Costa Rica: a study, part 2

We've been learning a lot, as I said, in my history class — but where I really "get" Costa Rica is in culture. To add to my previous learning:

• El endeudamiento — the debt — in Costa Rica is about 4-10 million colones, or $8-20 thousand dollars, per person. More than 50 percent of the people is in this kind of debt.
• La infidelidad — infidelity — of men in general is about 90%. The numbers are at about 70% for women.
• While 98% of the country is literate, the only requisite for this is the ability to write your name.
• While Costa Rica has comparable statistics to many other developed countries, the levels of violence are continuing to worsen, especially crimes against women.
• Ticos are notoriously "bad friends," not helping others unless they can expect something in return.

Of course, this is to counter our claims that all Ticos are "peaceful, friendly and caring." And they said that most Americans are seen as smelly, rich and materialistic — so you can tell me how true stereotypes are. We were told these numbers when I asked if they thought that Ticos were happy. The answer was no. It's so interesting to talk about cultural meanings of happiness. It seems like after everything, though, what makes someone happy is pretty universal.