by Lisa Khajavi
Costa Rica is known for a special way of life and attitude known as pura vida, which literally translated means pure life. This phrase is similar to aloha from Hawaii as it has various meanings and people use it in greeting, parting, and in many other situations. When someone says hello and asks how you are, the response is often pura vida, or loosely translated I am well or life is good. In a situation where something unfortunate happens it is used as well. A response to a flat tire might be pura vida meant like oh well, no worries or that’s ok, life is still good! Also when something fortunate happens you will hear pura vida; as a response to a person being congratulated on a new job for example. There are so many examples of this expression used in daily life, another meaning being good living or living well referring to quality of life. There are many other Costa Rican expressions that relay that the glass is definitely half-full. Por dicha is very common here, literally translated as for, or by bliss. The phrase is more easily understood when translated as luckily or thankfully. How have you been? Como le ha ido? Well, thankfully. Bien, por dicha. I appreciate the use of dicha (bliss) instead of suerte (luck). We could all use a little more bliss in our lives, I imagine. If you don’t hear por dicha at least 10 times a day, than either you are all by yourself with other foreigners, or you are not in Costa Rica! If I had to take into account all the many factors influencing Costa Rican life, and condense it and choose one saying that would to relay the unique attitude and feel of Costa Ricans, it would definitely be pura vida. I have a feeling this attitude toward life is one of the key reasons why Costa Rica has recently been named the “world’s happiest nation” by an independent British research group. We don’t need a survey to tell us what the optimism and warmth of the locals, happy tourists and contented expats already know, but it is interesting to hear and think about. After all, there are so many possible destinations in the world to visit and only so much time to do it, so might as well visit a happy place is how I see it.
CNN reported not long ago about a relatively new independent British research group, the New Economics Foundation, that ranks nations using the “Happy Planet Index” with the goal to create a new economy centered on people and the environment. The index seeks to identify the countries with the most content people that also are trying to improve their ecological footprint by managing their use of natural resources. In other words to be a high-well being and low-carbon economy. The criteria used includes how people rank themselves in life satisfaction, as well as other factors including life expectancy and the ecological footprint of the country. The most recent report from the NEF lists Costa Rica as “the greenest and happiest” country on the planet. Another article by the San Francisco Examiner Travel News using data from UNESCO, the WHO, the Veenhoven Database of World Happiness, and the United Nations Development Program, found Costa Rica to be the 13th happiest place in the world. This is impressive since the criteria for this ranking included good health care, higher GDP per capita, and access to education. Furthermore, Costa Rica was the only Latin American Country in the top 20.
Another really interesting point is life expectancy in Costa Rica. The life expectancy for the total population is 77.5 years of age. For a developing nation, this is impressive and is intertwined with the reports and studies on happiness and contentedness. Additionally, an ongoing study of the world’s “Blue Zones” headed by Dan Buettner and his colleagues, found the longest life expectancy pocket of the Americas to be right here in Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula. Buettner leads teams of scientists to study pockets around the world where people live the longest, healthiest lives. These are called the Blue Zones. The Blue Zones of the world have factors in common: positive attitudes of the people in the community, grateful and appreciative approach to life, focus on family, a sense of purpose, active lifestyles with physical work, plant based diets with locally acquired food, etc. I can’t help but think about pura vida when I hear this! Come experience the good life, the pure life, in Costa Rica- we’re waiting for you!
Bliss in Costa Rica -
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
by Lisa Khajavi
