We are in the final stretch of our year here in CR. Here are a few things that we have learned while we have been here. Really we have learned soo much more.
1. Walking everywhere wares out, rips holes, and break shoes
2. Just because it is sunny and 85 at noon does not mean that you can go to the park at 3:00 after naptime, because it is frequently rainy.
3. In one day, it is likely to wear a tank top and shorts in the morning, pants and a jacket in the afternoon, and back to the tank top a little while later.
4. Wherever you go, you must watch for poop.
5. You should never leave home without an umbrella.
6. Costa Rican babies drink from a bottle until they are at least 4.
7. If it is below 72 and your small child is not in a jacket and hat, you will be repremanded by other Tica moms.
8. Taco Bell is real Costa Rican food, or at least you would think that if you ever saw their lines.
9. There are a surprising amount of Asians.
10. People don't get offended when referring to people as fat, or "little blacky" (negrito), but if you accidently say stupid, you are in big trouble.
11. People generally want to prevent a child crying at all cost, so if a child throws a fit in church, instead of taking the child out of church, it is better to give the kid a sucker.
12. Babies are worshiped here. If you take a baby to a bank with you, you will immediately be moved to the front of the line. Supermarkets sometimes even have special lines for handicapped, pregnant, and woman with children.
13. A cute little blonde girl can get food from all types of people just by smiling.
14. People don't think it is wierd to give children they do not know food without first asking permission from the parents. For that reason, Haley has received ice cream, candy, chips, and cookies from complete strangers in the park.
15. All bills must be paid in the bank or the supermarket.
16. Sometimes you don't get the bill till after it is due, but that doesn't matter, and it is not due on the same day of each month.
17. Costa Rica is much more expensive than Honduras.
18. Babies might have a bottle till their four (see #6) but if your 18 month old still has a pacifier, they ask why you let your kid have that.
19. Generally, Ticos really do not like Nicaraguans, but the feeling is mutual.
20. Most people here don't believe that any crime that happens here is the fault of their own. Anyone that is poor, robs, or does drugs must actually be from Nicaragua.
21. If you let your kid play in the rain or splash in puddles, people will think you have gone off the rocker because...
22. If you let your kid get wet, they surely will be sick. (Then how do we bathe them?)
23. The cleanliness of the floor is the most important aspect of a Costa Rican home. Therefore, I could never be a good tica.
24. Costa Ricans don't trust many people.
25. Women of all sizes and ages can walk better in heels than in flat shoes.
26. Just because they speak Spanish does not mean they say many of the same things in Honduras.
27. When I arrived the ticos said I sounded Honduran, but when I went to Honduras, they said I sounded like a Tica.
28. Sometimes misplacing the accent of a word can sound like your cussing.
29. In talking about extreme sports you should not say that you would like to climb mountains without "ropa" you should say without "cuerdas." Without "ropa" is without clothes, but without cuerdas is without ropes.
30. It is a common belief that wakling around your house barefoot will make you sick.
31. Because all sickness comes from the ground.
32. Ginger tea with honey is the first medicine of choice when one has a cold.
33. It seems strange to most Costa Ricans that we are not familiar with home remedies and that we do not use them.
34. Children learn a language much quicker than adult.
35. Right now Haley knows more Spanish than English.
36. Being in CR can make you miss things like ribs and good steak.
37. It is possible still to go a year without cell phones.
38. Favorite TV shows of ticos are The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men.
39. Tortillas not Buscuits come with meals at Church's Chicken.
40. Many English words are made into Spanish ones: to facebook - facebookear; to skype - skypear; to google something: googlear, and many others. Also, here they call a playground: el play.
41. Mother's Day is not celebrated on the second Sunday of May, but on August 15. Does that mean I get an extra Mother's Day celebration this year??
42. Being away from friends and family can at times make adults look in their mail boxes like college students hoping for something from home.
43. The way you pronounce a word actually does make a huge difference in what you are saying, and one letter can make a huge difference. How would you like to confuse hilo (floss) with hijo (son)??
44. All young people wear converse.
45. The skaters at the park don't care if there is a soccer or basketball game happening, when they arrive, they think it is their territory. And they like to smoke the mota (pot).
46. On Sunday afternoon Parque Copa becomes Parque Gringo.
47. The walk to church is literally up hill both ways.
48. Just because you can understand Spanish well does not mean that you can understand church well. Somehow a toddler and a room with a really bad echo makes it difficult to pay attention to church.
