Candlelit Dinner

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Last night, the other chaperona and I had a nice candlelit dinner. It happened by chance because our kitchen cabinets consisted of canned mushrooms, a lot rice, beans and two packages of unidentifiable 'salsa ranchero'.

**So I reread this blog today (Wednesday) and realized I tried to make a funny story out of something rather ordinary. Fail. It was rather long-winded, so here are the highlights of that candle lit dinner instead.**

1. Gabby and I are sitting at the apartment. Starving.
2. The lights go out once.
3. We try to call several restaurants to see if they offered express (delivery). Lights come on.
4. The lights go out again.
5. We call a taxi to go to Sabor Tico, a restaurant in town.
6. We order our food.
7. Power goes out at the restaurant.
8. The kind waiter brings us a candle-in-a-cup.
9. Lights come back on.
10. We finish our quesadillas and guanabana smoothies in a well-lit place.
11. The end.

Our next plan of action was to go grocery shopping after dinner. As luck would have it, the grocery was closed at this point. Luckily, I only ate half of my quesadilla, so I now have food for tonight!

However, we felt like we struck gold when we stumbled upon a Zumba class that was going on in the plaza! You’d better believe that next Monday at 7:00PM we’ll be joining a Zumba class with all the locals!  : )

Headed off to do some volunteer work in the cloud forest!

Pura vida,

Jessica Lynn

Vivir Mi Vida/Día del padre

¡Feliz día del padre! I am so grateful today (and every day) for the most loving, giving, and amazing dad on earth.

We (Dad and I) have had a lot to talk about recently, and over the past year he has really emphasized something that he has always encouraged us kids to do: Enjoy the journey.

I am learning that it can be difficult to do at times, but I’m trying. Costa Rica is a wonderful moment for me this summer where I can step back from ‘normal’ life for a moment, regroup, and begin, once again, to enjoy this great journey called life.

So…

I sang a song called “Vivir mi vida” with my seniors on their last day of class with me. It was a beautiful, bittersweet moment. (I have had some of them for four years!)

The song holds a lot of truth for my seniors and for me at times! And without really knowing what to say to the students that I adored and taught this year, I decided to give them the same wonderful message that my dad continues to give me: Enjoy the journey. 

Life will wrap you up in all its problems and stresses very quickly. Remember to slow down, breathe, and enjoy the people you are surrounded by, the places you get to go, and the experiences you get to have.

Thank you, Dad. I am grateful for every word of encouragement you’ve given me. I am once again ready to enjoy the journey and vivir mi vida.

(Do yourself a favor and look this song up on YouTube! My English translation doesn't do it justice below!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXnjy5YlDwk

Vivir mi vida

Marc Anthony

Voy a reír, voy a bailar                         I’m going to laugh, I’m going to dance
vivir mi vida, la, la, la, la                        (I’m going to) live my life, la, la, la, la
Voy a reír, voy a gozar                         I’m going to laugh, I’m going to enjoy
vivir mi vida, la, la, la, la                        (I’m going to) live my life, la, la, la, la

A veces llega la lluvia                           Sometimes rain comes to
para limpiar las heridas                         clean wounds
A veces sólo una gota                          Sometimes only a drop
puede vencer la sequía                        Can overcome the drought

Y para qué llorar, ¿Pa' qué?                And why cry? For what?
Si duele una pena, se olvida                If it hurts bad, forget it
Y para qué sufrir, ¿Pa' qué?                And why suffer? For what?
Si así es la vida, hay que vivirla            If life is like that, you have to live it

Voy a reír, voy a bailar                         I’m going to laugh, I’m going to dance
vivir mi vida, la, la, la, la                        (I’m going to) live my life, la, la, la, la
Voy a reír, voy a gozar                         I’m going to laugh, I’m going to enjoy
vivir mi vida, la, la, la, la                        (I’m going to) live my life, la, la, la, la

Voy a vivir el momento                         I’m going to live in the moment
para entender el destino                      To understand the destination
Voy a escuchar en silencio                  I’m going to listen in silence
para encontrar el camino                      To find the way

Y para qué llorar, ¿Pa' qué?                And why cry? For what?
Si duele una pena, se olvida                If it hurts bad, forget it
Y para qué sufrir, ¿Pa' qué?                And why suffer? For what?
Si así es la vida, hay que vivirla            If life is like that, you have to live it

….

Pura vida,

Jessica Lynn

Vamos los Ticos!

