TicoSpeak!
Primera Parte
THE BUDGET STORES
By Guillermo Jiménez
gjimenez@sistematicaconsulting.com
Shopping for what to eat in Costa Rica is easy. There are a variety of establishments that serve the budget of most everybody. That is not to say that food is cheap but there is a good selection at the middle to higher ends and some good prices at the lower end.
Let's examine the lower end first, then the following TicoSpeak! will examine the middle/higher ends.
There are "pulperías" and "mini-supers" for your groceries, "carnicerías" for meat, "verdulerías" for vegetables and fruits, "pescaderías" for fish and seafood, and "panaderías" [bakeries] for your "panes" [breads], "quesos" [cheeses], "jaleas" [jellies], "mermeladas" [marmalade], and dairy products.
These establishments sell by the unit [por unidad] or by the pound or kilo [por libra o en kilos] and stock only the basics of the Tico diet [dieta].
You will find "arroz" [rice], "frijoles" [black/red beans], a number of pasta presentations such as "espaguetti" [spaghetti ], "macarrones" [macaroni], "coditos" [elbow macaroni], "caracolitos" [pasta shells], "lenguita" [lenguinni] and "cabello de angel" [angel hair] for your soups.
The shelves are also packed with "latería" [products in a can] such as "Atún" [tuna], "sardinas" [sardines], "salsa de tomate" [tomato sauce] and "petipoas" [peas]. There are also "condimentos" [spices] and the usual variety of Jacks, Tosty and Pozuelo products for the kids.
The oversized freezer in the corner carries basic dairy products like "leche" [milk], "queso" [cheese] and "embutidos" [cold cuts] such as "mortadela" [bologna] in several presentations and "jugo de naranja" and "jugo de manzana" [oranje and apple juice].
Carnicerías sell beef, pork and chicken only. No strange meats in the regular diet of Costa Ricans. No exotic cuts either. Ticos understand meat in its simplest form. The most usual cut is beef-steak which we pronounce "bistek", then there is "lomo", "lomito" and "vuelta de lomo" of which the latter is best and most expensive.
For soups, read "Olla de Carne" [Meat pot], you can buy "carne para sopa" [literally meat for soup] which is usually "costilla de res" [ribs]. Then there is also "mondogo" [tripe] and "retazos" [quick cuts] that are also used for other types of soups and "sustancias" or "caldos" [broth]. For exotic meat products you need to go to the local "Mercado Central" [Central Market] where you will find things like "lengua" [cow tounge], "huevos de toros" [bull balls <--no kidding], "cesos" [pig's brains] for something called "frito," "pellejo" [skin] used for "chicharrones" [fried pork skin] and "patas de chancho" [pig´s feet] which are famous for christmas.
"Verdulerías" is where you can find your fresh vegetables and fruits. They are usually well stocked with fresh products but in little quantities (hence the every day freshness). Ticos love their "yuca" [yuca], "papas" [potatoes], "chayotes" [squash] <--not me though, "platano verde" or "maduro" [green or ripe plantain] among others plus the basic tropical fruits such as "naranjas" [oranges], "sandía" [water melon], "melón" [melon], and depending on the season, "jocotes", "guavas", "mamones" [liche], etc, etc.
Nowadays this network of efficiently-ran stores are used only to complement the weekly "compras" [grocery shopping]. By the way the word "diario," the name given in Costa Rica to the bulk purchasing of food to stock for the week, is a left over from the days Ticos used to buy their groceries on a daily basis. That was, of course,
before the invention of supermarkets and Farmer's Markets which are used now as the primary source for groceries.
So make your next grocery shopping [haga de su próximo diario] a local experience and skip the Hipermas and the jumbo stores so you have a chance to practice this new vocabulary.
Vocabulary
pulperías
mini-supers
carnicerías
verdulerías
pescaderías
panaderías
panes
quesos
jaleas
mermeladas
por unidad
por libra o en kilos
dieta
arroz
frijoles
espagueti
macarrones
coditos
caracolitos
lenguita
cabello de angel
latería
Atún
sardinas
salsa de tomate
petipoas
condimentos
leche
queso
embutidos
mortadela
jugo de naranja
jugo de manzana
Carnicerías
bistek
lomo
lomito
vuelta de lomo
carne para sopa
costilla de res
mondogo
retazos
sustancias
caldos
Mercado Central
lengua
huevos de toros
cesos
frito
pellejo
chicharrones
patas de chancho
Verdulerías
yuca
papas
chayotes
platano verde
maduro
naranjas
sandía
melón
jocotes
guavas
mamones
compras
diario
haga de su próximo diario
Hipermás
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Referendum Day
TICO SPEAK!
Referendum Day
By Guillermo Jimenez
gjimenez@sistematicaconsulting.com
Although no one is expecting to see the kind of party-like atmosphere that is common to election day in Costa Rica for this referendum, I thought it would be a good idea to help along our expat community on that day by helping you understand the Tico electoral lingo so you don't try to get a bus to go home and end up somewhere in Pavas that day.
