A twisted, sardonic,
cultural-perspective magazine!
CULTURE CLASH:
MOVIE MADNESS
Expatriate question - Popcorn, Coke, hotdogs -- all are coming attractions
to an enjoyable movie watching experience. Luckily all these amenities are
available in Costa Rica (along with some of the softer theaters seats that I
have had the pleasure to sit down in).
Unfortunately, Costa Rican movie watching requires one more accessory that
is rarely found in theaters to the North…cell phones.
In the two years I have lived in Costa Rica I have learned that no Costa
Rican movie experience would be complete without a cell phone chime of
Beethoven’s 5th symphony followed by a lengthy discussion of obligations to
be fulfilled later that evening.
Whether it is the coming attractions, movie climax or closing there is no
sacred ground. A cell phone can ring at anytime and the receiver of the call
is almost certain to answer. I have to wonder why a phone conversation
cannot wait; or better yet be avoided all together.
If the call must be taken then why not take it outside the theater.
Outside—where it is FREE to sit down. Outside—where no one has to listen to
a phone call other than the person receiving the call. To the best of my
knowledge, we all have to pay for a movie ticket. We all have to be able to
hear the movie in order to enjoy it. We all wanted to see the movie
otherwise we would not have paid for the experience.
So why then must every movie I see in a Costa Rican movie theater be
accompanied by cell phone discussion?
RELAX
Tico question - North Americans are so concerned about time that they forget
that the world does not move to their schedule. They are always in a rush
and expect everyone to be the same; this only causes frustration and stress.
In Costa Rica we learn to be patient, and to accept that daily chores and
activities are just a part of life.
These chores are not to be rushed but completed. They may or may not be done
today -- but they will get done. Life is too short to be in a hurry all the
time. It is more important to enjoy what you are doing than to worry about
finishing it.
As an employee of an American organization I work with many North Americans.
It seems to me that Americans are too hasty. Hasty with their time; Hasty
with their decisions; Hasty with people. I understand the term “time is
money” but let’s not forget that “money is not time”.
I see North American tourists who have wasted their youth earning a lot of
money with their precious time. Sadly, with all their money they can not buy
back their youth. They spend their vacations missing much of this beautiful
country because they do not have the energy to explore it. Many North
Americans spend their entire lives worrying about what will happen rather
than what is happening. I say relax, and remember to not worry about the
little things (and most things are the little things). This seems so obvious
to me why is it so hard to understand for our friends to the North?
THE ANSWERS TO CULTURE CLASH QUESTIONS CAN BE FOUND
IN THIS MONTH'S EDITION OF THE TAKE
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