Culture shock

     We arrived in San Jose. The weather was beautiful, and the people were sweet. But I didn't realize how much of a shock it was going to be to my system to travel to a completely unknown part of the world. I've never been South of Florida. And also haven't travelled in almost two years since I arrived home from London. So I don't think I gave myself any room for adjusting to a new environment again. 

     Traveling is the only thing I think I am truly good at in this world. The planning and preparation and the traveling itself are things I live for. So to arrive in a foreign country and be completely side swiped by the culture, the noise, the hostel, and the drunken hostel roommate, is a little much for my system to handle at one time. 

     The only cure for that is to just move on. Go to the next stop along the way and hope it's a better fit for me. We go see some sloths today. If that doesn't cheer me up, I don't know what will. 

Leaving America? Maybe

     We woke up at 3am. There was a 2.5 hour drive ahead of us, and we wanted ample time to have breakfast, go through security, and relax at the airport bar (at Doug's request).

     Everything went smoothly. We were only 5 minutes late leaving the house. We didn't hit traffic and 3 of us caught a little nap in the car. Poor Mal had to survive on coffee. 

     We get to the airport and we should have foreseen the upcoming issues. One, we were flying in the worst airport I have ever been to. Flying in from Newark on Saturday was my first Fort Lauderdale experience. I was in and out quickly, so I did not have time to take it all in. When we returned this morning, I wanted so desperately to be in any other airport than the one we were currently waiting in. The people, the attitudes, the crowds, and the chaos. Woof. And two, we were flying on Spirit. The cheapest, most frustrating budget airline available. They charge for everything, including checking in at the counter- that's $10. What we didn't foresee were the complications with flying into Costa Rica and flying out of Panama. We needed to prove that we were getting to the latter on some form of transport that was suitable for the Costa Rican government. 

     Mal and jimmy had no problem. They breezed right through with very little questions... Doug and I, however, needed to prove that we were taking a shuttle from CR to Panama. Of course, our paperwork wasn't good enough, and the manager was called over. I was beginning to get mad. Because I had a flash of what the next few days were to be if I was not allowed on this flight. We would be stuck in Florida because of this massive blizzard in the north, and I would be out $415 for the flights.

We persevered and explained everything to the agents and their supervisor, and were eventually able to secure a boarding pass and head through security. 

     I don't mean to bore anyone with that story. I just want everyone to know what I didn't know. I was unaware that I would need to prove anything to the airline agents because I had a return flight booked. Yes, it was a from a different city, but I was returning to America in 10 days. So moral of the story... Make sure you have all plans figured out before leaving. And have all of those plans printed out. And on top of that, have emails ready to show on your phone. It was scary because we weren't sure if we'd get on. But Doug was calm and had his papers printed and luckily I printed mine last night. Preparedness is key. 

     Now we hover over some Caribbean islands on our way to blue skies, crystal waters, smiling sloths, and coconut drinks. 

     I got secretly and surprisingly upgraded to the first row of the plane. So I had plenty of room to stretch. It was great. My cousins were jealous. Seat 1A all the way. 

Part one

     We have made it to Florida. Mal and Jimmy drove through the night, and I flew, leaving the ice and snow in New Jersey once we de-iced. Doug already lives here so he had the easiest Saturday. 

     We leave for part two of our adventure on Monday. I flew into 73 degrees in Fort Lauderdale and will be leaving that for 78 in San Jose. This is a much welcomed, much anticipated, much prayed-for change in weather. Some vitamin D will do my soul good this week. 

     To all those snow birds I left behind, I hope you have an easier time with it in the days to come. May the weather be fair and the degrees be higher than normal. 

New Year, New You?

If you don't want to read a girl's sob story, then skip this one....

     It took me 6 days to write an (what I think to be) obligatory New Years post. To be honest, I hate New Year's Eve. It is depressing, being the night that makes you aware of how unglamorous your life is. It never quite lives up to the hype. Perhaps its the years of Hollywood glamorizing the night, making it always seem like something to be desired, a night for the record books. It is always disappointing and acts as a reminder of the fact that you aren't where you want to be in life and unless you change dramatically in 364 days, you will undoubtedly be in the same spot the following year. What I chose to do that night, let my mom take me to the casino to sit in front of a slot machine...resulting in my $200 win to start the new year.

     I ended the last precious days of 2014 with tears running down my face, collecting in puddles on my bed; soaked tissues scattered in front of me like amateur origami. I forced myself to get out of bed, to shower, to have a routine. The rug was ripped out from under me; I was down.
     But 2014 wasn't always unhappy. There were times that I wouldn't trade for the world, moments that still make me smile, but unfortunately, with that happiness, now comes a pang in the pit of my stomach and a pressure in my chest.  I learned things that I don't think I can or will appreciate until after the storm passes. I experienced something that I had never before, a simple four letter word that swallows you whole and turns your world upside down. Yes, right now it seems like 2014 was a year of sadness, but it wasn't that at all. I cannot let the last week put the stamp on an entire year.
     I began 2015 with a forced optimism, that day after day becomes less forced and more adopted. I promised myself that this year will be better than the last (few days of 2014, that is), and if not better, then different. I have goals for 2015. I want it to be a year of discovering the world and discovering more of who I am. I owe it to myself to do everything I can to make this year my best yet...isn't that what the New Year is all about?