Hey guys, I'm michael alan from www.TravelCostaRicaNow.com and I'm going to tell you... What Tico's don't like about us "Gringos", and when I say Gringo's I'm talking about people from the United
States, and that's it. Gringos... United States ...
and I'm not talking about what Gringo's are done to the real estate and land values down here.
That's another video... Other stuff. And, I'm also going to tell you the worst
thing Gringo's do, last.
So you want to stay tuned... because actually it's the
most important.
Now, the first thing. I learned this the hard way and pretty
embarrassing. A Tico said... "So, where are you from?"
I said.. "Well, I'm an American."
He said... "So am I." HELLO???
North America. Central America.
People in United States do NOT have a monopoly on America or American.
So. They know Christopher Columbus too. So don't learn that one the embarrassing way like
I did. They also don't like that we don't have any patience, and that we're 'time
oriented', and we have this constant need to move and do things. Well actually, they
don't mind that we're like that. They just don't like us coming down and
pushing our A.D.D. attitude on them. They'd rather us keep it either in our
mind, or back in the United States. Now, guys the truth is, Gringo's tend to be
loud and obnoxious. Not that Tico's can't be loud. If you've ever been to a bar
watching a soccer game they can be quite loud. But I'm telling you in a group. If
there's somebody being obnoxious it's probably a gringo. Whooping and hollering. Drawn attention to themselves.
whoo-hoo, I'm a gringo! I can be loud! Well they don't really like that and it is obnoxious. So, try, try not to do that.
They also don't like us bad-mouthing their food. Alright.
And I actually agree with them on this. Now, it's true that they don't like spicy.
really. That's Mexico. They're not like that here.
But just because you went to a touristy 'gringo price' restaurant here doesn't
mean you know their food. You only know touristy Gringo's price'
Restaurants menus food.
You know what I mean? So, yes they have rice and beans as
a staple here. Just like potatoes is a staple in most places in the United
States. But believe me. They do all the stuff. They got recipes. They have fish,
and things. They dress things up. It's just you don't know it. You know. So
believe me, the food is good down here and if you don't think it's good just
bring a bottle of Tabasco sauce with you. I guess on your next trip.
Now, this next thing, is, can be kind of racist whether you you are meaning it so or not.
Do not say.. "You don't look like a Tico." Which basically is you're referencing that
they look more white than they should. And that's kind of play.. There, it's
kind of playing into that whole ...what we do to blacks a lot in the United States
where if they're lighter we think that they may be more intelligent or we
can relate to them better than the the darker ones that could be sketchy and
less intelligent. Well, that's obviously way not true, and it's way not true here.
Tico's here are from white to dark and everything between. So don't do that
"you don't look like a Tico" thing it's it's not good. It does sound a little
racist and discriminatory. Maybe even on a subconscious level.
Now, I'm not gonna...
I'm not gonna... strike that. umm If you learn Spanish or you think you learn
Spanish before you come here and you're talking to the waiter here and he
doesn't understand you. It's because your Spanish sucks. lol
it's not as good as you think it is. It's not because he doesn't know Spanish. He lives here.
But don't get all pissy and like you're talking great Spanish and
he's got the problem because he doesn't understand you.
No! You have the problem
because your Spanish isn't good. It's very offensive.
think about it in a reverse situation
if somebody was saying that about your English.
Alright. and
The other funny, kind of sad thing is, if a Tico doesn't know English. You talking
slower doesn't mean he's gonna understand it
any better. So, "Can.. you... get me.. a ... beer?? You sound retarded!
DON'T DO IT!
It's embarrassing.
It's embarrassing to people from the United States.
So please don't do that. Okay, this next one I'm gonna not get
into it big time. It's going to be general, because it can be more in-depth
but generally it is true. I'm going to talk about the crime.
When you talk about
the crime in Costa Rica being like you heard it was out of control. They
understand the hypocrisy of what you're saying. Believe me, now, crime can be a
problem here but that's in a lot of places. but if you think the crime here
is is out of control. Then it's at Mad Max levels in the United States.
It's kind of like casting a stone Calling the kettle black.
It's it's very hypocritical and they know it and they don't like it.
Now, and again you
know the truth is most travelers that come here feel very safe, but you just
hear the bad stories. You hear the one out of, you know, a thousand stories type of thing but by far the worst things that Gringo's do here that they don't like
and actually we do this all around the world not just here. We have this
annoying habit of thinking we're better than everybody else. We talk down to
people. We preach, to the, to people.
umm ah.. We say things like... "Well that's not how we do it in the United States."
Guess what??? They don't care how we do it the United States.
They are not jealous.
They do not want to be us. I know that's hard to believe... We're great people. But they don't.
They're very proud to be a Costa Rican. They don't mind telling you that.
I'm telling you, you can't underestimate this. we do have this way about us thinking
we're here and everybody else is is there. Now, although... they do like our
movies and some of our music. but I think they just rather you appreciate the
country and say thank you. and remember, just because somebody might be smarter... doesn't necessarily make them wiser. and I would go so far as to say
that there's more Gringo's wishing they were living the tico lifestyle, than
Tico's wishing they were living the gringo lifestyle in the United States.
You can bank on that. and kind of a funny one.... they think it's kind of funny
that people from the United States when they come down here to travel or whatever.
They wear their safari outfits like they're going to the Serengeti looking
for elephants and giraffes. lol Guys, you don't need the safari outfits. Alright.
Trust me! So anyway guys,
I'm michael alan for Travel Costa Rica Now .com
Peace guys... Hope it helps!
