Enfermito

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

Being sick abroad is probably the worst thing that can happen to a person.

This time, however, it was not a bad pork dumpling but my good old friend, Streptococcus.


Luckily, I have been blessed with the most wonderful Tico family on earth.  They were eager to take me to the doctor at 7pm.  Sadly, the doctor leaves at 6, so we just missed her.  Fortunately, however, pharmacists can give some drugs here, so they sent me home with a chlorasceptic, which literally was from the pits of hell, and some Claritin.


The next day, I headed back to the doctor right after school.  I saw the doctor, and told her that I knew what was wrong.  Doing her duty, she inspected me.  My favorite part of the visit was when she put the wooden stick on my tongue and told me to say, "Ah."  As soon as she set the stick down, my entire throat closed.  Perfect.


Obviously, I was very sick.  She gave me an anti-inflammatory and sent me home with order to start a 3-day shot regimen the next day.  


Doing what I knew I should, I headed to get my shot the next day.  Sarah left the morning of this day, so I was already a little culture shocked, and when I went to the doctor only to find out that they didn't have my drugs, I freaked.  I lost all ability to speak Spanish, and had no idea what to do.  Finally, I found the words and found out that I had to find my own other pharmacy. 


Thanks again to my incredible family who had shown me another pharmacy the day before.  I headed there to get the first of my shots.  


Doctors are inherently awkward, but much more so when in Spanish.  I was preparing to get my shot, which was penicillin and you can guess where it went, and the lady said, "Acuestese."  I have always struggled with this word, and, in the perfect time, had forgotten what it meant.  Doing what I thought seemed logical, I sat myself down on the table.  The look she gave me told me that this wasn't correct, so I, awkwardly as possible, lay myself down on my back to receive my shot.  I thought to myself, "Hm...strange that they would make me lie on my back to get a shot in my arm."  


I then looked at the lady once again and noticed that this also was not correct.  Finally, and with as much embarrassment as I have ever felt, I figured out that she wanted me to lie down on my stomach.  So again, as awkwardly as possible, I moved all of my things and lay down.  


Needless to say, I ran out before they could say much.  The next two days of shots went well, and I am now completely healthy.


And the moral of the story is: Never will I ever forget the meaning of "Acuestese." 

Veintiuno

January 13, 2012, I turned 21...in Costa Rica.

Of course my Tico family took great care of me for my cumple.  My host mom made me an awesome cake (pan de canela), and my whole family sang three different versions of Happy Birthday.  It was a beautiful time.

Then, my host brother took us out dancing.  I couldn't have hoped for more.  Can't wait to see what this year holds.

Here's to you, veintiuno.

La Playita

Last weekend, my friends and I took our second excursion to the number 1 must-see spot in Lonely Planet's Cost Rica guidebook, Manuel Antonio.

Thankfully, our school is very good about making travel arrangements for students, so all we had to do was talk to the secretary and the next day, she had our hotel booked and our bus tickets purchased.  One of the most difficult things about traveling abroad is setting up the arrangements, so it was a huge relief  to have it all done for us.

We finished classes on Friday and then headed out for the bus station.  After a four hour drive through the most beautiful country I've ever seen, we arrived at the most beautiful beach that I've ever seen.  Our hotel was the very last building on the road before Manuel Antonio National Park, and our room looked out onto the beach.  We could not have asked for a better set-up.

Throwing our bags down, we headed out for the beach.  There's something to be said for having the jungle at your back and the ocean at your feet.  It makes for an incredible experience.  That night, we boarded a shuttle bus for a near city called Quepos.  We ate dinner and then walked around to explore.  My friend, a huge Arkansas fan, was very concerned that we see the game that night, but none of us thought it was a possibility.  We stumbled upon a place that had televisions and he, craning his neck to see around the walls of the restaurant, found his hogs.  Needless to say, we settled in for the game.

Amidst all of the camaraderie of the game, we met a man who happened to be from same town as my friend.  What a small world.  The guy was incredible.  He was so interesting and appeared to run the restaurant we were in.  For example, we asked for a dessert, and they didn't have what we wanted.  Noticing the dilemma, the man waltzed into the kitchen and brought us out not one but two free desserts.  Incredible.  Toward the end of the game, two American girls sat next to us and, naturally, we asked them to take our picture, which began a conversation.  We went out with them the rest of the night - ending us being the only people dancing at a particular location and myself dancing alone on stage, normal.

The next day, I sat on the beach taking in the sun all day, while my friends did other beach things.  During a beach soccer match, they met a Costa Rican reggae band who was having a concert that night.  That evening, we headed back to Quepos for dinner and then went to the concert.  It was definitely an interesting experience.  During the break we spent time talking to the band, no big deal.  VIP.  Normal.

On our last day, Sarah and I headed into the park where we heard there were better beaches.  After a five or ten minute hike, we happened upon the place at which I wouldn't mind living forever.  La Tercera Playa in Manuel Antonio National Park is my favorite place on earth, the most tranquil beach with the bluest water and the jungle in the background.  It couldn't have been any better.  Monkeys and raccoons passed among the beach goers looking for things to steal, and, most importantly, the large group of elderly British people were insane.

Sadly, we were forced to return back to San José where there is no sand, no water, and no monkeys.  Being completely honest, I teared up a little when we got on the bus to leave.  No shame.

Un Nuevo Año

New Year's 2012 will be a night that I will never forget.  Mostly because I got to ring in the new year in Costa Rica.  Per usual, it was an eventful night. A night that all began at what can only be described as a county fair.

