Poor But Proudly Elegant & Clean in Costa Rica!

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Having spent many years growing up in West Africa, my family and I have seen some extremely poor people living in some challenging and life-threatening conditions.

The level of poverty in Costa Rica is NOT comparable to the poverty you might see in Africa or other poorer Central American nations, nobody in Costa Rica is starving to death!

People take pride in their appearance no matter how much money they earn. Their shirts and blouses are perfectly pressed, their shoes are clean and polished and practically everybody brushes their teeth after lunch whether it’s a truck driver or an office worker.

That stunningly beautiful Tica you see sauntering down the street in San José who could be on the cover of Vogue magazine if she lived in New York City, may have just walked out of a home made of salvaged wooden pallets with a corrugated sheet metal roof with no hot water yet…

She looks breathtaking, she’s lean, clean and smells deliciously fresh. She may not have enough money for the bus fare but, she has a feminine elegance that seems to be quickly disappearing in the West and manages to dress up as if she just walked out of the penthouse apartment of a successful fashion designer on Fifth Avenue…

When I compare that to memories of the numerous ‘respectable’ and often unkempt, unwashed and malodorous people that crush up against you in the London or New York City subways – in the ‘developed’ world – it makes me shudder!

Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1: How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, 2: Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore and 3. ¿Cómo Comprar Bienes Raíces en Costa Rica, Sin Perder Su Camisa?

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.