Message from the President of Costa Rica

Transcription

2 U.S. Independence Day 2015
Message from the President of Costa Rica
I
would like to convey to the American Colony in Costa Rica my best wishes on the
Fourth of July. You are part of our nation:
You became members of Costa Rica the moment you set foot in our country. Those of you
who have been living in Costa Rica for a long
time can attest to the warmth and friendship
of Costa Rica towards the United States. Allow
me to wish you well, since I will not be able to
be with you on this very important occasion
when you commemorate the independence of
the 13 colonies. All the best, and ¡Pura vida!
Luis Guillermo Solís
President of the Republic of Costa Rica
Message from the U.S. Embassy
O
n behalf of the government of the United
Services section is ready to help! We encour-
States, the staff of the U.S. Embassy wish-
age everyone to celebrate democracy this 4th of
es all Americans residing in or visiting
July by taking the necessary steps to vote in the
Costa Rica a wonderful Fourth of July holiday!
2016 U.S. elections. We recommend overseas
This is an important day to come together, remem-
U.S. citizens get in the habit of completing Feder-
ber our history, and celebrate our great nation. al Post Card Applications to ensure receipt of your
One of the U.S. Embassy’s top priorities is
ballot. We invite you to go online to http://co-
to provide excellent customer service to the near-
starica.usembassy.gov for more information.
ly one million American citizens who travel to or
We are very proud to celebrate the day
reside in Costa Rica. From assisting those in peril
with you and share our continuing commitment
to renewing passports to answering any question
to uphold the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit
you may have, the Embassy’s American Citizen
of happiness for all Americans.
U.S. Independence Day 2015
3 4 U.S. Independence Day 2015
Message from the American Colony
O
nce again we are here celebrating our traditional Fourth of July Independence Day
Picnic. This is the 55th year the American
Colony Committee has united us for this gathering of Americans living in and visiting this lovely
country of Costa Rica. Many of us are accompanied
by our Costa Rican friends and family members as
well.
This year we celebrate by recognizing our
Liberty Bell: “Let Freedom Ring.”
Every year when I attend this event I go home
with a little more knowledge of U.S. history. At the
picnic you will see, displayed on the podium, original Liberty Bell artwork by our member, friend and
world-famous artist, Mr. Jim Theologos. This artwork can on seen the front side of all of our 2015
T-Shirts, worn by our 300 volunteers at this year’s
picnic.
Why, when and where did the Liberty Bell become part of our history?
The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American Independence, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The bell was commissioned by a London
foundry in 1752 and was cast with the lettering
“Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land unto
all the inhabitants thereof.” The bell cracked when
rung after its arrival in Philadelphia, and was twice
recast by local workmen whose names appear on
the bell. It was used to summon lawmakers to legislative sessions and to alert citizens to public meetings and proclamations. The bell was not rung on
July 4, 1776, after the vote for independence by the
Second Continental Congress, but was rung after
the official reading of the Declaration of Independence four days later. In the 1830s the bell was
adopted as a symbol by abolitionist societies, who
named it the “Liberty Bell.”
So let the bells ring for us today, and truly enjoy this day of celebration.
Charles Turner
President, American Colony Committee
JULY 4
Editor:
Katherine Stanley Obando
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A Look Back at a Different World: Remembering
the Fourth of July Picnic, 1965
JONATHAN HARRIS | THE TICO TIMES
Archives / The Tico Times
F
ifty years ago today was simply unforgettable.
where but where I lived then – which, of course, is
Sure, I was all of 6 years old, and had only
where I live now. A location obviously selected to be
just begun to have my surroundings indelibly
within walking distance of the picnic in San Rafael
imprinted into my future memory, but if you were
de Escazú.
around back then you must remember, too. The
The Embassy Residence was special to us for
skies were bluer than they’ve ever been since. The
several reasons. One reason that stands out even
grass was huge and very green in the empty pas-
more than the picnics themselves was that John F.
tures that surrounded the old U.S. Embassy Res-
Kennedy shook my brother’s hand at an event there
idence. There were cows roaming the streets, and
two years before. JFK had Costa Rica thoroughly
we all had cattle guards to keep them (mostly suc-
smitten, and my brother was no exception: I don’t
cessfully) out of our homes.
