No Hay en Todo Paiz

“They don’t have ‘it” in the whole country.” Bill and I hear that a lot down here. We brought our low voltage patio lights from the states because we were told, “No hay en todo Paiz.”

Peanut butter with one ingredient - peanuts, I brought two jars from the US because I thought possibly “No hay en todo paiz.” I wasn’t taking any chances. I enjoy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast every once in a while and I don’t want it loaded with sugar, salt and artery clogging polyunsaturated fats. The demand for natural foods hasn’t exactly taken over your average Costa Rican consumer.

The fact that you may not be able to find what you want in a third world country shouldn’t be so surprising. As the cliché goes, “When in Rome, do like the Romans.” or in this case, make do like the Costa Ricans.

Imagine though, if you were in the U.S. and had a Toyota Corolla and someone bumped you in the parking lot of the grocery store while you were inside. On the way home your right front blinker light falls off. You notice this when you get home a half-hour later.

Tough luck. You have to get a new turn signal lamp. You go to three or four auto part stores. Each one tells you they don’t have the part and they can’t get one. Or they tell you they will order the part for you and they’ll have it next Tuesday. Tuesday comes around. You have to call them. It turns out they don’t have the part after all and they can’t get it.

You’re desperate, you now figure you’ll go to the authorized Toyota parts dealer, even though you’ll have to pay an arm and a leg more. Oh, you wish! The Mitsubishi, I mean, Toyota parts dealer, tells you, “ We don’t have a part like that in the entire country.”

If you’re like Bill and I you’re thinking, “ How many Toyota Corollas (Mitsubishi Gallopers) are there on the road. It’s a darn popular car and you’re telling me the manufacturer doesn’t distribute parts in the country? Apparently not. We haven’t been able to locate one yet and it’s been a month. We’re holding on till next Tuesday….


We all know how ingenious Bill is though. He has fixed the problem. Here is a picture of our front turn signal lamp. Again, don't laugh. It works. If you can't figure out what you're looking at, send Bill or I an email, we'll be glad to tell you.

A Typical Britz Solution