Job Discussion Forums

[davechile]

Ok, Forum VET's Chime in here on a helpful post for newbies and people curious about Tico living and Teaching. Who knows maybe it will become a sticky?

What do you love about Living in Tico Land?
Culture?
Teaching?
Environment?
Day to Day?

What do you wish would be better?
i.e. things people should be prepared to deal with?

Pura Vida (pure living)

Dave and his Adventure Dog Cody

[JAppleby]

Having already spent time in Costa Rica when I studied here four years ago, I was ready for some of the cultural differences this time around.

What I love:

The food. Pretty much all the food here is good. And the fruits and vegetables are so fresh, especially if you get them at the weekly farmer's market. I don't know if I'll be able to eat pineapples and bananas when I go back.

Teaching. I am definitely meant to be a teacher. Although I had some student teaching experience before I came here, teaching Spanish, I had never taught English before, so that was a learning experience in itself. I love that I can tell how much better at it I've gotten. And I love it when something clicks for my students.

Getting to know my students and other Ticos. I've had a few students who I've kept in contact with after they finished my class and gone out with a few times. It's really neat getting to know them, and they know the places to go.

What I don't so much love:

Rain. Right now we're in the rainy season, and it's been that way since the end of April. It rains just about every day, usually when I have to walk somewhere. Even with an umbrella you can get soaked.

The Tico concept of time. This has bothered me a lot less then it did the first time, and I can mostly go with it. But it's very frustrating to have someone tell you a time, and then about half an hour later they show up. You end up doing a lot of waiting, and you pretty much just have to go with it, but it's hard sometimes.

Car horns. People honk their horns a lot here, and once one person does, everybody starts. Usually it doesn't solve anything, if you're stuck and you can't move. I can mostly live with it, but it gets to me when they do it right next to me or when I'm already stressed out.

Basically, I like it here, and I'm glad I came to spend 9 months here teaching. It has been a great experience 90% of the time, and an experience 100%.

Pura vida!

[John Hall]

[John Hall]

[Ecrivain]

The Good:
the beaches
cheap casados
tasty beer and rum
the beaches
warm, friendly, helpful people
highly motivated students
fresh, delicious fruit
a confusing but extensive bus system
tranquilo - the relaxed attitude toward everything (including time)
the beaches

The Bad:
theft
unmarked streets
unmarked bus stops
so much rain I've grown webbed feet
people viewing me (a gringo) as nothing more than a big wallet

[doreenp]

i agree with most of the likes and dislikes already posted, so i won't repeat but how about
likes
the mountains,
the rain forests
waterfalls
animal sanctuaries
and all the activities that go along with visiting them like
white water rafting, etc.
birds, turtles, whales
cheap travel to Nicaragua and Panama
well behaved street dogs of the most unusual breeds

dislikes
cucarachas the size of my thumb (the english word gets beeped!)lol
spiders the size of my hand
mosquitoes that give you dengue
umbrellas that don't do a d*mn thing in the rainy season
the fast hands of the pickpockets
taxi drivers who talk on the phone, change gears and steer with their knees, very talented people!
taxi drivers who take advantage of blondes that don't speak enough Spanish

and that's it! not bad a list for 3 years of living here.

and once you finally learn that manana really means any time in the future, you'll get along just fine!
cheers
d

[John Hall]

Nobody has mentioned incorrect or lack of signage on buses. In Cartago, a new variation of the sarcastic remark, "�Ah si! �Como no!" is now, "�Ah si! �Como no! �Zapote por la pista!" (literally, "Zapote via the highway," which is one of the main bus routes into San Jose).

[Ecrivain]

doreenp: So true about the filthy mosquitos and the absolutely worthless umbrellas (it's like the rain comes from every direction). And I love that "manana" means not only "morning" but also "tomorrow" or "someday, eventually, maybe." It's the essence of the "tranquilo" attitude.

JH: Finally! Now I understand what "X Pista" means on the buses. My dictionary translates "pista" as racetrack. Highway makes much more sense.