Bringing the “Pura Vida” to Kettering College
September 2024 —At Kettering College, we are grateful to have a diversity of students on campus. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we thought the best way to honor it would be to tell the stories of people at Kettering College who identify as Hispanic. We asked students, faculty, and staff if they’d like to share their stories.
Krish Ramirez Torres is a student in the Health Sciences program in the pre-Physician Assistant Studies track at Kettering College. She was excited to share her story and photos of her beloved Costa Rica with us all.
Question: What is your country like?
“Costa Rica is a small country in Central America that is known for its biodiversity. Costa Rica represents only 0.03% of the earth’s surface, but it has 6% of the world’s biodiversity. This is because it is known to be the “bridge of biodiversity” as most species must pass Costa Rica when migrating north to south.
Costa Rica is surrounded by both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, but it is NOT an island. I like to say that Costa Rica has it all: stunning beaches, rainforests, volcanos and hot springs, waterfalls, and even some very dry lands. Costa Rica is a democratic country and does not have an army–there is only a short list of countries that don’t have one.
As a result, Costa Rica is a very peaceful country that avoids any sort of violence to resolve problems. Our capital is San José which is only 2 hours away from the closest beach but is still the center of the country.
Our official Language is Spanish, but the Caribbean side has a big influence from Jamaica, and many of them speak English. Costa Rica is known worldwide for our “Pura Vida” motto which basically means “Pure Life” and defines the way most of us “Ticos” live.
Pura Vida means to live and enjoy life every day, to stop and enjoy the little things and blessings that God gives us. To enjoy the true meaning of life: nature, family, and health. To address problems but also remember the blessings that we do have and never let stress take over our lives.”
Question: Why did you come to the States?
“I came to the U.S. because it has been my dream to study here. I am now following my dream of becoming a physician and giving back to the people of my country. I wished to have a better life (as Costa Rica is far from perfect), so I could help those who struggle in Costa Rica and many other Latin-American countries.”
Question: What might people misunderstand about the Hispanic heritage?
“Many people confuse the terms “Hispanic” and “Latino.” “Hispanic” refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries, while “Latino” refers to people from Latin America, which includes countries that speak languages other than Spanish, such as Brazil (Portuguese).
There is also the assumption that all Hispanic cultures are the same, when there is vast diversity in traditions, dialects, cuisines, and customs across countries. On many occasions people expect Central American countries to be the same when there are huge differences between them, even between Costa Rica, Nicaragua or Panama which are neighboring countries.”
Question: What do you love about your heritage?
“What I love about the Hispanic heritage is our friendliness. Hispanics are known to be loud, happy, and very friendly. I love to talk to people from other countries and hear how they love how kind and friendly we are. I love how proud we are to be Hispanic and the diversity that it brings.
Having such differences between all our countries and yet (for the most part) we speak the same language allows us to have an incredible knowledge of diversity. I am proud to have a heart that is warm from the kindness of all my fellow Hispanics and feeling like we are all a big family, especially in countries like the U.S.”
Question: Why do you think Hispanic Heritage Month is important?
“Hispanic Heritage Month is important because it celebrates the rich and diverse contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities to the history, culture, and fabric of society, particularly in the U.S. It is a time to leave all political views aside and celebrate the rich diversity that we bring to the table (especially our food). It is a month to appreciate all the Hispanics who find themselves in this foreign country that opened its arms to us. It is a time to share, talk, learn, and celebrate.”
Question: Is there anything else you want to add?
“My favorite fun fact about Hispanics or even the Spanish language is that we all speak it differently. It doesn’t matter if you “know” Spanish, I promise you that if you talk to people from different countries you will find out there is no “right way” to speak Spanish, and on many occasions even us (native Hispanics) don’t know how to speak it.
Here are some examples:
| Popcorn | Straw |
| Costa Rica: Palomitas | Costa Rica: Pajilla |
| Venezuela: Cotufas | Argentina: Pajita |
| Bolivia: Pipocas | Mexico: Popote |
| Chile: Cabritas | Colombia: Cañita |
And there are so many other countries and so many other examples! We should really make a dictionary!”
Thank you so much to Krish Ramirez Torres for sharing her story with us. We’re grateful she chose Kettering College to be her home away from home!
(Photos Courtesy of Krish Ramirez Torres)
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