South Georgia in the Summer

Those country songs aren't kidding when they sing about "driving' through Georgia in about July on a day hot enough to make the devil sigh..."

Just got back from a wonderful stay in Georgia (and on the beach nonetheless) :)

Adam and I did so much during my stay that it would be hard to recount everything, but here are a few pictures from the trip! It was wonderful seeing him, his family, learning about the "war between the states" by visiting historical sites, bumming on the beach and eating tons of great seafood!

Awesome wrap up to my summer adventures 2012. :)

Pura Vida,
Jeesica Lynn

Travel Recap

*This post was really overdue! I thought it had published about a week and a half ago…

Well apparently having your Sky Miles number printed on your boarding ticket gets you bumped up to the Sky Priority check-in line in Costa Rica. The gentleman checking my boarding pass looked it over and said, "muchacha, Ud. va por aquí con este numero." (Muchacha, you go over here with this number) and I headed to the Sky Priority lane ahead of about 20 other people. Guess who was número uno to check-in to Delta Flight 414 today? :)

Because I beat the morning rush by being at the airport at 4:30 a.m., I was also one of the first people through security and first people in the Cafe Britt shop wandering around looking for sweet treats to bring home to family and friends. :)

Finally I headed to Gate 2 and was pleasantly surprised to see that Juan Santamaria airport has fixed the bottleneck they usually cause by having a second security checkpoint immediately inside of the jetway. There, they check liquids, run the wand over you and perform a basic pat down. In the past, this caused a mess in the Jetway as everyone was trying to board. This year, the security checkpoint was backed up well before you ever get to the boarding gate. This way, you can go through it before you are even called to board. Good work, SJO, good work.

Of course, by being the first person to clear this checkpoint as well, I got to people watch for a while. Naturally, there was one U.S. gentleman who became rather indignant that the officials were going to confiscate his pointed, metal nail file. In a wild flurry of hand gestures indicating what the item was (like the Ticos have never seen one before...) he finally gave up and huffed off. It was amusing and I'm glad the Tico stood his ground. Sir, I do believe you can purchase another one for $0.99 at Walgreens back home.

Finally, to add to my in-flight perks, I was asleep when the complimentary snack cart came around, and I was parched, so I asked the attendant if I could still get my standard apple juice. She returned with the entire apple juice can and a handful of snacks. I think I'll sleep through the snack cart again next time... :)

Pictures below: Leaving Costa Rica, the rebel rouser wanting his nail file back, and my snacks :)

Pura Vida,
Jessica Lynn

Happy Heart

This summer FLEW by here in Costa Rica.

I can't even begin to count the memories, ups, downs, and over all gladness and gratefulness that I experienced. In has been yet another incredible summer!

My work here this year varied between managing my group group, and taking on supervisor/managerial duties. I was entrusted with a lot more responsibilities this year (and LOVED it). I truly enjoyed the supervisor end of things. I never thought I would be good at that kind of position, but as I realized quickly, I actually preferred that type of responsibility. I guided, trained and oversaw chaperones of groups for our department as well as met with professors/chaperones of groups coming in to discuss their own itineraries. It's amazing that I kept all of their itineraries straight in my head. Arelys has three times as many to keep straight...I wonder how she does it? :)

Why I'll always come back:
I tell people this is my summer home, and it's the truth. Costs Rica is a home to me now. I have very dear friends down here that I am ever excited to see and spend time with. There is Muni and her family, and then my boss, Jonle, and her family whom I adore. Some of my favorite memories from the summer involved those people and just spending time in the office or at their homes with them. I am ever grateful that they accept me back every year to work for CPI and mesh into their daily lives. My trips here wouldn't be the same without them. :)

I think the Dutch girl is very wrong in her conviction about not continuing to visit the same place and to see other places. She's not the first to say that and others question my travels as well saying, " Don't you want to get out and see other places?" The short answer is, yes, of course. And I will. I already do. I think the frustration in their line of questioning is that maybe they've never spent long enough somewhere or been outside the walls of their resort or even their own country to have built the bonds like I have. Anyone can visit a country and the see the people in it. I know the people in it.

There is something to be said for that, I think. :)

As I head back to the U.S. to embark on the next part of my travels, I will make my usual adjustments and forget that my toilet paper goes back in the toilet now and that "gracias" and "buenos días" will get funny looks from people.

Feliz verano a todos! Happy summer everyone.