Ever since I arrived in Costa Rica, I'd been on the lookout for incredible New Year's Eve plans.  Finding very little except for a few words about a place called Zapote, we we didn't have much with which to run.  Secondly, our other friend arrived that night and we struggled with choosing to go out or to wait for him.  While walking around the city talking about just what we were going to do, I had one of those epiphanies where you recognize where you are and that everything really is crazy and you might as well make spur of the moment decisions.  Without Sarah's approval, I hailed the nearest cab and we jumped in on our way to this 'Zapote'.  

When we walked up to the festival, we couldn't help but notice the lights from the rides, the smells of the fair food, and the sounds of the live music.  Sarah was in heaven what with all the cotton candy and such.  After sitting down to watch a singer, Sarah and I decided to go and try out so rides.  While I stood in line for tickets, Sarah headed to ask how many we should purchase.  In doing so, she happened to run into some other gringos who spoke very little Spanish and were all but lost in the chaos of the fair.  Feeling for them and knowing what little Spanish we do, we brought them along with us and spent the rest of New Years with three great Canadian friends.

One of the rides (picture at the top-right) was so dangerous that we were obligated to try it out.  Basically, the ride spun around and jerked a lot, but it was actually really dangerous because there were absolutely no straps.  Your only safety was your ability to hold on to the tiny metal bar at your back.  While terrifying and mildly painful, it was a lot of fun.

When the fair closed, we headed out for some dancing and then headed back home to wrap up the night.  Needless to say, it was not the New Year's Eve that I had in mind, but it was without a doubt perfect.

I continue to realize that I live the weirdest life.  Glad that I can share it with such wonderful people.

And, finally, in classic fashion, I'm going to look back over 2011 and post some resolutions for 2012.  While they are not necessarily ground-breaking, I tried to focus on things that I need to accomplish or that I want to do.  Goals that are specific are more easily attained, so I chose to make 2012 a year of practicality.  Amen.

In 2011,
I traveled to Mexico and South Korea, spent a summer in Jordan, visited Egypt and Lebanon, and wrapped things up in Costa Rica.
I learned tons of Arabic and embraced a people group that I previously didn't understand.


I learned even more about relationships and the power that they have over all parts of life.
I became the Chief Justice of the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature.
I took definitive steps to start pursuing a career.
I ran a half-marathon in under 2 hours.
I developed a new-found respect and love for my family.
I invested in the lives of freshmen at Union through Focus and Freshman Council.
I spent fall break in Florida with my very best friends making memories that I will cherish forever.
I learned the value of contentment and finally found it in my life.

In 2012, I want to
Go to a band house show in Nashville.
Learn to cook by doing it once a week.
Run a mud race.
Visit Washington, D.C. again.
Read at least 4 books.
Take the Foreign Service Officer Test.
Visit friends at their colleges.
Go kayaking.
Pay off my credit card.
Apply to Georgetown University for grad school.
Go to Rites of Spring.
Take trips to new places with my family.

And in doing these things, I know that I will learn so much and grow like no other year.

¡Feliz año nuevo!

Living the Pura Vida

Arriving in San Jose ranks in my top most frustrated intercultural experiences.

This time it was not a crazy taxi driver that drove my insanity but rather an Automated Teller Machine that told me that I overdrew my account.  Also, a broken camera.  Poor Sarah who had to ride shotgun with Wilber while I sat in the back freaking out.  Lo siento para todos.  Luckily, everything got worked out.  Simply a dead camera battery and an incorrect receipt.  Gracias a Dios.

When we got to the house, we met our family.  Doña Maria and Marlene are incredible.  I literally could not have been put into a better housing situation.  They have their own catering business, so as you can imagine, the food is incredible.  Naturally, there is a lot of rice and beans.  I look forward to breakfast and dinner every single day.  Whenever we wake up, they have breakfast ready.  Juice, coffee, fruit, eggs, and usually ham.  At promptly six pm, we have a dinner of meat, salad, rice and beans, and usually a side dish. All amazing.

Our house is so nice.  There are four-five bedrooms, a sitting area, a dining room, several bathrooms, a kitchen, and a beautiful garden.  About the garden, Marlene has made a full replica of the Nativity from the beginning to the end.  All of the buildings are made of cardboard and painted in incredible detail.  It's really insane but awesome.  At night, there are lights and a waterfall.  So crazy.

Basically, for the last several days, we have just been walking around getting our bearings on the city.  We bought souvenirs, ate at some restaurants, and, as can only be expected, watched people like no one's business.  In a lot of ways, this city is really strange.  It's unlike any other that I have been in, and I love it.  Finally using the Spanish that I've been working on for years is extremely gratifying.  Also difficult.

 Our first adventure occurred two days ago.  We planned our own excursion to Monteverde.  It's an ecological center about 4 hours away from San Jose that has canopy tours and various other things.  While the ride up the tiny unpaved mountain trail was not exactly picturesque, the town was beautiful.  The first person that we talked to was the lady at the visitors' center who told us that there were no activities we could do in the time period.  We ended up heading to this butterfly garden, against my will.  Luckily, they also offered canopy tours, which we so nicely asked about to which they obliged.  The tour included zip lines, repelling, and a Tarzan swing.  Our guides were so nice and helped us out a ton with our Spanish.  So much for the visitors' center.  After this, we ate lunch and shopped before getting back on the bus to head home.  We were absolutely exhausted.  We went to get our tickets for the bus, and the man told us there were no more.  Trying to hold composure, I just stared at him, and he didn't console me at all.  Finally, a guy who spoke English came in and told us that we could buy a ticket and would just not have seat.  It surely would have been nice if the man selling tickets would tell us that.  So, we were back on the bus, and after about 20 minutes, seats opened up and I fell fast asleep.  Amen.

This trip has been absolutely incredible already.  I can't wait to see what the month holds in store.

Next up on the blog: the New Years Eve that I will never forget.