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Country Overview: Costa Rica is nestled between Panama and Nicaragua with the Caribbean Sea just to the East. Its population boasts a whopping 5.181 million as of 2022 and the official language is Spanish. Among Spanish, Bribri, Cabécar, Maleku, and Guaymí are spoken. The Costa Rican flag displays a dark blue representing the sky, idealism, opportunities, and perseverance, while the white represents peace, wisdom, and happiness. The red stands for the blood spilled by martyrs defending the country, along with the warmth and generosity of the Costa Ricans. Additionally, the Costa Rican national animal is the Three-toed and Two-toed sloth, and the national tree is the Guanacaste, also known as the elephants-ear tree or devil's ear. One of the best features of Costa Rica is its expansive nature. It contains beaches, waterfalls, rainforests, cloud forests, rivers, hot springs, volcanoes, and occasional bioluminescence. All of this is within the country's area of only 20,000 square miles.

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Current Events: Many Costa Rican mothers are having a hard time finding employment due to growing barriers. Almost 60% of mothers who are employed and stop searching for work is because they must dedicate themselves to domestic chores and responsibilities without pay. Data found by the Central Bank of Costa Rica in January, 2024, found that family obligations are a primary barrier for women leaving the workforce whereas men have personal reasons, like travel or study. As of 2022 unpaid domestic work was valued at 9.6 trillion with women taking up 67.18% and men taking up 32.82%. Additionally, when mothers have found a job they often face the challenge of finding someone to care for their children while they work. Companies also often refuse to hire women due to the potential need for flexible work hours to manage familial obligations. Mothers are also discriminated against as many continue to believe their productivity will be less since they have children. Lastly, there is a lack of affordable private childcare, public and private support systems to help moms, and breastfeeding rooms in companies. Addressing these barriers is necessary to advance gender equality and build an environment where everyone will be able to balance their personal and professional responsibilities.

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In Costa Rica a large part of their traditions have to do with Christianity and the birth of Christ. During Christmas in San Jose's Paseo Colon you can see the Lights festival, usually held on the second Saturday of December, there are hundreds of floats, lights, music, dancing and fireworks. In addition to this holiday there is a tradition called Posadas. This is a smaller more pious religious holiday. Each neighborhood organizes children to re-enact Joseph and Mary looking for a place to stay. Behind them the parents are reciting bible quotes, and afterwards the neighborhood engages in religious discussion. One last Christmas tradition is a Portal. This is a nativity scene made from moss and colors sand, with the figurines representing the birth of Jesus. It is believed in Costa Rica that the Baby Jesus deliver the presents and not Santa Claus. One of the Christmas-time cuisines is the queue navideño, which a s a decade filled with rum-soaked fruits and raisins. Tamales are also common and each family seems to have their own individual recipe. Another popular tradition to visit is Zapote. This festivity starts right after Christmas Day and it involves Tico style bullfighting. These bulls are not killed but only provoked and teased. Along with Zapote there is national horse parade called Tope. Thousands of cowboys show off their skills in San Jose on December 26th. Costa Rica also has more indigenous traditions like the Danza de los Diablitos, which conveys a story of resistance against Spanish invaders. These dances have mix of local, Spanish, and African roots, featuring the national instrument the marimba along with guitars, quijongos , and flutes. Art in Costa Rica also has a large influence from nature, likely because they live in one of the most diverse natural ecosystem in the world.

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Many of the main attractions for Costa Rica has to do with its abundance of natural wonders. One of these places that I personally would like to visit is Ecotermales Fortuna. This location is a hot springs just outside of the town La Fortuna. It contains magnesium-rich waters that are heated by hot energy of Arenal Volcano and it's collected in several rock edged pools surrounded by tropical rainforest and volcano views. The natural water refreshes itself every 45 minutes with pool temperature ranging between 90 to 106 degrees. There are also on-site bars and a restaurant there, perfect for lounging after a good relaxing swim. Often called "paradise on earth" due to its frequent light rain this place is a must for tourists. Another must visit location is the town called Jacó. It sits just outside of San Jose and it is filled with shops, restaurants and beachfront hotels. This is a place for many surfers as it is near Playa Hermosa, the host of many surfing competitions and tournaments. For a more relaxing stretch of beach, venture down to Playa Herradura and Playa Blanca. These two beaches are known for being perfect for sunbathing and swimming. For a big dose of nature one can head over to Carara National Park, home to crocodiles, jaguars, and the endangered scarlet macaw. A great hiking and exploring location is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. This 3,500 acre reserve contains more than 100 mammals, 400 types of birds, and 1,200 amphibian species. This forest is also home to more than 2% of the world's biodiversity and 10% of its plants are endemic to preserve. To explore this forest one can zip-line, take a guided tour, or ride the tram - for those who aren't the best hikers. Lastly for the sea lovers, Caño Island is the ideal spot. This is one of the top diving and snorkeling destinations, often drawing travelers for its diverse marine life. The waters surrounding the island are crystal clear and is only accessible by an organized tour. Majority of tours last all day with the experience topping most peoples expectation, with sharks, turtles, and dolphins swimming close by.

