Course Material Slide Shows Culture Countries Links
"It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well. " René Descartes

"No es suficiente tener una buena mente. Lo principal es usarla bien "

 

COSTA RICA

LINKS TO PICTURES/DETAILS OF THESE ITEMS:

Map of the country (show detail in relation to surrounding countries and continent it's located): http://encarta.msn.com/map_701511870/Costa_Rica.html
Flag: http://encarta.msn.com/media_461533674_761572479_-1_1/Costa_Rica_Flag_and_Anthem.html
National Bird / Flower / Tree / Symbol(s): Bird
http://www.costarica.com/culture/national-symbols/national-bird.html
Flower
http://www.costarica.com/culture/national-symbols/national-flower.html
Tree
http://www.costarica.com/culture/national-symbols/national-tree.html
Other national symbols
http://www.costarica.com/culture/national-symbols/national-labor-symbol.html
Food/Recipes: http://www.costarica.com/Home/Culture/Food/Typical_Recipes
http://www.culinaria.com/collectedRecipes/costaRican.html
Arts - Music/Radio stations, Singers/Artists, Crafts: Crafts
http://www.costaricaart.com/

Singers
http://www.costarica.com/Home/Culture/Music/Cantares

Photos
http://www.centralamerica.com/cr/gallery/index.htm

Places - Beaches/Nature Reserve/Landmarks/
Attractions/Entertainment/Sports:
National Parks
ARENAL VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK
BARRA HONDA NATIONAL PARK
BRAULIO CARRILLO NATIONAL PARK
CAHUITA NATIONAL PARK
CHIRRIPÓ NATIONAL PARK
CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK
GUANACASTE NATIONAL PARK
IRAZÚ VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK
JUAN CASTRO BLANCO NATIONAL PARK
MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK

PALO VERDE NATIONAL PARK
PIEDRAS BLANCAS NATIONAL PARK
PLAYA GRANDE MARINE TURTLE NATIONAL PARK
POÁS VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK
RINCÓN DE LA VIEJA NATIONAL PARK
SANTA ROSA NATIONAL PARK
TENORIO VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK AND VICINITY
TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK
WHALE MARINE NATIONAL PARK


Activities
http://www.centralamerica.com/cr/activities.htm
http://www.costaricasoccer.com/adventure.shtml
http://www.infocostarica.com/culture/museums.html

Night Life
http://www.1costaricalink.com/eng/web/liveret-eng.htm
http://www.costaricareisen.com/unterhaltung/nightclubs_eng.htm

Tourist information, cost for
Lodging/Resorts/Apartment Villas/Hotels:
http://www.costaricasoccer.com/
http://costarica.tourism.co.cr/hotels.html
http://www.selvabananito.com/
http://www.bahiadelospiratas.com/index.htm
http://www.mirador.co.cr/
http://www.costaverde.net/index.htm
http://www.costaricamap.com/esp/info.html
http://www.tourism.co.cr/index.html
http://www.hotelbahiaesmeralda.com/costarica/beach/hotel/english/
http://www.canas-castilla.com/englisch/index_eng.htm
http://www.costaricareisen.com/index_eng.htm
http://www.graylinecostarica.com/index.html
http://www.tourism.co.cr/special/helitours/index.html
http://www.nicoya.com/index.html
http://www.aguas-bravas.co.cr/index.html
http://www.bungee.co.cr/
http://adventure-costarica.com/travel/index.htm
Current News
(newspapers, radio stations, television channels):
Newspapers
http://www.ticotimes.net/
http://www.amcostarica.com/
http://elheraldo.net/
http://www.nacion.com/

Radio Stations
http://196.40.15.40:8080/ramgen/encoder/eco.rm
http://www.94-7.com/asx/radio947uni.asx

http://www.monumental.co.cr/asx/Monumental.as
http://www.955jazz.com/955jazz.asx
http://103laradiojoven.com/
http://radiosantaclara.org/radioenvivo.php

Television
 

GENERAL INFORMATION
(in concise sentences)

Type of government: Democratic republic
Capital City: San José
Currency: 1 US Dollar = 460.350 Costa Rican Colon
1 Costa Rican Colon = 0.002172 US Dollar
Languages spoken:

Spanish, Bribri and Cabecar

Motto: Not official but people use it: “Pura Vida” which stands for the state of happiness, peace, and tranquility that the political stability and freedom bring to Costa Ricans.
Refranes or Dichos
(sayings/phrases from that place):

achará  - What a pity!
irsele la onda - to forget
agarrado - miser
jale - let's go
agüevado – bore
joder - to bother
andar de tanda - bar-crawling
lancear - to seduce
batear - to make wild guesses
llegar a la hora del burro - to arrive late
brete - work
mae - dude
cada muerte de Obispo - once in a blue moon
meter la pata - to put one's foot in it
carajada - thing or situation
meter una yucca - to tell a lie 
con toda la pata - in good form 
minche - fistfight
¡Cierre el pico! - Shut up!
no darle la gana - to not want to
choque ese hueso - shake my hand
no entender ni papa - to not understand anything
choza - house
no es vara - it's not a lie
chunche - stuff
ojalá  - if only / god granted
diay - hey
pasar la brocha - to have an ulterior motive
dolor de jupa - headache
pinche - stingy
embarcarse - to take a risk
por si las moscas - just in case
empuncharse - to work hard
pura vida - perfect, wonderful
estar de chichi - to be angry
¡Que tirada! - What a mess!
estar de goma - to be hung over
sacarse el clavo - to get it off one's chest
estar hecho leña - to be in a bad state
suave - wait
estar en la luna - to daydream
salado - too bad
fregar - to bother
ser chineado/a - to be spoiled
grosero - rude
¡Soque! - Hurry up!
Güila - kid
Tirito - just a moment
hablar paja - to talk nonsense
¡Tome chichi! - Take that!
hacerse el chancho - to not pay attention

Religion:  
Climate:  
Festivals/Celebrations/Holiday traditions
(list by month):
Festivals
http://www.mundoafrolatino.com/english/Events.htm
Time differences from Alaska (e.g. hours of difference between the country and Alaska; daylight savings):  
Cost, total travel time, and mileage for a round trip to that country from Alaska on December 21-28 and June 12-19:  

Fotos
http://www.infoweb.co.cr/galeria/

Nelson Sierra, Adjunct Professor - University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Drive, Admin Building ~ Anchorage, Alaska 99508 ~ 907-786-4037 ~ nelson@uaa.alaska.edu
© Copyright 2004, Nelson Sierra.  All rights reserved.