserves:

Ecolodge San Luis and Biological Station (in the mountains), and San Miguel Biological Station (on the coast). Two of the most beautiful places Iπve ever seen! While at the San Luis site our class was treated like royalty. Both sites are nestled in little towns, where our class got to view how the localπs lived. The people of San Luis had no strip malls filled with bagels, frozen yogurt, videos, and nail shops. Or ≥urban assault≤ vehicles to drive while sipping Starbuckπs coffee while talking on their cell phones, nor did these they make a combined income of over hundred thousand dollars annual; yet these people seemed to be strangely satisfied. How could this be? This was in direct conflict with very thing Iπve been taught (more is better) to strive for. Owning those things will lead you to happiness, didnπ t everyone know that? The locals I saw lived happily as ≥humans≤. They didnπt scurry around hurrying to some other worthless task; instead they took the time to enjoy the family and friends around them. Some even had their children play near by while they worked at a moderate pace. These people didnπt define themselves by what they did for a living, but how they fit into their community. It seemed to me that the most important thing to them was the on going personal interactions with each other. These people who maybe had a duel income of ten thousand dollars, were wealthier than the majority of us in the States.

On time is when you got there, that is what appeared to the mantra of the region. If Costa Ricanπs were rushing about I didnπt notice it. When driving (which we did a lot of) the other motorists seemed in no more than a hurry then we were. Our class had to be on ferries or at different locations where a schedule had to be adhered too but our divers never seem to be in a hurry. On the freeways (two lane road) drivers would continuously pass each other but they did it courteously. When a passing driver honked and went around another driver, the driver that was passed did not take it personally. What happen was the car being passed waved as the passing car came around, as if to say, ≥thanks for letting know what you wanted.≤ I canπt imagine that happening on a regular bases here in the United States. The ≥fast food≤ lifestyle of: I want it ten minutes ago or me first and only, hasnπt seemed to hit Costa Ricanπs yet. I hope they are spared.

Something always seemed ≥off≤ about Costa Rica. I didnπt realize it until I arrived home. The absence of the neatly landscaped median barriers separating cars the on city streets started me thinking. No neatly trimmed hedges bordering around businesses. No crisply edged lines in neighborsπ lawns. The absents of wide gleaming parking lots with neatly placed segregation lines, keeping cars from becoming to friendly with one another. However, that neatness was present in the Montverde cloud forest with the tidy trails guiding you to the next exotic encounter. I guess the tourist dollar is followed by neatness. The point Iπm trying to make is that Americans seem to what to control nature with the backyard notion, tidy and managed. The citizens of Costa Rica just let it nature be. In summary, what I have learned is every place, regardless of its spot on the planet, has to been preserved and cared for. I suppose that my new insight is the essence of what ecology teaches. That everything is important. Each organism, plant and animal is a small building block to its å delicate whole. With pieces of the ecosystem missing, which puts a strain on the whole, or what happens is that part of that ecosystem ceases to be. American is a just a small part, not the biggest or most important but, one section of many components of natural ecology. We must as a nation, come to realize that we are treading too heavily on the earth. Every nation and people have something to offer, as an American, I think we as a group of average people tend to think of ourselves as the absolute rulers. The thought being that we are the most powerful nation so we can do anything I think skews our view of other nations customs. The best things we as a planet can do is to listen to one another and teach conservation to all generation.