Samara Beach: “Pura Vida” in Word and Deed

What is "Pura Vida"?

Linguistically, the translation of Costa Rica’s universal “Pura Vida” motto is elastic.  The literal meaning of “Pure Life” can be expanded to cover just about anything that’s affirmative, from “good luck”, to “well done”, to ”you are right”...

Practically, this intangible ethic produces a quality of life that is measurably better in all sorts of ways:  life expectancy, bio diversity, drinkable tap water, stable democracy, incomes, income inequality, lack of violence, literacy, transparency etc.

 Heck, even the national soccer team punches way above its weight!  At the risk of picking the scab on my tender English sensibilities, I went to the trouble of reminding myself how England played in the 2014 World Cup.  After losing to Italy, and after losing to Uruguay, the "Three Lions" finally won a point with a goalless draw against Costa Rica.  By contrast, Los Ticos got all the way to the quarter finals, courtesy of a miserly defence that only conceded two goals over the whole tournament.  In fact, if they had won the penalty shoot out versus the Netherlands, there is no guarantee that they would not, in turn, have beaten a rather underwhelming Argentina team that somehow staggered through to the final.  What might have been!  Not bad for a Latin American country of five million people.

No guns, no gangs, no garbage, no gringo hunting peddlers

We have not experienced any of the trade offs people associate with a Mexican vacation.  There are no trucks filled with soldiers armed to the teeth, driving up and down a tourist beach.  You are not fending off peddlers every five minutes.  The garbage is sorted and disposed of.

Maybe it's because of the never ending Euro crisis, but things are a little different in Southern Europe.  We took this picture in Corfu last year, but it could just as easily have been taken in Sicily.

The local Spanish Language School gets the Swiss seal of approval

Here is the link to the local Spanish language school – https://www.interculturacostarica.com/samara-beach .  

Some of the largest Swiss educational travel agents are big supporters of the school.  Michele can testify that there is a reason why so many Swiss people head for this tiny beach resort to learn Spanish.  As a veteran of many language schools, she has never come across a place so well organized and with such good facilities.  It doesn’t hurt that it’s smack on the beach and that its classrooms are air conditioned.

Having this school is a big win for the Samara economy.  It is a particular boost for single women who can now earn an income as "Tica Mama" home stay hostesses.  The deal is that for a very reasonable price, students get board, lodging and language practice in somewhat rustic (i.e. hot) accommodation.

The resulting cultural encounters give rise to many stories.  The other day one, of our friends was politely asked to leave the house for a couple of hours by a stately, "traditionally built" woman.  The reason?  She was expecting a visit from her "lover".

Another time a student tried to use the micro wave oven, only to discover that it was "roto" (broken).  Asked why the microwave was still taking up space in the cramped kitchen, the hostess explained that the appliance was a great place to store dishes. 

This road smells tasty!

Despite the luxuriant jungle setting, Samara enjoys a desert climate at this time of year.  Consequently any dirt roads are naturally dusty.  Normally people would use oil, if they wanted to keep the dust down.  Here they use molasses.

Walking the talk on Climate Change

When it comes to acting on climate change, the country sets a high bar.

The country's electric utility also provides cell phone coverage.  We had to go to their offices  in order to fix our cell phones.  This poster was on the wall:

Using my admittedly dodgy Spanish, the poster reads as follows:

More than 90% of the country’s electricity comes from renewable sources.  Use electricity efficiently, so that the country does not have to rely for extra electricity on fossil fuels which cause global warming.

Just in case this all sounds too good to be true, I should also point out that we've experienced the occasional three or four hour black out in both cell phone coverage and electricity.

I guess it would also be churlish to point out that most of the nearly three million annual visitors a year, get here by plane.

Good Food, Good People

The Fruteria

Samara does not have a haggling culture.  Everywhere you go, the water from a refrigerated coconut costs you 500 Colones or one US Dollar.  We could buy it anywhere, but we prefer to go to our favorite “Fruteria”.

The young family working there, always have a smile.  After you have drunk from the coconut, they are happy to chop it up so that you can eat the pulp.  There is no thought of a tip (honestly!)  You can also walk out of there with an armful of produce, for less than US$10.

Linguist by day, baker by night

Here is a picture that Michele took of me and Celia.  Celia makes a living selling baked goods off the back of her bicycle.

The success of her business is attributable to the mixture of an effusive personality and incredible linguistic versatility.  Within five minutes, we heard her converse fluently in Spanish, German, French and English.  She was born in the Soviet Union.  Her parents returned to Angola when the Iron Curtain came down.  They later moved to Portugal, then Spain, and finally ended up in Switzerland.

One tough Canadian "Mujer"

Over the last seven years, Joannie has built up "La Princesa" into the dominant bakery at this end of town.

Incidentally, the business is for sale for US$69,000:

As you can see, Joanni is Canadian and proud of it.  Her business might be called La Princesa, but she ain't no princess.  The subject of travelling, as a single woman, in a Muslim country came up.  Her worst experience was having to skip town in Morocco, after "kicking the shit" out of a local guy, who had hoped to molest her.

What happens when good looking young “Gringas” meet magnetic Tico men?

You get a pre-school that is a wonderful fusion of both cultures.  Here is a promotional poster for a great fund raiser concert, that was held the other day:

One of the school’s murals:

PS:  as an ever anxious Dad of two daughters, I am not necessarily recommending this life choice.  Just saying!