Chaito,
Jessica Lynn

Delicacies

Here's a rundown, in no particular order, of some Costa Rican treats. These have been discovered by me and others along the way!

1. Chocolate milk from Dos Pinos and Jet bars--when Kristen came to visit a few years ago, while she was in the shower I ran out to get us a snack and this is what I ended up with. She's been getting a Jet bar from Costa Rica every year since... :)

2. Sesame nuggets!!!! Kristen can relate.

3. Coffee flavored ice cream in Monteverde

4. Costa Rican coffee... I'm a coffee snob these days.

5. Gallo Pinto--national dish of Costa Rica. Made with? You guessed it. Rice and beans. Me encanta!

6. "Trits" an ice cream invention that you're sure to love. Vanilla/chocolate swirl ice cream sandwiched between two crumbly cookies.

7. Imperial. Need I say more?

8. Homemade baked goods from a local panadería with dulce de leche. :)

9. Tamales made by the local church organization in Monteverde!

Vamos a la Playa!

I finally got to the beach.

It's been difficult to be working 50 meters from the beach and not be able to just go out and sit along it. Every day I see it and want to relax on it, just for an hour, nada más. So today, I did. :)

The only reason I managed it is because I finally took a lunch break. Most of my lunches this week have consisted of a run over to the minisuper to get an apple and come back to school. I was determined today would be different. Having taken care if absolutely everything on my list of things to do, I informed the front desk I was getting lunch today and then proceeded to go buy my apple and simply continue on the road leading to the beach. It was glorious. For an I hour I laid there in the white sands with no phone calls, questions, or wild goose hunts to locate someone. I'm not greedy so after the hour was up, I headed back to school--completely satisfied and a little more tan than before. :)

Now...if I could just convince myself that I should take lunch at that time every day, I'd be all set!

I did forget to mention that today was the perfect day for it because the sun was still shining and there wasn't a cloud in sight this afternoon!

Pura Vida,
Jessica Lynn

Hot Tamale

Holy Toledo, it's hot here today.

I walked to school today (25 minute walk) at 9:10 a.m. and was sweating like no other. Why did I pass up the free transportation? Well, I decided to go to the bank and pay my impuesta de salida (exit tax) today. It's so much easier to do before getting to the airport regardless of when you fly out. I always like to do it ahead of time and because I didn't have much going on this morning, I decided today might be a good day to take care of it. And it was...except for the heat. I should have taken a picture of my shirt by the time I got here!

I forgot to recap my weekend because Saturday was Pool Day and it was amazing! I started off the day relaxing with Jonle by the pool where she lives eating frozen watermelon (it was last day of the detox!). We waited there until Muni and Jonle's son arrived from Monteverde. It was so great seeing them both!!

From the pool (where I got sufficiently burnt :( ) we showered and headed to the mall MultiPlaza. This.place.is.huge. It has three levels and probably 300 stores. Muni wanted to do some baby shopping and I ended up buying a dress from Mango (a Spanish based company). I need to remember to shop there more...

We were at the mall for the better part of the day and were considering going to a movie at one point, but as the day wore on we all were too tired to manage it. We ended the day with dinner (remember the gnocchi picture?) and a stop at Price Smart where Muni and Jonle shopped and I stayed in the car with Jonle's son making up rhymes. It was hilarious! Her son is almost 9 and we were trying to create a Dr. Suess book of our own.  Given how crazy our rhymes were, I think we succeeded. : )

Finally around 9:30, we headed home and on Sunday morning I packed up and headed here to the beach!

Today I transfer back to the Central Valley at 2:00 p.m.!

The picture of the pool is actually from this morning while I was waiting for the bank to open.  Conveniently, the place where I'm staying has a wonderful pool area. : )


Arroz y frijoles,
Jessica Lynn

Eighties Cover Band Heartthrob

Out here on the beach this week...

I made sure on Monday that after the bus dropped me off at the apartments that I hustled back to the beach to watch the sunset. Given that it's the rainy season in Costa Rica, you can never be guaranteed a sunset due to rain or cloud cover in the evening. So when I saw that there wasn't a cloud in sight at 5:00 p.m. I made sure to get back to the beach!

