mapping a city 2

Mapping a City: San
Jose, Costa Rica
By: Jason T. Raley Jr.
INTS2105I

Mapping a City: San Jose, Costa Rica
1
Jason Raley
INTS 2105
The city of San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica. I have decided to choose San Jose
because I plan on going on the Turner College of Business’s study abroad to Costa Rica this
Maymester term. I would like to use this opportunity to learn more about the place I will be
traveling to. Also I would like to take this opportunity to better prepare myself for the culture
and history I will be immersing myself in. Another reason this paper will benefit me is because it
will also better prepare me to understand the climate as well as the geography of the city which
is vital to me being on my own in a foreign country. (Costa Rica - History & Culture)
Archaeologists now know that civilization existed in Costa Rica for thousands of years.
Evidence shows that there has been human occupation in the region as far back as 10,000 years
ago. Ruins of a large, ancient city with aqueducts were recently found east of San Jose, and
some very intricate and well-crafted gold and jade work was being wrought in the southwest as
far back as 1,000 years ago. (Costa Rica - History & Culture)
The first European explorer to encounter Costa Rica was the Spanish Navigator who also
is credited with “discovering” our country, Christopher Columbus. The day was September 18,
1502, and Columbus was making his fourth and final voyage to the New World. As he was
landing off the shore, a group of local Carib Indians came out in canoes and greeted his crew
warmly with open arms. Later, the golden bands that the region's inhabitants wore in their

2
noses and ears would inspire the Spaniard Gil Gonzalez Davila to name the country Costa Rica,
or Rich Coast. (Costa Rica - History & Culture)
Of all the Spanish colonies, Costa Rica had the least influence as a colony. At first it was
a very hard and unpopular place to settle, with very few valuable or easily exploited resources.
This is mainly due to the fact that the Spanish were far more interested in developing the foot
hold in Mexico and Peru, and this is because of the large amounts of silver and gold which were
being taken from them by the Spaniards. The early settlers who ventured to Costa Rica were
left basically to fend for themselves. The first successful colonial city was finally established
1562, when Juan Vasquez de Coronado founded Cartago. (Costa Rica - History & Culture)
An era of peaceful democracy began in Costa Rica in 1899 with elections considered the
first truly free and honest ones in the country's history. Costa Rica has a very strong system of
constitutional checks and balances. Executive responsibilities are vested in a president, much
like we do here in the United States, who is Costa Rica’s center of power. There is a difference
though in the fact that there are two vice presidents, but they do have around 20 plus members
in the cabinet. The president and all other political figures are elected for 4-year terms and
selected by popular vote. The judicial branch of government in Costa Rica is comprised only of a
Supreme Court. (Costa Rica: Government)(Background Notes)
In the year 1869, Costa Rica made education both free and mandatory for all its citizens.
Since that 1869, the Costa Rican education system now includes over four thousand
schools. Also in the last 30 years Costa Rica has invested almost 30% of the national budget in
both primary and College education systems. The literacy rate is 95% in residents ages 15 and

3
up. With all this dedication to education Costa Rica is now one of the most educated and safest
countries in the South American region as opposed to 40 plus years ago. (Costa Rica." 's
Education System)
There are primary schools in every community so no child goes without an education.
Also the students are required to wear uniforms to not only eliminate distractions, but also
teach responsibility which both are drastic changes which have helped reflect in the statistics of
the last 30 years showing vast improvements. Public schools consist of six years of education.
This is then followed by five to six years of high school. An interesting fact I found was that the
last two or three years of high school education provide students with specialized training so
they graduate with trade skills to better have a chance at finding a job if they decide not to
attend college. To briefly touch on the subject, a college education in Costa Rica provides
excellent academics, while at the same time a very cost effective financial investment. Costa
Rica also has both public and private universities much like our own. The schools range from
the well-known University of Costa Rica all the way to the internationally recognized University
for Peace. Tuition on average is about 50% less than in-state rates for most U.S. schools, and if
that wasn’t enough the students get to spend time abroad. In other words you’ll graduate with
little debt and a first-rate education, with a little Spanish thrown in. (Costa Rica." 's Education
Syste)
Costa Rica, also known as the Republic of Costa Rica, is a part of North America and is
bordered by Nicaragua and Panama. It has 802 miles of coast line and its highest point is Cerro
Chirripo at 12,500 feet. The country features numerous rainforests and many exotic types of

