Down To Earth With Zac Efron - Netflix Show Review 2020 - **COSTA RICA EPISODE**

[@jab8406]

They literally didn’t see anything of Costa Rica culture. They only saw some rich guys property.

[@fernandamachado0816]

Couldn’t agree more.

[@HeeyJosie]

100% agree... it truly was blatant whitewashing of the culture. I am astonished at the good reviews.

[@jk47Ssb]

A pretentious rich guy

[@janpeters1397]

How was that place rich?

[@MrBrandonLau]

@@janpeters1397 because he owns the island and other properties in Costa Rica, that’s how they are able to live there off the land.

[@harukaj]

As a Costa Rican... I liked your review, but I think you could have gone IN a lot deeper bro... I'm NOT hating, but I was extremely disappointed with the episode. Last time I felt this dissapointed was when Jurassic Park decided to depict 'San Jose, Costa Rica' as a beach town... (#frown) I think that says it all. The episode totally missed the great stuff our government is doing, like how we currently run on 70-90% renewable energy as well, he didn't go to Rincon de La vieja or Miravalles to our amazing GEOThermal plants like he did in Iceland, didn't go to OUR BLUE ZONE in Nicoya, one of the 5 blue zones in the world ... our Hydropower dams and Windmill farms in Arenal and the Central Valley, our universal healthcare system ... I mean ... c'mon! - I hate our country solely being portrayed as a theme park or a big expat haven ... not all 'EXPATS' (Immigrants) are good or nice, nor invest, or generate jobs or even care to interact with locals. Most just 'invest' in land then raise prices in property and make it virtually impossible for us to live even remotely like that. Also, he interviewed *ZERO* Costa Ricans ... ZERO. In all other countries he spent time with locals but he he only spent time with foreigners living in their dreamy self-contained 'expat' bubble. I find it so convenient that with all the immigration issues and xenophobia in the US the 'expat' term is widely used... like thousands of US Americans don't migrate too... quite ironic. Such a missed opportunity to show who we really are and the good things we've accomplished as a nation, like having NO ARMY since 1948 and yet the 2nd oldest and longest continuous democracy in LatinAmerica... all on our own, and all within the context of war-torn and very volatile Central America ... Very sad.

[@fitzrica345]

Great comment - I agree, they should have focused more on what Ticos are doing, not solely on expats are doing. Costa Rica has so much more to offer.

[@ljohnson7450]

Joe Soteldo I agree with you, I watched Simon Reeves episode about costa Rica a while a go which give me a new information which I did not know about Costa Rica and when I saw Zac Efron also have an episode about Costa rica, I thought it might give me more information but no, it is great to see people live off nature BUT, not everybody can afford such thing, for one, one person might need a few hectare of land to be able to harvest food everyday.

[@wellbeing4497]

Thanks for pointing out all of that!!! I haven’t finished watching the episode yet but I lived in Thailand for a few years and can relate exactly to what you’re saying about the way some expats basically capitalize on a country for themselves. It feels like what California has become where the wealthy population has basically claimed a place and have made it impossible for regular people to live well. It’s very sad. I really loved what they did show in the episode so far, as it’s what I want to create also, but I’d want to live with a local community too. In Thailand we integrated because my partner is native and it felt more authentic and we’re not rich so we liked feeling just like equal people and not foreigners trying to take over. You make such a good point about immigrants and it’s why I really dislike the portrayed mentality of the US toward immigrants because it’s absolutely not the case for so many of us here and it really is sad that we can’t be a more open world with citizens of the world instead of acting hateful and territorial.

[@Christine-ks5dw]

Yes - I live near Seattle and there is a woman I occasionally encounter via my job who has shown a little house her and her wealthy husband have in coastal Costa Rica. It makes me envious, but you have to ask what effect this has, of people from other countries buying the nice properties.

[@2003SHANA]

You preach!!!

[@Razorsharp12348]

Maaaannnnn I was sooo excited to show my gf my culture, come to find out it's an episode set in Costa Rica revolving some American's cult like community trying really hard to seem like they care about Costa rica. Hardly any representation.

[@MrBrandonLau]

The hippie commune was so cringeworthy, it felt so uncomfortable when Zac was there. None of them seemed happy for them to be there filming. It would have been better if they visited locals, who would have been way friendlier and more interesting. It’s kinda like going backpacking overseas and only interacting with people in the hostel. Personally I travel to get away from my culture.

[@MattJames-zh7os]

This episode truly sells Costa Rica short. The producers missed a great opportunity to explore fantastic sustainability projects run by locals. 'Pura Vida' is the philosophy of a nation not just expats; this episode goes to highlight a vision of Costa Rica that is obscured by Western bias. If you ever get the chance, go to Costa Rica and talk to the 'real locals'. They are inspiring people in an incredible country.

[@fitzrica345]

I agree with you Matt, they should have focused on the locals and not just expats. I've lived in Costa Rica for almost 2 years now so I know what you mean.

[@justjay2495]

What was the name of that alternative school that they visited in that episode?

[@robmcneil2081]

Great vid good narration & editing 😎

[@fitzrica345]

Pura vida mae!