Puesta del Sol: Playa Flamingo

As usual, the western sky didn't disappoint, and I hustled back to the apartments before dark (the road I live on gets really dangerous at night!) but not before stopping by the supermercado to check for Jet Bars for my sister and I...no luck. : (

 

 

Last night was spent at a restaurant called The Mariner in Flamingo with a group of students that I'm living in the residencies with. Added bonus: live music! And let me tell you, I wish I had a camera. The lead singer with his tattooed arms, cut-off button down shirt (that was only buttoned to his belly button), tight rocker jeans and long hair was rockin' out to the likes of Summer of '69, Highway to Hell, You Give Love a Bad Name, and any other popular eighties tune. He was driving the middle-aged women crazy. I witnessed moves never seen before from one woman in particular who was gyrating about as much as the lead singer. It was fabuloso.

 

 

Anyway, when I came home I crawled into bed and woke up early for a 6 miler up the mountain (yes, there are mountains on the coast line) with awesome ocean views!

 

 

Today I'm in the office doing small projects and helping out where I can. I'm about to make a lunch run through because I'm hungry for a salad. : )

 

 

Costa Rican Curiosity addition: Cuba Libre in a can. As if making a ron y coca were so difficult. Que asco... :(

All right, off to obtain my salad!

Pura vida,

Jessica Lynn

New Lodgings

People are curious creatures.

I am in a shared apartment and shared room here in Flamingo (oh, near da' beach, mon). Because of my set up I have new roommates for a few days. These are regular students and not CPI chaperones this week.

I am currently listening in on a conversation about a girl and her love for her hermit crabs.  Did you know that hermit crabs have personalities? And they can understand the vibrations of your voice so that they can recognize when you call them by name? I think it's a load of shiitake mushrooms, but she seems convinced...

The other roommate is another student who is convinced he will run with me tomorrow at 5 a.m.

Finally, there is the girl from Holland who informed me that she would never be like me and keep visiting the same country again and again because it's important to see other places. She didn't really give me time to talk about all of the places I've been, and I didn't really care to. Wasn't worth the fight... It only bothered me in the sense that somehow developing relationships and continuing to visit those people and places is wrong.

Anyway, I'm bunked up here until Thursday. Officially off the cleanse as of dinner last night when my boss and I decided to end it. I ordered gnocchi and it was delicious. : )

Trying to get plenty of grad work done before work tomorrow!

Pura Vida,
Jessica Lynn

Gnocchi for my first meal. Que rico! : )

Workin' Hard For My Money

This week has been loca! Somehow, I am busier without my own group than when I am in charge of one.  Maybe that’s because I’ve become the right-hand woman here in Heredia for the week. I’ve been more or less supervising the five different chaperones and their groups, meeting with chaperones from companies outside of CPI, running errands, proofreading things, sorting itineraries and who knows what else, all the while keeping up with grad school and munching on vegetables.

I actually like this position a lot. I meet a TON of people this way, build relations, smooth out bumps and work to ensure the success of our chaperones and the enjoyment of the students who come here!

I have also spent a little more time getting to know the chaperones in the apartment this week which has been fun!

Weekend plans: One more day of the cleanse! (Hermano, I don’t know how you maintain this for 3 weeks when you do it…). Pool day tomorrow (sábado) with my boss! Then on Sunday, I transfer out to the beach for 5 days—getting put up in an air conditioned apartment as well!

Life is not too hateful. : ) I’m finally going to get my Costa Rica tan…

Pura vida,

Jessica Lynn

Daily Delivery of Veggies and Rice : )

Rice Thief

I have a mystery to solve and it involves my brown rice rations for the week.

Normally, I wouldn't mind. But given my constant state of hunger and genuine love of brown rice, I am simply curious as to where it's been getting off to. My agua de pipa supply is also severely diminished, and I probably only drank half of it.

Now, given that I live 4 other chaperones, I can narrow down in a hurry who might be taking my food. First, one chaperone never eats in the apartment, one chaperone just arrived yesterday morning and hasn't been eating the apartment, one chaperone eats with their assigned group mostly and another chaperone likes eggs...alot. But this last one does mostly eat at the apartment.

Up until now, there has been a general consensus that whatever is bought for us is communal and whatever you buy for yourself is yours (unless otherwise asked for). So the other night, one of the chaperones asked to simply try my agua de pipa, and I said, 'sure!' Apparently this meant open season. Last night I came home and had about a half a glass left. For a half gallon, this stuff is roughly $5. Not too thrilled, but I let it go. In this chaperone's fragile emotional state at the moment, I thought maybe the agua de pipa would help her out.

