by Infocostarica Staff

When Ana went up to the gate, she looked for the bell, but there wasn't one, so she screamed out "Upe!", the Costa Rican saying for asking to be let in. Then, when Dona Mayela came out, Ana asked her "Como esta?" (how are you), and the lady answered: "Muy bien, gracias a Dios, y usted?" (Very well, thanks to God, and you?). If you're a foreigner and you don't know how to speak Spanish, it would be a shame for you to miss out on Costa Rican sayings and language in general. Even though a lot of people living in the capital city of San Jose speak some English, (especially those people in the tourist trade), you won't encounter many English-speakers in more rural areas. It's always advisable to learn at least the basics, so that your stay can be more enjoyable and less stressful.

Costa Ricans don't use the same Castilian Spanish that's spoken in Spain. The Spaniards lisp their c's and z's and they use the "vosotros" person, while Costa Ricans use the antiquated form of "vos", and the more formal "usted". They all mean "you" but they vary in their formality and they affect verb conjugations. Costa Rican Spanish is as dynamic a language as any other, and it's full of "Tiquismos" or unique sayings and argot. One of the common Tiquismos is the use of the diminutive- Costa Ricans are called "ticos" because they add this word as a suffix in order to create a diminutive. In other words, instead of saying "blanquito" (small, white), they might say "blanquitico" or "blanquititico", which means the same thing. Ticos also use tons of terms of endearment, which shouldn't be misinterpreted as mean nicknames. For instance, it's common for Ticos to call people "flaco" (thin one) or "gordo" (fat one) without intending any offense at all. People of other races are usually called by their race, as in "chino" (chinese) or "negro" (black one). I hate to think of what would happen in another country such as the U.S., which is full of more pronounced racial tensions if people were to call out these names to minorities.

Apart from the unique "Tiquismos", Costa Rican Spanish isn't really that difficult to learn. Ticos speak more slowly and clearly than in other Latin American countries. Ticos are also extremely patient with people who are trying to learn their language, and they will help and encourage them to do so. It's advisable to learn at least the basics of the language, since as was mentioned before, only some people speak English. The only large population of native English speakers is located in Limon, where people of Jamaican descent settled.

Costa Rican Spanish, as most Spanish in Latin America, is extremely polite and sometimes formal. Some key words to learn, in order to keep up with the politeness are: "Gracias" (thank you), "Por favor" (please), "Buenos dias" (good morning). Ticos also mention luck and God a lot in their speech: "Que Dios lo acompane" (May God go with you), or if you meet them for the first time "Mucho gusto" (It's a pleasure).

Language schools abound in Costa Rica, and they range from a few mediocre ones to a majority of excellent ones. Some are located in universities, such as the program for foreign students in the University of Costa Rica (506)207-56-34, in private institutions, like the Forester Institute (506)225-31-55, Intensa (506)225-60-04, and many, many more. There are even language schools in rural areas, near rainforests or in beach areas, that offer a good combination of exotic living and language learning for the more adventure-type travelers.

All in all, Costa Rica is an excellent option for learning Spanish in an easy and gradual way. There are intensive 2-4 week courses and semester and yearly programs for the more ambitious types. The best way to learn a language is to have a boyfriend or girlfriend that will teach you, but even if this doesn't happen,in Costa Rica, there are numerous language schools where you can learn and friendly people in the streets who won't make fun of you or loose their patience when you're trying to speak their language.

Anyone visiting Manuel Antonio National Park will surely notice flocks of brown pelicans gracefully soaring overhead, plunging headlong into the sea after fish, or maybe even "wind surfing" as they playfully glide along the face of a wave with a wingtip almost skimming the wall of water. Magnificent frigate birds - large dark birds with long pointed wings and forked tails - will probably grab your attention, too, as they effortlessly cruise on the slightest breeze.

If you are at all interested in birds, you know that most species are not as easily seen as pelicans and frigate birds. But for those who make an attempt to find them, the Manuel Antonio area harbors hundreds of surprises. More than 270 species, including migrants, can potentially be observed in the park and the surrounding area extending to Quepos and the local airstrip.

Despite the image of beautiful beaches that the name Manuel Antonio conjures up in most peoples' minds, the majority of its bird life is to be found in the forest - whether inside the park proper or in any decent patch of vegetation around your hotel. Screeching flocks of parakeets and parrots impart a decidedly tropical air to the birding here, as do the comings and goings of at least 15 different types of hummingbirds, including purple-crowned fairies, violet-crowned woodnymphs, white-crested coquettes, and blue-throated golden-tails.

If you come across a fruiting tree or shrub, you might be treated to a riot of color from a visiting parade of birds that could include scarlet-rumped, blue-gray, golden-hooded, and bay-headed tanagers; green, shining, and red-legged honeycreepers; and yellow-crowned, spot-crowned, and thick-billed euphonias, among others.

