www.CostaRicaTicas.com

OK guys. For those of you who are saying that we’re no more condescending or arrogant than anyone else, and then saying in the same sentence that other countries are just jealous, you’re proving the opposing view’s point. Stating that other countries have a reason to be jealous also implies that you’re superior to them. I hate to say it, but it’s often implied in our collective behaviour. We throw money around, relative to the locals. We give away baubles and trinkets without a thought, just like we’re giving glass beads to the savages.

I can’t think of how many times I have heard a North American in a foreign country say “speak English” as if this is their indomitable right, and being offended when no one could speak to them. Of course there are rude, obnoxious tourists from every country and culture, IMHO North Americans are indeed ruder, louder, more patronizing, and less adaptable to foreign countries than anyone else on the planet, and that the world opinion of North American tourists is richly deserved, much like the legendary rudeness of Parisians, or British cooking. Please bear in mind that I am generalizing about the broad mainstream section of the public at large, and not experienced world travelers, or the people of the CRT. It just seems that many average North Americans who travel go to foreign countries expecting to see the quaint natives and wondering why they can’t get service or food just like they do back home. Instead of sampling foreign culture they go looking for North American culture abroad

I was born and raised in Quebec, and if I had a nickel for every time someone in the US said to me “my you speak good English for a foreigner” I would be a very wealthy man. As a gross generalization I can say that there is a slight vestige of superiority present in many North American attitudes. That being said, I believe that North Americans are among the friendliest and most accessible people in their own country, that the service and shopping industry treat their customers with respect, cabs are honest, and that the vast majority of people are willing to extend a helping hand out of the kindness of our hearts, for no reason other than to help their fellow man. (New York might be an exception. lol) North Americans are good people, and live in what is generally a good society. They’re just lousy travelers and always have been, even before Bush’s policies became so unpopular. I applaud anything that encourages us to become better people abroad.

Flame away.

KaybyMe,

No flames here. You make some good points. I haven't traveled as much as some on CRT, but I've encountered plenty of ugly American travelers abroad.

That being said, I do believe our collective behavior is under more scrutiny because of U.S. foreign policies, both corporate and governmental. The only way to counter-balance these negative perceptions is to behave as educated, polite and caring people when we travel.

BTW, you write English really well for a foreigner. Parlez vous francais, no? Ou Quebecoise?

And I will continue to contend that for traveling gentlemen such as we, clothes to a degree do make the man. If I'm going to make an error in how we dress ourselves, I would rather that we err toward overdressing rather than the opposite.

_________________
Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

The simple answer to yuor question is: oui.

I didn't even address the clothing issue, but it's not entirely related to tourists in any case. even at home people who are more presentable are accorded more respect than people who aren't. Girls like to be seen with gentleman who look good, and who have taken the trouble to make themselves look good, in the same way that the women do. Chicas, gringas, asians, whatever. that's just human nature.

Keeping in mind that we expect these chicas to offer up their bodies, and to treat ours like the playgrounds we know them to be, it just makes sense that they're going to want to run their tongues over the clean ones than the dirty ones. Clean attire is indicative of a clean body, which is naturally more desirable for an SP. Being with someone who wears what they consider to be "acceptable" clothing makes the girl more comfortable and less self-conscious, which in turn makes her more relaxed and a better companion. if you don't want to be bothered worrying about social custom bear in mind that your personal satisfaction may in some degree be related to the happiness and comfort of the girl you're with, and dress accordingly.

Of course, as many here, it is EVERYONE ELSE who are rude, arrogant, loud, and the worst of the worst, but rarely does anyone put themselves in this category. We're mongers with a lot of failed marriages (the gringas fought for sure) and we have what most would describe as a sick addiction to young girls and what most would describe as "taking advantage of the weak and the poor" and most would say that we're on par with freckin' c h i l d m o l e s t e r s, but here we are judging tourist behavior and setting the standard for proper attire. Aren't we superior? I'm sure many of us justify our hobby in one way or another in our MIND, but you won't do it at the company picnic or while visiting with neighbors.

We have no room to judge behavior.... oh, but mongering in the face of locals is different from being loud and rude and arrogant... mongering is locally acceptable and that's why some have called the walk from the HDR to the Presidente the walk of shame (right?). Don't be ashamed to walk down the street with a chica who is 30 years younger, it is locally acceptable, the Ticos are doing it, smile and walk with your head held high.

I can just imagine what the locals think... "look at that old man with all his money thinking he is hot shit and superior because he can buy the poor and disadvantaged 22 year old, I wish they'd stop coming here and I wish the HDR would go out of business, that place gives our city a bad name..... ".

To me, our behavior is likely very questionable in the minds of the locals so until you stop mongering, I'd be a lot less judgmental.

*

Let me get this straight......
You feel that we (as mongerers), having consentual sex with younger foreign women, are just as bad as a guy in the bar who's drunk, rude, obnoxious, disrespectful and loud ???

IMHO, it's apples and oranges.
Although these women may be younger than us, they're (ultimately) still consenting adults. Every time we give them money for services, we're helping to support them and families in a small way. Many of us will also give the women small gifts for themselves or their Ch*ldren. Many of us will take our women to dinner, dancing, shopping, to the beach or various resorts, etc.... and pay for everything. While our visits to CR may be short, we are treating these women with respect and showing them a great time, and I'm sure they remember this. And I have not yet met a CRT member who typifies the "Ugly American". YMMV.

