by Lisa Khajavi
Costa Rica is known for its special way of life and attitude known as pura vida, which literally translated means pure life. It’s a lot like “aloha” for Hawaii, because it has so many meanings. 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!”
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 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.
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’re not in Costa Rica! If there’s one phrase that captures the positive outlook of Costa Ricans, it would definitely be “pura vida”. I have a feeling this positive outlook on life is why Costa Rica was recently 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 we’ll take the honor, nonetheless. After all, there are so many destinations in the world to visit and only so much time to do it. So you might as well visit the happiest place on Earth. Sorry Disney. Pura Vida!
An independent British research group, the New Economics Foundation, ranks countries using the “Happy Planet Index.” 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 a high well being and and a low-carbon economy. 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. Costa Rica was the only Latin American Country in the top 20.
A Good Life is a Long Life
The life expectancy in Costa Rica is 77.5 years. For a developing country, that’s pretty impressive. An ongoing study of the world’s “Blue Zones” found the longest life expectancy anywhere in The Americas is right here in Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula. The team of scientists 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, 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 happily waiting for you.
