www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Is only speaking english a major headache when in SJ? Wondering if I should take one of those learning spanish CD courses before going down.
Just wondering....

Good idea. Get some basics like good morning, evening and how are you? ect.
The chicas like it if you TRY!
LVSteve

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Just an old horney, fat gambler.

ok

Myrivers,

Best to try and learn some Spanish but do not worry about being afraid to make some errors or miss pronunciations. The Ticos will be very willing to help because they appreciate you making the effort. They will laugh WITH you not AT you. Major difference from many gringo's, who when they encounter someone from another culture attempting to speak English, are neither very kind or tolerant.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Learning spianish will vastly improve the overall experience.You can certainly get buy with very little but locals greatly appreciate our effort to speak thier language.I frequent lots pf very local places and am always surprised at the ticos who attept to comunicate with their limited english and I practice my limited spainish.Pimsuer Spainish is quite good on tape or CD.They have a travel addition with basics and three levels of more intensive Spainish.There are several posts on the board relative to accessing the tapes .They are available on line very cheap if maybe not for free.I downloaded them from Bearshare.com with like a $20 annual membership for the file sharing service.rbc100

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In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

Myrivers,
You can get a free taste of the basics at http://www.studyspanish.com

The more Espanol you know, the better. It's always great to not let on to the chicas how much Spanish you know. I never let them know how much I understand. Even my favoritas think I understand far less than I actually do. Granted, the more you know certainly helps in the negotiation process, but it's interesting to hear what the chicas are saying about you to other chicas and/or her friends. On more than one occasion, I've sat at tables talking with several chicas at the BM, including some who I thought were my friends, and they've made
negative/derogatory comments about me, thinking that I didn't understand what they were saying.

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"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)

No, you do not need to know spanish. Yes it helps a ton. If you go down there you will come back wishing you knew some spanish. It was the motivation for me to buy the Pimsleur series. I am not finishing up Spanish Three. I can now talk to any chica in spanish....even on the phone. That is hard because if they do not speak any english, and you can't use hand signs, you HAVE to know some spanish.

It really enhances the experience. Like Gringotim....I can now understand the chicas talking badly about us. When I used to hang with Cristal and her gaggle of Dominicana, they talked all the time about the guys. (Not about me...but the other guys). That one has a small dick....that one can't come....they make fun of us. They are putas....what do they know?

(my God, I have been down there too much....I am starting to refer to the Del Rey chicas as putas. Look what you guys have DONE to me!)

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ASTROGLIDE