It's About "Tico" Time

North Americans (those we down here lovingly call "Gringos"....yea I know I am still a gringo too) are often aghast at the Tico cultural attitudes about punctuality. It is said in Costa Rica that if you arrive on time to a scheduled meeting you are early, if you arrive thirty minutes late you are on time and only if you arrive MORE than thirty minutes late are you really, well, late. Now there are some practical reasons for this, which are especially true in San Jose. For one thing the traffic in San Jose at times is absolutely atrocious. Now, you are probably thinking yes but you have to take all that into account and leave early enough so as to anticipate traffic related delays and still be punctual. Here is my advice so listen well. If you are going to come down here with that sort of thinking, just stay home!!! We don't think that far ahead down here. We would rather burn our brain cells on other more important matters. Just look at my friend Mack in the picture to the left (no that is not me....I am much younger and better looking than that dope!). Does he look like he is worried about making it on time to his next scheduled meeting?? Of course not!! He is engaged in much more worthy pursuits like kicking back with a cold Imperial. Pura Vida!

An area where "Tico Time" is most evident is the never ending wait for the bill (or cuenta) when you complete your meal at virtually any restaurant in the country. Now we (you see I said "we") gringos are used to receiving the bill (or having it shoved down our throats) even before we have tasted the last morsel. Not here. If you are waiting to receive the bill get ready to wait a long long time. Why is this? Well you see in Costa Rica it is considered rude and socially unacceptable to bring the bill before officially asked. In Costa Rica culture all social problems are resolved by talking it through for hours after finishing the meal. Therefore, if you want the bill you have to say, repeat after me, "la cuenta por favor." Or better yet, "regaleme la cuente por favor." And please always say please, because the culture here is very polite. Please and thank yous are always expected and appreciated.

Just another little cultural tidbit from your ""gringo" Costa Rica Expert.

Pura Vida Mae!