Culture evolves in all countries over time, and Costa Rica is no different. In fact I have noticed several commonalities in the country that can be understood by looking a little bit closer. For example, Costa Rica is a country with many different types of music which led me to wonder why a country where everyone recognizes as Ticos and seemingly shares common interest. The answer I found to this question is that a country with seven provinces is likely to have verging tastes and preferences across those regions, both of those changing over time.

Another concept I noticed rather quickly was the existence of “Tico Time”, which is essentially an accepted tardiness that most locals live by. After living in the US for so long, it’s difficult to imagine slowing down and doing things on my own time, but that’s just how the people of Costa Rica live. This phenomenon comes from the Ticos putting personal agenda and appreciation for the country’s beauty ahead of strict deadlines. Finally, I have learned that internet failure often accompanies the heavy storms of Costa Rica. I’ve seen tangled, poorly organized telephone wires compared to those in the US which led me to wonder why the government of Costa Rica doesn’t put more focus on fixing these failures. However, I believe this goes back to the laidback nature of the Ticos, who see losses of internet as minor inconveniences as opposed to the exaggerated US view of these incidences.