Alright pura vida fam -- what's your one thing you still can't understand about life in Costa Rica?

One thing I’ve learned when crossing streets is to never ever assume that the person turning onto the street I’m crossing is going to stop and yield for me, I’ve almost been hit by cars several times so now I just wait no matter what.

There is the hardware store where One guy writes up the factura, then you have to go to the caja to pay, then you have to see somebody else who meticulously goes over the receipt before you can get out the door with your stuff.

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

yep - that's my hardware store too, but even Monge is a little like this...

Hey, guys! Driving for sure is my biggest #1 gripe about CR. Although the aggressive driving is a problem and I have never seen crazier highway merging situations as I have here, WORSE than that is the lack of signage for roads or lights and stops signs that are absent in places where they should be. If the infrastructure was better in this way, I feel like people would be less reckless. I used to live in NY and people are rude drivers there for sure, but CR is on another level. The second thing would be the nature of what is available in stores in general. A good example would be why are there 50 varieties of tuna fish, but only 2 kinds of bread? PERSONAL GRIPE: I can only find American or Dutch style butter in Automercado and for a bazillion dollars! Otherwise, there only seems to be 1 or 2 kinds of butter here and they are both a darker yellow like margarine and have a distinct taste - not a bad taste, but not mild like the butter I am used to. Third, people will say they are going to do something or be somewhere at a particular time and they don't come and don't call. Then they will just show up another time later and act like nothing happened and don't apologize. I don't get mad because I was warned that this is a thing that happens here, but it is still discourteous. Just text me and tell me something came up so that I am not wasting my time waiting for you. So simple.

Guys we don't have winter or summer, we have dry season and rainy season. Great video by the way. Pura vida!

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

it's funny because I agree with you, but then I talk to my Tico neighbor who was giving me all the details of their summer break trip. So it's talked about lots of ways...

@Kattywagon29

4 ай бұрын

I have heard so many Ticos say dry season is summer and wet season is winter.

One more complaint. Many times, if you want to return a product to a store, they can’t simply just give you a refund on your credit card/original form of payment. You might end up speaking with between two and three different people, explaining why you’re returning it, and then they might give you back cash instead of just sending the money back to your card. I’m used to many convenient return options so that sometimes it’s hard to deal with, and while I’m at it, the other day, I bought a small Universal remote control from Walmart not knowing if it was going to work with my TV. They told me that I only had 24 hours to test it and get it back to the store. Not a big deal, I live nearby, but just interesting that they only give people 24 hours to test out technology and bring it right back versus in the United States. For example, many places have a two week or 30 day return policy and don’t even care if you use the product. Just a very different experience.

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

I should have added this - totally agree! I once used a leaf blower one time and tried to return it because it was too loud and not powerful enough, but they wouldn't take it back because I must have scraped the ground just a smidge and it was then damaged... Just a different concept - which I do understand as it's a very different supply chain here.

This can be hit or miss depending on the area you’re in, but one complaint I have is the lack of understanding of dog culture by some of the local establishments! Most individual people you meet like and even love dogs, many have animals themselves, and there are certainly plenty of restaurants, accommodations, and public spaces that welcome dogs openly. But here’s one area that I have experienced which is not dog friendly: Ubers and Didis! I know this because when I order them, I proactively let them know I have a registered animal with me that A. Doesn’t shed, b. Is registered and trained, c. Sits in my lap and is super well behaved. Most of the time, they cancel the ride before ever picking me up, or they don’t read the message that I sent and then once they show up they see me and just drive away once they see my tiny dog. 🐶. It is what it is, I understand everyone has their preferences, but I have had people be downright rude to me just because of my dog. The good news is, most shopping malls, or Starbucks, or other coffee shops don’t mind. Grocery stores are horrible about letting dogs dogs in even if they are registered support or service animals, and it’s always a process that sometimes involves waiting a few minutes while they look at your paperwork, or for some random guy to go call like five other people, it always feels like pandemonium. And then sometimes once you’re able to get in through the front door, you’ll be shopping and be approached by other employees telling you get the animal out of the store, as they don’t communicate amongst each other when it comes to their own staff or management. There are just so many places I get dirty looks for having a small, cute dog with me. Quite frankly, my dog is much better behaved than a lot of the people who are rude to us!

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

so true! Now that I travel the country with my dogs I am seeing it.

So glad I found you guys. Hub and I are headed down from Central Florida beginning of May. Checking out Atenas for retirement in a few years. No Amazon Yikes!! I am a sewist/quilter and hope to find some great fabric to make a quilt to commererate our trip.

Basically, it's like driving in NYC. Easy peasy. I live in PA now but I need to go into NYC occasionally for business and it takes me a couple of weeks to get out of the NYC driving mindset when I get back home lol

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

ha - exactly!

The motorcycle drivers, though! They pass all the cars on a narrow bridge because they can, then they hold up traffic of everyone they passed because they can’t go as fast as the cars! 🙄

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

#truth!

Duality! I'll take it! The diving cannot be worse than Florida. lol! Thanks for the video, guys!

