a single day

Just a little over 24 hours stands between me and a sweet reunion in Costa Rica.

Tomorrow I run multiple errands, leave things ready and finished, eat dinner with my family, go to bed, and wake up to start my journey the following day...on my way HOME!
This is all very bittersweet, but the anticipation is helping to lessen the heady emotion.

Pura Vida

Feliz Navidad

Here at home for Christmas, and two of my three brothers are working this evening in order to have tomorrow (Christmas Day) free. We will go to mass tomorrow morning together, even though my Mom and Dad went this evening. It will be the last time we go altogether for some time, I think.

The tree is lit and the nativity too, my brother is prepping the luminarias to go in front of the house, and Mom is about to bust out the egg nog. All we need is a little snow to make it perfect.
Yes, it must be Christmas.

My best wishes to all of you!

Feliz Navidad!

a week and a dress

I cannot deny that I am greatly looking forward to escaping the wet and cold of Ohio. What kind of winter weather is rain and wind? So much for a white Christmas! This time last year I was singing the song endlessly and longingly and was blessed to experience a Christmas with snow. Too bad this year will not be like that.

Today I went with my mom to pick out a wedding dress. To preface this I must mention that I went on Monday with two of my closest friends for  a session to try things on and such, to get some ideas. This afternoon Mom and I went back and after trying on a few more gowns settled on one that both she and I liked and was within our budget. It still doesn't seem real to me, not at all.
With all this preparation for the wedding here next year (we now have the Church, Priest, Hall and Dress) I just hope that mu hubby will be granted a visa to come! I certainly cannot marry myself at the altar, and at the moment I am not feeling very positive about it. Mom, however, says that she has a good feeling and this makes me feel a little more confident. (see pictures of possible gowns below...I will not spoil the surprise of which I chose in the end.)

Tomorrow is my last day of work, and I am both elated and sad. It has been wonderful to see old friends again, to make new friends and to earn some money. The opportunity has been invaluable!
It has been jokingly said that if nothing else I can open my own bar in Costa Rica, as I will have had enough experience bartending to do so. Haha!

On the whole I am not really prepared to go back...There are still some documents I need to prepare for residency, and having worked a lot the last week I have not had time to take care of the details. Naturally i should have done this much earlier, but I am ashamed to say that there is evidence of my Mother and Father in my procrastination and sluggishness concerning this matter...I really should have taken care of everything back in October. As it is, I hope that Mom will be able to send me the completed documents when I am home in Costa Rica.

Just one more week...I can make it! Getting the feeling that it will go quickly, and thank goodness.

Pura Vida. 

two more weeks!

Daily I go over lists in my mind:
things I need to do,
items I want to buy,
people I want to see,
what I will leave behind.

Luckily I am handling all of this very well. The stress of the holidays and my eminent departure has been very hard on my Mom, who is going through a manic stage of decorating and has been particularly affectionate lately. Looking over the calender the days are becoming fewer and fewer, which is both a relief and a fright. It means that soon I will be headed back to the warmth of my husband and the sun of Costa Rica, but also that I must say a more final goodbye to so many people I will miss.

On the whole, I am looking forward to going home...home is where your heart is. And my heart and soul is in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida!

17

Seventeen more days.
I can make it.

For some reason I am just feeling really down today, and all I want to do is go home. To run into my husband's arms and stay there forever. Soon!!

Pura Vida...

things I am looking forward to

Only 24 more days until I return to  Costa Rica.
Lately the weather here has been less than perfect...a combination of rain and cold that makes your toes numb and your fingers curl around a hot teacup. I suspect too that the weather has been affecting my mood, which has been pretty bad the last few days. My spirits are at an all time low, and I find myself feeling blue and tired. Not even chocolate or Christmas music has helped to cheer me. Thus my writing this blog... things I am looking forward to.

1. Hug my wonderful husband.
2. Kiss my wonderful husband.
3. Sun and humidity.
4. Te frio. (that is, iced tea, Costa Rican style)
5. Hearing "pura vida."
6. Family and friends.

