www.CostaRicaTicas.com

This article appeared in AM Costarica this morning and is something that anyone thinking of moving to CR should read.

I had heard that 70% of expatriates who settle in Costa Rica return home within the first two years. This article would seem to indicate that was on the high side but never the less a significant percentage get disenchanted and return home.

Three elements can bring on culture shock

By Ambika Chawla
Special to A.M. Costa Rica


Those planning to re-invent their lives in the tropical paradise of Costa Rica just might be in for a shock: culture shock.

Canadian anthropologist Kalvero Oberg coined the term culture shock in 1954 to describe the anxiety and feelings of disorientation experienced when people have to operate in an different cultural environment. That's when a person finds that the ways that things always have been done no longer work in a new culture. For example, the transportation, the money used, language, and even the sense of humor change when a person enters another country.

Visitors to Costa Rica are often struck with how familiar things appear on the surface, and upon this assumption many make plans to stay permanently. However, the unexpected trials and wide differences in cultural understanding often make adaptation processes much more difficult than previously expected.

According to Ryan Piercy, director of the Association of Residents of Costa Rica, “an expected 40- 50 percent of those planning to stay in Costa Rica go back. They cannot deal with the inefficiency. Or obtaining their residency takes anywhere from four to six months. They cannot adapt to the culture.”

Culture shock affects people differently according to the coping strategies each individual employs in order to successfully adapt. Expats who do manage to stay for a long time in Costa Rica do so because they possess patience and flexibility.

A cross section of expats who have lived in Costa Rica for varying lengths of time, in extensive interviews, cited three key cultural differences making life in Costa Rica particularly challenging. These include: different concepts of time, different notions of efficiency and differences in expressing language.

Cultural differences of time:

William Henry Pringle, originally from Canada, has lived in Costa Rica for 49 years and said he believes that he has never suffered from acute culture shock. However, he does continue to be bothered by what he views as a lack of punctuality on the part of Costa Ricans.

“The only thing that angers me is that my Costa Rican friends will say ´Yes, I'll come over Monday morning,´ but they never do," he said. "This bugs me, and it is quite common. Often they are not hours late — but days late — with no excuse- no phone calls – no apology.”

Eric Liljenstolpe, president of the Global Solutions Group, coordinates workshops and seminars on culture shock for business executives and university students who plan to stay in Costa Rica for extended periods. In his view, different cultures have different notions of time blocks.

“For North Americans, a person is considered late if he/she arrives 10 to 15 minutes after the scheduled time. For Latin Americans, a person is considered late if he/she arrives 30 minutes after the scheduled time,” he said. North Americans often begin to feel tension if a person arrives 15 minutes late, while Latin Americans begin to feel tension if a person arrives 30 minutes after the deadline, he added. Liljenstolpe said he believes that these differences in concepts of time often cause misunderstandings between Costa Ricans and North Americans.

Piercy of the Association of Residents has lived in Costa Rica for eight years. He said he believes that cultural differences in comprehending time can be attributed to the fact that Costa Ricans and North Americans place different value on time.

“In the U.S. time is money. In Costa Rica, time is gold. In Costa Rica, if you run into an old high school friend, you stop and talk and
ask how's the family . . . . Time is for you

'If you are going to take an international move seriously, take your preparation for culture shock seriously. People invest in learning about real estate, health care, transportation, and locations of great restaurants, but they often fail to invest in learning about the culture. This is a grave error because the majority of people who decide to go back home, don't do it because they couldn´t find a refrigerator or a car, they leave because they couldn't adjust to the culture.'

Differences in efficiency:

For new expats arriving to Costa Rica, one of the most frustrating obstacles is dealing with what they view to be a lack of efficiency. According to Carol Marujo, a psychologist and organic farmer who works in the rural community of Tulares, “For the first six months to one year, I kept thinking ´what am I doing wrong? I cannot get anything done. Why does it take six months to go to different offices in order to get medical insurance?”

She is just one of the many expats who has had to patiently weave their way through the country´s bureaucratic institutions.

