The Central Valley is Home to 70% of Costa Rica's Population
What is the first thing that comes to mind when someone asks you: What do you know about Costa Rica? Probably it is an island. Ok, I am just kidding; however, the number of times that even people in the mass media have confused Costa Rica with Puerto Rico is astonishing. But I digress. Costa Rica is a tiny country, only the size of the US state of West Virginia, or the country of Denmark, locked between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. Most people get introduced to Costa Rica through one of its hundreds of beaches, including yours truly. (Costa Rica has 212 km of Caribbean Sea coastline and 1,016 km of the Pacific Ocean).
Before moving to the Central Valley in 2008, I would only come here if I needed to do my shopping, as 15 years ago, the coastal areas were not as developed as they are today. However, once my work assignment had come to an end on the Southern Pacific coast, I came to San Jose in search of opportunities and have been living here ever since. Throughout my stay, I started noticing things that were not obvious to me during my short trips to the Central Valley from the coast. I interchangeably use Central Valley and San Jose, but in reality, the Central Valley also encompasses the cities of Cartago (The original capital of Costa Rica), Heredia (where I currently live), and Alajuela. That said, 4 out of 7 of the country's municipalities have a strong footprint in the Central Valley, and each has its own flavor.
Now, let me get to the headline and list the reasons that make me hate living in the Central Valley.
1. I hate the year-round spring weather.
2. I hate that there are too many quality shopping options.
3. I hate that the airport is 15 minutes away from my home.
4. I hate that I can drive one hour to the Pacific Coast, two hours to the Caribbean Coast, or take a 20-minute flight to either.
5. I hate that there are just too many restaurants of all origins and tastes, which creates lots of dilemmas.
6. I hate that we are surrounded by two active volcanoes and national parks, such as Irazu and Poas, and it takes a whole hour to get to them.
7. I hate that it takes me an hour to get to Orosi and 2 hours to get to the Arenal area with all those hot springs resorts.
8. I hate that there are so many quality educational options, both public and private and they offer such an advanced education curriculum.
9. I hate that there are too many concerts and special events by international as well as national artists.
All kidding aside, the Central Valley is a great place to live and experience everything Costa Rica has to offer: luxury, nature, and warm people. But one thing is certain: it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Want to know if the Central Valley is a good place for you to live? Contact Vitaly Balasanov to know more about the side of Costa Rica that only a few know about.
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