think he washed his hands for years afterwards. Of
It was a very special day. My family woke ear-
course, my mother later inadvertently threw out my
ly and walked to the Embassy Residence for the pic-
brother’s diary where Mr. Kennedy wrote a note to
nic, which, as it is today, was held in the morning to
his friend Michael.
avoid afternoon showers. It may have been the last
Seen from the enlightened perspective of
time my Dad had to hoist me on his shoulders most
2015, Costa Rica was a different world in 1965. It
of the way because I couldn’t keep up. If I had been
seems unreal to describe that world now. The coun-
asked then where I would be living in 50 years, I
try was embarking on its new path forward that
would have wondered why I would be living any-
had started in 1948. We Continues on Page 12
13 adopted this country as well. The holiday was a
time to hold hands and celebrate both our countries’ heritage, and vow to move together towards a
better future. Thanks to Jack Fendell, who started
the American Colony’s July 4 picnic tradition, we
continued to live our shared lives and our shared
heritage. The picnic epitomized our two cultures
learning to live, and grow, together.
Fun and games at the former Ambassador’s Residence.
Archives / The Tico Times
were very isolated.
There were relatively few American families
in Costa Rica then, and we knew them all. In fact,
it seemed to me that my parents knew everyone on
the planet, but certainly everyone at the picnic, U.S.
and Tico. There was no visible security entering the
picnic except for the very impressively outfitted
Marines who couldn’t help playing with the kids.
Everyone was welcome, regardless of nationality.
No IDs were checked. It was a party for all.
We didn’t have U.S. fast-food chains. We couldn’t
even buy ketchup. My favorite birthday present was
a small bottle of Welch’s grape juice, which to me
was a fine wine. We didn’t have American TV, and
movies arrived years after their original release.
Transportation by horse out here in the boonies
was still commonplace. Poisoned meat was still
thrown in the streets by the authorities to control
Costa Rican President Daniel Oduber addresses picnic-goers at
the Bicentennial Celebration. Archives / The Tico Times
the American flag, and invite all our Tico friends to
July 4, 1965 was a Sunday, so nobody had an
excuse to not come – if, that is, they could make it
out to the hinterland of Escazú in the morning. I
remember arriving vividly:
The huge gates are wide open. The crisp Marines stand on either side and welcome you. You
are immediately impressed with the fact that you’re
walking towards the grandest house you’ve ever
seen. It is immaculately white with huge columns
around its entrance holding up a balcony. There is
an oval drive with a beautiful garden in the middle. It is mind-blowing. Surely even the real White
House wishes it looked like this.
President José “Pepe” Figueres embraces U.S. Ambassador
Viron Vlaky at the 1973 Picnic. Archives / The Tico Times
means the kids are let loose to run around. Parents
of endless black-and-white Woody cartoons started
go get a drink (beer?), and walk around in their
to show. It was hot. We were all hungry and thirsty.
Sunday best laughing loudly, making us very glad
It was loud. It was very, very fun. I can picture ev-
to go and do all the kid stuff there is to do. There
ery corner of that garage. The rat-a-tat theme song
are the games – three-legged races, sack races, egg
rings in my ears as I remember it.
But I had two favorite events. I think we all
comed us in their homes, as they were welcome in
share our special day.
lined up for them, all screaming as the scratchy reel
ways will be.
most of our friends were Costa Rican; they wel-
was our one opportunity to parade Uncle Sam and
of greeting us personally. The adults mingle, which
tosses – the same theme there always was and al-
rabies. All Americans spoke Spanish, very well, and
ours. We were assimilating. The 4th of July picnic
The former U.S. Ambassador’s Residence as it appears today. Alberto Font/The Tico TimesTimes
What a great day to be an American… in Costa
Rica.
