Costa Rica's Nicas

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Saturday, October 16, 2010 | flickr photos

Being the second-richest country in Central America, yet maintaining its beauty with many eco-oriented policies, it’s no wonder Costa Rica is attractive to both migrants and tourists. And although the two often interact, tourists, like Costa Ricans, rarely acknowledge the migrant. The majority of immigrants come from its poorest Central American neighbor to the north, Nicaragua. When I traveled through Nicaragua, I was awed by its rich culture. Upon my return to Costa Rica shock set in, and I realized what Nicas meant to a developing nation that exploits cheap labor. Nicas, as Nicaraguans are referred to, are the invisible people of Costa Rica.
In this photo essay, I am attempting to capture the reality of Nicas. They are unnoticed, but needed. They are colorful, but are living under gray clouds. Nicas make up over 90% of San Jose’s (Costa Rica’s capital) street vendors, watchymen (parking attendants), maids, and gardeners. They come to Costa Rica hoping for opportunity to be shining everywhere, but often learn that dreams fade quickly. There are fortunately many organizations, like CENDEROS, that give migrants essential assistance like informing them of their rights and language lessons, for free. With help, many succeed in their pursuit of a happier and easier life.
I have been photographing everything I deemed attractive since I had my first camera. But it wasn’t until I got a hold of an SLR for the first time a little over a year ago that I realized what I could convey with pictures. Although I still have much to learn, I have progressed from a photographer that captures surface beauty, to one who can capture emotion as well. I hope, as many photographers do, to travel the world, documenting cultures from the perspective of a participant, not just a spectator.