4
flora and animals which makes it a popular destination for tourism and ecotourism. San Jose is
right in the middle of Costa Rica and the capital city of the country. Nearly 40% of the total
population call San Jose home. The weather is very nice year round with few showers this is
because it is at such a high elevation (3,800 ft) and right near the equator. (San Jose – Central
Valley Region of Costa Rica)
The population of the country as a whole is around 4.1 million and is steadily growing
every year at a rate of 1.4%. Also with that population said keep in mind that only 2% of that is
still the indigenous people of Costa Rica, the rest are descendants of Spanish settlers. The
populationin SanJosé grewtremendouslyduringthe lasthalf of the twentiethcentury. Today309,672
people call the SanJosé home anda millionmore live insurroundingsuburbs,makingupabout40% of
the nation’stotal population. Also San Jose is one of the more educated countries in Central
America with a literacy rate at of 90% of the total population. The largest age groups are ages
15-64 and this represents 66% of the population with 1-14 at 28% and 65 and over at 6%. Also
the male to female ratio is fairly even with the males slightly out numbering the females .02%.
(Demographics of Costa Rica)
There are quite a few religions present in the city of San Jose. The main religion would
be of course Roman Catholics at around 75% due to the strong Spanish heritage that makes up
its main population group. Next would be Baptists at 15% because of the mix of other European
heritages and the visitation of religious groups to native tribes over the years. Following that
are the Jehovah witnesses and Protestants which combined make up 3%. The remaining 7% are
the native Costa Ricans that still hold on to their native roots and believes even after all the
European and North American influence the last 300 years. (Demographics of Costa Rica)

5
The main forms of transportation in Costa Rica are mainly car and boats. The biggest
form of transportation is by automobile because the country has 22,000 miles of road that
stretch to all the hard to reach villages and mountains. Next is by boat and with 802 miles of
coast you can get almost anywhere by sailing the shore. After that comes flying because like
driving some places are hard to get to so the Costa Ricans make could use of the 157 run ways
in the country. Lastly is either by bus, train, or by walking depending on location. The main
forms of transportation in San Jose however are either walking or by car seeing as how it is in
the middle of the country. (Demographics of Costa Rica)
Costa Ricans are still conservative when it comes to family issues and like to maintain
some traditions. Even though the amount of single-mother families is extremely high, due to
men dying first traditionally, family relations remain very strong even in these types of
households. Traditions center on the family from the moment of a family members birth to that
of death. Some very important family traditions are as follows: baptisms, first communions,
engagement parties, weddings and funerals. These events are attended by not only close family
which is what most American families do, but also the extended family as well along with a
large quantity of friends and their family members. Also, most Costa Ricans still live at home
helping with the family until they are married and leave to start a family of their own, or go off
to college. (CountriesandTheirCultures)(CCID)( Costa Rica – Traditions)
San Jose residents begin socializing in groups and dating at young ages. The younger
couples and age groups go to movies, dances, picnics, and bull fights which are all top dating
activities. The San Jose girls are more restricted than the boys. They generally have to be back

6
at their home by 10 pm unless the young couple is close to marriage with the approval of the
girl’s parents. The boy also has to schedule times to be at the girls home so that the parents will
be there as well to make sure he is a respectful guest and to their daughter. Marriage is a very
sacred aspect in the Costa Rican culture as it has one of the highest marriage rates in Latin
America. When they have decided to tie the knot the families of the couple meet and formally
agree on to allow the marriage between their children. Women usually marry in their early
twenties while men do in their late twenties. (CountriesandTheirCultures)(CCID)( Costa Rica –
Traditions)
Gender differences and the "machismo" system still exist today, but only slightly as San
Jose and Costa Rica have become a very feminine oriented society. The “machismo” system is
the traditional Spanish and Portuguese believe of male supremacy over woman. Also under this
system woman can only be one of two things a prostitute or a saint depending on if she ever
gets married. Men and women are expected to act differently from each other, and to respect
their role in society which has always been the case, but in Costa Rica today the “machismo”
tradition is slowly dying out aside from a few gender responsibilities held by the women. Men
are traditional workers and provide for the family and secure a good income and life style for
the family. A large proportion of Costa Rican women are professionals and hold important
positions in both businesses and the government, but they still hold on to some traits that are
traditional and conservative. Some of these traits include watching the children, cooking,
cleaning, and anything else deemed needed by the husband to maintain a family home. It
wasn’t until 1948 that women were allowed to vote, but since that time 2 women hold the first
and second vice-presidency of the country along with a woman already having run for

