My entire worldview has drastically changed as a result of my expat experience of Costa Rica. What can I honestly say that I like most about that experience? Is it the language or the landscapes, the waves or the women, the freedom or the frivolity? As impressive as all of those things are, none of them truly captures the essence of what Costa Rica has meant to me.
Yes I am happy. And what I am happiest about is the change living here has wrought in me, primarily in the following 3 ways...
Change #1: Learning Humility
When I first came to Costa Rica I was anything but humble. I was a lawyer-MBA type who was flown down to orchestrate a large business deal. It was a heady experience and one that indeed did go directly to that part of my body.
But all that came crashing to an end and when the dust finally settled, I did as well, in my new home. And I learned, gradually, to be humble. Living in a foreign country can do that to you, if you really immerse. Oh, there are plenty who come here and never do that. But that's just not my nature. I did immerse and it changed me.
How?
Well, I believe the natural grandeur of this place put me in my place. I was, and still am, humbled by both the beauty, power and fragility of nature. I was humbled into dismissing the notion that human progress can proceed in a way that puts us at odds with nature. Nature will either win that battle, or the 鈥渟poils鈥� will leave a bitter taste in the mouth of the victor.
I was humbled by living shoulder to shoulder with people who were different. I gradually came to the realization that being from the world鈥檚 largest superpower doesn鈥檛 make me any more exceptional than they already were. Neither did my education, money, language, customs, intelligence, or anything else. That we're all just homo sapiens striving for the same basic thing...to live a dignified life.
Change #2: Learning Respect
I came here thinking very firmly that I had all the right answers. That the indoctrination of my upbringing, education, church and nationality made me a much brighter person than I really was. I often notice that attitude with gringos who come here either to visit or live. If it is to live, you either learn to respect, or you are in for a very unhealthy experience. Those are the ones who grow bitter and continuously grumble about how the ticos have it all wrong. Well, they may have it all wrong, but they鈥檙e smiling (actually laughing at you) while you sit miserable.
You see, it pays to learn to respect other viewpoints. It enhances your human experience to learn to stand in the other fellow鈥檚 shoes, especially if those shoes are far different from ones you have ever tried on. It is one of the greatest lessons of life I have learned here. It has served to remove those impact blinders that I came here wearing. I began to see the world from a different and far more open-minded perspective.
Change #3: Learning Patience
For many years this came as a hard lesson for me. I did not understand the concept of time that existed here. It seemed as if time didn鈥檛 matter, or at least that these people certainly didn鈥檛 respect my incessant worry over its scarcity. They seemed to take the view that there really was enough time to go around and meet everyone鈥檚 needs. Maybe that鈥檚 because there is a far different definition of 鈥渘eeds meeting鈥� here than exists where I came from. People here just get along with a lot less and are content with that. The idea of arranging your life to achieve maximum efficiency with the goal of having more just doesn鈥檛 occur to most people here. The goal of life is not to have more, but to live more. The two are not the same (I know that may come as a surprise to many).
So a much slower pace of life is what prevails. One that breathes deeper meaning into the concept of 鈥渞elaxing and smelling the roses.鈥� And there are so many 鈥渞oses鈥� to smell here. In the U.S. people strive to make a gazillion so they can have maybe 50% of the peaceful experience that a tico making less than half the poverty rate in the U.S. has simply by walking outside of his humble choza (home) and taking in the spectacular and completely free panoramic vista of his daily existence. So why should he be in a hurry?
So, first out of sheer necessity, and later out of a deeper understanding of true happiness, I slowed down. And I believe (hope) that it has added years to my life. It has certainly decreased the moments of panic and rage.
Maybe you expected me to write about something different. Maybe you expected me to tell of my favorite location, activity, or experience. But no, my favorite things about living here are the life鈥檚 lessons it has taught me.
I am grateful for that.
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