Thomas O'Brien

I got an email last week from a veteran monger whose mongering experience was in Asia. He was interested in checking out Costa Rica, and was looking for a ‘mentor’ to show him the ropes, so to speak.

There was a time when I did tours for gringos in San Jose, but I have moved southward and am no longer available. Although I know a lot of guys in San Jose, I can’t think of one who would want to bother. In my own case, although I didn’t mind making a bit of cash, I became a bit disenchanted as I realized that the tours too often ended up after visiting 2 massage parlors and my client deciding he had found the object of his desire and I could just call it a day. Yes, I got paid but I didn’t feel like I had done much good.

Regarding just San Jose, no tour is going to be enough to make an expert out of a newcomer. I always had the feeling that once the tours were done, my ‘tourist’ had only see the insides of a few places and might not even be able to find the places again on his own.

Beyond just knowing where massage parlor X or bar Y is, there is a lot more to the scene and the subculture. For example, a newcomer to the scene might think the only place in town was the Del Rey Hotel bar and casino. Those with a tiny bit more knowledge are aware of a massage parlor or two. But those who REALLY know the scene, whether it be in San Jose or Bangkok, will be the veteran mongers who have visited a lot or have lived there for years.

[rau]

There is more to any place than you can learn in a visit or two, or on a ‘three hour tour.’ Fortunately, your fellow mongers are almost always willing to share what they know, as well as what they may not know but THINK they know. It’ll be up to you to separate the wheat from the chaff. You will find a lot of self-professed experts who have spent quite a lot of time mongering. You can learn something from almost anyone, but you should realize that nobody’s word is Gospel. If you are advised that a certain chica is a thief, it’s probably true. Other things he may tell you may be nothing more than opinion. Concrete information such as prices and directions are pretty safe bets. Opinions on male/female interactions and relationships should be taken advisedly. Listen to as many mongers as you can and decide which parts of what you hear is useful to you.

It’s a learning process, and the best thing is that you’re getting laid as you learn even better ways to get laid. Not a bad way to go.