7
president. The role of a woman in Costa Rica has changed drastically, due to an increased
influence from other cultures and means of communication. Also values, including those having
to do with sex, marriage, family and machismo, have also changed dramatically for the better in
the last 50 years evening out the roles. (Off Our Backs)(CountriesandTheirCultures)(CCID)
Recreation in San Jose is a very important aspect as they are very active and happy
culture. The main recreation is Futbol or as we call it soccer. Futbol is the most popular
participant and spectator sport. Basketball, baseball, volleyball, surfing, Indi car racing,
swimming, biking, running, and tennis are also very popular sports. Costa Rica is also known for
its great fishing in some locations as well as its crowded beaches between January and April.
Along with sports carnivals, festivals, and bull fights are all very popular recreations which many
enjoy to attend and watch with their families. (CCID)( Costa Rica – Traditions)
The people of San Jose eat around three meals a day with some mid-morning and
afternoon coffee and snack breaks. Breakfast and dinner are the most important meals of the
day because they are usually with family, especially since lunch is becoming more rushed
because of jobs and eating away from home. Costa Rican business meetings are around lunch
time since everyone is already at work while guest come to your house for dinner with your
family. Table manners are expected at any meal, but a general rule is you never put your hands
below the table for it is very disrespectful to the host. (CCID)
Costa Rican meals are almost always served with beans and rice or some variation of the
two and known for being a little spicy. A common breakfast meal is called gallo pinto which is a
mixture of black beans and rice. A common lunchtime meal is called casado which is beans,

8
salad, meat, plantains, and sometimes eggs. Some popular dishes are Olla de carne which is
basically beef stew with onions and a lot of vegetables. The most well-known dish from Costa
Rica is of course the Tamale which is made up of meat, vegetables, and cornmeal wrapped in
plantain leaves and boil. (CCID)
San Jose is known for its courtesy to other people and guest. Things such as
aggressiveness and violence are shunned and taught to not be acceptable from a very young
age. The San Jose people are known for their love of peace and conciliation. Things such as
confrontation are avoided at all cost in order to maintain relationships and keep the valued
peace the country is known for. However the San Jose people do place a great deal of pride in
their privacy and honor and will defend that with their last breath if needed. A strong work
ethic is instilled at a young age and taught to be a way of life to benefit not only yourself, but
your family. Also people in San Jose place a great deal of effort into their individuality and trying
to be a little different from not only each other, but as a country. Still group conformity in their
values, interest, and thoughts is important to share with each other in society. People in Costa
Rica are seen as individual and for being different in their own ways, but at the same time given
respect regardless of their social class or income level. (CCID)
Dancing is a typical practice of Costa Ricans as it is not only a form of fun, but preserves
a piece of the culture in modern times for all ages to enjoy. Typical Latin American dances
include the salsa, flamenco, merengue, cumbia, and Costa Rican swing dancing. The salsa for
example is all about exotic and flashy outfits while at the same time full of moves involving a lot
of spinning and weight control between both partners to do all the dance moves. Some of these

9
dances can involve a partner while some can be individual, but what makes the Latin dance
culture so unique is the fact that some of these dances can involve the whole family. The
flamenco dance can involve as many as five dancers while another five play instruments for
them and control the pass of the dance. These dances involve a lot of emotional effort and
dancers use these dances to express their feelings. Some dancer can go for hours without
stopping getting lost in the moment. As well as being very passionate some use their dances to
tell stories to the audience providing a very unique and exciting experience. Dancing is an art
form that will forever be a part of the Costa Rican culture. (CCID)
Costa Rica's music is not internationally acclaimed or well known. The country's most
popular music genre is the indigenous calypso music which has a reggae sound to it. Also
flourishing disco audiences travel to the nightclubs of San José to enjoy nights of fun and
socializing. As in many other countries in Central America and abroad, American and British
rock and roll and pop music are very popular in the younger generations. Dance-based genres
such as cumbia, flamenco, merengue, and salsa are also popular forms of music because they
play a role in all the traditional dances the people enjoy so much. Tourists generally stumble
across the popular folk dances such as Botijuela Tamborito and Cambute. Typical musical
instruments used in these folk songs and the calypso are the chirimia, guitar, drums, xylophone,
accordion, the quijongo which is a stringed instrument. (CCID)( Costa Rica – Traditions)
San Jose like all Latin American cities and countries is a collectivistic culture. As stated in
the research above trust, family, friends, loyalty, personal relationships, and networking are
essential to this society.Families, and especially mothers, are very sacred in San Jose and the