One of the biggest thrills in tropical birding is encountering a mixed-species foraging flock, because the action can really get fast and furious as the birds stream past, each one seemingly different from the next. In the forest understory at Manuel Antonio, insectivorous flocks form around pairs of black-hooded antshrikes and dot-winged antwrens, and the entourage can contain plain xenops, long-billed gnatwrens, chestnut-backed antbirds, rufous-breasted wrens, russet antshrikes, buff-throated foliage-gleaners, sulphur-rumped flycatchers and, in winter months, any of a dozen or so species of migrant warblers, vireos, andflycatchers.

Of course, trying to identify all those fluttering creatures can be terribly frustrating to the novice. But what's worse, too much or too little? After a flock has moved on, it can often seem as though there are no birds left in the forest. But even when you can't see them, if you listen, you're likely to hear birds. Perhaps my favorite singer in the Central Pacific forests is the black-bellied wren. From its preferred microhabitat of dense vine tangles, this difficult-to-see bird advertises its presence with an outpouring of rich liquid notes that are sure to stop any passersby in their tracks. Likewise, the clear tremulous whistles of great tinamous and the mellow phrases of blue-black grosbeaks are apt to please any human listener.

During the past five years there has been an increased surge in  group travel…from destination weddings to celebrating that special anniversary or landmark birthday to family reunions and couples retreats it seems that going abroad with ones friends and/or family is the thing to do. The desire to spend real, quality time with one’s friends and family along with experiencing some local culture and adventure, and being able to do that over the course of a week or more versus a trying to capture it all in a celebration that lasts just a few hours  is the desire that drives this new way of traveling.

The challenge here is in deciding where to go, where to stay and what to do and doing so without breaking the bank. Not a simple task when trying to coordinate a group of 10 or more people.

The best group travel destinations are those where everyone can participate in an activity or stay behind and seek out a beach, a spa or simply relax in the confines of their environment. A city destination where each person must choose between visiting  a  museum, seeing a particular sight, going  shopping or meandering through the streets may not the best choice for a group vacation experience where the goal is to spend quality time with each other. On the other hand, choosing a destination where you share meals and activities along with lounging time is exactly what travelers seem to be seeking.

Villa vacations seem to be the desired way to go but is it the best? (We think so!). Villas can be from 1 to 20 bedrooms and usually are staffed with a knowledgeable, dedicated staff, living spaces, fully equipped kitchens, outdoor living spaces, a pool. Here are some considerations for you to think about when planning that great group getaway:

• Choose a resort destination (tropical, snow, sailing trips, rural villages in Europe, small cruises) vs a city
• Rent a large house/villa (or two) that can accommodate your group comfortably
• Be sure it is staffed with a house manager/concierge, chef and housekeeping so it’s a true vacation; you don’t want to spend precious time on household chores, learning how to use a foreign appliances, figuring out the phone system. It’s nice to have a chef who shops, cooks and cleans up after you and a house manager who oversees a house can help make your stay easy while deepening your insight into the culture and peoples of the country
• Are there local activities that the entire group will enjoy?
• Do they offer pick up and drop off services from the Villa?
• Is there easy access to local attractions (beach, shopping)?
• What are  the transport options
• How many bedroom, beds, bathrooms are there
• Check out reviews, testimonials, TripAdvisor for the area and for the Villa
• Ask to email or speak with a prior guest

Some of our favorite group destinations include Costa Rica (of course, we love Villa Perezoso!), Tuscany, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, sailing the turquoise waters in a gulet off the coast of Turkey, motoring the Virgin Islands. There are so many to choose from and so many resources. Here are a few resources for Villa rentals:

• Vrbo.com
• Homeaway.com
• Luxury Retreats.com
• Villas of Distinction.com

Some additional perks in staying in Villa versus a hotel or resort are:

• Superb value—you spend less and receive more
• Personalized attention and service from experienced concierges and chefs (be sure the villa you choose has a full staff onsite)
• More space and privacy (you get a lot more living space for probably less than what you would pay for hotel rooms to accommodate everyone)
• Eliminating high food costs (going out to eat versus having a chef shop and cook for you can be very costly and add thousands of dollars to your bill for a group of 8 or more)
• Kitchens for that late night snack or early morning coffee
• Great for all occasions, from big group gatherings to an intimate getaway
• Allows you to create a unique and customized experience based on your needs
• Many different options – thousands of villas from which to choose
• And as one Villa Perezoso guest described some of  their favorite highlights of their stay ..”never having to dress for breakfast or dinner and not having to compete with 24/7 texting, computer and friends and enjoying real time with our 3 teenagers for a whole week”.

So whether you are celebrating your 40^th birthday or a silver wedding anniversary or simply want a girls trip in an exotic locale, consider renting a villa but make sure they are fully staffed so that you don’t have to lift a finger.