Visit to Britt Coffee (http://www.cafebritt.cr/)

Did you know that the Costa Rican government gave land and coffee plants to citizens for free to open up exportation?

The history of Costa Rican trade dates back to 1750 when local coffee merchants began exporting their fine coffee to Europeans. Coffee exportation literally paved the way for railroad construction and road development. Costa Rica shipped 100 percent of their finest coffee to foreigners, leaving the local Costa Ricans with second grade coffee. This occurred until 1991 when the government decided to provide fine coffee to both Costa Ricans and tourists. It is now a 50/50 split, 50 percent is exported and 50 percent is enjoyed by local and tourists alike.

One of the best coffees found here is “Britt” coffee. Britt also specializes in chocolate.

Sr. y Sra. Ese

(http://www.srysraese.com/)

Another successful trade in this region is hand crafted jewelry and furniture, Sr. y Sra. Ese manufactures some of the most beautiful jewelry and furniture made of wood.

Every piece is handcrafted and the wood pieces are all natural. There are 16 types of wood and each has its own natural color. Touring through this business was a real treat; we were able to witness employees in each phase of the process, from quality assurance to assembly to final production.

This is a true learning experience both from a professional and cultural perspective.

Health and fitness seems to be a common theme in the Costa Rican culture, many of us have gone on morning runs to explore the beautiful countryside and found that the locals enjoy running and biking.

For those of us who find the Florida’s humid conditions a challenge, try adding some 40 to 65 degree declines and inclines to the terrain every 100 meters (http://www.arenal.net/).

“Pura Vida” continues to show herself more each day.

A simple gesture and a smile, a good vibe—“Pura Vida” is unselfish and unconditional—she wants all to be happy, healthy and good citizens.

The cultural experience continues to reveal more each day. The search for “Pura Vida” is not about the diverse differences between our cultures, it is more about what our cultures share.

“Pura Vida” is a common sense approach to living within our conscious, it is the sense we share in common. To understand this way of thinking you must first be accepting of who you are, comfortable in your own skin. Without that, you cannot find “Pura Vida”. For those of us who already are comfortable in who we are and what we want to become, “Pura Vida” is not too far away

Oh, and the food isn’t too bad either.

Visit to Britt Coffee (http://www.cafebritt.cr/)

Did you know that the Costa Rican government gave land and coffee plants to citizens for free to open up exportation?

The history of Costa Rican trade dates back to 1750 when local coffee merchants began exporting their fine coffee to Europeans. Coffee exportation literally paved the way for railroad construction and road development. Costa Rica shipped 100 percent of their finest coffee to foreigners, leaving the local Costa Ricans with second grade coffee. This occurred until 1991 when the government decided to provide fine coffee to both Costa Ricans and tourists. It is now a 50/50 split, 50 percent is exported and 50 percent is enjoyed by local and tourists alike.

One of the best coffees found here is “Britt” coffee. Britt also specializes in chocolate.

Sr. y Sra. Ese

(http://www.srysraese.com/)

Another successful trade in this region is hand crafted jewelry and furniture, Sr. y Sra. Ese manufactures some of the most beautiful jewelry and furniture made of wood.

Every piece is handcrafted and the wood pieces are all natural. There are 16 types of wood and each has its own natural color. Touring through this business was a real treat; we were able to witness employees in each phase of the process, from quality assurance to assembly to final production.

This is a true learning experience both from a professional and cultural perspective.

Health and fitness seems to be a common theme in the Costa Rican culture, many of us have gone on morning runs to explore the beautiful countryside and found that the locals enjoy running and biking.

For those of us who find the Florida’s humid conditions a challenge, try adding some 40 to 65 degree declines and inclines to the terrain every 100 meters (http://www.arenal.net/).

“Pura Vida” continues to show herself more each day.

A simple gesture and a smile, a good vibe—“Pura Vida” is unselfish and unconditional—she wants all to be happy, healthy and good citizens.

The cultural experience continues to reveal more each day. The search for “Pura Vida” is not about the diverse differences between our cultures, it is more about what our cultures share.

