By Jo Stuart

The quality of life is not measured simply by efficiency nor by material things. For those of you who want to know why I live Costa Rica, here are my reasons why.

(1) I was originally drawn to this country because it has no army, and as a result has developed a peaceful mentality. Costa Ricans do not like confrontations and are not greatly into competition. Perhaps because of this, the minute I arrived, I felt comfortable here.

(2) I was charmed (and still am) because when ticos “Thank you,” they don’t say “Gracias.” They usually say”Gracias muy amable,” which means “Thank you, you’re very kind.” Being told I am kind often enough makes me see myself as kind and wanting to be more so.

My life here is enhanced each time a tico says, “You’re welcome.” Here they don’t say, as they do in most other Spanish-speaking countries, “No hay de que” or “De nada” (For nothing). They say “Con mucho gusto” (Which much pleasure or, more loosely, The pleasure is mine). My friend Jerry has said more than once that giving and receiving are the same thing, and Ticos seem to have recognized this. I have been trying to remember to say both Gracias, muy amable and Con mucho gusto. Language is a powerful influence on attitude.

(3) Although I have learned that there is a downside to a peace-loving philosophy, a trait called passive-aggressive, I have decided that I can handle passive-aggressive better that I can the downside of a personal freedom-loving philosophy, which seems to be aggresive-aggressive.

(4) I enjoy walking in downtown San José in spite of the traffic and challenging sidewalks. When I first came here and mixed with the people on the streets, I thought there are as many pedestrians here as there are in New York at Christmas time but without the hostility. Instead, I find myself energized and uplifted.

(5) I also noticed that Costa Ricans as a rule have fine postures. It is a pleasure to see them, and seeing them reminds me to straighten up. It is surprising how much better you feel when you walk tall.

(6) I have on a number of occasions, experienced the health care system of Costa Rica, both private and public . The cost here for medical care is far less than in the United States, and I always have felt more cared for and cared about in my experiences here. Even in the overworked and under-supplied public hospitals, I have found attention and compassion. It outweighs the lack of Kleenex. The last time I was in Calderón Guardia emergency section, they passed out lunches at noon and coffee and snacks in the late afternoon to the waiting patients.

(7) Although business transactions are not always speedy here, how can you not like a country where it is the law that every public building must have a public bathroom? (That doesn’t mean they must supply paper.) It is true one spends considerable time waiting in lines. This is where I get a lot of my reading done. I’ve waited in lines in many countries, and I’ll take orderly, friendly queue of ticos any day.

(8) There is a custom here that many North Americans have picked up and that is the custom of brushing cheeks when seeing a friend or acquaintance. In the States, after an initial handshake following an introduction, I seldom touch that person again, certainly not my travel agent, my doctor or my landlord. Here, I do. Touching cheeks makes me feel a connectedness to others, and when you think about it, is much more sanitary than a handshake.

(9) On the comfort front, it is hard to beat the climate in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. I have lived where there were 15-foot snowdrifts and where I became accustomed to perspiration dripping down my neck all the time. Living where I need neither air conditioning nor a heater is such a pleasure, and I am sure, far healthier.

(10) Something that is changing here that I regret are the window displays in the stores. Once there was nothing that caught my attention, and I had no desire to buy. I was not lured into being a consumer. Now they are getting both more artistic and more products, and I have found myself stopping and thinking I would like that something.

(11) Because the growing season is so rapid, fresh vegetables and fruits are available most of the year. If one were a vegetarian, one could live very cheaply here.

(12) And finally, what clinched my love affair with Costa Rica was discovering that their national bird is the yigüirro. The yigüirro (which I can’t even pronounce) is very similar to the U.S. robin but smaller, and even less colorful. The yiguirro neither threatens anyone’s existence (it is certainly not a bird of prey nor is it a rare or endangered bird.) It is a common little dun-colored bird, an Every bird, if you will. I think people who choose the yiguirro as a national bird has something to say to the rest of the world about peaceful co-existence, humanity, self-esteem and equality.

*Jo Stuart is a regular columnist for the online daily Am Costa Rica. See www.amcostarica.com for more details.