D2864,
If you feel like you're actions as a mongerer are the same as the "Ugly American", then maybe it's time for you to re-evaluate things. But for me, personally, I will always treat the chica's with respect, and act as a gentleman, regardless of what country I'm in. And just because I enjoy the company of a hot, young chica, I don't consider myself an "Ugly American". Not even close.................

Respectfully,
Mucho Gusto

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

Wow D2864

Lets call a spade a spade OK! Valid points for sure whether one likes it or not! This maybe one of the reasons we have so many members at CRT & very few post & just lurk. I have said it before but when we point fingers they can be turned around back at us so don't throw stones in a glass house.


Let's be honest it would be a stretch of the imagination to think an elderly CR couple would see an old man with a young Chica & be saying to each other "Oh look dear how wonderful that old guy is helping support that young chica & all her problems by paying her for sexual favors"

My guess is they know this to be true but as so many of us do is turn a blind eye to it all.

_________________
"Run silent, run deep"
Spunk glazed Chicas are the building blocks of the universe!

Just something to think about guys.

K_by_me that is not what I said. Maybe I should have elaborated more, sorry but what I was referring to was the American economy. I think other parts of our culture leave allot to be desired and would love to move to a an exotic local but I will never cut my ties with the US completely. I could not hope to make as good a living anywhere else in the world as I have here.


Xman

What gives us many of the options & advantages in our life is the US economy but if we are smart we will not rub this in other peoples faces. Just talk softly saying meaningful things while having class & not being stupid should work for us one would think.

_________________
"Run silent, run deep"
Spunk glazed Chicas are the building blocks of the universe!

D2864 said one thing that I think is a universal truth. Assholes never think they're assholes. A perosn generally looks outwardly to apply a negative context to other individuals.

Xman, I did not really mean to point a finger at you, although it kind of looked that way. As I mentioned, it's really a collective behaviour thing. We take the superior value of our earning power and our currency to CR and use it to best advantage in a place where it's worth more than it is at home. That's natural, but our ability to do so, contrasted against their inability to do so, imparts a certain sense of social/cultural superiority to North Americans, or so I believe, even if only slightly and at an unconscious level. I think that shows, and that many non- North Americans recognize it. Couple that with some loud or boorish behaviour and the reaction that they have is quite natural.

We compare chicas vs. gringas all the time. I'd love to be a fly on the wall to hear what they have to say about chicos vs. gringos.

The one thing that I've found is that I don't always know what offends in other cultures. Fortunate there are he one thing that I've found is that I don't always know what offends in other cultures. Fortunate there are not to many extreme difference where common courtesy will suffice


Xman

MG, with respect, this is justifying what we do in CR. Our hobby can be justified here and maybe in CR to a certain extent, but I wouldn't attempt this justification at the country club in CR and I wouldn't attempt it in most USA social circles.

Many here have said that when they meet a non-hooker in CR, the last thing they want to mention is why they are really in CR so this evidence that a lot here don't think our hobby is the best behavior.

Since I can't talk about this hobby to the average person, I look down on it even though I do it. Sad, but true, I just can't help myself.

It is called the "walk of shame" for what reason?

I do agree that our behavior and the "ugly american" behavior are apples and oranges! What I'm saying though is that both aren't of the best behavior so who are we to judge? Which behavior is worse? It probably depends on who you ask.

*

I think it should be called the "walk of fame". I refuse to feel guilty about pay for play. Its mutually beneficial to both parties. These girls are not hung up with christian guilt. Ive blown several relationships in the State's when my girlfriend starts whining about feeling guilty about sex outside of marriage. She then tries to motivate me with guilt and it doesnt work. Guilt sucks , i refuse to feel it, I am a consciencetous and considerate person.

D2864, I must disagree.

I think the worst behavior is that which directly affects another person. I go about mongering (the actual act from negotiation through seeing the girl to a taxi) very discretely and quietly, using all the good manners Mom taught me. Okay, okay... Mom didn't actually coach me on how to handle dealings with a hooker, but you get my meaning. My mongering doesn't get right into the face of locals, except of course with those who work in "prostitution support" i.e. restauranteurs, hotel staff bartenders and taxistas.

I see the "ugly tourist" behavior as being far worse. First of all, regardless of venue and situation, this kind of ugliness can be readily found. It's more widespread and therefore more pervasive.

While many locals may frown on prostitution for moral or political reasons, most never are confronted by the business itself. On the other hand, any shopkeeper, waiter, driver or tour guide will frequently be confronted with ugly tourist behavior, whether within the sphere of prostitution or not.

It goes beyond apples and oranges, and whatever your feelings about the "shamefulness" of prostitution, you must agree that even this "evil, exploitative and nasty" behavior can be done with gentlemanly manners, diplomacy, good comportment and a sense of style which are inoffensive to the majority of locals.

D28XXX, I see a lot of self-loathing in your posts, and while I can agree with some of your feelings about prostitution, I cannot help but feel sorry for you. Perhaps another hobby that is less decadent would suit you better? I am not flaming here and mean no offense, whatsoever. But I do believe that you're projecting a lot of your puritanical hang-ups into a discussion that should be centered on how we conduct ourselves abroad, whether or not we're paying for play at the time.

_________________
Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

When You finally get to SJ and the adrelenine(sp) is flowing it is only natural to talk and laugh loudly. When your excited and I am for sure on my first night in SJ( I only get to take 3 or 4 trips a year) you gonna make a little noise It make you feel good. I go to have fun and get laid, not to critize others