Costa Rica # 1

[J4M3S]

how is that vodka with cranberry juice? you must be a fag then....

Lol that was a good one.


Adding my 2 cents here, I just can't stand ungrateful people with no offense to anyone, because in fact I don't know you all.

Eventough this is not a perfect place with the perfect laws and perfect drivers, many people couldn't have their current lifestyle if they weren't working here. A long time ago the "American dream" existed going north, now many of you have come here because now it can be easily achieved here, by us Ticos (hard working) and by foreign people that wouldn't be anything in their small towns.
They forgot the way they used to live back in the states because now they can afford to live in Escazu or Santa Ana in very nice places easily paid by their according to Costa Rica "millionaire" salary that would be nothing in the US.

I have met very nice people (gringos) that even knowing this place isn't perfect they are happy and accept this place, have married Ticas or ticos have raised their kids in very decent schools, in fact have learned to speak some spanish at least to order food or buy stuff in grocery stores.

Some others in my opinion just useless people doing nothig getting paid lots of money for heating their seats, others feeling superior by pointing at others as inferior employees for simple mistakes, smilling when they make their own eventough they make 10 times more mistakes than the others. We have a huge population of people (gringos) more stupid than my gardener, the only difference is they speak english and have way better salaries.

I have never seen a Tico calling a Gringo a "wetback" because 98% of you guys aren't legal here, many of us have helped you guys with the culture barriers, you guys should think about that...

This is just an analisys through all the places I have worked as a wagering clerk, VIP clerk, horse wagering clerk, supervisor, trainer, line mover, props, customer service representative, fraud detection representative.


This is not to point out that all gringos are like this, but through many jobs I've seen and analized that people under this kind of stereotype are always complainig not thinking that if they go back to their town their life will radically change (they will be nobody) and as many others I have met they will come back to their lifestyle complaining about Costa Rica the shitty place...


I'm not saying everyone I know or have met is like that, in fact I am very grateful because this business has helped a lot o people including me, with their studies, kids, homes, cars.

This is just my opinion if it help you guys see another perspective about complaining about C.R. then I made my thing..

Have a good one and one more time I made this note not trying to offend anyone, I think if anyone feels offended might be because you might see yourself in the text above....

 

[J4M3S]

Oh now i see Columbia is number 6.......... What the fuck??? I guess if you like blow, murder, and devils breath. Your as happy as you can be in Columbia.

Its seems to me every body has different opinions on these things, but it really comes down to what makes you happy and different things make different people happy.

Just wanted to make clear if it is the country in South America it's name is Colombia, Columbia is not a country and has never been...

 

[VIEJODINOSAUR]

Lol that was a good one.


Adding my 2 cents here, I just can't stand ungrateful people with no offense to anyone, because in fact I don't know you all.

Eventough this is not a perfect place with the perfect laws and perfect drivers, many people couldn't have their current lifestyle if they weren't working here. A long time ago the "American dream" existed going north, now many of you have come here because now it can be easily achieved here, by us Ticos (hard working) and by foreign people that wouldn't be anything in their small towns.
They forgot the way they used to live back in the states because now they can afford to live in Escazu or Santa Ana in very nice places easily paid by their according to Costa Rica "millionaire" salary that would be nothing in the US.

I have met very nice people (gringos) that even knowing this place isn't perfect they are happy and accept this place, have married Ticas or ticos have raised their kids in very decent schools, in fact have learned to speak some spanish at least to order food or buy stuff in grocery stores.

Some others in my opinion just useless people doing nothig getting paid lots of money for heating their seats, others feeling superior by pointing at others as inferior employees for simple mistakes, smilling when they make their own eventough they make 10 times more mistakes than the others. We have a huge population of people (gringos) more stupid than my gardener, the only difference is they speak english and have way better salaries.

I have never seen a Tico calling a Gringo a "wetback" because 98% of you guys aren't legal here, many of us have helped you guys with the culture barriers, you guys should think about that...

This is just an analisys through all the places I have worked as a wagering clerk, VIP clerk, horse wagering clerk, supervisor, trainer, line mover, props, customer service representative, fraud detection representative.


This is not to point out that all gringos are like this, but through many jobs I've seen and analized that people under this kind of stereotype are always complainig not thinking that if they go back to their town their life will radically change (they will be nobody) and as many others I have met they will come back to their lifestyle complaining about Costa Rica the shitty place...


I'm not saying everyone I know or have met is like that, in fact I am very grateful because this business has helped a lot o people including me, with their studies, kids, homes, cars.

This is just my opinion if it help you guys see another perspective about complaining about C.R. then I made my thing..

Have a good one and one more time I made this note not trying to offend anyone, I think if anyone feels offended might be because you might see yourself in the text above....

Been here since 2001....