Costa Ricans have a fairly well organized electoral process, I mean, Florida doesn't have it this good I can assure you. On that regard one of the biggest differences with the American system is that Costa Ricans don't need to register themselves to vote. Our 'Cedulas' [national ids] already have what 'distrito' [district] we must head to vote in since the very day we turn 18 years of age.
That day the good people of the 'Registro Civil' [Civil Registry] take our 'huellas digitales or 'dactilares' [figerprints] and snap a picture in a 1/3 of the time it takes a CostCo employee to take a picture of you for the store card. Yeap, it is that fast, sometimes the person that calls out your name is not quite done with your last name when you feel the flash on your eyes.
If you want to go vote somewhere else you must however file a change of address form with the registry. Usually the process is very quick. Should your new id not be ready by election day you will still be able to vote at the current district specified in your card.
This is where problems may arise for some expats. You see on election day political parties are extremely worried that their voters make it to vote before 6pm, so that day they take over the mass transit system and use it for the 'salí a votar' [get out the vote] campaigns.
This, of course, is done at no cost to the voters and there are stories and anecdotes of whole families who make the most out of the 'increible' [incredible] bus fares that day and head for theirbirth towns complete with grills and beach chairs.
In the past most buses have been well decorated with 'insignias' [external signs] corresponding to the 'partido politico' [political party] the bus is working for but as far as I understand buses willnot be identified with any party propaganda this time and they will have to take you for free regardless of your affiliation.
I am not sure, however, about the 'rutas' [routes], so it could just be that the bus that says 'Bello Horizonte' [Beautiful Horizon] may be heading for 'Feo Horizonte' [Ugly Horizon] or Pavas that day. ¡Vaya con Dios!
The Urnas [voting booths] will be open since very early in the day, and as usual every school in the country will be converted into a 'recinto electoral' [polling place]. This is also different fromAmerica where people patiently lines up to vote in one corner of the garage of the house of the town clerk or somewhere in the US Mail office that's inside the mall. You're so weird!
If you are into this sort of thing feel free to drop by the school and walk around to observe the process first hand. Heck, if you feel up to it you can also scream 'impropelios' [insults] to John Kerry or whoever you feel like (as long as it is a public figure). Don't worry, Costa Rican tombos [cops, slang] will not try to tackle you [tumbarlo] and won't even use their tazers on you, in fact they don't know what those are. One more rather idiosyncratic fact aboutTico cops is that they will mostly be unarmed trying to organize traffic. Ponder that one for a second.
Most importantly remember that during the whole weekend 'la Ley Seca' [no booze, sorry] will be in effect so plan ahead and try not to trip over yourself on your way to the 'licorera' [liquor store] on Friday evening.
Finally if you are a gringo with Tico powers and want to vote on that day check the 'padrón electoral' [list of electors] posted in most public places in each district, if you are not in the list call the Tribunal pronto.
If you make it to the inside of the 'urna' however take a split second to observe and take on the awe of Costa Rican electoral technology, I can assure you is quite reliable and aboveall it doesn't produce any hanging shafts.
Lápiz en mano [pen in hand] draw an X on 'la casilla del NO' or 'la casilla del SI' [YES/NO boxes] then 'doble' [fold] 'la papeleta' [the ballot] and insert it into the big cardboard box appropriatelylabeled so on your way out.
Now going back home to wait for the 'conteo de votos' [vote counting] 'En Vivo' [LIVE] from the glorious grounds of the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones may prove to be more of a challenge, or what, did you actually think the ride back home would be as efficient asthe ride into the polling place?
That little fact, however, is not about to slow down a living, breathing, red-bloded Costa Rican on a mission to return home from the beach, after all not every member of the family is bound to votein the same place, or are they?, and for some unknown reason a few will still have to go back home to vote where they actually live. Ingenious indeed.
Now if you are one of the gringos lost in Feo Horizonte that day I would appreciate you don't pull out that cell phone to capture the moment and become an IReporter, just 'mantenga la calma' [keep calm] and get back on the bus fast.
Guillermo Jimenez
VOCABULARY
referendum, also referendo
huellas digitales, also Huellas dactilares
Cedulas
distrito
Registro Civil
salí a votar-- properly Salir a Votar
increible
insignias --singular 'insignia'
partido politico
rutas -- singular 'ruta'
Bello Horizonte
Feo Horizonte
¡Vaya con Dios!
Urnas --singular 'urna'
recinto electoral
impropelios
tombos -- slang for Policías
la Ley seca
licorera
padrón electoral
pronto
Lápiz en mano
la casilla del NO
la casilla del SI
doble -- do not confuse with 'double,' this means 'fold'
Referendum Day
By Guillermo Jimenez
gjimenez@sistematicaconsulting.com
Although no one is expecting to see the kind of party-like atmosphere that is common to election day in Costa Rica for this referendum, I thought it would be a good idea to help along our expat community on that day by helping you understand the Tico electoral lingo so you don't try to get a bus to go home and end up somewhere in Pavas that day.