@kristensims2064

4 ай бұрын

driving**

@Kattywagon29

4 ай бұрын

I came from Florida, still own property there and CR is for sure worse. In FL the drivers are negligent. That' way different than the aggressive and routinely dangerous things that people do.

@johnstrika9170

4 ай бұрын

Totally different mindset. Florida drivers aren't "aggressive" per se, they're just awful lol. Florida is like Bizarro World. You have the 80 year olds, who have no business on the road, doing 40 in the left lane and you have the younger people, annoyed at the senior citizens, doing 90 in the right lane. Also, Florida drivers think directional signals are optional lol

You guys are great!

Isn’t it amazing how dependent we are on the Jeff Besos creation??? We ALLLLLLL need the rehab😬

OMG I thought these things only happened in Limon!

I love the local people here and all my Tico friends however I agree with the DRIVING, OMG especially the Motos . They have no rules and have almost hit us many many times. They give me anxiety passing on the right and left and splitting lanes at the same time. You need eyeballs like a fly. They run red lights and I have seen them almost run over pedestrian's . They give me anxiety. We have adjusted to the other things mentioned. Except I have a hard time with animals running the streets and hungry 😭 and getting hit. This is something I will never adjust to because I have been involved with pet rescue all my life and involved here too. We have already rescued about 5 dogs from the streets so far and are in wonderful homes now. Great video. I finally have broke my addiction to Amazon after moving here such a freeing feeling . Have a blessed evening. Pura Vida. Oh ya, that is wrong for USA not giving Visa to Ticos yet they have open borders for illegals That pisses me off .

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

so true! Thanks for the comment!!!

That’s craaaaaaazy about how long Ticos have to wait for USA visas!!!

@yourpuravida

Ай бұрын

bums me out - it makes no sense to have a visa requirement from CR to US

@GasPipeJimmy

Ай бұрын

If Ticos were always showing up with wads of cash and an aversion to social services they would be treated differently. Likely they are paying the price for the 60-million illegals that generally look like them. That’s the real answer.

Lack of punctuality or reliability for appointments or commitments . It almost non existent - people just show up -IF they show up , and if they don’t , “it’s ok “- “no big deal”, no call or text . They act surprised if you follow up to ask if they will ever show up , to ask if late , or ask why no show . 😮😵‍💫🤯

That was helpful. The mean drivers are not a patch on New Mexican drivers. They are really awful. And when I lived in the UK you had to not trust the drivers to not run you over even in a cross walk. I think I have the training for traveling about there. Thanks again. I love you guys.

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

when people have that experience it really does help! thanks for the comment Maggie!

In Jacó, everyone stops for the pedistrians. I know this is unusual in Latin AMerica, buti n Jacó, there are no traffics lights, street signs or stop signs, but the people still stop for pedistrians.

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

Now that you mention it, I do see less road rage in Jacó proper!

Ugh i won't lie. That Amazon thing may wind up being a deal breaker for me.

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

Trust me you get very used to it! I for one order and bring down next time I come. Things I need faster I go into San José to shop.

@GasPipeJimmy

Ай бұрын

@@yourpuravida What to do if San Jose is 4-5 hours away?

I struggle with the solipsistic nature (e.g. English will always be my only language) of those that populate the col de sac communities that constellate GAM. I struggle with their inability to support the arts- that the Teatro Eugene O'Neill is in a neighborhood that's "too scary-" and that last night's performance saw only a handful of "ex-pats" in the audience, even though the show was designed to be inclusive to all. But hey, it's all cool and 50% of them after two years here will be selling their things on CR Exchange at "fire sale prices" because it's time to get back to the USA where they speak English good (Riffing on Bob Dylan here, as we know it's "speak English well," though the NY Times got this wrong last week). Pura Vida.

Can you explain the new zoning laws on farms and the protests in san isidro area? Really going to outlaw permaculture, small farms and tax each head of livestock? Crazy

Dogs and motorcycle in the street ! in the USA you can grap a guy from the corner and put him in a restaurant kitchen to make some burgers in Costa Rica restaurant workers need a Food manipulation title to work in a restaurant...😅.

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

I didn't know that. Interesting!

it's called uncivilized

There is Compulsive Shoppers Anonymous.

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

that's good to know! thank you!

I’ll ever understand most of the fragile lack of manliness men here.

@yourpuravida

4 ай бұрын

Respectfully disagree. Manliness is just defined differently here and there are some very manly men in my orbit.

@Retler39

4 ай бұрын

@@yourpuravida I disagree with you. Are you homosexual? Curious?

@Kattywagon29

4 ай бұрын

What does that even mean?

@johnstrika9170

4 ай бұрын

Wtf is a "lack of manliness"? I'd love to hear your definition of "manliness"

@Retler39

4 ай бұрын

@@johnstrika9170Triggered buddy? My comment must strike a chord! 😉

Coming from city mall in alajuela and going TO san josé is like the worst thing ever right now because of all the construction! Sometimes I get lucky and there isn’t a ton of traffic, depending on the time of day, but when there is, buckle up and plan to be there for a long long time sitting in traffic 😂