President José “Pepe” Figueres was a hero,
The Ambassador and his family, whom, of
not only to Costa Rica, but to those of us who had
course, we and everybody else know, make a point
I also remember being told that the Secret
Service had brought down the latest Woody cartoons just for us on a special plane.
agreed. You simply had to get on the oxcart that did
Food was plentiful, and wonderfully un-
continuous loops around the oval driveway, and
healthy. As I recall, it was free, and all we had to
you had to watch Woody Woodpecker.
do was run up to a stand and place our order, even
As you can imagine, it was a beautifully paint-
when we couldn’t quite reach the counter. Mrs. Ja-
ed, Sarchi-style oxcart led by two huge oxen. The
gush was in charge of hot dogs. But it was very Cos-
concession to human cargo was rubber tires. The
ta Rican too, because that’s what we were all used
man in charge was our gardener’s cousin, and he
to and loved. There were sugar-encrusted churros,
swooped me up seamlessly into the insanity of too
little plates of gallo pinto, gallos de chorizo, and
many other small children in the cart. Nothing
tons of ice cream. It was like a Costa Rican feria,
much happened, and oxcarts were a common sight
American style.
back then, but the fun of it was beyond description.
As the years went by, I never once missed a
It was the Costa Rican version of a hayride, I sup-
picnic. The residence was moved to where it is to-
pose. You could stay on as long as you wanted, and
day a half mile down the road, where the picnic
boastfully wave to anyone you knew, which was ev-
continued to be held for years until it began to be
eryone.
held at the Cervecería grounds. As the American
Then there was Woody Woodpecker. We
population grew, the flavor of the party changed.
didn’t have TVs at home. No cartoons, no Elmer
In high school, years later, we arrived as usual and
Fudd, Mr. Ed or Bewitched. That was yet to come.
had fun as usual, lost every event as usual, and left
But the Embassy was special. They had a garage
before the rains came.
with a projector, an unstable screen, and more kids
than could be accommodated in the folding chairs
And we all, whether we admitted it or not,
missed Woody Woodpecker.
Five Things Even Long-Time Residents
Might Have Missed in Costa Rica
ROBERT ISENBERG | THE TICO TIMES
“P
arisians never notice the Eiffel
Tower.” This anonymous quip is
true almost anywhere you go:
If you live in a special place, you sometimes
forget that certain things exist, even major
monuments or touchstones of national pride.
People in Costa Rica love their volcanoes and
gallo pinto, but even native-born Ticos and
longtime residents overlook certain items –
cultural, geographic, and even verbal.
The list of Costa Rican nooks and nuances is endless, but here are some of our favorite
examples. Most of these have attracted a massive following over the years, but it’s amazing
how many people say, “I think I’ve heard of
that, but…”
face off in the gridiron. Each year, the games
draw growing crowds of fans, and now and
again the league will organize a game against
a U.S. or Panamanian team. If you’re tired of
overhyped NFL shenanigans, or you just miss
the bone-crunching beauty of a live game, remember that football is alive and well in Central Valley stadiums.
“Bombas”
If you haven’t enjoyed one of Costa Rica’s most
entertaining pastimes, you are missing out:
The bomba is a silly (and often bawdy) rhyme
told loudly at parties. Years ago, Ticos would
gather at village festivals, and in the middle
of a song or dance, someone would scream,
“¡Bomba!” and everyone would freeze. The
screamer would then recite a poem, which
is roughly Costa Rica’s version of a limerick,
and the crowd would laugh hysterically. Then
the music would start up again, and dancing
would resume. If you speak decent Spanish,
ask some of the older folks whether they know
any bombas. What you hear might shock you.
19 who stars in the children’s stories of Carmen
Lyra. There’s even a reconstructed “pueblo antiguo” in the middle of the park, to show what
Costa Rican life was like in ages past. Travelers rarely hear about Parque Diversiones, but
for fans of fast rides, it’s definitely worth a
visit. The wetter equivalent is Ojo de Agua, a
waterpark near San Antonio de Belén. Unlike
other places, Ojo de Agua caters to locals, and
whether you splash in the waterfalls or try for
a high-dive, there’s rarely a tourist in sight.