...The 29th cannot come soon enough! Thinking of the items on the above list will help motivate me to make it through the remaining time.

Pura Vida.

un mes mas/one more month

One month from today marks my return to Costa Rica.
Looking anxiously and excitedly forward to seeing my hubby, family and friends there!
...And since today it started snowing, it doesn't hurt to mention my joy to return to a warm climate : )

PURA VIDA

Turkey Day, USA

Some snapshots of Thanksgiving at home!

Pumpkin pie making. 

The boys and Dad go hunting...and end up at the movies. 

Joyne brought a great pinot noir...it was a hit!

At table: 10 people total 

Family! Thanksgiving 2011

homesick.

Lately I have really been missing my hubby. By default I have also been missing Costa Rica...

I am so ready to go home. 

Pura Vida

gallo pinto, Ohio style : )

turkey madness

It is great to be home right now!
My Avia is coming to stay for the week, which means I have to do my laundry and try to empty my room of all the junk that has piled up: things to donate to the thrift store, a bag of things my cousin might like, a chair in the corner heaped with extra blankets...I have too many things! Everyday I have to strive to get rid of a little more, to prevent being overwhelmed like my Mom has, haha! We have so much, too much.
This time last year I was living in Monteverde and preparing to move into a new house...thinking of Mom and wondering how she would hold up without me doing half the cooking!
Here I am in Ohio and there is a bird in our fridge...along many other ingredients to make a feast this Thursday.

The traditional holiday of Thanksgiving is one that I really identify with.
Being thankful and taking time to appreciate what we have is something that we often overlook or forget to do in our every day life. How great then, that we have one day where we set aside time to say thanks, to be with family and friends, and to celebrate the bounty of hearth and home with a big, shared meal? This year my Mom is estimating 10 or 11 around the table, between my brothers, grandma, uncle and assorted friends who attend. A Chinese friend from work will be coming. I hope to celebrate this day with my own family someday, even if we are in Costa Rica. Who knows? Maybe my esposo and I will be able to make it up for this US holiday.
Despite the stress that the holidays bring, the commercialized buying and spending and gifting, I find that I am most appreciative of my friends, family and health. Count your blessings daily, lest they be taken from you.

Pura Vida

cappuccinos in the cold

Today I went to a local Starbucks and waited in line for a cappuccino which ended up being extremely disappointing. My hubby makes them way better.
It is winter cold here in Dayton, so I will be wearing scarves and hats all the time now! Me bundled up...

3 months later

Today is November 14th.
Three months ago today I was wed to my incredible husband in San Vito, Costa Rica. I miss him very much, and I am really looking forward to going home and being with him again!
Now it doesn't sound so strange to say "my husband" or "mi esposo." I think of him all the time, every day! He is first in my heart.

Pura Vida!

