Costa Ricans greet each other with a kiss. Usually a one-sided, right-cheek kiss. Men don’t kiss. They give a handy hand shake, sometimes a manly hug, with a good tapping on the back. I’ve gotten used to this custom and rather like it. “We” ex-pats occasionally have a hard time deciding whether to kiss, shake hands, or just give a high-pitched: So, how ya’ doing?

Greetings on the phone follow the same warmness, except, except for the wrong number. If I get a phone call from someone I know, it’s a pleasant and polite experience. The person on the other end always asks not only how I am, but how are all my children. (Americans could learn a bit from this.) But get a person calling a wrong number. Boy, that gets my goat. This is usually how it goes:

me: A-lo. (This is kind of Spanish/English hola/hello.)

other: Who is this?

me: Who would you like to talk to?

other: What number is this?

me: What number are you calling?

other: Who is this?

me: No, see you called me? Who do YOU want to talk to?

This is usually where the person hangs up. If that doesn’t work I slip into the heavy English accent and that usually gets them.

I’ve checked around and this happens to everyone - not even Costa Ricans like it. But, it’s hard for a Costa Rican to reisist talking to this stranger because generally Costa Ricans are warm and love to talk.

I am slowing returning to the simpler days of yore: my phone doesn’t take messages; I can’t retrive my cell phone messages because the service never works; and I don’t have caller I.D.

When someone calls, I never know who’s on the other end and neither do they.