Oceanfront Trail of Puntarenas
“The Little Devils’ Game”
American Football League of
Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, everybody loves soccer. Men,
women, babies and great-grandmothers love
soccer. But “American” football is also gaining
steam: The Costa Rican Federation of American Football hosts its season in the first half
of the year, and teams like the Cartago Raptors, Santa Ana Bulldogs, and Escazú Toros
Folks often hear about “El Juego de los Diablitos,” the centuries-old ceremony that takes
place in the indigenous villages of Boruca and
Rey Curré, but they have no idea what it is. Indeed, the Brunca communities seem so hidden
in the Talamanca Mountains that they might
as well be Shangri La. But if you have a decent
4x4, you can visit a place like Boruca anytime
you like, and visitors are free to watch the fourday “games,” which usually take place around
New Year. Chosen villagers dress in fearsome
balsawood masks and face off with a man in a
“bull” costume, charging each other for hours
at a stretch. You’ll also be welcome to chicha, a sacred drink made of fermented corn.
Parque de Diversiones
and Ojo de Agua
When Parque de Diversiones was established
in 1981, its purpose was actually quite pure:
The amusement park’s entry fee helped pay
for the new Children’s Hospital in San José.
Parque Diversiones has the usual, well, diversions: There are rollercoasters, pendulums,
tilt-a-whirls, and other carnival favorites.
But parts of the park are also distinctly Costa
Rican in character. You’ll find statues of Tío
Conejo (“Uncle Rabbit”), the trickster hare
When most people bring up Puntarenas, they
usually think of super-sweet “Churchills” and
hardboiled eggs. But around 2009, Puntarenas introduced something unusual for an old
port city: a “ciclovía.” Costa Rica has a smattering of bike trails, but Puntarenas has one of
the best – a broad, smoothly paved route that
circumscribes the bay and offers spectacular
views of incoming ships. For the first time in
its history, Puntarenas has become a destination for joggers and cyclists looking for a scenic
jaunt. And during festivals and weekends, this
path draws hundreds of grillers and picnickers. BBQ and a Pacific sunset? Lindísimo.
How Will You Celebrate the Fourth?
ROBERT ISENBERG | THE TICO TIMES
It’s a time-honored Picnic Program Tradition
– we asked a few U.S. residents of Costa Rica
what they’ll do this year to enjoy the holiday.
Name: Jamie Wallace (pictured with his
wife, Heather Brent)
Age: 43
Occupation: Business attorney and former
restaurateur. Blogs at findyourcostarica.
com.
Came From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Lives In: Jacó
How will you celebrate the Fourth of
July? This will be our second Fourth of July
in Costa Rica. We arrived here in June of 2014
and have been focused on embracing all things
Costa Rican from day one. As a result, we have
been more concerned with celebrating Costa
Rican holidays than with celebrating the U.S.
holidays we are accustomed to. Unlike last
year, where the Fourth was just like any other
day in beautiful Costa Rica for us, we might
meet up with expats in Jacó this time around
and revel a bit.
What do you miss about the Fourth of
July in the U.S.? One of the reasons we are
in Costa Rica is to experience cultural differences. Thus far, we honestly have missed very
little about our lives in the U.S., including holidays. That might be because we are here on a
family sabbatical for a finite period and know
we will be returning to the U.S. when it ends.
Our logic is pretty simple. We can always do
whatever the U.S. thing is when we get back,
but we might never have another opportunity
to experience the Costa Rican thing in our lifetime. ¡Pura Vida!
Name: Tanya Woodson
Age: 31
Occupation: Mental Health Therapist,
founder of Walk In New Enlightenment
Came From: Washington, DC.
Lives in: Escazú and Puerto Viejo
July? I will be celebrating the Fourth at Mundoloco Bar & Restaurant, in San Pedro. It is
the place that has the ambiance that most
reminds me of a venue in the States, where I
used to celebrate this national holiday. Great
selection of dishes, including hamburgers –
the main course for North Americans on this
special day – music, wine and beer. This is
also a special place for me, as it is where I met
my husband!
July in the U.S.? I miss celebrating this significant holiday with my family and friends,
who all come together to have a gigantic picnic followed by “BBQ hopping,” where we go
from house to house to have cook-outs with
delicious hamburg- Continues on Page 32
New AMCHAM President Says Costa Rica is
‘Well-Rooted’ in Tourism
ZACH DYER | THE TICO TIMES
A
s Costa Rica faced worries about its
privileged spot as a world-renowned
tourist destination amid high operating costs and neighborhood competition,
the Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce elected a seasoned veteran of international hotel management as its president on
Jan. 27.