possibilities

My alarm went off at 2:45am, but I was already up. I grabbed my towel and showered, doing my best not to wet my already straightened hair. I dressed in comfy clothes, quickly plugged in my ipod for an update and went outside to warm up the car. Why was I up so early??
I had an interview with Continental Airlines today. They flew me from Columbus, OH to Houston, TX. To make my 6am flight from CMH to IAH, I had to get up extra early and hit the road. I went to bed around 9pm last night.
Getting to the airport was no problem (especially after I figured out cruise control), with very little traffic. I wasn't tired at all, my mind running in a thousand directions. After parking in the airport garage I made my way to the check-in and got my boarding passes, then went to my gate to wait for departure.
I sat down next to two ladies speaking in Spanish, and my mind immediately leapt to my beloved and Costa Rica. How I miss it...
No sleep for me on the way to Houston. I listened to reggae and watched the sun come up, looking over my resume. Nothing to tell...it was a good flight with clear weather and mild turbulence. After arriving to IAH and seeing I had fallen back an hour, I stopped and got a donut and some coffee. Nothing like Costa Rican joe, but a girl has to make do... from there I exited to terminal E and looked around for the transportation to the training center, which leaves every half hour. I was in the company of a redhead from NYC, also on her way to be interviewed. By the time the van showed up we were joined by a gaggle of other young (and some middle-aged) women also going to be interviewed. Our driver gave us some brief instructions on where to go when we arrived, and the drive was only about 5 minutes.
Once at the training center we entered and followed signs to a large classroom already half full with people, all of them there for interviews. I was a little intimidated looking around...there seemed to be some flight veterans in the crowd, with prim hairstyles and perfect makeup, as well as a slew of beautiful and interesting looking young people, and a few oddballs here and there (I only saw about 6 men total, but I didn't turn around to look at everyone). I sat next to a lady who had driven from Austin, who worked as a filing clerk for a VFW post. I never caught her name but she wished me luck and I did the same. Row by row we were asked to line up and hand in our resumes and check-in. I gave my resume (and I didn't have any letters of recommendation! I should have thought of that!) to a friendly woman who confirmed my name and my return flight information and directed me towards a guy with name tags. People kept coming in, and the room was starting to get pretty full. There was steady conversation all around me, but I found myself studying the blue info sheet that I got with my name tag, which described in more detail the job of a flight attendant and had lots of information about expectations, training procedures, etc. At 9:30am exactly the doors closed and a presentation began, with a description of the company and the job requirements for flight attendants. Afterwards we were greeted by the facilitator, a black woman named Marsha who was celebrating her 14th anniversary of being with Continental and who's magenta blazer distracted my eye. She opened the floor to questions, but there weren't very many. Then began the interviews...one by one our names were called and we were escorted by a staff interviewer to a cubicle where we sat across from each other at a desk. I forget the name of the woman I talked to (Cathy? Cristine?) but she was very friendly and took lots of notes, to be able to accurately represent me in a description for the senior recruiters she said. She started by looking over my resume, her eyes falling on the already circled "Spanish" at the top where I listed my degree.
"Where would you fall, on a scale of one to ten (ten being the best), with your comfort level with the language?" She asked.
"I would say a seven or an eight." I replied. I told her about living in Costa Rica for a year and how complete immersion does wonders for one's language skills...she said she had flown into Liberia and wanted to see a monkey.
We talked about why I applied for the position, what a challenge for me had been with a boss or co-worker, and an example of when I had to listen well and follow directions. The examples came easily, all of them fresh from the last high season. Then she allowed me to ask questions...
I should hear back soon. She was very kind and shook my hand twice before escorting  me out and recommending that I check to see if I could re-book for an earlier flight when I returned to the airport. I was the last one to hop into the van waiting out front to go back to IAH, and then with the help of two representatives at the check-in my flight was changed to an earlier one and I meandered down to the gate to wait and read my book.
I got home a little while ago, and I don't want to set myself up for disappointment by expecting too much from this experience. It was valuable and I learned a lot since this was my first REAL interview, but all I can say is that we will see how it goes!
What a busy, crazy day, viajando. Time to rest.

Pura Vida

time flies...can it go faster?

Lately I have been very busy working and eating and sleeping. Yesterday was my day off and I enjoyed it staying at home with Mom and Dad, having quality time. It is hard to think that I won't be seeing as much of them from now on, and it makes me appreciate all the more being able to be here and to give them a hug or laughing together in a conversation.

November is already here...this means Thanksgiving, the start of winter weather, and almost two months of absence from Costa Rica. Sometimes I have trouble falling asleep, and I try to imagine the warm air and familiar night sounds, and Elliott's arms around me and it feels a little more like home.... Time has gone so quickly, and I am treasuring every moment, but I hope that we move quickly into December and the day of my departure. It can't come soon enough...until I can go home.

Pura Vida

guess who bought a plancha?

the joys of fall

While cold weather isn't really my thing, this season is absolutely my favorite...fall.

It's cold enough to need a sweater, but not a coat.
Cold enough to wear socks, but not slippers.
You appreciate more coming into a warm house.
Sleeping in under the covers when it's cold outside is much better than sleeping in and feeling like you are missing out on great weather.
Drinking hot chocolate, and warming your hands around the mug.
The colors of the trees and how the earth and leaves smell when you rake the front yard.
Pumpkin EVERYTHING! : )
Anticipating the first frost...and then the first snow.

