Costa Rica became so rich from coffee & banana exports that San Jose was the third city in the world to have public electric lighting and was one of the first cities to have telephones.

Costa Rica is the most Spanish of Central American countries, although political turmoil has recently increased the number of immigrants from elsewhere in Central America (10% of the population is now Nicaraguan). In Latin America, Costa Rica trails only Chile, Argentina & Uruguay in literacy. Costa Rica has no army. Costa Ricans replace the normal Spanish diminutive "tito" with "tico" ("Un momentico, por favor") and have thus become known as "Ticos", just as Americans are knows as "Gringos" in Latin America.

The city-tour guide was a knowledgeable historian. He explained that the iron bars & barbed-wire topped fences on most houses (even churches!) are an ornamental fashion that had been adopted to imitate the houses of the rich. But this did not explain the fact that even the tourist offices had "cell-bar" doors, which were only unlocked to let you inside.

The city guide glowed with pride when he cited the fact that Intel's largest factory outside the United States is in Costa Rica. He said that Intel recognized that Costa Ricans are intelligent, industrious and well-educated. He said that the average Costa Rican enjoys a monthly income of $800 (a banana plantation worker makes about $300).

She (an expat) loved the weather and found Costa Ricans to be warmhearted & easy-going. Nonetheless, she found them to be too easy-going when it came to getting things accomplished. She said that open aggression of any kind is very rare, but that sneak-thievery is common and that the bars & barbed-wire on homes are a necessity.

Our tour guide told us that there are three types of sloths in Costa Rica: the 2-toed sloths which feed on spiders & lizards, the 3-toed sloths which feed on leaves & moss, and the 5-toed sloths which work for the government. The last group play a game which has only one rule -- if you move, you lose.

The $800 a month is high. The head of the Airport Security makes something like $400.

The $800 a month is high. The head of the Airport Security makes something like $400.

While searching for something I came asross a civilian CR report (1999) that said some interesting things:
Really?!

I agree with Pacifica55 that the wages are a lot less than we think. The stars who work hard at it probably make 3k a month. The vast majority make more like $1000. many of the less aggressive ones (even nice looking) go home alone many nights. These numbers are still very good wages in CR.

BKTUNA
I am never going home

Costa Ricans replace the normal Spanish diminutive "tito" with "tico" ("Un momentico, por favor") and have thus become known as "Ticos", just as Americans are knows as "Gringos" in Latin America.

Costa Ricans replace the normal Spanish diminutive "tito" with "tico" ("Un momentico, por favor") and have thus become known as "Ticos", just as Americans are knows as "Gringos" in Latin America.