For the “Tico”, a juice is made with real blackberry, pineapple, mango, watermelon or other fruits, fresh from the market. To our standards, the fruit must be peeled, squeezed or liquefied right before drinking the beverage. So forget about offering us bottled stuff, full of preservatives… you might offend us.
Costa Ricans always say “please” and “thank you”. In Spanish, we address you using the more formal “usted” or “vos” regardless of your age, rather than the informal “tú” of most Latin American countries. We will also ask you for permission before entering your house… And you will start wondering if we were raised by English lords.
We “Ticos” are characterized by our friendliness, hospitality … and volubility. We talk to the bus driver, the baker, or the stranger that asked the for time on the street. We will always try to have a pleasant conversation, so we will be much better hosts than you yourself to your friends.
Saprissa, La Liga, Heredia, Cartago, the Barca or the Madrid: it doesn’t matter the country you are in, the “Ticos” will always know something about football and will enjoy discussing the topic. In Costa Rica, national derbies and national team matches are lived with passion. You shouldn’t be surprised if we invite you and your friends to play a “mejenga” (informal soccer match).
Costa Rica can boast of being, since 1948, one of the few countries that don’t have any type of armed force. It makes sense too…. It doesn’t seem necessary in a country that topped the Happy Planet Index for two consecutive editions.
Costa Rica has a small territory, but great and diverse resources, thanks to its location and tropical climate. So, for a “Tico”, the idea of moving from his house to a paradisiac beach, going through a cloud forest or visiting one of the many volcanoes in his land, is not crazy and it doesn’t require much planning. In fact, that’s something you can do in relatively little time.
When Costa Ricans buy something, we use a particular word, “regálame”, a term that could be translated to “give it to me as a present”. Of course we are planning on paying for it… It’s simply a way of speaking. Same if we want a simple object from you… we might say “regálame un vaso de agua”, Spanish for Can you gift me a glass of water?
In Costa Rica, it’s possible to appreciate precious species of animals and plants in any of their 51,000 square kilometers. Seeing a beautiful flower in the garden or a colorful bird in your tree is not something unusual for Costa Ricans. It’s unlikely your perfectly trained parakeet will impress your tico friend.
Costa Ricans aren’t alarmed by the presence of any animal or insect. If a bumblebee enters your car or you are surrounded by wasps on the beach, we will tell you to ignore them, that “an insect does nothing”. We might also grab it directly with our hands and send it the other direction. Likewise, if we find a giant spider, instead of killing it, we will prefer to kindly accompany it to the exit of your house.
The vocabulary of Costa Ricans is diverse, and totally different from the Spanish of other countries. When we tell you that we are “de patada larga”, it means that the party is going to be long. If we invite you to go “por el zarpe”, we expect you to go for one last drink. And if you hear us saying we are probably going to “montarnos en la carreta”, we are planning on getting wasted. With a tico, the party goes on and you’ll surely enjoy it.
The “Gallo pinto” is a typical Costa Rican breakfast, that for you might feel is more than breakfast. The dish consists in rice and scrambled beans with English sauce, accompanied by egg, “natilla”, cheese, ripe banana and “yodo” (a cup of coffee). It’s the perfect beginning for a “Pura Vida” day. 