UPDATE!
I was at the airport when the Ticos got their first goal!!! I became fast friends with everyone around me. By the second goal, I was besties with everyone. Conversations went something like this:

¿Va con los Ticos?           Are you rooting for the Ticos?

Sí.                                   Yes!

Chóquela.                       Pound it.

I was fist-bumping and hugging whoever was near me. I didn't exactly seek it out, but when in Costa Rica... 

It was actually a really amazing experience to watch the pure excitement and pride after each goal and at the end when Costa Rica won.

VAMOS CON LA SELE!!

--  --  --  --  --  --  --  --

¡Oeeeee, Oe, Oe, Oeeee!  Ticooooos! Ticooooos!

La Copa Mundial featuring Costa Rica plays today at 3:00PM. Ticolandia is a buzz with flags and official jerseys. I’m sporting one too!

Halfway through the game, I have to pick up my group. I can’t imagine my chofer is too excited about it. I’m not a die-hard soccer fan, but I’m even disappointed that in the middle of the game we have to leave. I’m considering wearing my jersey to pick up my group…

Pura Vida,

Jessica Lynn

Noteworthy

Well, readers, I think I hit an all time record for blog views yesterday: 95. That's probably more than I've gotten in a whole summer down here in the past. To be fair though, I should probably subtract the number of times that my family clicked on the link. (Just kidding, family! Feel free to continue to boost my blogging confidence.)

Yesterday was my day off even though I spent most of it at the office. Today, I’ve vowed to go in later. In this line of work, it’s important to relish your days off. I may not see another until my flight home in July! Even though I work for a language immersion school, and I am a teacher in the States, I don’t teach while I’m here. I’m mostly a guide/chaperone for groups that are studying Spanish at our school (Centro Panamericano de Idiomas: CPI for short). It’s a wonderful way to meet people from all over the world AND practice my Spanish. :)

Okay, on to more interesting moments over the past 24-48 hours…

1. My final meal the States was a Burrito Bowl from Chipotle…as if I won’t be eating enough rice and beans here in CR.

2.I felt like it was good sign that at my departure gate in Atlanta there was a giant clock in the shape of a carrot—my favorite vegetable. Don’t ask me why it was a good sign, it just seemed like it could be.

3. I bought my official “Selección Costa Rica” jersey for the World Cup! ¡Vamos los Ticos!

4. Despite my enjoyment of Costa Rican Cuisine, I made one of the most “American” meals I could have made down here last night: The Blue Box: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. I used local butter, “Numar”, so I felt it was more authentic, even if the box directions were in English as well.

5. I ran this morning! *See below for more on this topic.

6. I drank my first cup of Costa Rican coffee today. Mmmmm.

*If you’ve been around me for the last 7 months, you’ll know that I’ve been battling High Hamstring Tendinopathy in my left hammy (my sister too!) for nearly 20 months. In simpler terms, my rear-end hurt. Horribly. Through a series of PRP injections and physical therapy from the best physical therapist in the world, I am seeing great results. So…this morning I put on my running shoes and took off on my old 2 mile loop around San Joaquin de Flores. I had completely forgotten about what it’s like to run the roads at 6 A.M. when Ticos are loading the buses to head to work for the day. I took off sprinting (it’s a relative term right now), dodging broken sidewalks, drainage ditches, cars, buses, and pedestrians. By ¾ of a mile in, I was red-faced and out of breath; pretty demoralizing considering the last time I ran this loop I was training for a marathon.

Here is what I quickly recalled as I slowed my pace (and heart rate) and puttered along for the next 1.25 miles. First, I used to run at 5 A.M. to avoid all of the morning traffic. I’ll easily make that adjustment tomorrow morning. Secondly, the first ¾ of a mile is always fast on this loop until I can get to the road with less vehicle traffic and more runners/cyclists. I don’t know how to remedy that one.

On a fun note, when I used to run miles upon miles on this same route, there was a viejito that I passed every day while running.  From opposite sides of the road we would wave at each other and call out “Buenos días” as we passed. One day, we happened to be finished with our run at the same time and briefly spoke to each other. He is Tico but lived in Chicago for many years. He spoke English while I spoke Spanish. I can’t remember his name, but it was such a pleasant moment. I began to look forward to seeing him every day on the loop. This morning when I went out, I secretly hoped that he would still be out there. To my delight, he was! I’d imagine that he doesn’t remember me, but I was so excited to see him still out there running. Morning: made.

