If the humor of the below posting is lost on you, don't worry - you're just not fully "Tico-ized" quite yet...

I am just about Tico-ized!

1.

You aren't just surprised that the electrician/plumber/gardener etc has come on time, you're just surprised he came at all.

2.

You give everyone you meet, including new acquaintances, a 'cheek to cheek air kiss' to say hello because not doing so is considered 'muy frio'.

3.

The sight of really overweight women walking around with their bare bellies hanging out over their pants doesn't even phase you anymore. You've have learned the true meaning of 'Let it all hang out'!

4.

You can't speak Spanish without using one of these words: maje, que dicha, si Dios quiere, digámole, tuanis, pura vida.

5.

You know Bimbo isn't a slutty woman, it's the brand name of a white bread.

6.

You eat 'Gallo Pinto' for breakfast and know that is not a painted rooster and the 'Patrulla' you had for lunch is not a police car.

7.

You start speaking in 'Dichos' to make your point. 'El que madruga, come pechuga'.

8.

You're not surprised that everything pretty much closes after 10PM.

9.

You are not shocked that everyone comments very directly on everyone else's appearance and actually calls them by that name to their face: 'Hey, Gordo, Flaco, Chino, Ñato, Macha'.

10.

You have learned that you can say 'caja' 'cajita' and 'cajón' and you can say 'huevo' and 'huevito' but NOT 'huevón'.

11.

You no longer try to make Spanish words out of the English simply by adding 'a' or 'o'.......it works with 'beer' but not with 'peach'.

12.

Having 5 or more cups of coffee a day no longer seems like a health hazard.

13.

You have learned to ask, 'WHERE does this road take me?' instead of 'Does this road take me to such and such place?' because YOU KNOW you will ALWAYS get a 'yes' answer even if they don't know.

14.

The sound of barking dogs is now just part of your life and you really don't hear it anymore (even at 3AM).

15.

Some of your friends have really religious names like Maria de los Angeles, Jesús, Concepción, José Maria, María Jóse, Ángel, Milagro, Rosario and yet others have permanent nick names like Jonnie, Freddie, Lady, Yanci and Fanci.

16.

On instant messages you type 'jajajaja' and not 'hahahaha'.

17.

You tell everyone to come at 6 when you really want them to show up at 8.

18.

You start to believe that potato or macaroni 'salad' really IS a kind of vegetable.

19.

A meal without Salsa Lizano or a Chilero? You MUST be kidding!

20.

You realize that 'Que toque!' does not mean that the other person wants to be touched.

21.

You're not offended anymore when someone asks you what you paid for your car, clothing, pedigree dog, your house or anything else.

22.

You now know that 'ahorita' could mean 5 minutes, 2 hours, 3 weeks or next year.

23.

You wait patiently while the clerk, cashier or bank teller finishes their personal phone conversation before they wait on you.

24.

Driving 'Kamakazie' style is just normal for you now. WHY stay in your own lane or use your blinker BEFORE you actually turn?

25.

You can find any place without an address and from landmarks that haven't existed for years......'500 metros Oeste y 50 Sur de la Magnolia'.

26.

You recognize that 'cutting the line' is a highly skilled art form that some people have perfected to a 'T'.

27.

Eating cake with a spoon is totally normal for you.

28.

You have perfected the art of crossing the street even though every driver seems to want to run you over.

29.

You know that you need to stock up on the liquor before Semana Santa because all the alcohol in every store gets locked up.

30.

You would LOVE it if 'El Gordo' were yours and it's not the fat guy down the street.

31.

You know that the wrist watch that everyone wears is really just another piece of jewelry with no practical function what so ever.

32.

You understand and can follow driving directions like 'arriba' and 'abajo' instead of 'right' and 'left' and you also know that 'recto' means 'go straight' and is not referring to your 'rectum'.

33.

Ice in my already cold beer? Of course!