Studying abroad in Costa Rica has reshaped my perspective on business, relationships, and what long-term success truly entails. While my first impressions centered on the pura vida lifestyle, spending more time immersed in Costa Rican culture revealed deeper contrasts between how business is done here versus in the United States, especially in workplace culture, communication, and relationship-building.
I noticed that relationships definitely come first in Costa Rica, however, I do feel like there could be use in gaining more influence from American methods. Many times, we would pretty much ignore timeliness issues in order not to cause trouble, as that is more the norm there. I realized a balance between American and Costa Rican culture would become the ideal, but it might be difficult to make this change, considering everything revolves around Pura Vida.
One thing I did appreciate about the fact that relationships are so important was that the host families were so incredibly welcoming. My host mom was incredibly patient when it came to what foods I would and would not eat. I also got to meet other students’ host moms, and they still treated me with the same respect and kindness.
Staying with a host family added immense value to my experience because I grew closer to them every day. We would discuss deeper topics every time we sat and talked with each other during dinner. My roommate did not know Spanish as well as I did, but we still managed to include everyone in every conversation and have a great time with each other. Having a good relationship with them also meant they gave me more in-depth knowledge about the city that I would not have found out on my own.
As we visited new companies like Sibo Chocolate and Cafe Britt, I continued to see patterns in their business models, which focused on storytelling and ethics instead of strictly on profit. Seeing the success of these companies that still maintain their core values proves that the same can be done in America.
Going forward, I have realized that maintaining a balance between profit and values can be a strength, not a weakness. Feeling grounded and connected with the planet and the people around you should not be separate from work, but incorporated to make your product that much better. I even think this would be a great differentiator as a relationship manager in the banking industry, as many of those workers get tunnel vision on money over great connections.
