Task 4



Go to the following link: 

http://www.ticotimes.net/2014/10/28/why-waze-is-so-incredibly-popular-in-costa-rica

Read the article and in a 25 lined comment give your personal opinion about how this portrays "ticos" culture. 


Due date: February 27th 

12 comentarios:

  1. Waze is a very interesting entrepreneurship. First of all, I have to say that I love this types of initiatives, because I think that all people can to do actions to improve the country. I had read that waze was made by entrepreneurs people and I hope all students and general individuals work very hard to do a environmental solutions like that.

    Second, the notice talk about a serious problem that costa ricans have. We have a very nice country, we have natural parks, a lot of mountains, beaches, towns, flowers, animals and we have to protect this things but the situation is that we have to know that is our responsibility to help the government and propose solutions, we do not have to wait by solutions we need to work together.

    I am very happy because all people know that in Costa Rican persons are a little lazy, but in the last years the enterprises are rising and this is important for our culture because we have to change this lazy image and projecting a culture of hard work for help the environment.

    Costa Rica has many foundations and nonprofit organizations. I had participated the last year in the "social shoot", this is an very motivated meeting, in this activity you can find people who work by foundations like "The kid with the ball", "Gerontovida" and somethings like that. It is very exciting see young people working for social causes, and I love this because our culture always teach share with others and help people.

    Waze is the best example for see the Costa Ricans culture, we are incredible people and also we are smart persons, we do not have to buy in the outside, we can produce great solutions for improve the country, the transportation, the enviroment, the education, only we need to give the step and do not feel afraid because we have very much potencial and our country is small and we can become Costa Rica like a smart city, I believe in this.

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  2. I think “waze” is an amazing application, principally in this country. Costa Rica has a terrible traffic, terrible streets and, inclusive, terrible drivers. The application has a lot of productivity, and is important say that the creation of waze for the streets of Costa Rica is a big challenge.

    Personally, I believe that is important say thanks to all the people that work in the design the maps of Costa Rica for this application. I had no idea that the people that work in this doesn´t have any recompense. Take a lot of hours of their time to work in this application is incredible.

    This is the good part, but the bad part to the history is that One of the principal economic activities for the country is the tourism, is important have a good streets for have more tourism. Unfortunately, the bad streets reduce the tourism, this affect all the country. With this we have fewer jobs, and less economic ingress.

    Is sad, but the culture in Costa Rica in the final years (a lot of years) is have bad streets. I think that situation is guilt for the terrible government and the position of the citizens.

    For other part, this article reflects the culture of the costa ricans. The costa ricans have a culture to call the streets and towns in different forms and give really strange directions. But this identifies the country, the people.

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  3. Why Waze is so incredibly popular in Costa Rica

    Personal Opinion

    The way that Costa Ricans give directions is very peculiar, because we use places or buildings, until buildings that now are different or don’t exist anymore, but we still use them like references. In other countries, directions are given by the number of the roads, with streets and avenues names. But in Costa Rica not all the streets have a number or name, for that is easier give directions using a reference of some restaurant, drugstore or some specific building.

    This is part of our culture, for that reason most of the people of Costa Rica understand this kind of directions, and of course they also use them. But tourist consider this very difficult, beacuse it isn’t the best way to know our country with this type of directions, for them it’s confused.

    Technology give us different applications to help us with directions and traffic jam, like Waze. Waze app makes things easier to the drivers than only use a map or GPS, and the people that work in Costa Rica’s maps are volunteers, so this is an example first of the talented people that live here and second the solidarity of this persons to work free in a project that can help a lot of people.

    In my personal opinion, this kind of projects are very important to grow as a country, is the best way to improve on our own and give real solutions to the different problems. Costa Ricans are very smart and solidary people, also are very creative and we can solution problems without much investment like other country around the world.

    The article reflects “ticos” culture, good things and also some bad things, because there are people who gets angry or impacient for something, but they don’t search for solutions. This have to change beacuse we have to be a team work for Costa Rica and develop porjects like Waze, it’s a good example.

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  4. I think that the Costa Rican culture is too different with others cultures in too many things. For example in giving directions, here we use a lots of thing to have a reference for example a super market, a tree, a bar, a big house or anything that we are able to recognize or anything that get our attention. This is so bad because if we have a reference for example a tree and somebody cuts the tree, we are in problems. I think that waze is really nice because it has “all” the roads that are in Costa Rica with his number or name which is very important because maybe in the future the people will give direction with the street number or avenue.
    Waze has a lot of benefits because we know how roads are in traffic jam and we have the possible to select other road, we kwon where are a danger situation, an accident or other thing. And in the article say a god point related to the traffic officers, they knows where are traffic jam to send and officer to decongestion the situation. But knowing how is the Costa Rican culture; these benefits can be used for bad things, for example to alert others driver where are an officer and maybe it will cause accidents and other bad things.
    Waze is too useful to find a place, a shop, a restaurant and other places because there isn't signaling and the foreign people has many advantages with this, and it will find a place too easy. And is not necessary know the place because you only need to put the place you need to find and waze gives you the best road. I believe the government needs to invert more money in this kind of projects because it attracts tourism for our country.

