this life gets too easy

So it's been over a week since I have written anything about my trip. I yet to have any pictures of my own since the camera I brought broke on the second day. Luckily, momma mailed a package with my other camera and some goodies =)

It's been a trip so far. After my initial days in San José, I went with a group of people to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast. We only stayed for 2.5 days, but it was well worth it. We rented bikes, road up and down the coast all day, stopping off at different alcoves to swim. It was so relaxing - we even saw sloths and monkeys on the way back (and a big ass iguana ran across the street - it's weird, these animals are becoming like the plethora of squirrels and rabbits I see back home). We ate amazing food - I had everything from curry to paella to carribean style food. SO TASTY. the best thing on this trip so far has been the food. Everything is impressively fresh and cooked to perfection. It down poured the last day in PV, so I was glad to have a shitty travel day instead of wasting a sunny one on a bus.

I went back to San José and met a girl named Sara who told me about a hot springs/volcano tour she was going on. I decided to join her; might have been a mistake. Although the hot springs were enjoyable (the weather was overcast and it was great to get in, cool off, and then go to another spring), we didn't get to see the volcano due to the overcast weather and we had an amazingly obnoxious, completely incompetent, white trash American couple on our tour who ruined it for us all. I was surprised these people could even book a damn flight to Costa Rica. The man was a beast, tall wide and fat, with different mark/rashes all over his legs. His wife had spots all over her face, and she kept nagging her husband to make sure he took his medicine, was seated so his skin wouldnt chafe, and disrupted the bus ride with loud talking, stupid questions, and dense remarks. It's these types of Americans that make me embarrassed to call myself one. It will definitely be a day I will never forget. Thanks Don and Rosemarie!

I left for Manuel Antonio last Saturday - I got there at night and was in the mood to move my feet, ya herd? I went to dinner with Sara, the girl from San José, and some girls she met when she arrived earlier in the day. We went out afterwards to a club in Quepos called Republik - super trashy discotech that played old music but it was fantastic. Everything I wanted and more - a mix of locals and travelers just getting their groove on. I had a great time, but the next day just fucked everything up.

I woke up without sleeping much, a big hung over, and feelin all sorts of funky. I went to the beach early, and kept feeling worse. I slept most of the time on a chair under an umbrella, and when we went to get lunch I knew something was wrong. I was so damn hot. I tried to cool off in the ocean but by the time we got back to the hostel around 2PM I was exhausted. I lazily lied around until I had to go to bed. I took a cold shower, some advil, and thought I would get better. Well that routine continued throughout the night. Along with a high fever, nightmares, and semi-hallucinations, i woke up about every two hours to hose down and literally dried myself in front of a fan before passing back out. When I woke up, I was bathed in my own sweat and thought it was finally done. I moved my stuff to a new hostel down the road and hoped for a better day.

Well that didn't happen. My fever came back, along with chills and aches, so I decided to go to a medical clinic here. I saw the Dr. really fast and he prescribed me three shots in the ass and tons of electrolites. As soon as I got the shots I felt better, and drank electrolites like it was my j o b. I chilled out at Vista Serena - my favorite hostel I've stayed in anywhere - and got a massage to relieve my aching body which suffered contorted sleeps the prior two nights. I finally felt like myself Thursday, and have been enjoying every minute here since. I wake up, drink some coffee, eat some breakfast, chill on a hammock, smoke some cigs, and just relax. The view is just stunning from here; the sunsets leave me speechless. It's my last day to relax, so Im going to enjoy myself, take some surf lessons, and eat yummy food.

All in all, Costa Rica has been on big learning experience. Some good, some bad, but overall, a great time. You never know who youre gonna meet, where you'll be, and time here just doesnt exist. Everything is tranquil, serene. Like the name of the Hostel. Serene View.

I move into my dorm tomorrow and starts class Monday. It's time for me to leave La La Land and start a real life here in paradise. Eh, it's not so bad. =P

la comienza

Day 1: I arrived in San José yesterday and needless to say, I was muy emocionado (excited). By the time I arrived at my Hostel (Hostel Bekuo) it was about 1:30 and not much to do. I aked the receptionist what I should do, and he recommended to walk downtown. I started walking down the main street and began to feel extremely lonely. I felt like people were looking at me and laughing, and it made me feel like I was never going to enjoy my time here. I started crying on my walk back and called home immediately. I told my parents I was coming home right away and even tried to change my flight so I could leave ASAP. I hung up the phone and went to bed and slept all night.

Day 2: When I woke up, I was still feeling kind of shitty. I slept 14+ hours, and really had to get out of the hostel. I was told that I had to make reservations for tours by 8PM the night before, so I thought I was screwed for the day. I first tried to make reservations to go bungee jumping, but the company had yet to renew their license so I couldn't go. I decided to do a zipline tour (video attached). I had a blast! I went all by myself and did the tour alone. I had an amazing time! It was so nice to get out into the open air and away from the city. I came to Costa Rica to get away from the hubbub of the city and reconnect with nature and myself. I am leaving San José tomorrow morning and head for Quepos (the town right next to Manuel Antonio where I am taking my courses to get certified to teach English). It's a beach town with a lot of outdoor activites so hopefully I will enjoy myself more. I just have to stay positive, keep my head up, and realize I am strong enough to do this. I can't go back home and just lay around waiting for life to happen. I have to make it happen. With that, I will l update more tomorrow or the next day, hopefully with a better attitude and view on my trip. Peace. Love. Soul.