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Costa Rican food is a blend of Catalan, Andalusian, Galician, African, Guinea, and Jamaican Cuisines. Additionally, there are recipes passed down from mayan ancestors in this mix. The staple ingredient for many of these dishes however is coconut milk along with root vegetables like cassava and yams, often used in seafood or to cook in rice and beans. One staple snack served at every bar in Costa Rica is Chifrijo, which is fried pork with red beans. Its name orginates from the combination of its two signature ingredients of fried pork (chicharrón) and beans (frijoles). It is sometime served with rice, avocados, and tomatoes, but the original is eaten more similarly to a bowl of nachos. A dish that I would personally like tory is Rondón a seafood and coconut stew. It contains coconut, milk, herbs, and spices all thrown into a pot along with seafood like red snapper, clams, mussels, conch, or sea snails, plus green plantains and cassava. Served on the side is coconut rice and breadfruit. A staple breakfast of in Costa Rica is Choreadas which are corn pancakes. They are made from freshly ground yellow or white corn and sometimes thickened with flour and eggs. When they are sweet they can be drizzled with honey or syrup, and when savory sour-cream like mantilla is usually served on top. A sweet treat that is favored among Costa Ricans is Miel de Chiverre, a sweetened squash paste. This is a chunk sweet paste made from fig leaf gourd. The spaghetti like flesh of this gourd is dried and cooked with panels, cinnamon, and other spices, and a favorite way of eating is as the filling of a sweet empanada, however it's also eaten as candy or with a spoon.

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Every village in Costa Rica has its own variation of native music that is often accompanied by flamboyant dances in village squares across the country. The music there is a mix of Spanish, African, and native sounds. Some instruments that are used in the native folk music is the ocarina, quijongo, and a native version of the oboe. While there is no specific latin genre that dominates Costa Rican music and dance, choices are made according to geographic, mood, and personal preference. For a party, salsa is an appropriate choice. Another popular dance is Cumbia. This dance originates in Colombia's northern coastline and has strong influences from the black population. Bachata is a genre that is danced during more calm and down-tempo occasions. A popular music style is Caribbean. Latin-Caribbean music is played across the country and is imported from Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Cuba. Calypso is Non- Hispanic Carribean music that has its origins in Trinidad. The dance of this music was often used by slaves to communicate without the knowledge of their guards. Finally Reggae and Reggaeton are large parts of Caribbean life. Reggae was brought by members of the black community when they came to work on banana plantations. Reggaeton is a more recent form of reggae that is popular among younger people. It has a loud, distinctive beat, and is roughly seven as a latin version of American Hip-Hop or R&B

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In Costa Rica there are four main sports: Soccer, Surfing, Cycling/Mountain Biking, and Basketball. For soccer fans in contra rica it's not only the official sport but also a way of life. This sport is ingrained in the fabric of this country with their national team known as "La Sele" being a source of immense national pride. Soccer in Costa Rica has quite the history with many significant moments shaping the country. For example the amazing journey to the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, thus brining the country together and showcasing its talent on the world stage. Surfing also has an increasing popularity due to the Pacific beaches, as well as some on the Caribbean side offering perfect conditions for surfers of all skill levels. Additionally, the Costa Rican coastline offers a variety of beach breaks, point breaks, reef breaks, consistent waves, warm water, and tropical weather. There has also been a growth in the establishment of surfing schools and camps for both locals and visitors, due to the growing acceptance of surfing. Costa Rica also holds a respectable number of surf contests each year with people around the world participating and numerous sponsors like Reef, Rip Curl, and Roxy sponsoring. The Costa Rican basketball team has also created a niche for itself in the sporting landscape with the creation of the Costa Rican National Basketball League (LNB) in 2005. The LNB works as the top professional basketball competition in Costa Rica and features teams from various cities throughout the country and has played a significant role in the sports popularity and growth. This sport appeals to the younger generation of Costa Ricans due to its accessibility and quick-paced action.

Other Honorable Mentions:

Sylvia and Claudia Poll in 200 and 400 meter freestyle in the Olympics of 1988, 1996, and 2000

Nery Brenes in the 200 and 400 meter sprints, winning medals in Central American and Caribbean Games, and Pan American Games

Boxing world champion Hanna Gabriel who won title in 2009 in welterweight division, then won world female super welterweight title which she defended successfully several times and holds still today

Diana Brenes and Andrea Gutierrez winning notable results in women's judo, and the Costa Rican team finishing the Taekwondo World Cup 2023 with a total of seven medaLS: one gold, two silver, four bronze

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Overall I enjoy everything about this vibrant country and its culture but I'll choose some of my highlights. At the top is the expansive nature. I love the idea of living in or visiting a place that has such a connection to its native nature. Also, their environment is so diverse, containing volcanoes, expansive forests, and tropical beaches. It has little bit of everything. I'd especially like to visit one of their nature reserves that you can hike in. I'd get so many pictures of all the plants. I think I really appreciate their environment because I live in Arizona and the desert here is nothing like what they have. Up next I think all of the food looks so yummy. The blend of cuisines creates such a colorful and nutritious meal. I'd specifically really like to try the Chifrijo. The combination of chicharron and beans with rice and veggies sounds so savory but refreshing at the same time. I've never heard of a dish like this here in Tucson but I also don't go out a lot. Additionally, their stews that have a blend of vegetables and seafood sounds really delicious as well. It's really difficult to find god fresh seafood in the desert so a trip to Costa Rica just for the seafood is ideal. Lastly, I truly love Latin dancing. I love the music, the rhythm, the flow between you, your, partner and the live band. I'd love to go to Costa Rica for the music that surrounds every area of the nation. The emphasis and connection with music and dance in their culture there is very beautiful to me, because you don't see that a lot in the U.S.