As a realtor and expat consultant in the southern zone, I often notice that expats come to Costa Rica in search of a less materialistic and more sustainable way of life. I commonly hear from those searching for that perfect place and/or property of their desire for a simpler life, to immerse with the culture, and live off the land.
And that’s all well and good. I’ve been an expat in Costa Rica for going on 16 years now. I also came in search of that simpler quality of life. However, at some point I began to ask the question why? Why did I want to be more sustainable? Was it simply a lifestyle choice, or were there deeper reasons? And the reason I began to think hard about is impact.
Now impact mindfulness is not reserved for expats alone. Anyone, anywhere, can be more mindful of their impacts on people and planet. However, I believe the expat, a person who’s decided to take the bold risk of living in a foreign country, is in a unique position to make an impact, not only on the country they move to, but also on the one they left. An expat is a person on the outside looking in and can gain deep perspectives about how the world works that those confined to the borders of their birth just aren’t exposed to.
Long ago I began to write about impact mindfulness in a blog entitled Revolutionary Misfit. I developed a three-prong framework for the concept. One that places impact over self-interest, embraces the concept of the Big Us, and seeks to remove and eliminate impact blinders. If you’d like to learn more about that, you can check out my blog, or eBooks I’ve written on the subject. Lately, as a realtor and expat consultant, I’ve been trying to expand the concept into the realm of Costa Rica expat living via a related concept I call “expat mindfulness.”
In light of all that, I thought I’d write this article with a few basic ideas for making an impact as a Costa Rica expat.
Idea #1…
I notice that many expats, even though they want to live sustainably, tend to import into Costa Rica non-sustainable notions about what that means. For instance, they tend to buy or bring in imported goods rather than support the local economy by buying and consuming what is actually produced in Costa Rica. Not only is buying local a great way to achieve a sustainable impact, but it can also help bring down the budget quite a bit.
Costa Rica is fast becoming a country that pays a 3rd-world level of living wage to its citizens, who then have to pay 1st world prices in order to actually live. That’s just not sustainable for them. We expats are perhaps unwittingly contributing to this problem. Buying locally grown, non-industrial-processed goods, like those found in local farmers’ markets, or produced by local artisans, can help to combat this trend.
Idea #2…
I believe one of the greatest ways expats can have an impact is by sharing their experiences with those in their home, or birth, country. I say “home” or “birth” because after living in Costa Rica as long as I have, you began to think of it as your home country.
Those back “home” will certainly be interested in your new life. Many will probably think negative thoughts about the decision, at least initially. Some may even claim that you’ve gone completely nuts to move from a developed country like the U.S. to one that is, well, just developing. Of course, you and I know how wrong they are. But unless we let them know why they are wrong, they’ll just go on thinking that the key to happiness is 1st-world level consumption. They’ll never bother to think that if everyone in the world consumed at that level, we’d need three to four more planets just to sustain ourselves!
We as expats have learned that the key to happiness is not in rampant consumption. Our tico friends in Costa Rica have shown us that. Through their humble ways they’ve demonstrated to us the error of our over-consumptive mentality. Costs Rica consumes far less than the U.S., but nevertheless its citizens consistently live longer and rate as being far happier.
Therefore, when your new life sparks an interest, be sure to inform of these startling revelations stemming from your Costa Rica expat living experience. Invite them to come see for themselves. But when they do, don’t shelter them from the truth, but rather expose them, gently, to it!
Idea #3…
There are so many ways to get involved in helping people and planet in Costa Rica. I wrote a while back about how happiness promoters tend to be happier than happiness pursuers. I’ve noticed that those expats who come to Costa Rica and quickly get involved in ways to give back, either by donating time, skill, or resources to their community, or by doing something positive for the environment, tend to be happier and stick around a lot longer. Those who congregate in the “gringo bars” and gripe about elements of the local culture that just don’t measure up to their standards, are often sent packing back home with their proverbial tails tucked between their legs.
The above are just a few basic ideas for making an impact as a Costa Rica expat. Use your imagination and I am sure you can come up with others that could be more in-line with your particular interests.
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