Then today, I'm sitting in our groups office working and I glance around the room and see a container with cucumber and what looks to be brown rice sitting on the desk on the other side of the room. Naturally, I investigate. Those aren't my cucumbers, but that's definitely my brown rice! How do I know this? No one eats rice at the apartment except me.  The container definitely came with the same person who's been snagging my coconut water all week too... Mystery solved.

Today I'm taking a West Coast chaperone to the megasuper and I plan on buying more coconut water. Before I leave, I will kindly ask the chaperone if she would like me to buy her own jug this time. : )

My rice ration for the day.

Contraband in the Gladware container...

Arroz y agua de pipa,
Jessica Lynn

Tico Air Quality

Each morning when I run, I am reminded of the poor air quality that Costa Rica sometimes has to offer, which at times, makes it difficult to breathe.  This is partly due to the unrefined exhaust leaving all of the vehicles here, but mostly on account of the ungodly amount of cologne that the Tico men seem to be wearing.

Happy 4th everyone...

¡Feliz día de independencia!

Pura vida,
Jessica Lynn

Feliz Cumpleaños Abuelito :)

Happy birthday, Grandpa :)

The family made homemade ice cream today in honor of him and his birthday!

Want to know how to bring me to tears almost instantly? Mention my grandpa, and let me begin to tell you the kind of man he was... :)

Pura Vida,
Jessica Lynn

I.Am.Hungry.

I thought about just leaving the blog with that title and nothing else...

Day one was yesterday for the 'cleanse'. Breakfast was herbal tea, lunch was water, dinner was bone broth (a treat!!) and dessert was agua de pipa (coconut water).

Today is looking similar...

So, I will admit that I cheated once yesterday.

Why? Mostly because I ran 9 miles in the morning and given my running background and understanding of fueling the body, I knew that couldn't possibly expend that much energy and only compensate with water and herbal tea for the day. I want to be healthy and I think the cleanse is a challenge, but not to the complete detriment of my body. So at 6:15 a.m. when I came back from my run, I ate a Luna Bar. Since then...nothing but liquids. My stomach was angry with me for the better part of the day. I would be too if I burned 1000 calories and only replenished it with 200. I'm sorry, panza, salvation is coming tomorrow in the form of leafy greens and brown rice. : )

On a positive note, I'm learning a lot of really great and healthy recipes to try back in the States (probably after Georgia though when I plan on housing all kinds of great seafood--including Adam's grilled shrimp).

Grilled shrimp awaiting me in the States

My boss sent me on a mission to walmart last night to get 'provisions' for this cleanse. The produce section of walmart has never looked so appealing as to when you can't touch any of it.

My amiga, Arelys, is pretty sure I'll disappear if I keep this up... : )

Ok, going to attempt some more grad work on an empty tummy--it proved difficult yesterday, but I'm not quite as hungry today!

Family was at the lake all week, and I wanted nothing more than to be there with them. Can't wait to get there when I get back. : )

Tengo hambre,
Jessica Lynn

The Drowning of My Camera

Where My Camera Currently Resides

My camera drowned yesterday from what appeared to be a leaky water bottle. I am quite baffled though, because the bottom of my bag was flooded with water, but very little was gone out of my water bottle. My camera is now quietly resting in a bed of rice, but chances are slim that it will resurrect itself and come back to life. Sigh…I happen to love my camera, so this is disappointing. To add insult to injury (and my novio reminded me), I am carrying two dry bags with me this year—which were otherwise occupying all of my other electronics. I can at least be thankful that my iPod and everything else didn’t go swimming as well. : )

Ironically, water is the only thing I’m supposed to consume today. I can flavor it with limón, herbal tea or agua de pipa (coconut water), but that’s about it. Detox day 1 is proving to be only mildly difficult right now, however, because I woke up at 5 a.m. to run, this could prove to be a long foodless day. Nuts. (Bad choice of wording; it made my stomach growl.)

Ran a nine-miler this morning and it was glorious. No Monteverde hills!! I also managed to avoid the ‘tico shuffle’ again by pretending to be asleep until our resident Tico chaperone here at the apartment had gone out for his exercise. I tried to warn him last night about how far I would be running today, but he seemed undeterred…

Heading off soon to meet up with a West Coast chaperone to run through her itinerary at the Holiday Inn and then take her grocery shopping. I will be buying lemons, tea, coconut water and brown rice (for day 3when I am allowed 1 cup a day). Wahoo!

Hanging out solita at the apartment today : )

Chao pescado,

Jessica Lynn