There’s a difference in the way people greet one another in Costa Rica as opposed to the U.S.

For sure you have the cultural tradition whereby females are greeted with a light kiss on the cheek.

And that is certainly a distinguishable custom.

But I am talking about things below surface level observations.

Compared to Costa Rica, folks in the U.S. are generally a bit “flippant” when it comes to their modes of greeting one another.

A man may greet a friend, acquaintance, or even a family member, with a slight wave of the hand and a “hey what’s up?”

Or, there may be no formal greeting at all, but simply a nod or other subtle gesture that acknowledges the presence of the other person.

So what’s the big deal about that, Costa Rica Guy, you ask?

Well nothing if you want to remain wrapped up tight in your bubble and never make an impact on other people.

I have noticed a much higher level of vibrancy when it comes to the way ticos (and other Latino cultures, such as the Colombians) greet one another. They really put some energy into it.

It is a cultural habit that I have had a hard time adapting to.

There seem to be hundreds of different phrases that are used for greetings here. Ones that go way beyond the Spanish 101 of “buenos dias,” or “como esta?”

This post is not meant to be a language lesson, so I will not go into those here.

In fact, what I am getting at with this post has little to do with the words used in a greeting, but with the attitude that one brings to the greeting.

A while back I read a book entitled The Love Dare. It is about learning how to really express love for your spouse or companion. One chapter was on greetings.

I liked this quote…

“When someone communicates that they are glad to see you, your personal sense of self-worth increases. You feel more important and valued. That’s because a good greeting sets the stage for a positive and healthy interaction. Like love, it puts wind in your sails.”

I have to say that I have allowed my U.S. cultural inclinations to stymie my adaption to the warm and energetic way in which Costa Ricans greet one other. My Colombian wife often scolds me for the cold and insensitive way that I tend to greet.

It is just the way I was brought up…as in, it ain’t no big deal.

But the quote above shamed me.

You see the Costa Ricans will greet each other in this way even when they don’t feel like it. That’s because the greeting is not for their personal benefit, but for the benefit of making the other person feel good and for the benefit of creating a positive setting for interaction.

It probably is one of the main reasons why social events of the ticos end up being more raucous and fun events that what I can remember from the same in the U.S.

Latinos are less resistant to “letting their guards down” when it comes to social interactions.

We in the U.S., for some reason, tend to keep our guards up, ready to deflect the possibility of personal affront.

Why?

Maybe it is that we are more self-conscious about our image, i.e., afraid of blowing our cool.

In pocas palabras, we take life, and ourselves, just a little too seriously.

Why not lighten up a little. Let that guard down and bring some pura vida energy into your greetings. Give that next lady you meet a kiss on the cheek, or that next guy a high-five.

That’ll surely “alter their state,” as Tony Robbins is fond of saying.

Okay for those dying to learn a cool Costa Rican greeting, here’s one…

“Que mae, todo bien?”

Use with an energetic smile…and a…

Pura Vida!

image credit: Blackstallionhills.com via Compfight cc