There was just free yoga at the hostel I'm staying in.
Hella. Yes.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Back in Costa Rica
I'm back in Costa Rica on vacation for the next week so really, how can I resist the opportunity to post a blog? To be sure, the thrift store is never boring, but it's also a little difficult to speak candidly about every day experiences. I haven't given much thought as to why that differs from my Peace Corps experience. Certainly, I spoke of the organization and very real people and it wasn't always pleasant. But for some reason, blogging about much of what's interesting (good and bad) within the thrift store seems innately more taboo. I'll have to think about that some more.
Whatever the case may be, I'm back in country for the next few days and thought it would be appropriate to post again. A very present theme in my blog has been nails and nail art, so I should definitely include the fact that as I write I am recieving a pedicure. It's the bomb diggity, a little station with a swivel desk and a laptop and, below, some warm water jets massaging my feet. Yup. And because I'm so in tune with the computer and not my feet, I do believe my pain tolerance is a bit higher. So this is pretty sweet.
The last few days I was able to meet up with some good friends in their sites. Adriana and Biiftu were already in San Jose and the three of us met up with Aaron to head down to the "dirty south" of the country.
Ah! Ah! Threshold for pain is NOT HIGHER.
Ok. So we went to the so-called dirty south and had a great time. Three volunteers all in a row in the "Filas"...Fila Pinar, Fila Guinea, and Fila Mendes. It was awesome to see a part of the country I had not seen before, and one so verdant. Compared to brittle Guanacaste, this part of Costa Rica looked like it had more water than it knew what to do with. Except...that's kind of a lie. All three of the Filas were without water, a situation that Darien, our first volunteer host, was aware of. For this reason, the first night of our trip was going to be spent at Jessie's site, since her host family has a water tank - one that was left open and dripping and was, consequentially, out of water when we got there.
Not a problem, though. We're troopers and so girl's night went without a hitch. The following day we met up with Aaron (remember him? He did a guest blog, it was very good) and that night there was dancing, wine, and spaghetti at Darien's house ftw.
Stinky but happy, we were on the bus the next day to come into San Jose.
So far my time in San Jose reconnecting with my friends has been great. They are headed to mid-service training for the next three days, and all of them had tales to relate from their sites. I'm so proud of them. Someone described it as, "Sometimes I think, 'Oh my God, I only have a year left, it's so little time," and sometimes I think, 'Oh holy crap, there's still a year left.'" Either way you slice it, a year is indeed a good chunk of time and I have total faith that they'll keep being effective and sincere volunteers. If y'all are reading, caps off to you guys!
So now that they're heading to their remote training facility (sounds positively mysterious, doesn't it?) I've got some time on my hands. And what have I done with it? Well, you already know where I'm writing from. Just previous to this, I was at the tattoo parlor where I got the first half of my new piece inked in January. I talked with the guy and now we're ready to finish it all up on Friday at 10am. So. Pumped. I think after this I'll go see a movie and get some ice cream. At some point I need to go to the grocery store...no real rush though, which is superbly relaxing.
Tomorrow I head to Guanacaste to see my host family. My oldest host sister had another baby, Luna Fiorela and I CANNOT wait to see her and hold her. This is Genesis's little sister and I am overjoyed that I'll get to see Genesis as well. My host ----
Ah! Threshold for tickling also not any higher for being distracted.
My host mom is probably the person I am most excited to see. To give her a hug and wish her a happy Mother's Day is my greatest desire right now.
After I get back and tatted, it'll be time to hang out with my friends again on the opposite end of their mid-service training and in the first few days of their second year as Peace Corps Volunteers. This is the plan, but as always, "The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men gang aft agley..." The "gang aft agley" is what makes for good stories anyway (like water shortages that result in baby wipe baths and cemented hair braids), so we'll see what happens and I'll keep you updated!
Chau desde Costa Rica!
Whatever the case may be, I'm back in country for the next few days and thought it would be appropriate to post again. A very present theme in my blog has been nails and nail art, so I should definitely include the fact that as I write I am recieving a pedicure. It's the bomb diggity, a little station with a swivel desk and a laptop and, below, some warm water jets massaging my feet. Yup. And because I'm so in tune with the computer and not my feet, I do believe my pain tolerance is a bit higher. So this is pretty sweet.
The last few days I was able to meet up with some good friends in their sites. Adriana and Biiftu were already in San Jose and the three of us met up with Aaron to head down to the "dirty south" of the country.
Ah! Ah! Threshold for pain is NOT HIGHER.
Ok. So we went to the so-called dirty south and had a great time. Three volunteers all in a row in the "Filas"...Fila Pinar, Fila Guinea, and Fila Mendes. It was awesome to see a part of the country I had not seen before, and one so verdant. Compared to brittle Guanacaste, this part of Costa Rica looked like it had more water than it knew what to do with. Except...that's kind of a lie. All three of the Filas were without water, a situation that Darien, our first volunteer host, was aware of. For this reason, the first night of our trip was going to be spent at Jessie's site, since her host family has a water tank - one that was left open and dripping and was, consequentially, out of water when we got there.
Not a problem, though. We're troopers and so girl's night went without a hitch. The following day we met up with Aaron (remember him? He did a guest blog, it was very good) and that night there was dancing, wine, and spaghetti at Darien's house ftw.
Stinky but happy, we were on the bus the next day to come into San Jose.
So far my time in San Jose reconnecting with my friends has been great. They are headed to mid-service training for the next three days, and all of them had tales to relate from their sites. I'm so proud of them. Someone described it as, "Sometimes I think, 'Oh my God, I only have a year left, it's so little time," and sometimes I think, 'Oh holy crap, there's still a year left.'" Either way you slice it, a year is indeed a good chunk of time and I have total faith that they'll keep being effective and sincere volunteers. If y'all are reading, caps off to you guys!
So now that they're heading to their remote training facility (sounds positively mysterious, doesn't it?) I've got some time on my hands. And what have I done with it? Well, you already know where I'm writing from. Just previous to this, I was at the tattoo parlor where I got the first half of my new piece inked in January. I talked with the guy and now we're ready to finish it all up on Friday at 10am. So. Pumped. I think after this I'll go see a movie and get some ice cream. At some point I need to go to the grocery store...no real rush though, which is superbly relaxing.
Tomorrow I head to Guanacaste to see my host family. My oldest host sister had another baby, Luna Fiorela and I CANNOT wait to see her and hold her. This is Genesis's little sister and I am overjoyed that I'll get to see Genesis as well. My host ----
Ah! Threshold for tickling also not any higher for being distracted.
My host mom is probably the person I am most excited to see. To give her a hug and wish her a happy Mother's Day is my greatest desire right now.
After I get back and tatted, it'll be time to hang out with my friends again on the opposite end of their mid-service training and in the first few days of their second year as Peace Corps Volunteers. This is the plan, but as always, "The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men gang aft agley..." The "gang aft agley" is what makes for good stories anyway (like water shortages that result in baby wipe baths and cemented hair braids), so we'll see what happens and I'll keep you updated!
Chau desde Costa Rica!
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