Ask anyone who has visited Costa Rica and top on their list will be Tico kindness.  What is a "Tico"?  It's what Costa Rican's call themselves: as they are known to add a diminutive "tico" to words when talking.  Costa Ricans often respond "Pura Vida" to an inquiry of how they are doing.  "Pure Life" is a way in which Ticos live their lives: low on stress, high on social and governmental support and just all-around happy. In fact, National Geographic named Costa Rica one of the happiest countries in the world in 2017.

With just over 5 million people people in a location about the size of West Virginia, it is considered one of the safest, most politically stable countries in Central America. It has been without an army for 70 years, instead devoting those expenditures to education, health care and protecting its natural resources.  With over 25% of its land protected and 99% of its energy generated from renewable resources (breaking its own records!), Costa Rica is an ecological paradise.