That was the advice a gringa living in Costa Rica gave me when I asked what to expect. It´s been probably one of the best pieces of advice I have heard. Manners are important all over Latino America, but in Costa Rica they are very important. This shows up in the way Spanish is spoken here.
In many countries when you say "gracias", the standard answer is, "de nada", which translates as "it´s nothing, think nothing of it". Here in Costa Rica, they say "con mucho gusto", which translates as "with much pleasure". I like this better. It makes me feel good.
One of the other examples is when you leave a room, or get up to go, you say "con permiso", which means, "with your permission", its not really necessary, but its such a nice touch.
Now you don´t have to worry that Ticos will upbraid you or yell at you if you are rude. They aren´t like that. They are truly gracious. But if you are sensitive to people´s feelings, you will know when you have done something wrong.
Juanito
Next Costa Rican Entry: Latino Culture
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