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  5. I think this application is a great initiative that brings many benefits to users because they can avoid traffic jams, congestion transient, stress and moodiness that they generate are saved, and can be on time to their commitments. And if many motorists will use it, we optimize the traffic in cities and could even be an ally in reducing toxic emissions, so it could be considered a friendly application environment.

    I find it interesting that users to leave your home, you can read comments from other users who report traffic conditions such as accidents, traffic congestion, damage and repairs to roads and traffic police presence, to choose the best route to your destinations.

    As more users use the application more useful should evolve for all, as the key to success is collaboration and community input.

    Separately seems incredible initiative to apply in the greater metropolitan area because that is where the vast majority of vehicles is concentrated in Costa Rica.
    However consider ministry of public works and transportation should make an effort to improve the streets of this country, and make a better signaling of these streets.

    I think that would help foreign tourists who visit Costa Rica application of some form would help you find these different paths to the destination they want to visit, because our directions Tico Style are very complicated, but this is part of our culture.

    The initiative of these Costa Rican boys makes very high the name of Costa Rica, the Ticos are very creative, hospitable and above all we are very supportive in providing feedback on progress of the country people.

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  6. Waze is an application much use, because it tells us easy access routes, we shortened distances and times. It also helps to position ourselves better, because as they say "Ticos" article to give an address are a complete nightmare, since we used points a little strange reference as burnt houses, trees, grocery stores, etc. Still do not have proper signage in all our streets and sometimes it is difficult to find certain directions, especially if it is in small towns or neighborhoods. Waze comes to help us not lose more on the roads of Costa Rica, to help us avoid dirt roads and if we want circulate only on paved roads.
    On the other hand, speaks highly of the "Tico" the fact that these people help build this country maps for free, not everyone would do it, because it is tricky to walk around the country searching existing streets, this involves an investment of many hours, fatigue and other things, but as good "Ticos" these people are, they think of other citizens who need to be on time to work, or to leave their children to school, these persons with a busy life and can not walk mapping the country.
    The other side is highlighted in the article is being able to avoid police operations with Waze, well I think we must be aware and keep our car in order and always drive carefully, let or not operating, so we should to use this tool, we just have to be more responsible when driving.
    Eduardo Carvajal and Felipe Hidalgo are people "Pura Vida", to which we must thank them for the contribution they have made to us.

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  7. Waze for me is as basic as Whatsapp in my cellphone, because I only have two years with my driving license and it is difficult to know all the streets in Costa Rica. So have the possibility to download Waze for free it´s amazing and also is incredibly functional. In Costa Rica like the article said it´s very hard to find the address of a place because anyone uses the names of the streets. They use the old way of giving address that is to lowering the window and ask someone where is the place you want to go and they will say you like “go straight and when you see the restaurant “Pollos Pinito” turn right and then 300 meters east. After you pass the gas station call “Shell” continues like 200 meters straight and you will see the place you are looking for”.
    Now that smartphones are very popular it’s easier to use the application of Waze when you want it but the problem is that in places far away is difficult to have a good Internet signal. However when you can see how is the traffic in a specific zone or if there is any accident by Waze is very useful because it takes you to another route.
    The cases of Felipe Hidalgo and Eduardo Carvajal are impressive. Now a days few people work without expecting any in change and that two persons worked so many hours just because they like it’s incredible. Many persons around the world work because they have to and not because they love it. Is vital do what makes us happy and this case of Felipe and Hidalgo shows that do things that you know is helping another person is more satisfactory than money.
    Like any other advance of technology, Waze can be use with good or bad intensions. One example was the user that shares where police officers are located and helps people who are drunk to avoid those streets. For me these actions just shows how bad is the society in with we are living. In conclusion for me Waze is very useful, easy to use and an important tool to locate any address.

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  8. Costa Rica is a special country in all the aspect, from food, mores and ways of speaking; in the different areas of the country, the people talk in different accents and use owns work of the area, that particular mores generates that the ways and streets are called with particular names and only the citizens of Costa Rica understand, where is located the destination of the area looked, but not all the citizens cant know where is all the areas that they need to know.
    Is in that moment that the Mister Carvajal and Hidalgo, was a volunteers in this project that the people called Waze.Waze is an amazing application for all the users of Costa Rica, this new product facilitates the search of sites, and through this application which bestowed any to be encountered on the roads or streets that are less traffic, bone alternate paths to the destination you are going.
    Another facility that provides this application is informed that parts of the country lies a motor vehicle crash, in order to obtain an alternative and clear way, also Waze offers the option of searching the route to a specific destination and then to shaper this in a social network like Fabebook or whatapp and also simplify to a group of people arriving at a destination in wherever area of the country.
    Also apart from providing the route to follow, this application works like a GPS, as it tells the driver to turn or go straight time on the road, this by sounds that are transmitted by the cell which tell the app .Furthermore this technology is capable of storing the last places which were sought in the app for oneself to this section of the application is called my waze. And is very practical because it facilitates more the search to be obtained.
    Overall, I think the creation of this app was a great technological advancement, as we simplify an extraordinary way the search for unknown locations; and this is possible only get this app in the google store and a free for all citizens of Costa Rica.
    It is for this reason that today you should thank these great geniuses for creating this excellent tool which is essential when searching for a desired location and then specify the application if our transportation is by bus, car or walking; simply one of the best creations of history.

