peregriNation: almuerzo

   The ticos are unbelievably polite and respectful to everyone. As I've mentioned before they stand to let the elderly sit, they say hello to every single person they see, they kiss on the cheek as a greeting, they stop traffic to talk to one another, they play with children, and so on. In the spanish language, if you are saying the word "you", one has two choices: "tu" which is informal and one would use it with someone they know or a friend, or "usted" which is formal. One would use this word with someone they don't know well, or out of respect for that person. Here in Costa Rica they are so polite they don't even use the "tu" form at all! It is always "usted" that is used. They are also so nice that when you go out to a restaurant and have a meal, they will not bring you the check in the end. You could sit there for hours and they will not bring you the check until you ask for it, because to them, if they came to bring you the check it would be like asking you to leave which would not be polite at all. Also, in most spanish speaking countries when you say "thank you " you get the response, "de nada" which means, "it's nothing". To the Costa Ricans it would be a negative to say it was nothing. It would discount the act that was being thanked. Instead they say, "Mucho gusto." It is my pleasure. Or, "Con mucho gusto" It is with much pleasure (that I do this for you). And if they really want to make their point they will say, "El gusto es mio." The pleasure is mine. To me, these are just added reasons to love the Costa Ricans.
   Ticos are happy for you to learn their language too and they will help you if you ask, but they are far too polite to correct you. At times, this can be a problem because many words are similar, and we gringos get mixed up. The ticos will just try to figure out what you said, and respond. Sometimes though, their playful spirit gets the best of them. I was at a restaurant one evening and at the end of the meal I waved to the waiter and said, "La cuenta por favor." The check please. Some gringos at the table next to me overheard, so one of the men waved to his waiter and said, "Lo cuento por favor." The waiter stopped, turned and said, "Muy bien." Very well. He bowed, put his pencil behind his ear, his check pad in his back pocket and somberly said, "Un dia un hombre comino en una barra..." One day a man walked into a bar... My table burst into laughter. The gringo, instead of asking for the check, had asked for a story. We grinned with the men from Texas as we explained the difference between la cuenta, and lo cuento. Sometimes though, the faux pas can be a little more intrepid...
   At the Academia we were going to learn about cooking terms and all types foods in spanish. Our professor decided we should each bring ingredients with us the next day and we would prepare a meal for the school as we learned the words. We prepped for an hour as we went over terms for utensils, foods, spices, and recipes. When all was ready, we called the other students to the dining area to break bread with us. As David, the owner of our school, approached I motioned him to the front of the line. "No, why should I go first?" he humbly asked. I summoned up all of my spanish speaking courage and practiced a new word I had learned. "Porque disgraciado!" David's eyes went wide and his mouth fell open in disbelief. "What?! What did you say?! Who is your professor??!!" The room fell into a stunned silence. I back pedaled, not knowing what went wrong. "What?" I said in english, "because we are grateful!" The other teachers then doubled over in laughter speaking spanish amongst themselves rapidly while pointing at me and trying to catch their breath. Instead of saying, "agradecido" which means grateful, I had said, "disgraciado" which means disgrace, and even worse, it is a slang term in Costa Rica. I had unwittingly told my head master he should go to the front of the line because "he was a son of a bitch." My face went beet red as I apologized profusely. David laughed and laughed as I begged him not to fire Charlie, my teacher.