Costa Rican people culture and behaviours

Costa Rican people behaviors:

• Women have to cook and be in the kitchen while men just wait for her to serve the food: this is just one “machismo” example, in Costa Rica chauvinism covers more than an 80% of families. This behavior is usual; in most of the cases is common to see the wife serving food while her husband waits on his chair, so happens with cloth washing, dish washing and so on…
Cultural value: Chauvinism. Of course those behaviors don’t represent the whole Costa Rican population. Men and women are expected to act differently from each other, and to respect their roles. A large proportion of Costa Rican women are professionals and hold important positions in both businesses and the government, but they still retain some traits that are traditional and conservative.

• Holy week free of work and school: In Costa Rica Holy or Easter week celebration is great because in most of cases schools don’t work and so many companies around the country, that makes an excellent opportunity to go on vacations and share with family. However, some people choose to stay at home and to join religious celebrations that include masses and processions. Nearly everything shuts down from Thursday to Monday, which is why it's a good idea to stock up on goods before then, and to avoid traveling, since some transportation services also stop completely.
Cultural Value: Catholic Believers.

• Give seat to pregnant women on a bus: when you travel on a public bus is usual and nice to see people giving seat to a pregnant women that is a good example that represents Costa Rican’s hospitality, but that behavior doesn’t happen just on a bus, you can see it in a bank, stores, markets, etc… and that isn’t just for pregnant women it is so for old people and disabled people. There’s an important law to respect people needs; Law No 7600 Equal Opportunities for Persons With Disabilities.
Cultural value: Friendliness and hospitality.