www.CostaRicaTicas.com

OK Cujo, and others, I am now a FIRM believer that adding much more espanol will do nothing but add to the experience. I had been a partial believer prior, but this last trip just sealed the deal.

I wouldn't classify my Spanish as good, but I have a fair vocabulary down, and can put words and phrases together to "get by". I have about 2 years worth of podcasts for my iPod that I have been listening to 2 at a clip each day. Coffee Break Spanish for anyone interested. The instructor dude has a rough Irish accent, but his pronunciations are great, even though it is more geared to Espana, it is starting to sink in. I also think I am going to bite off on Rosetta Stone after talking to a guy I met in HLH the other day. It will be a huge plus at work as well as we have about 30 Mexican and Guatemalan laborers.

What pushed me over the edge and bolted my seat to the bandwagon, was I found myself going...Wow just a little more espanol right here would be nice. Or damn I wanna say the NEXT line to flirt with that bartender some more. Or just being able to play off what the chicas are saying for more playful banter CANNOT be a bad thing!

Save the...I dont need Spanish to have a great time in CR retorts. Yes I know you can have a great time speaking very little...I just proved it a couple of days ago. I am talking about that NEXT level..."planting seeds" to quote Cujo....or making the second joke to get that chica to open up just that much more...or maybe even cracking wise with the taxista for a few minutes on the ride to wherever, so he at least feels bad for 2 seconds before he tries to fleece me!! ...ohhhh and I so wanna eavesdrop in on a convo I was never supposed to hear

So I'm on the bandwagon and on to stay

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In honor of Jimmy V week, "Don't give up, don't ever give up!"

Knowing at least some of the native language is necessary to have the best experience possible when traveling abroad. That rule can be applied to every country in the world (unless obviously your native language is their native language). The fact that we Americans (and other 1st world citizens) have many stereotypes while traveling makes this "knowledge of a language" that much more important. You subject yourself to endless negative positions by being an english-only speaking gringo abroad. There is also a respect level that you automatically receive when natives appreciate the effort you've made to learn their language. It's absolutely in your best interest to learn as much of a language as possible whenever you plan to travel, don't underestimate its value.
Mis dos centavos

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Tudo bem!

Another convert, good to hear you said that. One of the most important areas of getting GFE is the interview process so you can weed out dead fish fucks and mechanics. How are you going to do it if you do not speak language? Also, this is how you turn those mechanics to GFE if you can make them laugh and enjoy the time together rather than being use as a C*m bucket.

You have exponentially increased your enjoyment and decrease the cost of it.

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Hit them fast, Hit them hard and NEXT!
A good chica is like a good carpenter - No wood gets wasted!!!

Great to hear you're taking a serious approach to this. Even better is you understand there's "levels" of CR that most people don't even know are there.

Nothing but nothing but good comes from learning/understanding. Even to the taxi guy. Normally when a few of us pile in a cab (shotgun, I called it ) I usually in a low, under my breath way tell the cab driver to be good to us and that's usually enough to get them to act right. It's not about getting just the chicas to act right, but every mother f*cker who's trying to get a buck off you too .

With the ladies it can be down right priceless. If you are charming in spanish and the girl likes you...what's that I smell? Ahhh, freebies....

Also many other things can open up particularly in a dupla situation or trying to get everything out of a session you want. My wish is to party down with the good fellas and if we need to speak "code" spanish, then you guys are down.

Flirting in a genuine sense and planting seeds goes a long way. Shit, get these girls to want to just party, hang out, then Phuck like it's just another party is my ultimate addiction.

Very good news to hear bro...

Cujo

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"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

Agreed. Welcome to the club.

Learning a second language is not easy but the rewards are great.

so he at least feels bad for 2 seconds before he tries to fleece me

I wish it were true...unfortunately they mostly have no feelings for us...just what they can get out of us

I will never forget the time when on one of my trips to Monterery Mexico I met a beautiful latina but could not comunicate with her. A Mexican friend of mine, a practical joker, translated for us. I had no idea that he was telling her something different than what I was saying. I thought she and I were going to her place to make out-he told me she wanted to make love with me and I was a very excited 22 yo.

Well we get to her house, actually her parents house, and they are there, have a nice meal ready for us, her friends were continuely coming in to meet me, and then I realized that the chica, her mother, and her girlfriends were looking at pictures of wedding dresses.

Turns out this joker had told her I was in love with her (had just met her that morning) and wanted to marry her and take her back to the USA with me. RIGHT THEN I MADE THE DECISION TO LEARN AT LEAST SOME SPANISH BEFORE EVER RETURNING TO A LATIN COUNTRY. OH, and it turned out this chica was the ex novia of the "friend" and he was still upset with her for dumping him and wanted to get even with her.

You do not have to be fluent, but the more spanish you know, the more fun you will have, the more positive the chicas will react to you, the more willing they will be to do 'special' things, and the lower the ultimate price will be. AND if you want to have any chance of connecting with a non pro, you certainly must be able to speak the language in order for the relationship to develop.

You invest a lot of time and money coming here to have a good time with the chicas; spend some time learning at least some spanish and you will go from having a good time for a lot of money to having a fantastic time for LESS money

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Learning/speaking Spanish doubles the fun for me. I take a week of private lessons, twice a year in CR. I go to a school called Universal de Idiomas, very close to El Presidente. It's a wonderful experience and a great way to spend a half a day. I always take the lessons in the afternoons so I don't have to worry about how early I have to get up. After taking Spanish for 3.5 years (courses in USA as well), the chicas often ask me if I live in CR. It's a great feeling!

You know, i always talk to the girls in english, i let them think i don't know a lick of spanish, by looking confused when they ask me questions. And i never let them know i'm Costa Rican! You'd be suprised what you hear when they think they're talking around a gringo!!

I play the same game with them and it is priceless. They struggle with their broken English and the few phrases that they know to negotiate and get the most out of you. But I have gotten some great discounts once I let them know that I speak Spanish. The price has gone down at least 50%-75% when we start talking Spanish. The relieve in their faces and overall demeanor completely changes when you start talking Spanish to them. Nine days to go before wheels down.

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Hit them fast, Hit them hard and NEXT!
A good chica is like a good carpenter - No wood gets wasted!!!

JOsie...you taking your laptop for those extra special in-trip reports??

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In honor of Jimmy V week, "Don't give up, don't ever give up!"

I always carry my laptop with me. I’m one of those geeks that will feel naked without it.

Sorry guy but I’m not a “On-the Spot” reporter. I give Lee and Crackerass their credit because it is a hard job and they are so accurate and they let us live it through their words. I’m more of a documentary/analysis reporter, after the fact and coming back home reporter.

But I see that Crackerass will be there a day before me so we should expect some direct reports from the field by him. I will definitely be looking forward to them.

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Hit them fast, Hit them hard and NEXT!
A good chica is like a good carpenter - No wood gets wasted!!!

The great thing about getting a "base" knowledge of Espanol is that even when you get back to where you don't use it as much it comes back really quick.

I still use notes from a class I took in the early 90s while stationed in lovely Rota Spain. The native instructor summarized on six sheets front and back the most used verbs and tenses. The rest is just fill in the blank...

Each trip down somewhere in Latin I learn new words.

I even get to use my Spanish at times when I am in Miami. It's funny when a store operator speaks to you in Spanish first.

Yes you couldn't be more right about that. Once i say something in spanish that a normal american wouldn't say, they look at me like 'oh you speak spanish", and yes they do change, they relax a bit, and i can really do some serious negotiations!