On Cultural Norms and Differences.

A short story about acclimating to Costa Rican culture.

The other afternoon I was hanging out in my apartment when I heard, “Leez! Leez!” Lo and behold it was my good friend Warner walking up the stairs and calling my name. (Here my name is Lees, Leez, or Lis. Very rarely is it ever pronounced Liz.) Warner is a Costa Rican who speaks very good English and he was also my staff for the Children at Risk School. So up the stairs comes Warner with a large loaf of bread. I look at him puzzled. “Leez, I brought us bread,” he said as if he lived in my apartment and was coming home from doing the shopping. Confused, and wondering when Warner moved into my apartment, I looked at him and then looked back at the bread. “You brought me bread?” I asked. “Yes, I brought us bread. Because, you know, that’s what we do here in Costa Rica. We eat bread and drink coffee in the afternoons,” he said quite casually. “Oh, that’s brilliant! I love drinking coffee anytime of the day.” And with that, Warner handed me the bread and walked away, headed toward the half pipe. Now I was confused. He brought bread and walked away. Did he want any? Did he want to eat it later? Was it just for my roommates and me? I decided not to think much of it and went back to whatever nonsense I had been up to before. A few minutes later my roommate Robbie walked in and inquired about the bread. I told her what had occurred and asked her what she thought we were supposed to do with it. “I think he’s skating and I’m not sure what the bread is for. Does he want coffee? Are we supposed to make it for him and bring it to him?” I asked her. “I’m not sure,” she said, “Let me go ask him.” A few minutes later she returned and told me that yes indeed, Warner wanted coffee and was expecting it. So Robbie and I made a pot of coffee and informed our Costa Rican friend that the coffee was hot and ready. He joined us in our apartment with a few other friends and we drank coffee and ate bread and jam with cream cheese. I found out later (from a German friend) that in Costa Rica, if you want to have a cup of joe with your friends, you bring them bread. That way you’re not just waltzing into their house uninvited. By bringing bread you are saying, “Hey let’s hang out and have some coffee. And I brought bread so I’m not just mooching off of you and drinking your coffee.” So here in Costa Rica we provide the coffee if you provide the bread. Sounds pretty good right about now doesn't it? 

*Expect more stories like this one in the near future.*