Dennis Whitelaw, country manager for
Marriott Costa Rica, took the reins of the business chamber on Feb. 1.
Dennis Whitelaw. Courtesy AMCHAM
“I’m honored and humbled to have the
chance to work with such a great team,” he
told The Tico Times.
Whitelaw, 58, has worked for Marriott
for 36 years, including more than 25 years
focusing almost exclusively on Mexico and
Central America. His most recent post before
Costa Rica was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for
14 years. Whitelaw also worked for Marriott in
Guatemala, where he served as an AMCHAM
president, before returning to Mexico and
eventually moving to Costa Rica.
“Costa Rica is well-rooted in tourism
compared to other countries,” Whitelaw said,
adding that the level of service offered here is
above its regional competition in Nicaragua,
Guatemala and Cuba.
“Costa Rica has a [high] level of intelligence, literacy and hospitality, and people deliver good service. Those other countries have
a ways to go in improving that. Maybe their
infrastructure is going up, but they’ll need to
invest in these other areas to make sure they
match [Costa Rica],” he added.
That’s not to say that there’s no room for
improvement. The new AMCHAM president
said that as long as Costa Rica continues to
polish its diverse offerings for tourists with a
focus on eco-tourism, the $2.6 billion sector of
the economy should continue to grow. Speaking for Marriott, Whitelaw said the company
looks to double its presence here in the next
five years.
Whitelaw said that as AMCHAM president he would continue the chamber’s efforts
to support controlling the government’s fiscal
deficit and work to attract more international
companies after a disappointing contraction
in foreign investment during 2014. The business leader said that AMCHAM is “conservatively optimistic” about Costa Rica’s outlook
in 2015. He listed inflation, taxes, the cost of
energy and infrastructure among the areas of
concern.
Some Costa Rican business leaders have
expressed concern about what they interpreted
as a “historic” jump in unemployment recently. Whitelaw said that Continues on Page 28
unemployment is always disappointing, but
he had not yet heard specific concerns about it
from AM CHAM members. One of Whitelaw’s
goals for 2015 is to establish a “labor bank” to
facilitate the hiring process for skilled workers. The labor bank would collect résumés and
posts them on AMCHAM’s website for members seeking applicants with a specific skill set.
Whitelaw said that he has enjoyed working in Mexico and Central America in large
part because of the people. “Friendships are
for life in Latin America,” he observed.
The New York native has lived in San
José with his wife and three children for more
than two years, and has another daughter
from a previous marriage living in Brooklyn.
“My family visited me once in Puerto
Vallarta in those last 14 years, and they’ve
been with me three times here in the last two
years,” Whitelaw said.
Another good sign for Costa Rican tourism.
Chamber Seeks Greater Dynamism
ZACH DYER | THE TICO TIMES
Alberto Arguedas. Courtesy AMCHAM
T
he American Chamber of Commerce
in Costa Rica (AMCHAM) has been
offering services to U.S. and national
businesses for over 40 years. With promotional opportunities, networking between
U.S. and Costa Rican businesses, and forums
on politics, social responsibility, anti-contraband, tourism and more, AMCHAM has been
working to strengthen Costa Rica’s business
climate. Alberto Arguedas has been the executive director of the organization since 2014.
Before joining AMCHAM, he led the German Chamber of Commerce in Costa Rica for
five years and has worked in several different
sectors across his 15-year career.
He shared AMCHAM’s outlook for Costa Rica in 2015 with The Tico Times and
the chamber’s efforts to fight black-market
goods in the country.
Arguedas said that AMCHAM expects
the Costa Rican economy to improve slightly
this year, despite the effects of a downward
trend globally in foreign investment and other
challenges. Before Costa Rica can take full advantage
of the opportunities out there, Arguedas said
there are several hurdles the country needs
to overcome. Infrastructure deficiencies, red
tape, curbing public spending to slow growth
of the deficit, and improving efficiency and
competition in the energy sector were some of
the Chamber’s top concerns. Foreign direct investment in Costa Rica
was down 21 percent in 2014 amid a global slowdown, and overall exports from Costa
Rica dropped 17 percent during the first three
months of 2015. Turning around the drop in
FDI is critical, according to the director.