And breakfast today was a fall classic...cinnamon and honey oatmeal with a mug of tea. YUM.

Pura Vida

one month down...two to go

It's official...I have been here for one month!
Hard to believe that four short weeks ago I was sitting in the airport, blogging about my final moments in CR before my journey home. Two more months to go, and I hope they go fast.

Today I feel like my energy has just run out...maybe it has something to do with my gym regimen, or working six days a week. All I know is that I want a hug from my hubby and a couple extra hours of sleep. Especially in this season! The last thing I need is to get sick or burned out before Christmas (my favorite holiday!).
Cuidado.

Pura VIda

hitting the wall

While I enjoy being back in my hometown, I think the pura vida essence of my beloved Costa Rica has worn off. After being home for a month, I am reaching the point where all the funny, quirky things my parents and siblings do are no longer funny nor quirky, but the most irritating things in the world. I find that I am constantly bad tempered, easily annoyed and more impatient. Instead of taking the things and people in stride, I react with bad humor.

Most of the difficulty I think comes from separation anxiety. I miss my husband, and I am more than  little torn between trying to enjoy my time with my family and longing at the same time to be back home (home being where my husband is). The key I think is to maximize my time here, and also to maintain contact and continue my relationship with my hubby.
Oh the joys and complications of having two homes, two families, two countries...

I hope to get all my documents in order to begin successfully with the process of applying for citizenship asap. There are so many little details to take care of... I can do it!

Pura Vida...Costa Rica : )

winter weather

While it is only October, I feel like we are well into winter. A Costa Rican winter, that is.
The last few days have been wet and cold, very reminiscent of Monteverde just at this time of year! It's like I am back on the mountain, bundling up to walk outside in the cold and rain.
The only thing is, I know it will get worse. SNOW is on the way! And while I love the white stuff, it brings the temps down quite a bit. How lucky that I have a little heater in my room, which is right over the cold garage. Any day now Dad will turn on the heat, I'm sure. In the meantime I am sleeping in socks.

Bring it on, Ohio weather!

Pura Vida

road trip pic

11 hours in the car

long distance travel in the USA

Today began an 11-hour roadtrip from Ohio to New Jersey. Needless to say, it was a long day.

Some things I noticed about this travel experience:

-There are very few buses on the highways. I saw a couple Greyhounds, and one bus that I think was a Mega Bus, but that was all. In CR there are buses every 100 meters on a road.
- Four lane highways are normal. In CR it's usually two lane.
- Gas stations are shopping meccas. In CR there are locations that are restaurant and souvenir combos, some gas stations may have a few food items, but none of them will sell electronic equipment or children's toys or clothing! I was overwhelmed by all the variety in a simple gas station.
- Tunnels. I know of only one tunnel in all of CR...and today we must have driven through four.
- Rest areas. I love them...stretch your legs, go to the bathroom, run around in an area designated just for people to pull of the highway and take a travel break. Those do not exist in CR! But they need them, for sure.

Something I noticed about me too...that now I don't like driving as much as I did before. I get tired more easily, I cannot concentrate for very long, my vision has gotten worse. I have been spoiled by having a chofer and being able to take the bus anywhere and everywhere. I miss the bus, honestly. I admit that having a car is more convenient in some ways, in MANY ways, but I like the simplicity of taking a bus...and the cost.

Ah well...now in about 48 hours we will be heading back. Wonder who will be driving then?
We will see.

Pura Vida

excuse me while i translate that...

Today sped by at the speed of light. I went to work and to the gym after, and my mission to get my booty in shape continues with mild success.

