*Courtesy of Inside Costa Rica
The Arizona immigration law controversy is spilling into others states, like Alabama where gubernatorial candidate Tim James, in an attempt to boost his ratings in the polls, by coming out with a television ad “we speak English in Alabama”, promising that driver’s license testing in that state will be only in English is he elected governor.
This recent act of xenophobia brings out the question how does a small country like Costa Rica with the many languages spoken here.
Of course, any American visiting Costa Rica knows well that Spanish is the official language in the tiny Central American nation.
Canadians are the exception, for though there are two official languages in Canada – French and English – a barrage of other languages, though not official, are spoken. Just turn on a television set in Toronto.
In Costa Rica, there is no “official” second language, though English is common, especially in areas like Escazú. So is Chinese. Italian and French can be easily overheard at a local restaurant or coffee shop. And there is the variation in Spanish, from the language spoken in the old country (Spain), to Nicaraguan, to Colombian to Cuban, etc.
In reference to Alabama’s James, drivers license tests in Costa Rica – both written and driven – are in Spanish. The forms are in Spanish, the people behind the counter processing the license speak only Spanish. And so do the driving testers.
Notwithstanding, there are thousands of Americans and other non Spanish speaking drivers in Costa Rica, with a valid drivers license. Yes, if they have a drivers license from their home country, the process is abbreviated. Nonetheless, the abbreviated process is all in Spanish.
And although many foreigners, mainly Americans, refuse of find learning a new language difficult, you need to learn Spanish in Costa Rica to enjoy “pura vida”.
Speaking the language is important for the “official” part of living in Costa Rica, like getting a drivers license or a residency or any interaction with a government institution or agency.
The business and commercial part is different, here foreigners can choose the language of choice. Merchants, service providers, hotels, restaurants, etc by an large have included English in their daily transactions. Some specialty business cater to specific language groups.
This is all part of being pragmatic.
In Costa Rica, you don’t hear politicians, like in the recent presidential elections or up coming municipal elections at the end of the year, spouting that everyone should speak Spanish and that all services are in Spanish.
Lets be realistic, today’s world is different than that of the past. Foreign travel is part of modern life and not everyone is required to speak English to travel.
The Costa Rican tourism board, although officially speaks Spanish, it does provide a number of services and guides in English. The practical approach of the tourism board if to offer a place where tourists, be it English, Chinese or Italian speaking, can obtain the basic information to get gas, food, lodging and medical attention.
We are not advocating that Alabama adopt a language other than English as the official language. It should be up to foreigners to learn English, like Alabamans coming to Costa Rica learn Spanish.
This xenophobic approach by states and countries goes against a “unified” world, where people, races and cutlures come together.
Speaking a common language is important in bringing these groups together. So, in Costa Rica, we speak Spanish. But we don’t need politicians to tell us or reassure us of that.