[@ajBavdek]

Good critique man, I'm sad to hear they didn't show more of the tico interactions with the last place where I've lived and was there during the filming. That property actually employs 20ish tico's from a neighboring banana plantation town and offers them a much more healthy and interesting life then working for the big banana companies. The property is also surrounded by some other local owned houses but the whole place is super off grid so its fishing farming and catching the odd disabled iguana for food. You should go check it out it's south of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.

[@fitzrica345]

Oh wow very cool that you lived there during filming. Did you make it into any of the scenes? haha I just looked at the website of Punta Mona and it looks like an amazing place - just a bit expensive to stay. I took a kombucha making class recently, and it really got me eager to learn more about all the native plants here, and their uses. I've heard that September/October when it's constantly raining in Guanacaste, it is dry on the Caribbean. Maybe I will try to visit then!

[@alanahwrites]

Thanks for this review! I'll watch this!

[@melindahall9093]

We will watch it! Thx for sharing. ♥️

[@fitzrica345]

Yeah it's worth checking out!

[@christycalvo861]

His name is Stephen Brooks. He’s in Punta Mona. He also created the envision festival!

[@fitzrica345]

Oh wow, I did not realize that was the same guy!

[@prettyboiquinn3930]

I saw my mom and sister watching it so i thought i would check it out but it honestly didn’t capture the beauty of it as a tica coming from a costa Rican family I noticed they only went to rich guys place and the school they showed didn’t even have homework i have alot of cousin there and family and I assure you they have home work too i also noticed when they went to the island they got pancakes and eggs theres nothing wrong about that but i feel like since it costa rica they should get the joy of the traditional food

[@nickbrooks7171]

Thanks! U are so likeable!!! I hope u Don’t stop making videos !

[@fitzrica345]

Haha thanks Nick. I won't stop!

[@Angelic-world1]

Pura Vida!!!🇨🇷💚 Please tell us more about the beautiful, lush, super green Carribean side of the country; Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, etc. More of Caribe Sur💚

[@mariaelenacampos2656]

Excelente me encanto, lindo el por fuera y por dentro, muy sencillo y humilde, mi buen programa, precioso como buen ♎️ bendiciones

[@ericglazer9522]

Sounds like a good show, I'll check it out! And sounds like you have some new places to check out too!

[@fitzrica345]

Yeah - honestly Zac Efron and the other host aren't that good. But the people they meet with are all super interesting! And yeah there's still a ton of places in Costa Rica that I haven't been yet.

[@ramsestenochtitlan6687]

How could I move to Costa Rica to be part of a green movement or be part of a self sustainable community and contribute?

[@fitzrica345]

You can check out the place in Punta Mona that was featured on this show here: www.puntamona.org/ Also maybe you could look in to WWOOF here in Costa Rica, which is an organization that partners local farms around the world with volunteers who want to live and work there.

[@ramsestenochtitlan6687]

@@fitzrica345ok awesome thank you!

[@Tats_Travel_Channel]

heck yeah home alone!

[@bobsilver3983]

I watched all 8 episodes this weekend, loved em all, very very cool! Darin is probably the worlds most knowledgeable person on Superfoods.

[@fitzrica345]

I love learning about superfoods, I will have to check out his book.

[@ayeyouwitit]

The woman in the hat and violet/purple shirt is my moms best friend. But I like to think of her as my aunt

[@khnzaukhnzu5858]

I can’t find Netflix down earth world! Everyone know is that still open Netflix or not yet ?

[@sowo576]

Just an episode about some crazy cult hippy community. Move on to the next one.

[@crch506]

Zach went to the whitest place in in Costa Rica besides Escazu😢

[@luxnsounds1463]

To start: I was LIVIT seeing such shallow and hypocrite way of showcasing the MAGICAL TRUTH of Costa Rica and it’s true natives people not even been in it or interviewed … even the term PURA VIDA does not carry the translation from Spanish to English as it’s been portrayed by foreigners “ PURE LIFE”! That’s NOT the true meaning when the term PURA VIDA is expressed… when we said PURA VIDA to one another IT Carrie’s a soul meaning of the inner connection that we know we have been blessed with the spirits of the land itself that connects us with each other as one people… it means that we recognize the land that it gives us the life that we are feeling when we walk and embrace that land as a whole within the spirit that exists within ourselves…when I hear that means just “pure life “is total bullshit its a translation so shallow that actually losses it true meaning! I didn’t see in the school one single Costa Rican kid learning I didn’t see one single Costa Rican unless he or she is a worker or a servant within it… yet they take all the credit for what they done if you ask any Costa Rican what they think? What you will get is an angry response about it because they did not involve one single Costa Rican within it and probably everything that they have learned about the land it self was from a native Costa Rican person! I’ll stop now because that program on Netflix about Costa Rica just anger me and I’m glad that we Costa Ricans are awakening and hopefully we will voice that 50 or 75,000 expats so called experts are taking credit for the magic that exist in the land within our soul belongs to the CostaRicans natives! shameful and insulting Netflix show!

[@savannahshahan1910]

alison krauss

[@sandrakm3728]

Looked like an American hippie cult in Costa Rica

[@craigmoody8568]

abc kids tv