“Attracting FDI is essential to generate
new jobs and help reduce the current unemployment rate,” Arguedas said. Costa Rica’s successful application to join
the Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) will create greater
opportunities for FDI, “without a doubt,” he
said.
Intel’s partial exit from Costa Rica in
2014 shook up the export sector, but Arguedas
said that Costa Rica must overcome the hurdle
of a currency that has strengthed against the
dollar while many have fallen this year. Costa
Rican goods must compete with devaluation
in other countries that give their products a
comparative edge on Tico-made goods. “The Central Bank’s efforts to control
fluctuations in the exchange rate, pay attention to the deficit, inflation, and other macroeconomic variables are of the upmost importance to promote a positive environment for
the export sector, which is key for our economy,” Arguedas said. Continues on Page 32
Continued from Page 30
Along with sharing information and
advocating reforms to improve Costa Rica’s
business fundamentals, AMCHAM has been
working with authorities to combat illegal
trade, a practice that puts consumer heath at
risk and robs the country of tax revenue.
Since 2006, one of AMCHAM’s main
projects has been combating contraband in
Costa Rica. Black market pharmaceuticals,
alcohol, cigarettes and other goods have been
passing into Costa Rica at a growing rate in recent years. “Illegal trade in Costa Rica not only affects financial revenue,” Arguedas said. “It
represents a serious threat to stable employ-
ers and hot dogs that are cooked on the grill.
Just before dusk, I join in celebration with
hundreds of others at the National Harbor in
Baltimore, Maryland, to watch as the skyline
explodes with a breath taking display of fireworks – a climactic ending to a day of grand
festivities!
ment and citizen security, since it’s linked
with networks of organized crime.”
The Chamber’s latest initiative in this
field was the launching of a web app called
Mercado Illegal, which allows individuals to
anonymously report illegal products to authorities. The application won the IP Champion prize from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
on April 20, 2015. Arguedas said that AMCHAM looks forward to the efforts of Costa Rica’s business
chambers, non governmental organizations
and proposals from President Luis Guillermo
Solís to encourage growth in the economy. “We’re hoping for greater dynamism this
year,” Arguedas said.
July in the U.S.? Well, I miss the excuse to
get together with family and friends, but each
country seems to have a lot of those excuses,
so it all balances out.
Name: Tom Humes
Age: 58
Occupation: Bookmaker
Came From: New York City
Lives In: Escazú
July? I will watch Cagney’s “Yankee Doodle
Dandy.”
July in the U.S.? The Macy’s fireworks in
New York City. Also the parade in my hometown, Baltimore.
Name: Matthew Seth Bertucci
Age: 39
Occupation: Software Engineer
Came From: New Orleans
Lives In: San Pedro
July? If I am in Costa Rica, I usually just enjoy the day off, since I work for a U.S. company, and relax. If I am in the U.S., I usually do a
barbecue with the family.
A Few Fun Facts about the Fabulous Fourth:
How to Celebrate in the Know
TICO TIMES STAFF
Alberto Font / The Tico Times
The Declaration of Independence, hot dogs
and sparklers. That’s about it, right? Not
so fast. Here are 10 interesting facts for the
Fourth of July fanatic in all of us – some old
favorites, and others more obscure.
1. Start celebrating on July 2nd.
The Declaration of Independence was first
adopted by Congress on the 2nd, prompting
John Adams to write his wife Abigail that “the
2nd of July will go down in history.” Not quite
– the Congress then adopted a revised version
on the 4th, and that’s the date that stuck.
2. Pause to remember two
Founding Fathers in particular.
In an odd and infamous coincidence, the
aforementioned Adams and fellow former
President Thomas Jefferson, the author of the
Declaration, died within hours of each other on July 4, 1826. Another President, James
Monroe, died on July 4, 1831.
3. Eat food. Way too much.
Mostly hot dogs.
According to Bizmedia.com, approximately
155 million hot dogs are consumed on July
4 alone – that’s one for every two people in
the United States, and more than enough to
stretch from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C.
five times over. Have you had one yet today?
Get cracking!
