More Costa Rica/US Comparisons

In the last blog entry, I showed several areas in which the US is, well, superior to Costa Rica, in my view. Now I'd like to share some ways in which the Ticos show their superiority.

People vs. Schedule

Doctors in the States often set limits like, for example, that you can only go in with two complaints per visit. That way the doctor can keep folks moving through and people don't have to cool their heels all day in the waiting room. We even knew a doctor who would only examine four moles at a time. So if you had twenty moles that needed checking you'd have to make five appointments!

Here, you'd better bring a long book for your doctor's visits. Sometimes you'll get in and out quickly, but don't count on it. The doctors here will take all the time you need. They'll give you a detailed answer to each of your questions. When he or she is done answering your questions, you'll be asked about how each member of your family is doing, and you might even hear some gossip on the patient that was in before you! It doesn't matter how many people are waiting outside.

If you're visiting a Tico family on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you'd better plan on staying till sundown. You'll come across as abrupt otherwise. And if you're the host, your Tico visitors would be shocked to find out you were expecting them to leave three hours earlier.

Peace vs. War

Ecclesiastes 3:8 tells us there is a time for war and a time for peace. I fear that the US has at times gone to war when it was still the time for peace. I can say with certainty that Costa Rica will never make that mistake. Why? Because it has no military.

As we speak, Nicaragua is occupying a swath of land that, until recently, was nearly universally recognized as Costa Rica's. What's Costa Rica doing about it? The only thing it can do--taking it to various international governing bodies.

The advantages of having no military are that taxes stay relatively low, and there is enough money to fund a number of social programs like public health care and higher education.

Children: High Priority vs. Low Priority

If you get on the bus with a small child and the bus is full, don't worry--someone will give up their seat for you.

If you're in a mile-long line at the airport and you have a small child, you don't have to lament the long wait you have coming. Your little one is your ticket to the front of the line.

If a stranger stops on the sidewalk and gives little Junior a pat on the head as you pass, you needn't feel threatened. It's only because children are loved and cherished here.

If you don't keep up on your child support, the cops will promptly hunt you down and put you in jail. It's about the only thing here that can be described as "prompt."

Abortion is illegal here. We don't hear the horror stories of terrible things supposedly happening in places where abortion isn't "safe and legal."

It's humbling to see that there's so much we Americans can learn from others!