There is an interesting book here in the house called The Ticos: Culture and Social Change in Costa Rica, written in the late '90's that discusses life in Costa Rica. These excerpts from a particular section we found pretty...interesting... It is a reflexion on dating in the early to mid 1900's in Costa Rica. I hope you find it as amusing as we did:
Until the 1950s, the retrata, or band concert in town parks, where boys and girls strolled around the square in opposite directions, provided opportunities to look over the opposite sex. Girls' mothers, meanwhile, chatted on a park bench, discreetly watching....
Flirtear is a favorite partime. A young man shows his interest in a girl by silently and insistently staring at her. If the stare is returned and he already knows her, he may invite her to a soda bar or a movie or ask to walk her home. If they are strangers he may seek a mutal acquaintance to introduce them, though many now cinsodier this unnecessary. If the pait hits it off, he will ask to see her again, perhaps arranging to meet her at a movie or dance and not visitng her home until they have met several times....
Until the early twentieth century, a peasant suitor was required by his novia's parents to leave three cartloads of firewood at their doorstep as a test of his ability to provide. His parents in turn expected her to grind corn and make tortillas for them. The urban girl leanred to cook, sew, and adorn the parlor. Her mother showed her handiwork to potential mothers-in-law.
So remember, the next time you are in Costa Rica and some one is insistently staring at you, only reciprocate the look if you can either build a spectacular bonfire or are a really good cook.
No comments:
Post a Comment