4. Don’t ring the Liberty Bell.
The first major celebration of the Fourth took
place in Philadephia in 1777, and the famed
Liberty Bell has always played a central role
in the celebrations – but the bell has not been
rung since 1846, to avoid further cracking it.
It is symbolically tapped 13 times every year
on the Fourth.
5. Watch the skies.
The American Pyrotechnics Association estimates that more than Continues on Page 36
14,000 professional firework displays light
up the skies in the United States each 4th of
July. Sounds like an average December night
in Costa Rica – albeit of the homespun variety.
6. Hug a Brit.
Eight of the 56 signers of the Declaration were
born in Britain, and the Liberty Bell was cast
there as well.
7. If you’re 26, 45 or 70, you deserve
an extra beer.
Those are the ages of the youngest Signer
(Edward Rutledge), the average age of
all
Signers, and the age of the oldest Signer (Benjamin Franklin), respectively, according to Pioneerwoman.com.
8. And speaking of extra beer…
The tune for “The Star-Spangled Banner” was
taken from a London society drinking song.
9. Tip your hat to Rwanda and the
Philippines.
July 4 is the date of their independence celebrations as well.
10. Enjoy the convenient color
combinations of a U.S.-Costa
Rican lifestyle.
Isn’t it handy that the same three shades can
color you patriotic for both countries’ Independence Days? According to our old friends
at Wikipedia, the United States and Costa Rica
are two of 30 countries worldwide with flags of
red, white and blue.
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Costa Rica, the Quiz: How Much Has Your
Adopted Country Changed You?
KATHERINE STANLEY | THE TICO TIMES
T
he Fourth of July is a day
for U.S. citizens in Costa Rica to celebrate our
home country – but also to celebrate the large and unique U.S.
population in Costa Rica and our
love for our adopted land. Many
of us take pride in our knowledge
of the country, language and culture; swap stories with fellow
expats about moments when we
realized just how at home we had
become in a new place; and enjoy
the continual learning curve
that comes with living abroad,
whether we’ve been year one
year or several decades.
In honor of that process,
here is a special quiz to measure just how Costa Rican-ized
you have become. This is inevitably imperfect, incomplete,
and full of generalizations, but to paraphrase the
Bard, if what follows should offend, think but
this, mae: It was written with love and admiration.
Section 1. In the kitchen
• Five points if you put ice in your beer. Double if
you if you also do it on visits to your home country, occasioning horrified looks. Triple if you are
also British or German.
• Five points if you have personally prepared any
of the following during the past month: gallo
pinto, olla de carne, your own chilera.
• Leche Pinito is: A) Powdered milk (0 points).
B) A national treasure (5 points). C) Something
you have carried across international borders to
give as gifts (15 points).
• You have eaten a tamal (1 point). You have
helped make them (5 points).
You have organized, directed and
executed the tamal-making (500
points and honorary citizenship).
• You drink your coffee: A) With
food, always. Otherwise it’s café
con lengua and completely sin
gracia (5 points). B) You don’t
drink coffee (subtract 25 points).
C) In a to-go cup while walking down the street (subtract 50
points).
• You make your coffee using
a chorreador (5 points).
• You keep your eggs on the
counter instead of the fridge (5
points). Double if you bought
them from the egg man. Triple
if you and the egg man are on a
first-name basis.
Section 2. Transportation
41 10 points)? What is this “double yellow line” of
which you speak (20 bonus points)?
fense of national linguistic idiosyncrasy we won’t
reward you any additional points).
• Can you describe the life story of the busker on
the last bus you took (10 points)?
• Five points each if, on visits home, you have
unwittingly spoken in Spanish to a non-Spanish-speaking and very confused taxi driver or
waiter. Double if you did this to a family member.
• One point if you give your home address in reference to another point. Five if that other point
is a bar. Ten if it is a plant or tree of some kind.
Twenty if it is something that no longer exists.
• One point for every minute in your last cab ride
before the taxista asked you where you were
from.
Section 3. Gestures and Language
• Quick! Without thinking, pronounce the following: Imperial, rice and beans, Popeyes, ice.
