The distance between San José, Costa Rica and Vancouver, Canada is roughly 56,00 kilometers. This number, however, does not fairly reflect the cultural distance between the countries.
In my mind, they are two different worlds. Upon visiting both, an objective observer from another planet would be justified in drawing the conclusion that the inhabitants of each place have greatly different needs.
Take, for example, the level of signage and warnings that exist in Vancouver. There is signage everywhere! The other day, I saw a sign that said ¨Warning: Beware of diving birds during mating season.¨ Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the warning. But do we really need a sign for that? This sign would not exist in Costa Rica (unless it was intended for gringos). I guess it’s fair to assume that either Ticos, or Costa Rican citizens, are more knowledgeable regarding the dangers of mating birds in heat. Or, they can figure out the benefits of avoiding dive bombing birds without the help of a sign. I guess you could say I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, but you have to admit we are bombarded with warnings in the West which are so blatantly obvious they verge on condescending.
Also in Vancouver, the helpful stickers on the windows of the bus remind us that the seats closest to the front should be reserved for individuals who are disabled, elderly, pregnant, etc. In Costa Rica, every seat is reserved for them. The system works like this: if you are more able-bodied than someone who is standing, give up your seat. I’ve done it many times and I’ve seen others do it, too. I like the Costa Rican system because it allows me to use my brain to complete an action without being reminded of how to behave by some invisible higher authority. Sometimes in Vancouver I almost want to lie down and stretch out across the designated reserved seats during rush hour, just to spite the sticker’s creator.
Other noticeable differences: the average intersection in Vancouver has about 10 traffic lights. This, however, I cannot complain about because it seems to be working. From what I’ve seen, in San José, intersections have at most four lights. From this observation I have deduced that there is a direct positive correlation between the number of lights at an intersection and the number of people who comply with the lights. Either that, or red and green have completely different meanings in Spanish. If the latter is true, I can only assume that the Spanish definition for the action to be taken when faced with a red or green traffic light is not so much defined in terms of “stop” or “go” but is largely open to interpretation and can really take on any meaning at any time, depending on the driver. Having said that, the system seems to work well enough – and with far less traffic lights.
Sebastian Kindsvater will be returning shortly to Costa Rica, where he is the Kiva Coordinator/Loan Officer for Fundación Mujer.
Latest posts by sebastiankindsvater
- Colombia: Not Canada - June 13th, 2011
- There and Back Again: The Tale of a Forty Dollar Border Run - December 22nd, 2010
- Rural Poverty in Costa Rica: A Local Farmer's Perspective - December 3rd, 2010
- Inevitable Roommate Drama - November 17th, 2010
- Do I Even Speak Spanish? - October 27th, 2010
- If You Travel to Costa Rica, Make Sure to See More Than San Jose - October 14th, 2010
- Warning to Women: Thicken Your Skin, Machismo Awaits in Costa Rica - September 27th, 2010
- Take Your Own Advice - September 9th, 2010
- Back to San Jose, Back to Excitement - August 24th, 2010
- If I Won the Lottery Tomorrow: Why Everyone Should Volunteer - July 28th, 2010
