When I checked my email one morning in mid-November, I was stunned. The Costa Rican Tourism board wanted to give me “The Gift of Happiness”–a seven-night trip to the country with nearly all expenses paid. I had recently returned from my first trip there, and I didn’t get to do much outdoors due to the rainy season, so I was thrilled at the opportunity to go back.
Because Costa Rica is consistently ranked one of the happiest countries on earth, they started this “Million Dollar Gift of Happiness” initiative to spread the joy. They hand-picked some bloggers such as myself to come experience the happiness on a custom trip, though some trips were also awarded a trip from a sweepstakes on their Facebook page. I leaped (out of my chair) at the opportunity. When their representative approached me, they said they chose me because of my blog’s readership, but also because my “values align with Costa Rica’s belief in Pura Vida.” What an honor. They offered me several itineraries to choose from, and I selected “Authentic Happiness,” which focused on the environment and getting to know true flavor of the country (other itineraries focused on things like adventure/adrenaline and romance).
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I just returned from my trip a few nights ago, and it was a truly wonderful experience. I walked along the beach in both coasts. I visited indigenous people in the depths of the jungle. I held a howler monkey. I watched a toucan feed her baby in the wild. I rode through the canopy of a rainforest in an aerial tram. I ate more plantains that I could ever dream of. The list goes on. It tested my comfort levels at times, but it was rewarding for me to branch out and try different types of travel.
I will be writing about this trip in many upcoming posts, so I wanted to explain what this “Gift of Happiness” was all about before I start. I will also be featuring some posts from my dear friend Olga Garcia, who was my special guest since my husband couldn’t join me. The trip was eye-opening and fascinating. I had never taken a trip with a focus on ecotourism or native cultures, so that was very new to me.
I want to share two major observations that I think we can all learn from:
1) Costa Ricans really seem to be happy, regardless of how much or how little they have. They may not seem overtly joyous, but if you ask them, they’ll tell you that they’re perfectly content. I encountered people all over the country with various demographics, and asked many of them why they were happy. Many people responded, “I live in this beautiful place and I have my family and a home–why wouldn’t I be happy?” It was like they didn’t understand why I was asking. They didn’t seem bogged down by technology the way we are in the US. Many didn’t even want TVs. They love food, family, nature, and community. In the US, I’m so sick of people spending so much time with their heads down, fiddling on their phone instead of having quality interpersonal time. I saw none of that in Costa Rica. People were so much more respectful when interacting with others and enjoy genuinely connecting with others. I left feeling like I had many new friends and I felt less reliant on technology. I watched almost zero TV on my trip, which is rare for me. And it was a breath of fresh air!
2) Costa Ricans are so respectful of the environment. I’m sure that one of the main reasons for this is because the country has such rich biodiversity and vast amounts of flora and fauna, and they know it needs to be protected. We visited several preserves and parks in which the land is completely protected from development. They don’t take the stunning environment for granted. For example, the regional airline we rode is carbon neutral. We stayed at a unique resort, Almonds & Corals, that gives guests biodegradable soap and gives leftover food from the restaurant to local farmers for pig food. Locals here show a reverence for nature that we severely lack in the US. My hunch is that it’s is because deadly snakes and other potentially dangerous creatures are a fact of life there, and they have to know to pay attention and be careful. All of my guides and drivers were thrilled to tell us about their country and all of the plants and wildlife. Many had great knowledge about medicinal plants. They know they live somewhere special. (An aside on animals: I am a dog fanatic, and was sad to see countless stray dogs all over the country. I’m not sure why they are so neglected here compared to the other creatures. Perhaps it’s a cultural thing?)
I’ll be back soon with more from my trip. I can’t wait to share it. Pura vida!
