Entries about language

Pura Vida! You hear it a lot. Like when you get out of a taxi, or when someone nearly falls off the path, or as the first thing in the morning, or even, when you sneeze - Pura Vida!

Although the direct translation would be "pure life", it's more than that. And whatever it is, it's good for all occassions. Whether your business is yoga, bracelets, organic food, tours, whatever, you can't go wrong naming it Pura Vida Whatever.

Intrestingly, the phrase was adopted from a Mexican movie from 1950s. I learned it from this article Costa Rica is “pura vida”! by Nuria Villalobos.

Ticos (or ticas, female) is what Costa Ricans call themselves. I'm not sure why exactly, or what it means. But I find it cute. And just like Pura Vida, Tico is popular in advertisement and business names. You could take a Tica Bus to a Tico's Bar reading the Tico Times, then go home to your Tico Tico Villa. How cute is that?!

There's also la hora tica, tico time. You might hear it when you're waiting for a bus and ask from a fellow commuter if he knows when the bus is coming? - At 10:30. Well, tico time. This would be said with an affectionate smile.