Costa Rica is a beautiful country, and it is definitely not Texas so when thinking about operating a business it is different too. What most surprised me was all of the steps you have to go through to open a business and especially the amount that goes to taxes and social security. Social Security is over 20% alone! Plus, taxes are added to that cost. That is unheard of in the United States, but given the amount of care employees receive, it seems well worth it despite the cost to the employer.
Going into this program I really thought Costa Rica would be a lot like Mexico. I figured that because both are Spanish-speaking countries and Costa Rica is in Central America, things would be super affordable. It is surprisingly not. Most businesses had prices for items in US Dollars. Even though it was considered lower priced for the states, a good meal would still cost around $10-$20.
Previously I had no idea how much tourism played a factor in the country?s GDP. In total it is almost 80%, which can explain why things are priced high. Along with the high and low seasons affecting cost. In January it was considered the high season due to it being summer and more tourism. I also noticed that chips and salsa were not offered as appetizers in restaurants, and instead, we had fried plantains and rice and beans almost every day. This made me appreciate my Mexican background because we take our chips and salsa for granted in Texas as well as spicy food too.
In regards to the environment prior to the trip I only knew that exotic birds lived in Costa Rica. With eco-tourism, I learned a lot. The small trips we took to the Toucan Rescue Ranch and the Rain Forest Walk opened my eyes to see how Costa Rica makes the bulk of its money. I think strategy-wise it?s pretty smart because by using eco-tourism it?s a win-win situation. Costa Rica business owners are making money and helping the environment at the same time. On the consumer perspective in Texas we don?t have a rainforest nearby, so it?s pretty cool going to one. Seeing toucans, sloths, and lizards in a zoo in the states to their real environment was a huge difference. The animals seemed happier. Learning about all of the efforts going into animal and forest regrowth made me wish the United States did more because Costa Rica is setting a good example. I had a lot of fun on this study abroad trip and it made me appreciate nature and business and how when combined can make a country successful.
