It may be true that North Americans have a tendency and reputation of looking down their collective noses toward those down south. But at least here in Costa Rica, there is a stubborn aversion to ever look up. Living in Costa Rica often gives me the perspective of an outsider looking in, not only to my own culture, but to that of the ticos as well. Tico attitudes toward gringos can be tinged with haughtiness, or what in Spanish would be called “soberbia.” Oh sure, the smile always comes out when the objective basis for the relationship is the greenback, but beyond that ephemeral sphere of connection, there is a certain degree of disdain lurking just below the surface. This may come in the form of price discrimination, such as charging double to the gringo, always delivered with the utmost in courtesy. “Humoring” is a game played regularly here in Costa Rica when it comes to tico-gringo interactions. Ticos and other Latinos living in Costa Rica just don’t hold us gringos in very high regard. In short, it seems at times, most times, that they think we’re stupid. Some of these feelings have certainly been brought down upon us by our own doing. It doesn’t help that there have been decades of U.S. intervention into Latin affairs, often in ways that have served to increase the gap between the rich and the poor. A tourism based economy, as Costa Rica has become, means that not so well behaved gringo tourists can be a tico’s only first-hand perception of our culture. These and many other things contribute to the cultural gap. But those of you who are “just visiting” don’t have to experience this on a regular basis like I do. The snickers every time I pronounce a word in Spanish less perfectly that someone borne and raised Latino. The accelerated speech in muffled tones to make sure that I don’t understand the full meaning of what is being said. You get the picture. But through it all, the ticos are nice, peaceful and fun-loving. You just have to grow a bit thicker skin to be a stranger in a sometimes strange land. I guess for a white-guy who grew up southern, to feel even a tinge of the pain of exclusion is to get a little of what’s coming to me. The sobering thing about soberbia is in realizing that despite your best efforts, you’re really no better than anyone else. Here in Costa Rica the ticos are more than ready to remind you of that whenever necessary.
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