You know you are becoming more Costa Rican when.....

1. You have the sequence and tones of the car alarms memorized.

2. You drink more coffee than all the other drinks you consume combined.

3. You integrate "mae" into regular spanish conversation.

4. Your friends know not to expect you to be on time because you are on tico time.

5. You stroll across the road in front of cars without fear of them running over you instead of slowly and timidly crossing the street.

6. You spend evenings in the park downtown.

7. You are greeted with kisses on the cheek by your tico friends and you greet your tico AND gringo friends with kisses on the cheek.

8. You call the cab company for a taxi and when you tell them your address they know your name because you have called so much.

9. Car alarms and dogs barking don't wake you up anymore in the morning.

10. A tico asks you for directions.

11. You understand how to use MSN Messenger.

12. A "fiesta" means that you stand in the street and talk to your friends, usually outside of another fiesta.