Costa Rica is a beautiful country with great people...but too much red tape for a country this size..I have tried for 6 years to gain the right to come and go with some sort of visa or citizenship and it is very, very difficult...almost impossible, even if you do get married....

I have been living in foreign countries for over 25 years and have been treated very well by its citizens and incredibly well by the opposite sex...For a guy my age,(58) I have had a wonderful run in these Latin American countries...

I have just a couple of observations that could be corrected by the government if it chooses to do so...start paying your police officers and teachers in your school system...education is a must and it doesn't look good that only 50% of high school seniors graduate...it is a crying shame that sportsbook clerks make more than these two professions...

Fix your damn roads....doesn't make sense that it takes 12 hours to drive to Panama and it only is 55 minutes by plane...and if you do fix the roads, maintain maintenace on them...way too many potholes and cracks...

If you want tourism to rise again, try enforcing laws that will put criminals away...put more police on the streets of tourist destinations and maybe set up a police/tourist system that lets volunteers help by just patroling the streets; a show of force and good will works in other countries...

I am planning to leave Costa Rica this year mainly because of the 6 months of continuous rains...I am an avid golfer and I hate not playing in Oct and Nov....it is not a case if you don't like it then leave, I have always had a great time here and ensure you I will always be back if the offshore industry is still here...I have made way too many friends....my buddy Judge Wapner loves it here and I see why because of where he lives and has a life outside the gambling business...

I will be moving to the Land of Smiles, Thailand...living on the beach with 25 great golf facilities within an hours drive is great...the women are just a bonus for me and it is way cheaper to live here than Central America...I don't have any plans yet about work, but I am looking at a few things...all I know is when I wake up in the morning, I want to look out at the beach and play some awesome golf courses and not having to worry if someone is going to break into your house or rob you in the street...it may happen here, but the odds are much greater of it to happen in San Jose...:toast:

 

[NES]

Im happy here and agree with many points that J4M3S made but this part, not so much:

"I have never seen a Tico calling a Gringo a "wetback" because 98% of you guys aren't legal here, many of us have helped you guys with the culture barriers, you guys should think about that..." ...

You are right that they dont call us wetbacks but we do get called derogatory names, fortunately for most of us "Gringos"(such a nice label) we dont speak spanish so well so it ends up going right over our heads. Ok, Americans arent stupid, we pick up on the vibe but dont always understand what they are saying, which gives your average Gringo basher an extra boost of confidence.

Lucky for a lot of Americans that they have money to stay at places like Los Sueños, or go to the private beaches where nobody calls them names because they are waiting for their tips. But speaking as a guy that has taken busses, spent time in urban areas, served Ticos in a bar, and has had always paid his own bills, and picked up his own weed I can tell you that Ticos do talk shit, and lots of it. I would go so far to say that the majority of Ticos are racist towards us in some degree. Whether we are being hated because we dont deserve the nice looking Tica on our arms, or love us too much because they think they are going to get something from us, or we are being stalked by the angry Tico that is just waiting for us to complain about stepping in a pothole and getting are shoes wet so they can tell us to get fucked and get out if we dont like getting our shoes wet in potholes.

I Love Costa Rica, I've been here for nearly a decade and am happily married and love what I do with my time out of the office and even have been known to enjoy some of my time in it. Pero hay que dejar las varas mop, los ticos son racistas and if dont see it its probably because you are sheltered, you dont pay attention.

 

[J4M3S]

I Love Costa Rica, I've been here for nearly a decade and am happily married and love what I do with my time out of the office and even have been known to enjoy some of my time in it. Pero hay que dejar las varas mop, los ticos son racistas and if dont see it its probably because you are sheltered, you dont pay attention.

Thanks a lot for your point of view, in fact I met u a long time ago, gave you a couple of rides from WAB Zapote with Sergio and Mario and I can tell you are not like the guys listed in my comment, and true, this country is not perfect at all, sometimes I feel bad cause things aren't like 10 years ago, related to traffic, security and many other things.

May be very possible that I am a little sheltered, and I have to apologize for saying that my comment applies to all Ticos, at least the people I know and that surrounds me are very polite and helpful, I guess that's because they are cultured people.

If you analyze the situation, the "Racistas" most of the times are people that try to look superior but at the end the story goes backwards they just feel or have felt insecure and inferior somewhere else and unfortunately you remind them that factor so they act in self defense (people is stupid I know).

One more time apologies for typos and no sense comments, I wrote that at 1 a.m., was checking my e-mail and read this thread from the beginning, felt a little offended but at the end 6 hours of good sleep let me leave that behind..

 

[NES]

Yeah no harm no foul my man, Im just saying that Ticos arent the only ones that feel the effects of racism, but like anyone else usually only notice it when it is being applied to them or someone of their culture. I will admit that some things are easier for a Gringo in Costa Rica, but nothing comes without a price.