Piercy said that in North America there is more efficiency, primarily in the services sector. This makes it particularly hard for North Americans to adapt to life in Costa Rica because they have grown accustomed to the speed and efficiency of services in their home country.

Differences in language:

Culture is embedded in language, and misunderstandings often arise due to the ways in which people of distinct cultures express and understand language content. According to Costa Rican psychologist Julietta Segura, “North Americans are more direct. In Costa Rica, we don't say things up front. It is part of our idiosyncrasy. It is considered bad manners.”

Misinterpretations therefore arise because Costa Ricans view their North American counterparts as “rude” while North Americans find Costa Ricans to be “indirect” or even “dishonest.”

Many expats feel that they have had to learn to decode what their Costa Rican work associates and friends are really trying to say. According to Marujo, it is not that Costa Ricans lie more, it is that they are trying to save face. In her words “Costa Ricans don't want to disappoint you. If they don't know the answer, they say to themselves 'I don't know but I want to give my best guess.'”

"You have to learn to listen carefully and read between the lines,” she said.

Benefits Outweigh Obstacles:

Despite the numerous challenges and obstacles which expats face in their new homeland, those who have stuck it out are convinced that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The country's strong democratic tradition, innovative environmental programs, museums and cultural activities, and cheaper living costs continue to make Costa Rica a popular destination spot, particularly for tourists and retirees.

According to Julie McKinney, a librarian in Escazú who has lived in Costa Rica for 30 years, “it is important for newcomers to remember that they are guests in someone's country. A lot here is wonderful and the wonderful outweighs the drawbacks.”

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

That's a good article.

For you CR residents.....
Do you agree with what was written here? Do any of you have a different take on living in CR? What would you (as residents) consider to be some of the most important aspects to consider, prior to moving to CR? Is the "Culture Shock" one of the biggest aspects?
Mucho Gusto

_________________
You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

From the article:



I would agree with that statement as well as the other benefit they left out I guess they want to be known as a family newspaper.

Yes it takes some adjusting to and accepting that there are differences in the way Ticos approach some things as opposed to the gringo way. I have become use to the "tico time" concept, the less than exemplary customer service, the maniacal driving and the other things that take a change in your attitude to accept.

I like the slower calmer way of life. The sense of "did not get it accomplished today? No problem, tomorrow will be okay or the next day or so", the friendliness of the people as opposed to the rudeness of the States, the smiles, the open air fruit and vegetable markets. the beautiful weather and scenery. The list of pros for me is endless.

In summation I am very content with my life in CR and glad I made the move. I will leave some day but unless it caused by a family or medical emergency it will be in a little urn.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Good article. I had figured as much.

I always felt CR was a nice place to visit on a regular basis, but I wouldn't want to live there.

Zebra

ID et al;
Well, I guess I have a lot of patience. In one month, I will mark the 2 year point and I have to tell you, I have no regrets.
I knew coming in that things would be different here but I've learned to adapt to thier way of doing things. I've found that even though you have look for it sometimes, they DO have a system and it usually works. Sure, I get frustrated with imigration and the like but I would guess that the system in the US is MUCH MORE complicated for imigrants wanting to move there.
Anyway, I like it and don't plan on moving back.
LVSteve

_________________
Just an old horney, fat gambler.

I have a lot of friends here in the states that are on "Tico Time". Guess I've gotten used to it by now.
What I haven't gotten used to, is that in asia, the Thais will often show up an 1/2 hour before their scheduled meeting. I think they like to stake out their territory.
Later, SB

The article was pretty right-on. The inefficiency a newcomer enounters is usually exacerbated (sp?) by the language barrier. I remember how proud I was that I was able to arrange ADSL through ICE all by myself IN SPANISH! It took several phone calls and a few visits, all things that would have been handled in the States in a few minutes, maybe.

Back in the States I got things done in a hurry, but found that there was nothing worth doing with all the time I saved. Oh, I could have gone SHOPPING of course. Or spent $100 to play a round of golf where I felt like throwing my clubs in the lake, or spent $75 on dinner. Or I could have gone out for a few beers in a bar where the women avoided eye contact with me in the fear that I might offer them a drink and then drive home alone after those 3 beers in mortal fear of being pulled over and arrested to the tune of $5000 in fines.

