My time in Costa Rica taught me a lot about Costa Rican culture and how to engage with Ticos (Costa Rican citizens), particularly from a business perspective. They have a lot of the same soft skill principles as us Americans. These include timeliness, effective communication, and teamwork. Moreover, their expectations of human-to-human interaction are very similar to ours as well. These expectations include a firm handshake, good eye contact, and a warm smile.
One major difference I noted was the importance of certain industries in Costa Rica. Over there, tourism and agriculture are two prominent industries that are not as important in the States. As a tourist in Costa Rica, it was noteworthy to see how tourism drove a lot of the economy. Around many of the tourist attractions, you would see plenty of hotels, restaurants, transportation services, and small business shops. All of these help provide two things essential to the economy: job creation and revenue generation. As tourism grows in Costa Rica, so will the economy.
My time abroad changed my perspective on Costa Rica. Coming in, I expected that Costa Rica would be very corrupt and run down, similar to other third-world countries. However, when I got there, I realized the reality was contrary to my initial thought. For one, Costa Rica places a heavy emphasis on being environmentally friendly. One way that we saw this was through their eco-tourism spots. Places such as Toucan Rescue Ranch and Bogarin Trail showed us as students that protecting the environment is a high priority for their citizens, especially considering the way Americans abuse the environment and its resources here.
Expanding upon the environmental friendliness of Costa Rica, I also learned about how they prioritize renewable energy a lot more. They have made strides in using renewable energy sources such as hydropower, wind, geothermal, and solar sources. The country continues to strive to achieve 100% renewable energy.
Overall, my initial impressions of Costa Rica were not accurate. It is a country whose economy is growing, investment opportunities are increasing, and the tourism industry is thriving. Although considered a third-world country, they are doing well for themselves and continue to progress.