A trip to Costa Rica is sure to introduce you to “pura vida”. The literal translation of the phrase is “pure life”, but it has become the country’s unofficial motto, as well as its tourist board’s marketing slogan. Pura vida is all about keeping calm – “tranquillo” – enjoying the simple things in life, and being satisfied with what you have.
The phrase is uttered at any convenient opportunity: as a greeting, to signal gratitude – I even heard it used with a devilish grin to sarcastically describe a grumpy tourist. And it is much more than a gimmick. Costa Ricans really are the most relaxed and affable folk you are likely to meet – no wonder the country is regularly named among the happiest on…
This article was originally published by Telegraph.co.uk. Read the original article here.