And yeah Im pretty sure we met at a bar in Montelimar, and if I met you with Serge and Mario then you can probably guess why I wouldnt remember. Thanks for the rides though.

 

[J4M3S]

and if I met you with Serge and Mario then you can probably guess why I wouldnt remember. Thanks for the rides though.

I can guess by the smell actually... !~~~!

 

[fuzebox]

Eventough this is not a perfect place with the perfect laws and perfect drivers, many people couldn't have their current lifestyle if they weren't working here. A long time ago the "American dream" existed going north, now many of you have come here because now it can be easily achieved here, by us Ticos (hard working) and by foreign people that wouldn't be anything in their small towns.
They forgot the way they used to live back in the states because now they can afford to live in Escazu or Santa Ana in very nice places easily paid by their according to Costa Rica "millionaire" salary that would be nothing in the US.

I love being the exception.

 

[VIEJODINOSAUR]

J4M3S...

If you think Escazu and Santa Ana are great places, try traveling outside in the countryside..

Offshore gambling existed before we came to Costa Rica and you better hope it doesn't leave...

My lifestyle has nothing to do with working here...I am here and I make the best life for myself working or not...

Most of us are here by choice...the same cannot be said for a large part of your population....And most of the Gringos live in Escazu and Santa Ana because they are more safe than any barrios around San Jose....

 

[J4M3S]

J4M3S...

If you think Escazu and Santa Ana are great places, try traveling outside in the countryside..

Offshore gambling existed before we came to Costa Rica and you better hope it doesn't leave...

My lifestyle has nothing to do with working here...I am here and I make the best life for myself working or not...

Most of us are here by choice...the same cannot be said for a large part of your population....And most of the Gringos live in Escazu and Santa Ana because they are more safe than any barrios around San Jose....

Personally I don't think Escazu or Santa Ana are great places, but there are very nice projects and are the ones preferred by foreign people not only from the US but from Europe and South America looking to live near San Jose. And for sure I know and have seen places way better planned and constructed in Liberia, or Manuel Antonio.

About the offshore gambling industry, I know it has existed a long time ago, I have family in Las Vegas and around the US, and have heard very long and boring stories about Uncles playing money in Casinos and Sportsbooks for really wealthy people having their percentage out of winnings.

As I said before I am really grateful and accept that this business has helped thousands of Ticos and don't expect it to leave, we all know there is many people that don't know anything more than just take wagers with their basic english so I agree with you.

I am really happy you make the best living for you working or not, that's for many people inspirational in fact I am working on that, don't know when but I plan to retire before my 40's. Not only working at sportsbooks we can achieve our goals. Conscious people know this won't last forever (at least in Costa Rica) and tend to have or grow a plan B to in higher stages of development of their projects have sportsbook jobs as an extra income.

Regarding the people being here by choice, that's true many people here have no choice to pick where to live, but fortunately eventough this is not the perfect place (because the perfect place just doesn't exist) this is one of the most stable places regarding, economy, politics and development in Latin America, the best place in Central America.
I know we are many years back compared to "first world countries" in development but in less than 10 years, areas such as the eastern area of San Jose and near the coast have developed sometimes more than 400%, and now the western area (Curridabat, Tres Rios, Cartago) has many residential, commercial and corporative projects with permissions and on initial stages with better regulation plans to build places far better than in Escazu or Santa Ana to level the country social development.

Eventough this is a "third world country" we are in the top 5 destinations for people looking to retire and vacational purposes I guess you guys have visited our Caribean Beaches (Cahuita, Playa Negra, Puerto Viejo, Tortuguero), Pacific= Puntarenas, Guanacaste, The Volcanoes, our Tropical Forrest.

I know we are not in our best times, our previous governments didn't expect this little place to grow that fast in a short period of time, the streets weren't planned for 15 times the amount of cars than in the 90's. Development also brings issues, I think if more people is comming here also more thieves and mafia are comming to teach how they do their stuff in their countries to Ticos. I could guess many "1st world countries" have experienced the same issues 30, 50 or 70 years ago, we are just experiencing that in shorter periods of time.

I don't know if it's just me, but I see less tragic car accidents, less people driving drunk due to the new laws, more OIJ police imprisoning thieves, traffickers, more security everywhere I go, new roads being constructed...

I know this place is still scary but as in any process we have to give it some more time to improve and change...

One more time hope not to offend anyone I am just sharing my point of view.

Have a good one

 

[dru863]

Just wanted to make clear if it is the country in South America it's name is Colombia, Columbia is not a country and has never been...

wow great another spelling guy. typing error guy. whatever... These guys really nead to get a life. With there grammer and spelling corrections.

 

[wolfie_cr]

These guys really nead to get a life. With there grammer and spelling corrections.

grammar

 

[devocr]

"their grammar"

 

[wolfie_cr]

"their grammar"

LOL, I missed that one but he for sure is joking as he also said 'nead' ROFL