I thought I would start my postings about my fabulous trip to Costa Rica by explaining the term that is so common there, “pura vida.” However, it has proved harder to explain than I expected. Some things just “are,” and trying to explain them is futile. To a certain extent, I think this is the case for Pura Vida.
The casual way I understood the phrase while I was in Costa Rica and encountering it on a daily basis was along the lines of, “No worries, things will work out.” I knew, of course, that the literal translation was “pure life,” but it was clear that the connotations of the expression were much wider and deeper than that. It was as if all the implications associated with living a “pure life” were bound up in the phrase in a metaphorical sense.
“Pura vida” also reminded me of the Hawaiian phrase, “hang loose,” which is also widely used in many informal circumstances. One can end a phone call with “pura vida” almost as an expression of good wishes. One can greet a friend or even new acquaintance with “pura vida” as a friendly expression of well-being.
Of course, after only nine days in the country, I hardly qualify as an expert. So I tried to research the phrase a bit, Read the rest of this entry »