I want to stop and write about what happened to me today though.
While in conversation at work, I found myself not understanding a question asked of me, and automatically wanting to respond "como?" instead of "what?" It took some mental effort to get my tongue to spit out the English response, because my brain was in Spanish mode.
At another point later in the day, some co-workers and I were discussing cranberries and sugar beets. For the life of me, I couldn't remember what sugar beets were, because in my head I know them as "remolacha" and nothing else! I could picture the object in my head, but attached to it was the Spanish word, and the English word just got stuck somewhere between my eyebrows.
Again during the day, instead of saying "i'm sorry" I found myself saying "lo siento" and then quickly correcting myself...again, responding in the wrong language. Shouldn't I be switched back over by now?

Though I find this to be potentially embarrassing, it just goes to show how deeply ingrained the Spanish language as become for me. Initially I was afraid that returning to the USA I would lose what fluency I had, but two weeks in and I am still doing ok!
I am partially relieved. Also very encouraged, to keep speaking to my mom in Spanish and in general speak in Spanish whenever possible. Now if I could only get my languages sorted out for the right people in the right situations...maybe I could say I am bilingual.

Pura Vida!

rice and beans

Today I made gallo pinto for dinner...see my handiwork! With onion and mushroom omelette, tomato and bread. My parents and uncle liked it : )
Buen provecho!

Pura Vida

my tan is fading

The sun here is definitely not as strong as it is in Costa Rica...being closer to the equator has both dangers and perks, and one perk I miss right now is the easy tan that comes from simply walking down the street. The danger is...laying out for more than 20 minutes and burning!

All the color I got over the last few days while in Esparza has started to peel or fade, and my bronzed look is fading away. Yesterday, not having to work, I took full advantage of the 70+ degree weather we are having (a very late Indian Summer, according to Mom) and tanned sitting in my backyard for about 2 hours. 2 HOURS! No, I do not look like a lobster, or a tomato, or Rudolph. My color is just a hint deeper, and I was amazed that I had no burn to show for my relaxing morning in the sun. Maybe I will sit out again tomorrow! Now if only I hadn't left all my bikinis in Esparza....
By the time I get back, I will be as pale as a sheet of paper.

The weather here has been exceptionally warm for fall, and I think I have just gotten lucky. I desperately need to buy closed shoes still, since the ones I took with me over the last year have suffered mold and wetness and mud. I have yet to wear socks outside of the gym and work, and I like it that way...though I know it can't last much longer.
My parents and I even ate dinner outside this evening, until the mosquitoes started getting too friendly. Soon it will be much to cold for that.
While fall is a beautiful season, I sorely miss the sun, heat, humidity of Costa Rica. It was balmy, never too cold. And for someone who catches cold as easy as I do, I need a warm climate. Of course, I come back to Dayton just in time to experience the coldest season of the year. Good thing I didn't get rid of any socks.

Work has been going well. I need all the hours I can get, and there are plenty of shifts for me to fill in, between all of the new responsibilities of Catering and all of the new students. Luckily in the last year not too much has slipped away... though it's hard to forget skills and habits accumulated over the last 6 years of working in the same place. I am just glad to be busy, and to be making a little money.

Pura Vida

week one

It has officially been one week since I arrived back in the USA, back in Ohio.
Is it pathetic that I spent some of today investigating how much it would be to change my ticket? Right now I am missing intensely the heat and beauty of Costa Rica, and the warmth of my husband. Not sure how much longer I will last here!
Despite how much I love my family, my home is where Elliott is.
Only 86 more days to go...

Pura Vida

working girl

It's been a while since I have been out of the kitchen back at Catering, but today went very well...my first day back! There were lots of hugs and smiles, and I felt so welcomed. If only I could remember everyone's name! There are lots of new faces too, including new supervisors (one of which is 22, not sure what to make of that!).

I feel invigorated instead of tired, after serving a HUGE March of Dimes fundraiser event downtown, with a team of just 4 people. The 6 hours I worked didn't feel like work...it was fun! Hope that I can go back soon.

The idea while I am here is to work as much as I can, to get a big jump on repaying my pesky student loans... Luckily there is plenty going on in Catering, so we will see where they fit me in.
It feels great to be back in action! If you know of any extra work around the DYT throw it my way ; )

Pura Vida

making cupcakes

choklad ljus

Don't worry, I am not going crazy or anything...the title is Swedish for "milk chocolate" (at least, according to IKEA).