Well, I have the day off again today, but I’m going to walk around San Joaquin just to see it again (assuming the rain lets up) and then head to CPI to pick a few things before my group arrives tomorrow!

Pura vida,

Jessica Lynn

Traveling Light

¡Hola!

The blog is back up for the summer! I arrived yesterday evening to the new and improved Juan Santamaria International Airport.  Since I’ve been here, the airport has taken on some major improvements!

I was picked up by a driver that I know and recognized from previous trips down here, and soon we were headed to the apartment where I’ll be staying for a few days. Upon arriving, I met some of the chaperones who I’ll be working alongside this summer (one of them is UD student! Go Flyers!). After talking for a while, it was apparent that we were all tired so we headed to bed. I have the top bunk. It was amazingly hot up there. Maybe we can crack a window tonight…?

This morning I arrived at work and spoke to one of my bosses in Monteverde. It was so good to hear her voice! Saturday I’ll be picking up my first group (high school), so today is a free day for me and tomorrow I’ll have a little bit of work to do in preparation.

On my flight down I realized that I feel very different on this trip than in past years.  I almost didn’t believe that I was flying to Costa Rica.  There was an inner calm within me, and I felt ready to enjoy the next month—not anxiousness or dread.  That’s a far cry from how my life has unraveled these past six months. In searching for an inner peace for this summer, I had a particular song in my head this week past week and on the flight down. It’s called “Traveling Light” by Joel Hanson and Sara Groves. Some of the lyrics are as follows:

Well I was doubling over the load on my shoulders
Was a weight I carried with me everyday
Crossing miles of frustrations and rivers a raging
Picking up stones I found along the way
I staggered and I stumbled down
Pathways of trouble
I was hauling those souvenirs of misery
And with each step taken my back was breaking
'Til I found the One who took it all from me

Down by the riverside
I laid my burdens down,
Now I'm traveling light
My spirit lifted high
I found my freedom now
And I'm traveling light

This is continues to be my anthem for the moment. Traveling light. I feel free. I feel burden-less. And I choose to continue to feel this way. I am so ready for wherever this summer takes me.

No exciting Tico stories yet. I’ll keep you posted!

Viajar ligero,

Jessica Lynn

Casi me voy

Let the countdown begin...

15 days until I am flying at 25,000 feet and headed to Costa Rica!

Nos vemos pronto! : )

Jessica Lynn

Transitions

This summer marks my first summer in 5 years not spending it in Costa Rica and my first summer in 6 years not traveling abroad.


I’ll let that soak for a moment. For myself, mostly.
 

This is normally the time of year that I am prepping to leave the country in a matter of days and spend my summer working in the pura vida.  This year, I am deciding what I will do with all of my time in which my feet are planted squarely in the U.S. Don’t get me wrong, I know this summer will be wonderful. It’s just going to be very different.


Not better, not worse, just different. 


It’s what we preach at CPI to all of our groups that are experiencing culture shock.  Am I experiencing culture shock? No. Well, at least not yet. I also haven’t been to Poultry Days in 7 years either. I have no idea what I’m in for.


I think it’s transition shock, actually.  It’s being unsure of what to do after having done something for so long and had it as such a meaningful part of my life.  I would work for nine months in the States and then three months in Costa Rica. It was a standard protocol up until now.  It’s a strange feeling to remove and change such a big part of my life, but I’ve prepared myself for it for a few months now.

 
I have always said that I would go to Costa Rica for as long as my life allowed it. I have such good friends that I will dearly miss seeing this year.  I love speaking Spanish every day.  But my life became amazingly busy this summer and something had to give.  That being said, I fully intend to be there next year. If nothing else, just to visit friends and spend my nights in a hostel with other worldly people.


If this sounds melancholy, I don’t mean for it to be. I have a great summer up ahead.  I have lots of running and grad work to do. I am in my best friend from high school’s wedding and couldn’t be more excited for it! I am spending time in Georgia and then with my family at our lake house on Lake Cumberland too.  Quite honestly, I am excited to be a part of family trips to the lake and celebrating my dad’s birthday with him for the first time in seven years.  It’s usually the small things that I miss the most in Costa Rica anyway.


So here I am signing on and signing off simultaneously for the summer.  Another odd feeling. Another transition. No strange encounters with Ticos, no horseback rides of my life, no coffee ice cream in a cloud forest and no gallo pinto—the breakfast of champions.


I plan to find my own adventures this summer and should there be anything noteworthy, I’ll post.


Until then, pura vida mae.  : )

 

Jessica Lynn