Customs and coutesies comparison chart

Universidad Americana
Language and Culture

Customs and Courtesies Comparison Chart

United States of America | Costa Rica |
Greetings:They usually do not embrace in public, except with member of their own family.In business or political situation their greetings are more formal | Greetings:People in Costa Rica are very effusive, when they greet their friends or family in public.Inbusiness or political situation people sometimes are more formal. |
Social position:In US people are not too concerned about social rank. | Social position:In Costa Rica there are many people who are concerning about social status. On the other hand the low class does not care about the social status. |
Visiting relatives or friendsPeople in US. Are very punctual, they like to be on time. And ifsomeone invites you over his or her house is a good idea to call ahead in order to check his or her ability. | Now days many people in Costa Rica announce their visits to their friends or relatives. However, in rural zones still people do not announce their arrivals. |
Eating habits in US they use a knife to cut meat with their right hand and hold it with the fork in their left hand thenswitch them to the continue eating. Also they might use their hand to grab fried chicken, fruits, hamburgers and sandwiches. | Eating habits in Costa Rica are very similar to US. However, in Costa Rica many people use a spoon instate of a fork. Diet is different. People in Costa Rica eat rise and beans almost every single day. But in US. They consumed more junk food. |
Manners table:Elbows onthe table are considering bad manners.Dinner is usually from 5:00 to 7:00 pmDress code for dinner. People in US ask before hand, whether it is formal or not Meals in family is served buffet style (every body serve themselves) Children usually eat with their parents and visitor; unless the occasion is a very formal one. | Manners table are very similar to Costa Rica culture. However people in CostaRica do not have a certain time for dinner, because usually family member work and came home at different times.Children in Costa Rica as well as in US. Eat with their parents and visitor. However, now days many adolescents are having the bad habit to eat in their rooms. |
Gestures and Nonverbal CommunicationThey do not make excessively movements when they are conversing.They make a motion withindex finger to emphasize an idea.In Us people usually sit however they please. | People in Costa Rica talk with their hands, while they are talking they moved their hands a lot.In Costa Rica as well as in US. Make motions with their index finger to emphasize and idea.In Costa Rica people generally sit in the back of any meeting room. |
To say “come here” Americans turn the palm upward andmotion their fingers and to say “good bye”To say “good bye” Americans waving the palm down | The gesture to say come here is the same in US. And Costa Rica.To say “good bye” in Costa Rica people keep the palm straight up and wave it several times. |
Americans are very frank | In Costa Rica many people are not frankly enough to say what they think. |
Americans don´t like to talk or discussabout: * Their age * How much a possession cost * Salary (earn) * How much weight * Detail about marital arrangements * Those issues are consider impolite to talk | There are people in Costa Rica that don´t mind to talk about those issues. However, it is better not to talk about those things because are considering personal subjects. |
Americans families are constituted by 3 or 4members. | In Costa Rica families are usually comforted by 3 maximum four members as well as in US. |
Family Social Mobility , the average American Family moves about every five years | In Costa Rica Families don’t move as often as in US. |
Grandparents prefer to maintain their independence and live separately from their children. | In Costa Rica grandparents move with their sons or daughters and...