Since Costa Rica is technically a third-world country, and does exhibit many of the characteristics thereof, I have often wondered why it was so easy for me to get a universal DC adaptor in a small town hardware store, ultra-compact fluorescent light bulbs at a tiny grocery store, high speed DSL in a mountain town with 3,000 people.

That was all last time, but on this latest trip, the pattern has continued. Deanna and I have eaten the best bagels I've had since I was last in Montreal, some of the best pizza I've ever had, and some damn good Korean Bulgoki, all in little Playa del Coco, a small beach town not unlike Port Dover. We found a Faith No More album in a tiny record store in the tiny mall just down the street from us in San Jose. Every grocery store has specialty teas from Twinings and Lipton that I've never even seen at home. I can get organic cereal that the stores in London stopped carrying almost anywhere. And BEER! When Clayton helped us move, he wanted Leffe Blond. We couldn't get it at the Beer Store in London. You know where I can get this particular (relatively obscure, imported European) beer, however? EVERY grocery store in every town I've been in since I came here. Along with Tuborg, Stella, Hoegaarden, and a number of others that I can't remember. In fact, back in Coco, even that small grocery store has a larger variety of beer for sale than I've seen in any but the biggest Beer Store back home.

Then of course there is the socialized medicine, which eclipses ours in quality and speed in many ways - a subject about which I could write an entirely separate article. I'm starting to get the sense that everything we attribute to ourselves as Canadians is outdone by Costa Rica. And that they also have many things which they attribute to themselves uniquely that we in turn lack entirely, and that other, not specifically Canadian comforts of first-world living are often more accessible to people here than to people at home. And, frankly, there is no excuse for it.

I don't think this is a perfect place, by any means. But compared to San Jose or even some of the smaller towns, home is starting to feel downright backwoodsish. For the life of me, I'm having a harder and harder time figuring out what is better about Canada than Costa Rica, for a Canadian. Social goodwill and the ability to count on your neighbour is unparalleled here. Costa Ricans enjoy a virtual absence of violent crime. The atmosphere, rather than one of commercialism, struggle and excess, is one of contentment with what one is able to achieve by working hard, and pride in the process of doing so. Yet, the benefits of a capitalist society are not lost, but can readily be found everywhere. The natural geography is every bit as grand and beautiful as what we have at home, and they do a far better job than we of honouring and protecting it - in fact, roughly 25% of the entire country is federally protected land. While our governments (Liberal and Conservative both) continue to cheat us, thumb their noses at our laws and strip away our freedoms, there is no threat here to individual liberty and even breaking the law is rarely seen a big deal so long as nobody is harmed in the process - because the laws are there to help, not to restrict.

I've had for a long time the sense that Canadians want all the pride of national enthusiasm without having to bother working at it - without having to bother with anything outside themselves, or anything that actually makes Canada a good place in which to live. That we'd rather pay lip service than elbow grease to a strong, proud nation with happy inhabitants and a beneficial way of life. It never really hit home, though, how right I must be, until I spent some time here in Costa Rica. They have so much less to work with, and have done so much more with it, and in comparison with the way of life here, considering the rich heritage and abundant resources with which we are endowed in Canada, I think our accomplishment is nothing to be proud of.

I'm not writing all of this because I want people to bugger off and move to Costa Rica. In fact, it's much the opposite. I think far too many of us have already done exactly that sort of thing. What I want to see is a movement of Canadians pulling their heads out of their asses, standing up, and demanding better. First and foremost of ourselves, for we are typically lazy, underachieving, apathetic, irresponsible, grumpy and self-absorbed. Secondly, from our democratic system, which has not produced a single half-decent federal government since I've been old enough to notice, and which has systematically torn away at everything good about our country while we watched, actionless, inclined only to sling blame at each other across a meaningless political fence. Finally, I believe we need to expect more of each other, because the cohesion necessary for a truly good society cannot be achieved so long as we're all so content to ignore each other in favour of our oh-so-American web of multimedia distractions and escapist wastes of time.

I haven't given up on Canada; I'm doing the reverse - taking an interest where I should always have done. I label myself first among all others an irresponsible Canadian, who has not done enough to care for others, to be warm and friendly, to spend responsibly, or to be politically involved in restoring and maintaining and protecting the country from regime after destructive regime. Once I'm done with myself, however, there are many other fingers to be pointed, and there is much other work to be done. Personally, I suggest we start by removing this godawful government from office, correcting a mistake that many of us, myself included, made - and NOT replacing them with more Liberal hell. Does this imply a revolution? Quite possibly. Are Canadians really up to that? Quite possibly not. But I must at least make the suggestion. In less than five years our major political parties have now both given us the imperative not to trust them with our country. All of the other parties do that routinely, simply by showing us their platforms. Looks like it's on us now to find an alternative - and when that is found, I don't suggest we ask our government for permission in putting it into action - or wait for any more excuses not to fix our country, which I fear will only deteriorate further if we do not slap ourselves across the collective face and do something.