10
country of Costa Rica. Going straight to the point and business is considered as very rude and
hard selling is not being done. When you help someone out in a difficult situation it will never
be forgotten and returned in time. Relationships are very important so the building of
friendships, loyalty, and trust is always occurring helping tie the society together as a tight
collectivistic culture. (Hofstede Journel)
San Jose is not only a feminine culture but it is considered the most feminine society in
Latin America and only 8 countries in the world score more feminine than Costa Rica. Native
San Jose citizens are very afraid of any kind of personal criticism which is understandable being
a collective society. There is a very high acceptance for women in business. Also there is a very
high rate of politicians being woman including the current president Laura Chinchilla. Suffrage
for women was introduced in 1948 and half of the country’s university students are female.
Costa Rica wants to become the first carbon neutral country in the world by 2021 and is on a
successful path to do so. (Off Our Backs)
The city of San Jose and the country of Costa Rica are very high on uncertainty
avoidance. As in most countries exhibiting high uncertainty avoidance rates formality and high
emotional need for security and rules are very important, even if they are not always being
followed. Bureaucracy and politics are very time consuming in the government because of all
the rules and regulations that must be adhered to. Also documentation, need for stamps, and
written instructions are important. The Costa Ricans are traditionally a very conservative
society; they do not always encourage or embrace strange and different ideas. Another

11
interesting fact is that even though the weather is normally very warm and clear a full dress
code is followed by the people as to display a uniform and collective society.
Unlike many countries, especially in Latin American countries, where many countries
have had military rule, Costa Rica has a very low power distance in nature along with the fact
that they abolished their army in 1948. Their president, Oscar Arias (1986-90, 2006-10),
received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his effort to end civil wars in Central America.
Citizens of San Jose and Costa Rica in general, are well known for their good human rights
record and treatment of their fellow man in country and abroad. They are very much focused
on equality and consensus there is a less distance between blue-collar and white-collar workers
in their society. (Hofstede Journel)
Costa Ricans are known for being a high context culture. They for deep interpersonal
bonds with one another, and even though the society discourages racismand classes, they do
eventually form their own groups which is inevitable in human nature in given any culture. They
communicate nonverbally using body language and mood display, settings can play a big role
on a person’s current mood, and messages are usually internalized. Also they are a very relax
culture when it comes to time and maintaining a schedule because in their mind if it does not
get done today it will get done eventually, there is no rush. (Hofstede Journel)
By definition the people of Costa Rica are a polychronic society. They focus on many
tasks at one time and taking their time in doing them along with the fact that they are easily
distracted by many different things. Costa Rica is known as the “polychronic land” because time
and punctuation on being on time is not as important like many other cultures. Certain things

12
such as class and certain professions require you to be on time, but for the most part time is
very relaxed here. However, when it comes to people and relationships you are expected to
always be respectful, loyal, honest, and dependable with almost no room for error. Almost
everything revolves around the relationship with the person you are dealing with including time
promptness along with trust and business. The Costa Rican have a very well-known tendency to
build lifelong relationships.
Costa Ricans fall in to the “present oriented” category. This is because they don’t believe
in rushing through life and believe that if it’s not accomplished today then eventually it will get
done. They would rather enjoy time with their friends and family and building relationships
with each other and not miss living in the moment, because they believe strongly in the fact
that you only live once. They do however take great measures to ensure future success hence
their strong education system. Also they believe strongly in the preservation of their tropical
forest and cultural and relationship traditions. Overall they tend to take each day one at a time
and are in no hurry to live tomorrow, they prefer to live in the moment at hand.
San Jose is a great city and so is the host country of Costa Rica. The people there are
polite and very welcoming to outsiders and look forward to building life time friendships with
them. I now have a better understanding of the long and vast history of the city and country,
along with its many attractions and activities to do while I am there. This paper has better
prepared me for my study abroad in the Maymester term to San Jose so I know more of what
to expect not only climate and geographically, but also traditionally and culturally.

13
Work Cited Page
"Costa Rica - History & Culture." Costa Rica - History & Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
"Costa Rica: Government." GlobalEDGE: Your Source for Global Business Knowledge. Global
Edge, Apr. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
Background Notes on Countries of the World: Costa Rica. Jul2007, p4-4. 1/4p.
"Costa Rica." 's Education System. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
"San Jose – Central Valley Region of Costa Rica." San Jose, Costa Rica. Anywhere Costa Rica, Jan.
2013. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
"Demographics of Costa Rica." Demographics of Costa Rica. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
"Countries and Their Cultures." Culture of Costa Rica. Every Culture, Apr. 2007. Web. 24 Oct.
2013. "CCID." CCID. CultureGrams, Aug. 2010. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
“Off Our Backs.” march 1990, Vol. 20, Issue 3, p1-11, 11p.
"Costa Rica - Traditions." Costa Rica - Traditions. Info Costa Rica, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
"CostaRica." HofstedeJournel.(2013): n. page.Print. <http://geert-hofstede.com/costa-rica.html>.

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