Blessings and Benefits of 2007
Date: 12/20/2007
December 21, 2007
San Jose, Costa Rica
Christmas is a time for giving…and that’s definitely true in Costa Rica. Despite the fact that the average salary in Costa Rica is $450 a month, you will see Ticos around the country donating to good causes, buying medicine and food for those less fortunate, and generally sharing the spirit of the season with others.
Last weekend’s telethon to benefit the Children’s Hospital in San Jose and the Hospital of Smiles projects brought in a record amount of donations and much goodwill throughout the country.
If you’ll be in Costa Rica this holiday season, there are two charitable events worth your attention. One is the annual Obras del Espiritu Santo (Works of the Holy Spirit) event on Dec. 23 in the National Stadium. About 12,000 children are expected to gather here for a day filled with entertaining events, food and candy, and Christmas gifts donated by national companies. And on Dec. 27, the Costa Rican music group Malpaís will hold a charity benefit concert to raise money to buy food for 300 low-income families in Coronado, Guadalupe, and Moravia. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Vida Abundante church auditorium in San Antonio de Coronado.
It was a very good year: Although there are many people in Costa Rica who live below recognized poverty levels, there is also much to celebrate. In our First Alert service, we’ve told you about some of the very exciting things that are happening in Costa Rica now…the economy is growing and the benefit is that new infrastructure improvements…like airports, highways, and ports…are in the works. (And still, it should be noted, the country maintains its focus on environmental issues. Symbolically, President Oscar Arias recently planted the 5-millionth tree of 2007. By the end of the year, Costa Rica will have planted nearly 6.5 million trees, which should absorb 111,000 tons of carbon dioxide a year.)
Real estate is booming here...more and more foreigners and locals alike are buying beach homes and mountain getaways. Exports are growing, too, and this year will most likely break the $9 billion mark—a national record. During the first 10 months of 2007, Costa Rica exported 14.3% more than during the same period in 2006. This trade increase comes in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, processed foods, and computer components.
The government has done a very good job of attracting industry and new business investment—and there are more jobs for Costa Ricans than ever before. Still, because so many companies that are setting up shop here, some are having a difficult time finding skilled workers. In 2007, several job fairs were held…some of the positions that need to be filled include teachers and jobs in precision mechanics and agricultural fields.
The upshot of all this is that if you’ve been thinking about a move to Costa Rica, the time has never been better. If 2007 is any indication, 2008 will be a banner year for Costa Rica.
Thank you for reading our Costa Rica First Alert this year. We wish you a warm and safe holiday season.
From Costa Rica: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo!
Your Latin America Insider,
P.S. For news about relocating your business to Costa Rica or about upcoming job fairs (in Spanish…the English site is being translated): www.procomer.com.
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