maeology

A Father's Day tribute.

She listens happily as cafetales grow back through fresh cement, as condominiums crumble into dust,

In a binational relationship, the person who gets to live in his or her native country doesn't always have the upper hand.

Experiencing the intricacies of culture shock over a period of years definitely helped me figure a few things out. The thing is: it’s not really one shock. It's more like waves.

Did you excel at our "Costa Rica: The Quiz"? Here's another round of questions to test your inner Tico.

Most any journey by car or bus in greater San José is, well, less than life-affirming. The train, however, cuts through barriers.

Labor Day in the United States is as good an excuse as any to revisit the fascinating origins of "brete."

I giggle and gasp as I discover these misunderstandings, or when I hear phrases that are normal to Spanish speakers but sound funny to me. Life would be less interesting without them.

Choteo, verbal play to take someone down a peg, has a central role in Costa Rican culture and language. It also presents a challenge to those trying to break new ground.