With Costa Ricans

Costa Ricans are naturally and dramatically friendly. They greet you on the street with a friendly “Hola” and a happy smile. Most of them will gladly help you when they see the need.

One night I was driving through a not-very-nice section of San Jose when I misjudged a turn and found my front-right wheel in a culvert. I tried reversing but all I did was spin tires. I was a little apprehensive to say the least. But suddenly a taxi stopped and the driver ran to help and then someone else came running out of the darkness. The two of them picked the car up by the front fender and waved as they walked away. Try that in Liberty City, Miami or in the Watts area of Los Angeles.

On the other hand Costa Ricans will rarely invite you into their homes. I wonder why? Could it be that they have all seen American TV and realize that we all live in palaces and that makes them ashamed of what they have? I think so.

Come to think of it we didn’t get invited into our neighbor’s homes in Florida very often either and I don’t know the reason for that…..

With North Americans or Europeans.

You’ll find it a great deal easier to make friends with North Americans and Europeans in Costa Rica than in their native lands. I think the reasons for that are obvious. Back home we ignore our neighbors because we are all so busy and have need of nothing anyway. Foreigners in Costa Rica tend to get to know other foreigners quite quickly and form groups to go out to eat or to invite to parties at one another’s homes. This seems to be because we are all together in a somewhat strange environment and tend to cling to at least some of what is familiar including accents, languages, food etc.

There are many clubs designed to bring ex-patriots together. Curiously there is a Democratic Club and a Republican club. Yet no other nation divides itself on party lines like that. There are open houses at the various Embassies on special days. For instance the Canadians invite everyone for Canada Day. The Brits open up the Ambassador’s residence for The Queen’s Birthday and the American Ambassador invites everyone for hot dogs (or something) on the 4th of July. There is also a newcomers club for ladies and another club for nursing mothers. I’ve never been invited to either of those.

You can find a list of those clubs each week in the Tico Times or go to their on-line website.

We attended a dinner, dance put on by the Canadians one year before we ever became really serious about moving to Costa Rica and from that we met about eight couples who invited us to their homes for Christmas parties. And from that we formed friendships with at least a dozen families and singles.

You’ll also find that an organization called ARCR is very helpful. It seems to be run by Canadians but they help anyone who is, or might be, interested in moving to Costa Rica. There is an annual membership fee, which includes and very nice monthly magazine, but they’ll generally answer some basic questions for non-members. Find them at www.arcr.net