www.CostaRicaTicas.com

After many many conversations with Ticos, both professional, non profession, and working chicas (not just Ticas), because of the high number of gringos who come here who fit this description exactly (in the eyes of the Ticos), sadly many of the Ticos think ALL gringos are "UGLY AMERICANS"! Even more sad is the fact that people in almost every country in the world think this. It is really sad that what is (IMHO) a relatively small percentage of the North American tourists over all, they make ALL of us look so bad!!!!

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

A lot of the bad and problematic things that happen living in CR happen a lot to expats who don't even want or try to fit in. I know 50 and 60 somethings who live here that might as well be walking around with a rape me sign on their backs. And I know others in the same demographic who get along very well. I use this age bracket as many are set in their ways, good or bad, by now. Definitely ugly americans of all ages here. This is just a generalization, but I find the expats who get along the best here: 1) Speak a decent amount of Spanish. Don't have to be fluent but can carry on a conversation. At least show to their neighbors that they are trying and improving. 2) Don't live in gated communities and drive Range Rovers. Not that this is a bad thing per se, but it makes you one of the "rich" gringos. Once again I am generalizing, but I don't know many expats that live in Los Suenos who mix well with day to day life in CR. 3) Actually enjoy things Costa Rica. I know many people here who don't EVER eat in sodas, don't like Latin Music and don't participate in anything here outside their gringo community and friends. Ok, maybe I'm rambling. haha When finances get better, I am ready to go native. If not here, in another Spanish speaking country. Living in Spanish 100%, the culture of the country, the whole works.

The ones that amaze me are the ones (in the age group you mentioned and maybe a little older) who have lived here for years (Many), speak no or very little spanish, set in bars all day with their coharts (others of the same mind set) getting drunk and comparing notes on how much they hate Costa Rica and all the things wrong with CR. They have not had a good thing to say about CR in years!
YET THEY CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE!! WHY???

Also I am not disagreeing with ID about the percentage who come here and leave. I too have heard the 40-50% figure many times and wondered where it actually came from. That said, I do have to say that my experience over the last five years has been different than ID's in that a very high percentage of the guys I have met who moved here, spoke no espanol and made no attempt to learn, lived way above their means, wanted everything to be like it was in the states, and in general made no attempt to "fit in" left within the first year or so. Those that made an effort and accepted the differences in the two countries are still here--over all of the guys I have known, it has been close to maybe 25% left/75% are still here!! But there is nothing scientific or even very exacting about those figures--just what i have observed and think it to be. One factor is I tend to try to avoid the negative types so some that I think have left may just be off my radar ( and I do not miss them)!!!

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

And the really amazing thing is that many of the older, non Spanish speaking expats living here are the loudest to proclaim that all those damn immigrants living in Amuricuh should be speaking English.

Good points. I would like to add that negative or miserable people ( most alcoholics fall into this category) will be negative and miserable wherever they go. Even with all the hot trim around and the laid back lifestyle, they will not be happy there or anywhere else. Happiness comes from within and some people never grasp that fact.

_________________
I believe in moderation in everything except excess.
I phuck 'em just to see the look on their face.
Klatu, berata, nicto.

lol

_________________
The difference between a Sea Story and a Fairy Tale is that a Fairy Tale starts out 'Once Upon a Time..' and a Sea Story starts out 'This is no Shit...'

(export version only, some restrictions may apply, some assembly required, not valid where the sun don't shine...

if you live in the states of Poverty, Darkness or anywhere outside of The Blessings of Civilization Trust, Inc...other rules may apply)

Y me thinks GREENGO IS ONE OF THOSE WHO FIT THE MOLD OF WHY???. If nothing else based on almost all of his posts dealing with the people, their intelligence level, life, and atitudes in CR, he and I must be living in 2 different Costa Ricas!!!!

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

Good list MG.

_________________
- must not waste chalk.

you really don't get it so let me shed some light on this situation. these types can't hurt costa ricans, because, as you said, they can't speak spanish so what's the crime? another thing you don't get is that if these guys were in US bars, they would be complaining about the US. put them in any country's bar and they will be bitching. try it, go to thailand and frequent with the expats from the UK, Canada, Australia, the US and they will be bitching about thailand and the whole world as well (americans don't have a monopoly on bitching, btw).

i wonder how many of these "ugly american" sightings are actually "ugly canadian", "ugly australian", "ugly russian".. etc. etc.? ya think any of the locals can tell the difference since for the most part we're all white? a lot of people probably assume too much.

i get the "ugly <insert nationality>" scene when done while sober in a hotel lobby while on vacation or business travel. but when in a bar on vacation having a good time? well, if we've gotten to that point in this overly civilized world then i really don't give a sh%t what the overly sensitive think.