The last few days have been great! I went with mom to Cincy the other day to visit a family friend, and it was great bonding experience! On the way back we stopped at IKEA, and boy, I hope that there is one on Costa Rica so when I get married (again) that we can outfit our house with everything IKEA. Hope Elliott doesn't mind.

Today I went to the gym, and as I am writing this I am eating chocolate and pretty much null-and-voiding my 500 burned calories. I think I might start a food diary, which will help me lose the 10lbs I gained while I was away. I can come back a new person! Still feeling a little embarrassed to go to the pool...no doubt my suit will be tight, and that is humiliating for me. The plan is to lose a few pounds first, then get back in the water. Not to mention I need a new razor!

This afternoon spent visiting with folks at Catering, and they are thrilled to have me back! It feels good to be back too, so many familiar faces and a place that I know like the back of my hand. Hoping the paperwork for re-hire goes through quick! I want to start making some money, while I can.

Tomorrow morning my Mom and I are road-tripping up to Toledo to pick up my lil bro, for a family weekend. It will be the first time seeing all my brothers and my Uncle, seeing all my family together for the first time. I am looking forward to it, especially since I have some small gifts for my bros. We will be a doing a brunch, and I cannot wait to get my hands dirty in the kitchen...I love making breakfast food!!!!!!

In cleaning out my closet looking for kitchen items to give to my brother, to help him outfit his new and very bare apartment, I stumbled upon all kinds of  treasures.
Family heirlooms, like crystal dessert dishes from my grandma, and a nightgown set made by my great-grandma by hand, assorted books, even my diary from my first summer working in Costa Rica. There are so many things I want to take back with me, but will have to let go. They are too many, too heavy. It is really a challenge to myself, to NOT be a packrat like my parents and to be less material. The things have no value, just the memories. Memories are what you really have to treasure.
This will be a tough lesson, I think.

Missing my esposo tons. There are so many things I want to share with him, so many people and places I want to introduce him too! Looking forward to being able to hold his hand walking down the street again.

Pura Vida

good old Dayton

So far so good in my first 24 hours. I think I almost have the tp thing down! (after having a nervous moment in the airport when I realized there was no trashcan...and then realizing that I could just toss it in the bowl. liberating.)

Today I unpacked my bag and subsequently my dresser. How do I have so many clothes, and so much that I don't use?????????? I started two bags, one for donations and one of things my younger cousin might possibly use. My large collection of socks will have to find another home, as they don't all fit in my drawer.
During the morning I was at home with Mom, and did a lot of organizing. We shared a lot about Spain, and her recent trip there, and I shared many anecdotes of Costa Rica. It feels like the day just went so fast!
We went to pick up Dad at his new office this afternoon, as he dropped the car off to get fixed.

The highways are so different...everything is four lane, there are signs EVERYWHERE, all the cars are so new!  And there were no buses in sight. Gas here is at $3.25 a gallon. So expensive. Mom asked what the prices are like down there, and I couldn't tell her because I have no clue...I ride the bus all the time. It is a real pain here that I can't just hop on a local bus and ride away, because the bus stop is a) far from my house b) doesn't pass frequently and c) connections are mainly in downtown. Imagine going all the way downtown just to try and get to the mall! I miss the simplicity of not driving.

Mom and I have been speaking a lot of Spanglish. I find that most of the time my immediate thought responses come out in Spanish...which means most of the people around me wouldn't understand my thought commentary.

Saw my good friends Johnny and Sam today! Four years ago Johnny and I were in the first group to go to CPI from my university, and we have been close buddies ever since. He and his longtime girlfriend Sam just got engaged! Congrats! It was great to catch up with them for a bit.

Ok, going to the dinner table. It is strange not having to cook for two anymore. I miss my esposo.

