Nicoya Peninsula on the Pacific side of Costa Rica is one of the five original Blue Zones. Although I have been privileged to visit and work with many Blue Zones Projects in the U.S., this was my first experience with one of the earliest regions where more people live to be 100. During spring break my three generational family embraced surfing—two of us had modest previous experience but the rest of us were new to the challenging and enjoyable sport.
Importantly, I wanted to understand the views of residents about Blue Zones which turned out to be both enlightening and confirming. Granted my interactions were limited and observational, not random or scientific, but a pattern still developed that is worth sharing. The success of a community is related to its self-esteem and the folks I encountered were uniformly proud of their home.
During a casual conversation with a native-born senior I asked, “Why do people thrive here?” The immediate response was, “People are nice, they get along with each other and are happy.” He went on to describe his childhood of growing up with an almost self-sufficient extended family. His family back then grew their own food—plant and fruit based with plenty of corn, rice, beans, and some chicken. Fresh fish was and continues to be plentiful.
My experienced Costa Rican citizen’s grandfather bartered home grown produce to obtain salt, sugar, and coffee. Pretty much everything else including drinking goblets were created at home. The protective shells of fruits and coconuts functioned well. Families coalesce into tribes that worked together during harvests, building projects, and social gatherings linked to team projects. Growing up, TVs and screens didn’t exist. Radio supplied entertainment and news. These rural, low-density communities thrived in an isolated and happy region subsequently creating a culture where “People are nice,” and live longer. Loneliness growing up was not a problem—everyone interacted to thrive. As has been demonstrated, loneliness is as noxious as diabetes.
The former environment self-perpetuated for generations. During our week visit, I didn’t see any smokers and the folks we meet were uniformly engaging and friendly. Other younger folks related their good health and that of their friends was from a diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, low stress, and a supportive culture. I probably was enjoying a sampling error but confirmational bias can be comforting.
During another cognitive and engaging conversation during a forest bathing walk through Nosara Biological Reserve another view of current changes was shared by a younger well-informed proud citizen. A series of back-to-back severe hurricanes about four years ago and the recent pandemic interrupted learning for many school children. The long-term loss of time on task is immeasurable but significant. The American nation also experienced educational setbacks due to COVID.
Governmental chaos and clashes among political groups mirror conditions in many nations. Sadly, an illegal drug problem exists because the smuggling of contraband from Colombia to the United States affects much of Central America. Costa Rica is a large exporter of pineapples to Europe and the nefarious drug cartels allegedly hide illegal exports into the shipping containers.
Infrastructure, particularly the rural road branches are in poor condition with potholes, lack sidewalks, and have unsafe passing conditions. Taking into my prejudice ethnocentric point of view, I still think car and motorcycle trauma are major concerns particularly with so many deep potholes.
Trying to remain sensitive to the appropriately proud citizens, I asked about road conditions. The surprising response was, “Bad Roads Bring Good People” meaning that the not yet paved roads prevent mass tourism. The vibe is different than the usual beach town that I am familiar with from being a Florida resident for forty-five years where sun bathers passively bake. Perhaps, some old Florida “crackers” can remember when the coast and people of Florida resembled the pristine beaches and nice people of Nosara, Costa Rica. The shoreline of much of Nosara is protected from development. We didn’t see any mega homes, hotels, condos, or anything but native protected mangroves for over 150 yards from the beach. Yes, carrying a surfboard requires some extra exertion but protecting the pristine environment is an investment for the next generation.
Next week, I plan to continue with an explanation of why Costa Rica’s life expectancy is 81 years and lengthening while America’s is 79 years and dropping. The observations will change from the above anecdotal and personal to measured and objective. The following week I plan to share a piece about Nicoya Peninsula created almost magically demonstrating the power of computer technology.