After another day in Costa Rica, I have learned more about the culture here and some unique challenges certain people face. Costa Rican, like many Latin American countries, has a very diverse culture that is influenced by the original indigenous groups that lived here, the Spanish that colonized the area, and Africans that were brought to the Western Hemisphere as a consequence of the slave trade. While all these groups influence the culture of Costa Rica, the prevalence of certain influences varies across the country. In the Eastern province of Limón, afro-Caribbean influence is much more prominent than it is in the Central Valley area around San Jose. For example, my host mother told us that reggaeton music, while fairly popular throughout Costa Rica, is especially popular around Puerto Limón. The Guanacaste province also varies in culture from the rest of Costa Rica, in part because it belonged to Nicaragua before being ceded to Costa Rica in the 1820s. Despite its diverse culture, Costa Rica appears to be a cohesive and united nation thanks to a shared love of country between all types of ticos and pride in the country’s history of prioritizing education and social programs. 

Costa Rica has a fairly strong economy, especially compared to its Central American neighbors, but my host mother explained that this does not necessarily mean that it is easy to find work, especially for people that are above a certain age. She explained to us that employment opportunities are limited, partially because the population of Costa Rica is so small at just over five million people. When she had visited the United States to see her daughter in Arkansas, she was surprised to see the number of stores that had signs announcing that they were hiring. She emphasized that many employers in Costa Rica have a preference for younger employees, which makes it more difficult for people above the age of fifty to find work. I was somewhat surprised to hear this, because in my walks around Heredia I had noticed a lack of homeless people relative to some of the cities in the US I am familiar with. My observation could be completely anecdotal and not reflect any larger trends, but it would make sense that the strong family values and government funded social programs in Costa Rica create a strong social safety net that prevents many people from having to live out on the streets. 

I am looking forward to developing a deeper understanding of the culture, economy, and people of Costa Rica throughout this week and next!