“Pura Vida” is a common sense approach to living within our conscious, it is the sense we share in common. To understand this way of thinking you must first be accepting of who you are, comfortable in your own skin. Without that, you cannot find “Pura Vida”. For those of us who already are comfortable in who we are and what we want to become, “Pura Vida” is not too far away

Oh, and the food isn’t too bad either.

San José is a bustling metropolis. As the capital and the largest city in the country, San Jose is considered to be among the most cosmopolitan cities in Latin America. Here, you can see many wonderful museums, restaurants, shopping centers, and interesting markets.
Downtown San Jose is the busiest part of town. Keep in mind that you will come across heavy traffic here with lots of noise and congestion. But don’t let this deter you, as this part of the city is the heart of San Jose. The streets and avenues here are usually lively with pedestrians and road traffic; the most efficient way to get around is by foot.

San Jose has many beautiful buildings; one that is considered the finest is the “Teatro Nacional” or the National Theatre of Costa Rica. This superbly architected building is located in the central section of San José, Costa Rica and it is known for its exquisite interior which includes its extravagant furnishings. Incepted in 1897, this theatre presents high quality performances and demands extraordinary artistic skill to perform here.

The Republic of Costa Rica is a sovereign country located in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east-southeast, the country also enjoys the benefits of two bodies of water; the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east.Costa Rica was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army.  Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica has the highest Human Development Index, of 69 percent and ranks among the top 25 countries in the world on quality of education. Costa Rica is ranked as a literacy rate of 96 percent!   This is mainly due to the fact that free, universal and mandatory Public Education has been offered since 1970; this includes 69 Universities (64 privates y 5 publics).

The government is focused on Costa Rica becoming the first country to become carbon neutral by 2021.

The cuisine in Costa Rica combines some of the best dishes of Latin America.  To the left are some examples of dishes provided at Papa Pez, Carne con canarones, Salmon Italiano and Ceviche.

“Pura vida” is the most commonly used phrase in Costa Rica and literally means “Pure life”, but this saying goes beyond its simple translation—It’s a way of life. It symbolizes the idea of simply enjoying life and being happy. To find Pura vida is to find your success.

San José is a bustling metropolis. As the capital and the largest city in the country, San Jose is considered to be among the most cosmopolitan cities in Latin America. Here, you can see many wonderful museums, restaurants, shopping centers, and interesting markets.
Downtown San Jose is the busiest part of town. Keep in mind that you will come across heavy traffic here with lots of noise and congestion. But don’t let this deter you, as this part of the city is the heart of San Jose. The streets and avenues here are usually lively with pedestrians and road traffic; the most efficient way to get around is by foot.

San Jose has many beautiful buildings; one that is considered the finest is the “Teatro Nacional” or the National Theatre of Costa Rica. This superbly architected building is located in the central section of San José, Costa Rica and it is known for its exquisite interior which includes its extravagant furnishings. Incepted in 1897, this theatre presents high quality performances and demands extraordinary artistic skill to perform here.

The Republic of Costa Rica is a sovereign country located in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east-southeast, the country also enjoys the benefits of two bodies of water; the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east.Costa Rica was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army.  Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica has the highest Human Development Index, of 69 percent and ranks among the top 25 countries in the world on quality of education. Costa Rica is ranked as a literacy rate of 96 percent!   This is mainly due to the fact that free, universal and mandatory Public Education has been offered since 1970; this includes 69 Universities (64 privates y 5 publics).

The government is focused on Costa Rica becoming the first country to become carbon neutral by 2021.

The cuisine in Costa Rica combines some of the best dishes of Latin America.  To the left are some examples of dishes provided at Papa Pez, Carne con canarones, Salmon Italiano and Ceviche.

“Pura vida” is the most commonly used phrase in Costa Rica and literally means “Pure life”, but this saying goes beyond its simple translation—It’s a way of life. It symbolizes the idea of simply enjoying life and being happy. To find Pura vida is to find your success.