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  9. By the use of waze, people became able to find any place and to go to lot of places, waze is a cellphone program that allow people to search locations using internet in a faster and easier way than other aplications, costarricans set waze as the favorite aplication for location, some costarricans used to give directions using the places, buildings, locations and things near the road where they want another people to go, so, for it reason, waze became the easier way to give directions, people can give directions with only redirecting links sended by email or message, so as a first point we can say that "ticos" had ever give directions as signals, not numbers or with cardinal points, seems that costarrican people are proud of the places or that costarrican people are too lazy to learn how to give a correct direction, besides, it has been happening since old time.
    Another application of waze is to show where the police is, car accidents and important places, as party-people as the ticos are, or as beer drinkers as they are, always some costarrican is in the road with some extra alcohol in his/her veins, and as astute people, with waze costarricans can avoid where the police is, and can be as dangerous as they think they aren’t, is well known that latin people is people of fun, and party, and ticos are latins, so ticos are people of parties (not the whole ticos), it isn’t bad at all, most of ticos show join, fun, and smile to foreighners, in parties, all the stress keeps.
    Some costarricans want to help in the way they try, ticos are helpful most of time, for example, waze had some ticos to help them to save the streets in the program, and it is, at least for waze, as a free job, not paid.
    The government is interested in connect citicenz, for this reason, waze is associate to the government, as a plan for impulse and provide the knowledge about the country, some ticos think that our country don’t have any opportunity of join for themselves, for this, government wanted to provide the knowledge to everybody, and with this, increase the citicens visits to the country by itself.
    For all this, the costarrican culture is a culture of join, service, relaxed actions and strange behaviors like giving addresses, but are very special people.

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  10. Our country has been characterized over the years for being one of the favorite tourist destinations in the world, this for all biodiversity and natural beauty that surrounds us, qualities that not all countries have and that tourists mainly seek.

    The fact of visiting Costa Rica for many tourists means to know as many places as possible and take advantage of the time spent moving from one place to another, but unfortunately the traffic on the roads isn't always favorable and this prevents you enjoy this privilege.

    Fortunately, the country has small dimensions, which allowed in the past to move more easily, however, the number of vehicles currently exceeds the capacity of the streets and is the main cause of conflict for this reason and government hasn't established corrective actions like road expansion, etc.

    To benefit and salvation of thousands of Costa Ricans and tourists, the incursion of the mobile application Waze in daily life has been very useful and also has the advantage of being completely free, because as good ticos we like free stuff.

    But seeing not only from the perspective of tourism, using Waze has accelerated vehicular traffic in the country, already today is possible know, in real time, how are the conditions of any specific course for which you need transit and this allows the tico put your trust in a voice that guides you to your destination and it works.

    Is very important that the Costa Rican, generally, identify with Waze, because it's helpful and also because determines that the country is making use of technological tools, so we approach ever closer to a developed country that we all want and dream.

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  11. Waze is a very helpfull app who gives the users in Costa Rica an amazing live street view, when in other countries are investing many and many amounts of money in technology the costa rican citizen helps the goberment and eachothers improving and giving a live streeth information every day.

    Costa Rica have a traffic problem every single day and the drivers said that this troubles made them losed time and money in petrol. Since people in Costa Rica started to use this app, they feld that Waze changed the way they saw the streets in the country, specially in San José who has the worse traffic jam in te country.

    Everything depend of how you want to spend your time in the streets, the live street information that Waze's maps in Costa Rica can give you are better than Google Maps and GPS's, this can happen because people who we do not know spend around 15 hours a week mapping Costa Rica and they did this for free.

    The people trust in Waze and in his maps, this is why we are the five top market in use it. The costa rican streets do not have numbers or many of them, thats why when someone ask us for a direction we do not know how star and how finish. it is a nightmare for many people specially in the town as Guanacaste who has small towns withe to much distence betwen them.

    Waze help me every time that i need for a adress or special direction, it does not matter if i a travel by bus, car or food. Waze can provite me the information that i need almost instantly. I have to said thanks for everybody who spend his time for free t improve this amazyn app and help us to have a easy live in the streets and may be we can have in a near future people working mapping the streets not for free.

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