Through my study abroad experience this past winter break, I learned a lot about Costa Rican business and culture. We visited various businesses in Costa Rica, such as a coffee company, a zipline tour business, and a nonprofit animal sanctuary. We learned about how they conduct business in Costa Rica and the differences compared to the United States. A key theme throughout most of our company visits was sustainability since that is a major part of their culture.
Our group stayed with host families while we were there, which helped us experience more of the day-to-day life, as well as practice speaking Spanish with the families. One impression I had coming into this program was that in general, Costa Rica would be cheaper like a lot of other Latin American countries. However, this isn’t true, and it’s in part due to their high employment taxes that raise the country’s standard of living. This makes it more difficult for businesses to hire more people and grow faster. Something I found interesting about Costa Rica is that they have a classification for small and medium-sized businesses called PYMEs. They get certain tax benefits that the larger corporations don’t, as well as preferential treatment by the government.
The time I have spent abroad has shifted my perspective to a more global mindset. The way people conduct business is different all over the world, and it’s important to understand some of those differences. Costa Rica places a lot of emphasis on sustainability, with some of the few tax deductions available going towards having environmentally friendly business practices. A major difference between the two countries is the amount of taxes that businesses have to pay. In Costa Rica, it is much higher than in the United States. This affects foreign investment in Costa Rica, but it does allow them to provide free healthcare to all of their citizens.
Overall, I have really enjoyed my time on this study abroad trip. I have learned different skills that will aid me in my future career, like improved interpersonal skills, as well as a more global-thinking perspective.