49. Cake and donuts here are usually dry, but if you can get them fresh they are good.
50. Our child is more accostomed to buses and taxes rather than cars.
51. We haven't used a car seat in a year with the exception of when we visited family at Christmas.
52. It is common for people to come to our gate asking for food.
53. Women always receive some of our food when they knock.
54. People may not ever remember our name, but everyone remembers Haley's or "Lili." Whereever we are in town someone always comes up and says Hola Lili!
55. Honduas and Costa Rica are not as close together as they look. The whole road between San Jose and Tegucigalpa are mountainous. We were going to visit multiple times until we realized that.
56. It is a big treat to by goldfish.
57. Sometimes we make a special trip downtown just to by Dr. Peppers.
58. Traveling here is not the same as living here. We have been here a year and not been to the beach.
59. January and February bring bright orange blooms on trees on the mountains. It is called "fire on the mountain."
60. Poisettas are actually trees.
61. So are Bouganvillas (actually they are vines, but they are as big and wide as trees).
62. Many other houseplants grow to be 8-12 feet tall.
63. The most important possessions to a tico are shoes and umbrellas.
64. We often think of little things from the States that would be nice to have; usually it is certain food things.
65. Costa Rica now has Wal-Mart.
66. Wal-Mart is not the cheapest place but one of the most expensive.
67. Saturdays usually consist of donuts, followed by buying fresh produce at the neighborhood farmer's market.
68. Many times people think you are rich just because you are an American.
69. Everyone assumes that you can't speak Spanish. No matter how bad your Spanish is, it is usually better than their English.
70. Jesus Adrian Romero is the most popular Christian artist in Central America.
71. Everyone is jealous of blue eyes.
72. Many ticos have much fairer skin than most people in Latin America.
73. Therefore manytimes I have mistaken a Costa Rican for a Gringo.
74. Generally, Tica moms are much more protective of their children. Their 6-7 year old children are frequently scared to climb the same things that my 2 year old climbs.
75. I thought it strange that Haley quit trying to walk on her own when we got here, but when she started back up again at 15.5 months, people here thought it was so early for a child to start walking on their own.
76. People of all ages wear Sesame Street T-shirts.
77. Newborn baby girls get their ears pierced in the hospital unless the parents say otherwise.
78. Parents of newborn baby boys have to aske to have their baby circumcized. Otherwise it may not even be mentioned to them.
79. Spanking is highly illegal, but most people still do it.
80. There are no street times or house numbers.
81. All city blocks are said to be 100 meters whether they are 20 or 200.
82. You give directions from the nearest landmark.
83. For example, when I call a taxi, my address is: De parque sauces, 200m west and 50m north, and I live in the white and tourquoise house. Really it is about 100 meters west and 15 north.
84. Tourist books say that Cafe Britt is the best, but really it is just a more expensive gimmick for gringos.
85. Trash comes Wednesday and Saturday. You cannnot put it out the night before because people or dogs will dig through it, but many times it comes before 7:00 in the morning. Othertimes, it doesn't come till Thursday.
86. Some days we walk under two miles, but that is rare.
87. ESPN espanol usually only shows soccer or boxing.
88. Soccer is the only sport people here really care about.
89. Costa Rica has a female president.
90. Costa Rica has more teachers than soldiers because CR doesn't have an army.
91. A woman's outfit is incomplete without a necklace.
92. Just because you live in apartment #2 does not mean that the water bill that says #2 is the one you should pay. We learned that the hard way when our neighbors in #1 paid their #1 bill a day late and our water got cut off.
93. Latin American literature doesn't have much redeeming value to it.
94. Santa doesn't bring gifts at Christmas, instead "el nino" (the boy, refers to Jesus) brings them. At least it has to do with the reason for the celebration.
95. Fireworks go off at all times of the night.
96. So do car alarms, but not necessarily because someone is trying to rob them. It is usually because the wind blew too strongly.
97. Earthquakes are scary. Thankfully none of them cause any damage.
98. Giggle, chuckle, laugh, and snicker all translate to the word reirse.
99. There is an on-going border controversy with Nicaragua.
100. You kiss on the cheek when you greet here, but not an actual kiss, just touch cheeks and make a kissing noise.
101. We do everything in Kilograms not Pounds, Centimeters not Inches, Meters not feet or yards, and Kilometers not miles.
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