Costa Ricans have a fairly well organized electoral process, I mean, Florida doesn't have it this good I can assure you. On that regard one of the biggest differences with the American system is that Costa Ricans don't need to register themselves to vote. Our 'Cedulas' [national ids] already have what 'distrito' [district] we must head to vote in since the very day we turn 18 years of age.
That day the good people of the 'Registro Civil' [Civil Registry] take our 'huellas digitales or 'dactilares' [figerprints] and snap a picture in a 1/3 of the time it takes a CostCo employee to take a picture of you for the store card. Yeap, it is that fast, sometimes the person that calls out your name is not quite done with your last name when you feel the flash on your eyes.
If you want to go vote somewhere else you must however file a change of address form with the registry. Usually the process is very quick. Should your new id not be ready by election day you will still be able to vote at the current district specified in your card.
This is where problems may arise for some expats. You see on election day political parties are extremely worried that their voters make it to vote before 6pm, so that day they take over the mass transit system and use it for the 'salí a votar' [get out the vote] campaigns.
This, of course, is done at no cost to the voters and there are stories and anecdotes of whole families who make the most out of the 'increible' [incredible] bus fares that day and head for theirbirth towns complete with grills and beach chairs.
In the past most buses have been well decorated with 'insignias' [external signs] corresponding to the 'partido politico' [political party] the bus is working for but as far as I understand buses willnot be identified with any party propaganda this time and they will have to take you for free regardless of your affiliation.
I am not sure, however, about the 'rutas' [routes], so it could just be that the bus that says 'Bello Horizonte' [Beautiful Horizon] may be heading for 'Feo Horizonte' [Ugly Horizon] or Pavas that day. ¡Vaya con Dios!
The Urnas [voting booths] will be open since very early in the day, and as usual every school in the country will be converted into a 'recinto electoral' [polling place]. This is also different fromAmerica where people patiently lines up to vote in one corner of the garage of the house of the town clerk or somewhere in the US Mail office that's inside the mall. You're so weird!
If you are into this sort of thing feel free to drop by the school and walk around to observe the process first hand. Heck, if you feel up to it you can also scream 'impropelios' [insults] to John Kerry or whoever you feel like (as long as it is a public figure). Don't worry, Costa Rican tombos [cops, slang] will not try to tackle you [tumbarlo] and won't even use their tazers on you, in fact they don't know what those are. One more rather idiosyncratic fact aboutTico cops is that they will mostly be unarmed trying to organize traffic. Ponder that one for a second.
Most importantly remember that during the whole weekend 'la Ley Seca' [no booze, sorry] will be in effect so plan ahead and try not to trip over yourself on your way to the 'licorera' [liquor store] on Friday evening.
Finally if you are a gringo with Tico powers and want to vote on that day check the 'padrón electoral' [list of electors] posted in most public places in each district, if you are not in the list call the Tribunal pronto.
If you make it to the inside of the 'urna' however take a split second to observe and take on the awe of Costa Rican electoral technology, I can assure you is quite reliable and aboveall it doesn't produce any hanging shafts.
Lápiz en mano [pen in hand] draw an X on 'la casilla del NO' or 'la casilla del SI' [YES/NO boxes] then 'doble' [fold] 'la papeleta' [the ballot] and insert it into the big cardboard box appropriatelylabeled so on your way out.
Now going back home to wait for the 'conteo de votos' [vote counting] 'En Vivo' [LIVE] from the glorious grounds of the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones may prove to be more of a challenge, or what, did you actually think the ride back home would be as efficient asthe ride into the polling place?
That little fact, however, is not about to slow down a living, breathing, red-bloded Costa Rican on a mission to return home from the beach, after all not every member of the family is bound to votein the same place, or are they?, and for some unknown reason a few will still have to go back home to vote where they actually live. Ingenious indeed.
Now if you are one of the gringos lost in Feo Horizonte that day I would appreciate you don't pull out that cell phone to capture the moment and become an IReporter, just 'mantenga la calma' [keep calm] and get back on the bus fast.
Guillermo Jimenez
VOCABULARY
referendum, also referendo
huellas digitales, also Huellas dactilares
Cedulas
distrito
Registro Civil
salí a votar-- properly Salir a Votar
increible
insignias --singular 'insignia'
partido politico
rutas -- singular 'ruta'
Bello Horizonte
Feo Horizonte
¡Vaya con Dios!
Urnas --singular 'urna'
recinto electoral
impropelios
tombos -- slang for Policías
la Ley seca
licorera
padrón electoral
pronto
Lápiz en mano
la casilla del NO
la casilla del SI
doble -- do not confuse with 'double,' this means 'fold'
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