Ticos. Have you ever heard of a tico? Unless you’ve taken a trip to Costa Rica, probably not. However, if asked to name our favorite aspect of Costa Rica, Stu and I would both answer with a simultaneous, “the ticos.” Why…because as I’ve said before, traveling is about the people, and Costa Ricans refer to themselves as ticos. As a side note, we learned that this nickname was derived from a difference in the ending of some words in Spanish speaking countries. For instance, a Mexican would say momentito to describe ”just a tiny moment,” whereas some Costa Ricans might say momentico. Interesting, eh?!
What we loved most about the ticos was their focus on people. They lived their lives outside of their own bubble and invested their energy into helping others. As a result, their kindness is experienced completely by their visitors. This is not to say that there aren’t problems in Costa Rica. This country certainly has its own set of issues, one of those being petty theft. We were warned upon arrival to leave nothing in our car, and were advised to keep all valuables in the hotel safe. Luckily, Stuart and I returned to the States with all of our possessions, and a new found love for the ticos and their beautiful country.
It was on the day of our horseback riding excursion that we truly discovered the true nature of ticos. We were picked up from our hotel by a tico, who actually owned a large portion of the land and the horses that eventually led us to the waterfall, he drove us to the house where all of his employees lived. It was there that we met our horses and began our trip. The guide, Eric, was awesome. He spoke pretty good English, and it was obvious that he had great respect and admiration for his homeland. When we reached the waterfall, he acted as though he was witnessing its beauty for the first time. He seemed more excited about it than Stuart and I, and we were mesmerized by it!!
After the excursion, we said our goodbye’s to Wylex, Twister, and Eric and made our way back to the house. We were greeted with a typical tico meal (chicken or fish, rice, beans, plantains, and what appeared to be mashed potatoes). We were prepared to eat our meal in silence, as we had not met too many ticos in this particular area who spoke English. However, to our surprise, there was a couple from California who owned a house nearby. It was through talking to them that we were educated on the true character of the ticos.
This American couple had a daughter in her early 30s who had developed a rare brain tumor contracted from contaminated water (not from Costa Rica). She had been a biologist traveling the world, and absolutely adored Costa Rica. Yet, after she contracted the tumor, she had to be cared for by others; thus forcing her to stay in the United States. However, her persistance finally created a rare opportunity to spend some more time in Costa Rica . A tico agreed to care for her for 6 months while her parents worked in California. Basically, a Costa Rican lady took care of a girl with a brain tumor for six months and thought nothing of it. As we were speaking to the couple, the wife/mother stated, “This culture is built on people helping people. They help others and never expect anything in return.” How nice it was to meet such a lovely couple, and to be given an inside look into the Costa Rican culture.
On our drive back to the hotel, the driver picked up three different people at bus stops along the way so they wouldn’t have to pay bus fees. Each time he picked up a person (he did not speak English), he would say, “Mi Amigo.” What a great man, and what a fabulous country! It is something we see very little of in the U.S. So many Americans have their own agenda, and most do not want to be bothered with helping others. Stuart and I were so inspired by the ticos giving nature. It opened our eyes to ”what could be.” Costa Ricans were a happy group of people, even those living in shacks had a smile on their face. So, let us take a lesson from ticos, let us be the people we were intended to be, let us not get so caught up in our own lives that we ignore the needs of others, and let us appreciate all of the simplicity and beauty life has to offer. Perhaps then, we could experience true fulfillment, the fulfillment felt by so many of the ticos we encountered on our one week trip to Costa Rica.
Until next time…Bon Voyage, Amis.
My initial perceptions were similar to Abbi’s, “Ritzy.” I also knew it was a hot vacation spot for celeb jet setters, aka St. Tropez. Other than that, it was just another place Stuart had decided to visit. I’d been to Paris, and although, I really enjoyed seeing the sights, I can’t say it was one of my favs. I love hidden gems, places where people visit but aren’t necessarily considered “tourists traps.” I like to experience cultures, and observe the way people really live in other countries. The South of France completely offers that opportunity, which is why it is our #3 pick.
