There are nearly a million Costa Ricans who work in what is known as the “informal” sector of the economy. These jobs are characterized by instability, poor pay, lack of social security benefits, and often, poor working conditions. Yet many of these workers are also some of the most visible, plying their trades publicly, eking out a living 500 colones at a time. Here are nine of the most thankless types of work that help many of our fellow countrymen and women through the daily economic grind:
1. Restroom attendant
Present at most every bus station in the land, they stand between you and the need to empty your bladder and bowels. They collect your money (usually around 250-300 colones) and allow you to use the facilities behind them. Armed with a change box, toilet paper and disinfectant, they are also responsible for cleaning up any messes left behind by discourteous patrons.
Drawbacks: Boring work, long hours seated, work place location.
2. Lottery number salesperson
My guess is that this is the number one source of employment in the informal sector. They are found on street corners, outside supermarkets, hanging around gas stations, and even going door to door. Besides the government-sponsored lotto, there is a large market for playing the 2-digit number only, and there are also people who sell numbers for lotteries in Panama, Nicaragua, and Colombia. While billions of colones are generated through the sale of numbers, the individual salespeople are at the bottom of the economic chain.
Drawbacks: Boring work, long hours seated, exposed to the elements.
3. Carbonero
The next time you light some charcoal in preparation for grilling meat, thank those that manufacture those combustible chunks. The process to get from wood or peat to charcoal is long and arduous. In rural areas of the country, there are still people devoted to this work, though much charcoal is now processed differently.
Drawbacks: Difficult and dirty work, low paid, physically deteriorating.
4. Chatarra collector
aka the junk man. Often found slowly cruising the streets of the barrio, loudspeaker mounted on the roof of the lumbering pickup. The bed of the truck has extra high walls for holding in the mishmash of junk metal, discarded tech gear, old tubes, weather-beaten roofing, sections of cyclone fence, and bits and pieces of stuff that most people would consider trash.
Drawback: Collecting it all is the easy part. Figuring out to make some money out of a junk pile takes effort.
5. Septic tank cleaner
This is a shit job, literally. Moreso in the days when this work was done by shoveling it out, pile for pile. These days the work is done mechanically by massive suction. As it is mostly registered companies doing this work, laborers likely receive more benefits than the other jobs on this list.
Drawback: You are dealing in shit, all day long.
6. Beach vendor
They trudge the popular beaches, selling pottery, jewelry, copos, counterfeit cigars and more, all payable by cash only. Usually, the most heavily dressed people on the beach, bundled against the powerful rays of the sun.
Drawbacks: Long hours in the heat, poor pay, having to labor unhappily in an area where everyone else is practicing their own forms of hedonism.
7. Cuidacarros
They will guard your parked car– or else, sometimes. Found on the streets of the city and the most popular tourist areas. Many have worked the same areas for so long they consider it their personal territory. Paying the cuidacarros is optional, but might result in damage to your car if you tell them to go away.
Drawbacks: Long days standing, distrust from clients, possibility of violent altercations.
8. Ambulatory bus sales
Seen on long distance bus rides, walking the aisles selling food and drink. In the mountains, they may carry a thermos of coffee and hot empanadas. But mostly they will offer prebagged plantain chips and carbonated beverages. They will hop from bus to bus, back and forth several times a day.
Drawbacks: Long hours standing, cramped working conditions, poor pay, exposure to every type of virus imaginable.
9. Traffic light solicitors
These range from talented jugglers who entertain to squeegee bearers who may or may not make your windshield cleaner to Venezuelans bearing cardboard messages. They do their thing, pass by a few stopped cars before the light turns green, and hope for some change.
Drawbacks: Exposed to the weather and carbon monoxide, long hours, hazardous conditions.
A wise Tico once said to me that “Todo trabajo es digno”. All work has value, even when it is at the bottom rungs of the economic food chain..
