In my stumblings across the web I tripped over this article, and my stubbed virtual toe is still smarting a little. A lot gets written about how Costa Rica is some kind of undiscovered paradise (mostly by the Tourism bureau and real estate agents I think), and this Happiness Index thing keeps popping up every year. This particular article, however, seems more over-the-top than most, so I couldn't resist dissecting it a bit based on my own experience in Paradise. Yes, I've done a slight bit of cherry-picking for brevity's sake, but 80% of the article is intact below.
Having just been voted the single-most happiest place to live on the planet, Costa Rica has grabbed the attention of many.
But the question burning up the Internet is, "why is Costa Rica ranked the happiest place on Earth?"
...
First
off, the country is ideally located in Central America between
Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south.
I have no idea why that would be considered an ideal location and the article doesn't say, either. I think a better location would be between, say, France and Spain.
It has an estimated
population of just around 4.2 million and occupies approximately the
size of West Virginia yet according to National Geographic, contains 5%
of the world`s flora and fauna.
Not exactly. If 5% of the world's plants and animals were here, we probably would have been eaten by now or smothered under a mountain of bugs and leaves. Actually, CR has something like 4.5% of the world's species of flora and fauna.
...
About
8 degrees off the equator, the country does experience extreme heat but
more so worth mentioning is the humidity - it`s a spicy meatball that`s
for sure.
I feel pretty confident that the recent East Coast heatwave was far worse than anything dished out down here even in the low-lying areas. Oh, and it's 9 degrees latitude, but who's counting?
...
Considering
the climate and micro-climates, throughout the country, this would have
to be one of the considerations when wondering what makes it so
pleasing to live in. The average yearly temperatures in the Central
Valley are a comfortable 21-27C.
Didn't they just get through telling us how hot it is supposed to be here?
Anyone having
visited Costa Rica will have likely noticed the rich reddish color of
the soil - this makes a fantastic environment for growing fresh fruit
and vegetables. In fact, Costa Rican bananas and pineapples are some of
the best in the world. Not to mention how delicious the Costa Rican
coffee is.
That red soil is crap. You can't grow much in it as-is, except the first time you till it. Like most tropical soils it gets a LOT of rain and thus the topsoil is very thin and the soil is usually lacking in many water-soluble nutrients, such as magnesium and calcium. Organic and non-organic farmers here fertilize the hell out of their crops because of this. Commercial pineapples and bananas are over-fertilized, over-sprayed mono-cultures. Yeah, the coffee is superb, but it doesn't have so much to do with the soil as with the climate (and all that fertilizer).
Another contributor to longevity would
certainly be the quality of the foods a person has access to - open air
markets with organic vegetables and fruits are commonplace here along
with the old school butcher shops, bakeries and fish markets.
Yes, you can shop a plethora of fresh fruits and veggies here year 'round and at very reasonable prices. With not much effort you can grow your own, too! But, keep in mind, they spray non-organic crops with all sorts of nasty stuff just like they do in the States, et. al. And I have no idea what is so great about an "old school butcher shop" or even what that is, sounds unsanitary to me! Pastries here, also, are an acquired taste and I have no clue as to why they would contribute to your longevity.
Typical
to most North American countries is the whole fast-food genre which is
in fact the biggest contributor to diabetes and heart conditions in the
USA, is a minority presence in Costa Rica. Sure you can find McDonalds
and the likes however you won`t find one on every corner.
In contrast to the US, you might find a total of 4-5 McDonalds in the entire country!
Oh, don't worry. Here in Costa Rica we don't need the BKs and McDs because we have within a cat's swing of just about anywhere, the ubiquitous "Soda", small mom and pop cafe's serving deep-fried anything, bread and cakes made with mountains of butter and sugar, and, if you're lucky, a little romaine lettuce on the side. The rice and beans are the healthiest part.
Costa
Rican residents eat healthier and also live in a climate that promotes
and encourages, outdoor behavior which hand in hand, contributes to a
healthier happier lifestyle.
What that translates to is, most people don't have a car, so they walk a lot. Most of the country is mountainous, so they walk a lot uphill. Certainly obesity is not as prevalent here as in the States, but it's certainly not rare either. Most Ticos don't participate in sports per se, such as swimming, hiking, skiing (no snow!), etc., though playing soccer can burn off acres of calories.
One final note on the subject has to be the cost of living in Costa Rica...
...
A lower
cost of living frees up more money to spend on higher quality foods and
even recreational activities that promote exercise like water sports or
attending a gym.
In comparison to North America, one can living a higher quality of life - a healthier one - while spending less money.
It's possible, but the lower cost of living does not come from more affordable food, which is generally more expensive than in the States due to taxes and transportation costs. It comes from cheap labor, period. You can get housing much cheaper, and health care is about 20-25% of the cost in the U.S. Cars and fuel are way more expensive.
This is what makes Costa Rica such a happy place to live.
If you say so.
Seriously, long-term happiness doesn't come from the food you eat, the climate, or being able to spend less money. Those are nice, but don't you think genuine happiness comes from within yourself? One's sense of well-being is a product of culture and customs, family values, feeling part of something bigger than just you. These can create a state of mind -a collective state of mind- that translates into self-confidence, friendliness, helpfulness, and attitudes that don't take life (or ambition) too seriously. Ticos seem to have found a near perfect mixture of those qualities, and that is what truly makes it a happy place to live.
What do you think are the necessary ingredients for happiness?