Five points for each word
you
automatically
pronounced como Dios manda: imperiAL, RICE-anbeans, Pop-EY-ess (three
syllables, middle one rhymes
with hey). Ten points if you
pronounced ice, EEE-say
(yes, I wrote it in lowercase
letters, but we’re setting the
bar high).
• One point for every way you
can spell Michael Jordan.
Section 4. Miscellany
• One point for every member of the 2014 Men’s
National Team you can name. Five points for
every member of the 1990 Men’s National Team
you can name. If you need clarification as to
which sport, subtract 100 points.
• Five points if you kiss your female Gringa
friends on the cheek.
• Complete the following phrase without any
help: Verás a tu pueblo valiente y viril, la… (10 points).
• Five points each if you have
been to any of the following:
a rezo, a ride on the Tagada,
a bullfight. Triple if you have
been inside the bullring (and
please see the comment for
riding your skateboard behind a
bus).
• Have you done any of the following within the
past week? Emitted a preventive automatic honk
as you approached an intersection at full speed
(5 points). Used your hand extended through
the window, as driver or passenger, to signal
another driver (5 points). Ridden three to a bike
(10 points). Ridden home on a skateboard while
holding onto the back of a bus (50 points, but
also, what would your mother say if she could
see you doing that? Stop that immediately!).
• When you want to signal someone to come here, do you wave
your hand in a downward fashion (10 points), make a “ssst!
sst!” sound (also 10 points), or
beckon (subtract 5 points)?
• Is a stop sign an indication that you should
slow down (1 point)? A meaningless roadside
decoration (5 points)? Or an indication to come
to a full stop while looking both ways (subtract
20 points)?
• When texting/chatting online, do you type
“Hahaha” or “Jajaja” (1o points for the latter)?
• You know you’re not going to
add up the points at the end because that’s just
too obsessive-compulsive for you. Mae, qué pereza (25 points).
• If you correctly use vos, 15 points. Exclusively usted, 10 points. Tú, subtract 10 points (yes,
there is a pro-tuteo movement in Costa Rica, and
if you can convincingly describe said movement,
you can have your points back, although in de-
Your score: 0-50 points – Don’t give
up your first passport just yet. 50100 points – Intermediate pura vida.
Over 100 points – Mae, más Tico que
el Güipipía.
• Is passing on a double yellow line acceptable
in certain situations (1 point)? Illegal (subtract
• Two points each if you regularly use any of the following
sounds: O-pa, Upe!, Uuuuuuy!,
jueeeee….
• Twenty points if you have a
toothbrush and toothpaste in
your purse/backpack/office desk
drawer right now.
• Five points if you automatically clear your agenda for the day
whenever you have a trámite of
any kind.
43 …can have two toes (really fingers in their
hands) or three? Costa Rican has both varieties; two-toed sloths are slightly bigger.
…sleep about as much as humans in the wild?
…can climb only 6 to 8 feet (1.8-2.4 meters)
per minute?
…are terrific swimmers?
…blend in with green leaves to avoid predators,
thanks to the algae that grows on their fur?
Sources:
InBio, livescience.com and nationalgeographic.com
Help him get back to the jungle and find some food.
The Star-Spangled Banner
National Anthem of the
United States of America
O say can you see by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last
gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the
perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly
streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in
air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still
there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the
deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence
reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering
steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first
beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’
pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth
wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s
desolation.
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heav’n
rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us
a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall
wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Noble Patria, tu hermosa bandera
National Anthem of Costa Rica
Noble patria tu hermosa bandera
Expresión de tu vida nos da:
Bajo el límpido azul de tu cielo
Blanca y pura descansa la paz.
En la lucha tenaz de fecunda labor
Que enrojece del hombre la faz,
Conquistaron tus hijos, labriegos sencillos,
Eterno prestigio, estima y honor,
eterno prestigio, estima y honor.
¡Salve oh tierra gentil!
¡Salve oh madre de amor!
Cuando alguno pretenda tu gloria manchar,
Verás a tu pueblo, valiente y viril
La tosca herramienta en arma trocar.
¡Salve patria! tu pródigo suelo
Dulce abrigo y sustento nos da;
Bajo el límpido azul de tu cielo
¡Vivan siempre el trabajo y la paz!

Message from the President of Costa Rica

Transcription

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