This is a short story—but it carries a long and meaningful message.
While living in Costa Rica, I learned something that no guidebook ever taught me. It was not about beaches or volcanoes or wildlife. It was about how people live, how they value what they have, and how they approach problems with patience, creativity, and respect.
One ordinary afternoon, while walking through a small town, I noticed a modest hand-painted sign in a shop window:
“Watch Repair – Don’t Despair. We Fix Them All.”
The words stopped me in my tracks.
A Watch with a Story
I happened to be carrying a watch that was very dear to me. It was not expensive by luxury standards, but it held sentimental value. The gold-plated stretch band fit perfectly on my wrist, and tiny clusters of stones—diamonds to me, whether real or not—sparkled gently around the face.
It had stopped running some time ago.
Back in the United States, I had taken it to a watch repair shop. The technician examined it briefly, shook his head, and said the battery had leaked and corroded the internal mechanism.
“Not worth fixing,” he told me.
“It’s hopeless.”
That word—hopeless—stuck with me.
Reluctantly, I gave up. I placed the watch in my purse, unable to throw it away but unable to bring it back to life.
Until that day in Costa Rica.
“Leave It with Me”
Drawn by the sign, I hurried inside the tiny repair shop. It was nothing fancy—just a counter, a few tools, and shelves lined with small boxes and parts. Behind the counter stood an older man with kind eyes and hands that looked as though they had repaired thousands of tiny things over a lifetime.
I pulled my watch from my purse and placed it gently in his hands.
He opened it.
Even to my untrained eye, it looked terrible inside—green corrosion, worn parts, damage everywhere. But instead of shaking his head or sighing, the watch repairman smiled.
“Déjelo conmigo unos días,” he said.
“Leave it with me for a few days.”
No promises. No dramatic speech. Just quiet confidence.
Five Days Later
When I returned five days later, the repairman was still smiling.
Without a word, he handed me my watch.
I held it close to my ear.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The hands moved smoothly around the face. It read 10:15 a.m., perfectly on time.
I felt a rush of joy that surprised me. This was more than just a repaired watch. It was a reminder that something once declared “hopeless” had been given a second life.
I thanked him in my limited Spanish.
“Muchas gracias.”
The cost?
Ten dollars.
More Than a Repair—A Philosophy
That moment stayed with me. Not because of the watch itself, but because it revealed something deeper about Costa Rican culture.
In Costa Rica, people do not throw things away easily.
They fix them.
A Culture of Repair
Repair shops of all kinds still exist throughout Costa Rica:
- Shoe repair shops
- Appliance repair
- Electronics repair
- Sewing and tailoring services
- Furniture restoration
- Bicycle mechanics
- Watch and jewelry repair
Somewhere, there is someone who can fix almost anything.
This is not driven by nostalgia—it is driven by values.
Why Costa Ricans Repair Instead of Replace
1. Respect for Resources
Costa Ricans have a deep respect for the environment and for material resources. Waste is not taken lightly. If something can be repaired, it should be.
Throwing something away simply because it is broken is seen as unnecessary—and often irresponsible.
2. Practical Living
Costa Rica developed without extreme wealth or heavy industrialization. Historically, people learned to make things last. Repairing was not a choice—it was a necessity.
That mindset never disappeared.
3. Skilled Hands Matter
In Costa Rica, manual skills are respected.
A person who can repair shoes, watches, radios, or appliances is valued. These are not “lesser” jobs—they are honorable trades passed down through generations.
4. Emotional Value Counts
Costa Ricans understand that objects often hold memories, not just utility.
A watch from a loved one.
A chair handed down through family.
A radio that played music during childhood.
Repairing preserves stories—not just things.
A Contrast with Throwaway Culture
In many developed countries, it is often cheaper—and easier—to replace than to repair. Products are designed to be disposable. Repair shops disappear. Skills are lost.
Costa Rica stands quietly in contrast.
Here, a broken item is not an inconvenience—it is an opportunity.
The Spirit of “Pura Vida”
This philosophy of fixing rather than discarding aligns perfectly with Costa Rica’s national motto: Pura Vida.
“Pura Vida” is not just about happiness—it is about:
- Living simply
- Appreciating what you have
- Avoiding unnecessary excess
- Finding solutions instead of giving up
The watch repairman embodied Pura Vida without ever saying the words.
Lessons Learned from a $10 Repair
That repaired watch taught me more than many books ever could.
It taught me:
- That patience matters
- That skill still has value
- That “hopeless” is often just someone else’s limit
- That care and attention can restore what others abandon
And it reminded me that slow solutions are often the best ones.
Everyday Examples All Around You
Once you notice this mindset, you see it everywhere in Costa Rica:
- Old cars kept running for decades
- Shoes resoled instead of discarded
- Appliances repaired again and again
- Clothes altered rather than replaced
This is sustainability not as a trend—but as a way of life.
A Quiet Wisdom
Costa Rica does not advertise this philosophy loudly. It simply lives it.
In a world obsessed with “new,” Costa Rica quietly says:
“What you have is enough. Fix it.”
Final Thoughts
My watch still works today. Every time I hear its soft ticking, I remember that tiny shop and the smiling repairman who refused to see something as broken beyond hope.
Costa Rica taught me that value is not measured by price, and usefulness is not erased by damage.
In this country, things are not disposable.
Neither are people.
Neither are stories.
Neither are second chances.
Costa Ricans don’t throw things away.
They fix them.