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Christmas traditions in Costa Rica are probably not what you are used to. You can prevent culture shock by learning what Ticos do during Christmas holidays, and where they go. Christmas Eve in Spanish is Nochebuena. Adjusting to another culture is one of the most difficult things to do when you live in another country. […]
by Ivo Henfling
I’m pretty sure you don’t know what a chorreador de cafe in Costa Rica is. In simple English, it’s a Tico coffee maker. The correct verb for using a chorreador is chorrear café = to pour coffee. Ticos swear by a real cup of coffee. Why wouldn’t they, we have the best coffee in the […]
by Ivo Henfling
In Costa Rica, the word Aguevado is kind of the opposite of the well-known Pura Vida. This word is almost as much used as Pura Vida or Mae. So I thought it necessary you include agüevado in your dictionary when you live in Costa Rica. Moving to Costa Rica is easy; adjusting to your new […]
by Ivo Henfling
I learned to speak Pachuco before I learned Spanish. I didn’t have a clue until I started dating a local woman. She thought I was pretty vulgar and I had no idea what she was talking about. When I moved to Costa Rica in 1980, my brother and I started a window cleaning company. Our […]
by Ivo Henfling
In Costa Rica, you will hear the expression Mas Tico que el Gallo Pinto. Literally translated, this means a person is more Costa Rican than a spotted rooster. Does that make sense? Gallo is rooster and Pinto means spotted. Gallo Pinto is the #1 food for the Ticos. It is the famous rice & beans […]
by Ivo Henfling
Any idea who Tica Linda is? You’ll probably say “something like a Miss Costa Rica”? You’re partially right. Tica Linda is the queen of the “festejos populares de San Jose”, but more about that later. This was the start of the use of the word as a designation used by the general population. What does […]
by Ivo Henfling
Costa Ricans use animals quite a bit in their expressions. The tiger is one of them. Pa’l Tigre means not feeling well, feeling sick or not having done well. Estoy pa’l tigre = I feel terrible. Something that is not usable anymore, out of order, esta “pa’l tigre”. Esta máquina esta pa’l tigre. Me fue […]
by Ivo Henfling
Would you like to learn how to handle culture shock? Did you know that culture shock is good for you? Honestly, I didn’t either. The other day, I saw this article about culture shock by George Santayana and I thought it was awesome. Problem is that most of you are not in your 20’s anymore, […]
by Ivo Henfling
You don’t want to be called The Mother of Tarzan in Costa Rica, you know why? In the past, I have been telling you about certain slang words used in Costa Rica, to give you the opportunity to go a little bit native when you move here. Learn the way of the local people and […]
by Ivo Henfling
The use of slang in Tico Spanish is just as common as it is in any other language. Que chapa is one of those often used words in Tico slang. It would be helpful for you to understand why someone might call you a chapa. Or maybe when someone is a collector of chapas? What […]
by Ivo Henfling