I stopped using "American" a long, long time ago. I understand why people get offended by US citizens calling themselves American, but I also don't know a single tico who would ever classify themselves as "American". So it seems like a silly battle to me.
I always use "from the states" now. But even when I say that I still get "What? The United States of Mexico? You know there's more than one!"
It's super frustrating to me. Maybe I need to get used to saying "estadounidense" and then everyone will leave me the freak alone!
lucybelle - I have found that Costa Ricans are always curious about "where you are from." Sometimes when they ask me that, I say, "Costa Rica." and, of course, they say - no, before that.
Usually I say - before Costa Rica, I lived in Florida. It's not really a big deal, just say where you lived.
I always tell them Florida since that is usually what they want to know (of course they always then ask if I lived in Miami lol).
Yup me too...I'm from Florida.
Except the one time I was in Panama and being hassled by a "tour guide" and I said Costa Rica...somehow he didn't believe me. His response was "they don't speak English in Costa Rica"...anyway, that's a whole 'nother story.
I also say estadounidense though there seem to be a lot of norteamericanos who can't seem to handle the seven syllables of either word.
I also tell ticos that I am a gringo desde Tampa, de la Florida, como una hora y pico al oeste de Orlando/Disney and that seems to satisfy them.
Yeah, but North Carolina isn't quite as known as California or Florida. When I say I'm from NC, people usually go "it's really cold there isn't it?"
And the problem with that is..........?
I just say Canada before now living in Coco.
Ticos usually ask where in the US I'm from, and, yes, they usually assume that "Washington" means DC, so I always say, Washington State, near Seattle. And It is so muy frio right now! Thrilled to be in CR!