A dear reader who wishes to remain anonymous recently sent us the following question:

“I am an expat who has been living here for a few years, and I can’t seem to figure out Ticas. I just got dumped because I came back home too late from a bar in Escazu after watching the Super Bowl with my friends (go Giants!). She said that she tried calling me, but she should know by now that my Kolbi cell phone does not get a signal at the bar. This isn’t the first time something like this happens. I love Ticas, but I just can’t understand them. They either want me for my money or they say I’m not romantic enough. So now it looks like I’m going to be alone for Valentine’s Day…”

The letter from anonymous goes on for quite a bit, but the excerpt above gets to the heart of the matter and is sufficient to formulate an answer or two.

Hello anonymous, thank you for writing. Sorry about the breakup. Could it be that your ex-girlfriend is a Tom Brady fan by any chance? You know, he owns a beach home here with his better half Gisele Bundchen.

It is clear from your lengthy letter that you have a compelling desire to understand what goes on in the hearts of Ticas; a sentiment shared by Ticos, expats and sociologists at large. It is a subject of deep mystery and wonder, one that surpasses the enigma of the stone spheres you can find strewn about our country.

Sage advice here would be for you to look into switching your wireless service to one of the new carriers -and to also stop your inquiry before it drives you insane- but you are in luck. The stately newspaper La Nacion, which in the past has been unfairly labeled as icy and stuffy, recently decided to get all romantic and commissioned polling service Unimer to go door-to-door in search of what really makes Ticas and Ticos tick when it comes to dating and relationships. The article appeared on La Nacion’s Revista Dominical (Sunday Magazine), so you can head over there and read it now in Spanish, or keep reading the summary below in English.

What do Ticas look for in a man?

The empirical data collected by Unimer and published by La Nacion consists of a sample of 1,200 people with a margin of error of 2.8%. Some preconceived notions, such as the old adage that “a fat wallet trumps Don Juan anyday” were dispelled by the survey. Ticas value nothing more than loyalty and fidelity in a man, followed by a desire that a man be a good soul mate. Of the women surveyed, 29% wish for partners who are responsible and romantic, with economic viability placing a distant fourth on the list at 27%. Emotional maturity was mentioned by 14% of the Ticas polled, while physical attraction and parenting skills got 9% and 8% respectively.

The Ticos’ Turn

When it comes to what Ticos look for in terms of romance, the preconceived notion would be that they look like the reigning Miss Costa Rica Johanna Solano, or Jessica Perez (a Tica model who appears in the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue). That was not the case: 34% of Ticos polled by Unimer expressed that they look for a good soul mate who is also faithful (30%). As far as homemaker skills go, 15% of Ticos answered that it is important to them, while economic stability was at the very bottom of the preferences.

Looking for Love in Costa Rica

There is aspect of romance that Ticos and Ticas seem to agree with: it is getting difficult. More than half of all women and men polled agreed that finding their perfect half has turned into a complex endeavor, and that young Ticas are more interesting to date than young Ticos.

The study published in La Nacion was not limited to cold hard data, An interview with organizers of Encuentros en Costa Rica revealed that Ticos are not quite ready for speed dating yet. On a Saturday night, an events hall with capacity for 200 people, was more than ample to accommodate the 40 women and 7 men (including a gentleman from Florida) who attended. These figures may seem surprising at first, but it’s important to note than in Costa Rica women outnumber men as The Costa Rica Star previously reported. There were two common bonds shared by the few women and men who turned up for the speed dating event: they were single and at least 40 years old. Not a young person in sight, which could be a cue for Encuentros Costa Rica to hit the online social networks to plan their next event. Still, the poll published in La Nacion indicated that 65% of Ticos and Ticas do not believe that age matters when it comes to love.

Tying the Knot

In a previous article, The Costa Rica Star looked at some divorce figures that seemed startling for a constitutionally Catholic country. La Nacion looked at marriage rates: 75% of marriages in 2011 took place before civil authorities, rather than at church. Not all Tico couples are getting married, either: marriage is definitely within the purview of the middle to upper classes, as 33% percent of couples who live in the lower social strata and who have only completed grade school prefer to live in common-law unions. When there is a child born to the couple, 64% believe that marriage is mandatory.

Old School Romance

There may be another reason why speed dating -a concept from the late 20th century- may not attract many romantic hopefuls: 37% of Ticos and Ticas still believe that men should ask women out and cover expenses associated with dating, such as meals in fancy restaurants and trips to the beach. To this very day, most Ticas expect romantic courtship and good manners from men.

Our lonely anonymous reader should not feel alone on Valentine’s Day. According to digital news daily Costa Rica Hoy, the bicycle and pedestrian-friendly organization Chepe Cletas is organizing a throwback event later today that is guaranteed to warm the hearts of older Ticos and give people like anonymous a chance to look for love in a very Tico and traditional fashion. The event is called “retreta“, and it serves as a social lubricant for people to engage in the ancient ritual of “coparse” (to couple) by walking along the pedestrian walkways of San Jose, exchanging glances and flirting. The retreta will begin from the National Park near the National Library. Couples will get to walk in one direction, while singles will get to walk in opposite directions so they can check each other out as they walk. Such Tico courtship rituals essentially disappeared during the sexual revolution in the 1960s.

The event starts at 6:00 pm, and will include live music. Happy Valentine’s Day.