Pura Vida: the opposite of our modern way of living

On one of my trips I discovered Costa Rica and it’s lifestyle of “Pura Vida”, which translates to as much as enjoying life and taking your time to celebrate it. Also known as pretty much the opposite of what we’re doing in the west: we’re always in a rush and never really taking our time to do anything, let alone “celebrating life”. I found Costa Rica to be an interesting mix of local, North American, European and Argentinean cultures. The people are mostly friendly, helpful and laid-back. The cost of living is 30 to 50 percent lower than most American cities – and with that the stress levels are considerably lower as well.

With a well-developed health care system, good public education, a stable political situation and clean drinking water, Costa Rica is a very progressive country. It’s also an environmentally blessed country: Costa Rica contains six percent of the world’s biodiversity, and has 12 different climate zones to choose from. It’s home to more than 850 species of birds, mor…