Pura Vida

SJO>ATL>CVG

My final hours in Costa Rica were certainly memorable. Read below.
Sitting in the airport at 5:30am, I look around and marvel at all the people here...staff that make this place function, other passengers (including a pink-and-purple haired girl I saw at the ferry a few days ago! who is also on my flight it seems) and ponder the increased security measures. Maybe someone tried to sneak an iguana through recently? The only sketchy things I have are safely ziplocked in a little plastic bag, my little bottle or perfume, some purell and two lotions.

Yesterday night getting to Heredia from Esparza was pretty epic. It began to rain around 5pm, at which time Elliott and I had a cup of coffee. We debated calling a taxi but decided not to...walked all the way to downtown (about 20 mins from his neighborhood) and stopped so he could print something and then at the supermarket so i could exchange a few dollars for colones, to pay bus fare. Then we walked to the highway and the bus stop, where it was raining cats and dogs and orangutans... There it was another 20 minute wait, as we watched various buses go by to San Jose and not stop. Finally a Tralapa bus stopped and picked us up, and I even got a seat! My legs were soaked and my bag too, though everything inside the bag was wrapped in plastic (which is a boon because I had my compu with me!!). About 35 minutes into my ride, the bus got too hot and the driver stopped to let it cool down. Another 35 minutes later and all of the passengers were outside, waiting to board another bus. I was stressing out, my plan for catching a local bus at the airport SCREWED because of the late hour. I stood awkwardly the rest of the ride on the second bus, an armrest in my crotch and someone's backpack against my butt. There was barely room to stand, and it was a good thing I remembered deodorant  otherwise the lady sitting in front of me would have fainted. Getting off the bus I grabbed a taxi to Nidia's, my Mama Tica, and arrived soaked and tired at about 9:40pm. Muni was there after her baby shower, as well as Jimmy and Jason (hermanos) watching a soccer game. I re-packed my bag, Skyped with Elliott, called to double check my ride for this morning and talked with Nidia and Miguel before falling asleep around 11:45pm.

Yesterday was a tough day...saying goodbye to my esposo, my Familia Tica. I didn't get to touch base with some people after all, that I wanted to say goodbye to in Heredia. At Elliott's I had a good cry, my head on his shoulder and looking up at the house around us. Things are changing there, too. He will soon be moving out of the house and into a smaller apartment closer to downtown Esparza, which is less expensive. His room-mates are also leaving, having found a house closer to their workplace and more comfortable.
He is very organized and kind of a neat freak, which I alternately love and hate...it keeps me on my toes about being organized, even about brushing my teeth. (He brushes after every meal, me twice a day.) In any case, we will be living in a new place when I come back in December. We will likely be looking at more permenaant places in Puntarenas or Jaco.

It is getting lighter here, and the plane is being loaded with our meal...there is breakfast on this flight, HOORAY! Since I didn't eat dinner last night and 4am is a little early to drink coffee. It is beautiful and clear, and I can see the mountains in a ring around the central valley. My gate is starting to get busier.
Looking forward to people watching in Atlanta, and grabbing some Starbucks.
After Atlanta I head to Cincy, and from there go on to Dayton. Mom and Dad will be waiting for me at the airport, I think. Will do my best not to cry...

I am going to miss this beautiful country sooooooooooooo much! (Below: Mal Pais, in Guanacaste. We visited there two days ago!)

 These 3 months will go quick, I know. Time flies...just like my time here did.
Dayton, here I come.

Pura Vida

yes i am going back.

Ticket to Costa Rica in December is BOUGHT! Thank you Kayak for your sweet deals : ) You can find me in CR again on December 29th!

one more month.

I don't know how I will be able to walk through the airport doors one month from today, bags packed and passport in hand, to leave this beautiful country. I have to be at the airport around 4am, since my flight leaves at 7am. Check-ins can be stressful and crazy, and I imagine my nerves will be all over the place.

The idea makes me sick, queasy, nervous. How can I leave a place, a country where I belong? There is some small comfort though...knowing that I will be coming back.

I just have to get my ticket.

One more month in paradise...enjoy every moment, aprovechar.