At any rate, I would love to take the best from both places but some things really can't exist together. I'd like to see less poverty here in CR, but the reason I have such a great 'social' life here is because of the poverty. If girls here (and from Colombia, etc) could get decent jobs there wouldn't be thousands in San Jose having sex with gringos like me for money. Beautiful girls less than half my age wouldn't find me any more attractive than the girls back home, would they? If jobs were plentiful and paid well, if everybody spoke English, my rent wouldn't be $300 a month, and haircuts wouldn't cost 3 dollars.

I wish the Ticos well but if they were to magically become just like Americans I would have to find another place to live for both economic and social reasons. North Americans who want tropical living and American culture should stick to Hawaii. If it's unaffordable for them, well, you can't have everything.

_________________
"The only normal people are those you don't know very well." Joe Ancis

Bilko,

Nice post. You made a lot of good points.

Zebra

I love this article... I think just knowing this kind of info going in could help you not be shocked by it... and I think I will fit right in, since I am a slacker myself... and I do also drive like a maniac

food and shelter and a laptop with a broadband connection...

and TICAS

I could live the rest of my life out with these simple things

_________________
check yourself before you wreck yourself

Bilko well said & I have said a million times about the best of both worlds but like you point out they can not coexist together & that is why I have both.

If a guy is not happy in the USA my guess is he will take his misery where ever he goes. Don't look for one place to solve your problems look at your self. Look at places to enjoy once you are happy then it is great.

Solamante
Sounds GOOD! But after a while one tends to need more.

_________________
"Run silent, run deep"
Spunk glazed Chicas are the building blocks of the universe!

Interesting correlation you brought up here ID. The Ticos all drive fast and work slow....so why are they in such a rush to get somewhere. To me two of the reasons people leave are actually pluses to living here. The inefficiency,and the lateness are all contrubuting to the stress free existence living here once you get used to it. You have to acclimate yourself to the style of life. In Costa Rica "No problem" is more than an expression...it's a way of life. Pura Vida......... and then there are the CHICAS!!!!! If 40-50% are leaving CR quickly,they haven't found the DR. lol

I suppose I'm trying to balance "the best of both worlds" by living in the U.S., and visiting Costa Rica for several months out of each year. It's easy and stress free to go to CR for a month at a time, get a nice monthly rate on a hotel that includes breakfast and maid service, get my fill of chicas and then return to the U.S. for awhile. It seems to work for me....although I'm considering spending a little more time in CR.

Zebra

Zebra,
It's good to hear your plan, as this is exactly what I'll be doing in the future.

I do not have the desire to live in CR full time, but I want the ability to have a 'dual residency' type of situation. I'd like to keep a home in the states, and have a nice home in CR also. This way, I could spend 6-8 weeks in CR at a time, then come home for a few weeks, and continue with that cycle. I don't want to give up all the 'amenities' that we have in the U.S., but I'd like to have the best of both worlds.

Psychologically, I think it'd be a little easier to put up with the 'down sides' to living in either place, because you'd never be in one place for an extended amount of time, and you'd always have something to look forward to. No se'....... I'm just rambling......!

Mucho Gusto

_________________
You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Ditto Zebra @ Mucho Gusto this is my plan. One more year in the states before I can do it. Also CR would be a good base to visit other Latin Countries. I hope to work only 6 months per year in the U.S. Retirement full time does not apeal to me.

MG and Bvt,

Yes, I think we have a good plan. Of course, it's a matter of personal preference, but I like to keep things as simple as possible......renting as opposed to owning........renting the chicas, renting the hotel room, etc., etc.... no complications, nothing to worry about when I'm not there. I also like the idea of having the freedom to "turn on a dime" if I should get tired of it and decide to go somewhere else like Thailand or Brazil.

But for now, Costa Rica works just fine for me......it serves all my needs.

Zebra