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
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
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
Tuesday, November 22, 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
Sunday, November 20, 2011
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
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
Thursday, November 17, 2011
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...
It is winter cold here in Dayton, so I will be wearing scarves and hats all the time now! Me bundled up...
Monday, November 14, 2011
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!
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!
Friday, November 11, 2011
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
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
Monday, November 7, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
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