Waking Up

I know, I know, it has been a month and I am a horrible person for waiting this long to post my last post for this blog. I’d say it was because I just don’t want to stop writing about my experiences, that writing this last post means that my trip is really over and that that frightens me, but that would be a partial lie. I’m sure that subconsciously, that was part of it; however, mostly I am just lazy and really, really busy. I have been working 40+ hours a week at my internship and when I have been getting home or have gotten a chance to relax on the weekends, the last thing I have wanted to do is write this post. So for that, I am sorry.

Our last few days in Costa Rica were a strange mix between unbelievably rapid and painstakingly slow. Our despedida day was wonderful; the weather was perfect for tanning, sunny with slight cloud cover for moments of relief. We spent the whole day there and enjoyed three beautiful meals prepared by our host moms. Lacy and Janiva brought their bracelet making materials and Janiva played her guitar and sang. It was very pura vida. That night Johan and I went out for sushi and then stayed in and watched Alice in Wonderland.

Thursday was spent at the mall with Tanny saying goodbye to her and Toya, who left Friday morning, and packing. I wanted to make sure that I had everything basically packed before Friday because I didn’t want to spend my last day rushing around. It was really depressing looking around my room and seeing nothing except the bare necessities and suitcases. Catie came over for dinner that night and we watched RENT and said our final goodbyes to Toya. Halfway through the movie we made popcorn, which Gatito ended up begging for like a dog. He really is a funny – as in comical - little cat.

Friday came and went quietly and included a nap and lots of eating and sitting on my computer. Anna, Fofo, Jose, Lacy, and Adrian came to pick me up around 11 p.m. so that we could go say goodbye to Catie as a group. We laughed, we cried, we made inappropriate jokes at each other’s expense to stop the crying. Then we attempted to take a group photo and failed miserable like three times before finally getting one that everyone was happy with. Typical. By the time we left Catie’s yard, it was rounding on midnight and we had to drop Fofo off, but before we could of course we had to stop at this poor little Asian restaurant that wanted nothing more than to close. The rest of the night was spent driving around and hanging out at Jose’s house until we had to leave for the airport at 3:30 a.m.

Anna and I were amazed to find out that our luggage was underweight when we checked in at the airport. It seemed impossible, but somehow the travel-gods decided to give us a break. Anna sobbed and clung to Adrian for a good hour and a half, until almost the last possible moment, outside of the security line. Then, somehow, our overstuffed carry-on bags filled with coffee and ceramics were considered “suspicious” by the security people and we had to open our bags up to be inspected. That somehow is sarcastic, in case that didn’t come across in my writing. The comic relief was welcomed. By this point, we were starving, so Anna and I went to McDonalds for breakfast and she got her last plate of gallo pinto. I did not. I got French toast sticks – yummy.

We had been unable to get seats together on the plane, but it didn’t really matter. I was asleep and out cold before we left the runway and didn’t wake up until we were descending into Houston. It was perfection.
We only had an hour layover in Houston, which almost turned into a disaster because of the customs procedures to come back into the United States. Anna and I had to go through claims, which are where they check your passport, then reclaim our checked luggage and bring it through customs, recheck it, then go back through security, and get to our gates, all in an hour. We barely made it, and had to say rushed final goodbyes at the end of the security line. My plane was, of course, at the furthest corner of the airport (I had to take a shuttle and walk through about 4 hallways and take two staircases to get there) and was scheduled to take off at 12:10. I got there at 12:07. They had held it for me. I got that dirty look from everyone on the plane that says “so you are the reason we haven’t started taxiing yet.” I didn’t care, I had my own little row and I just read.

My best friend and my parents met me at the airport, which was lovely. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and another one of my good friends was home for Easter so she came over to visit for a bit as well. The next day was Easter and my whole family came over to the house.

Now, it has been almost a month since I got on that plane in Costa Rica. Since then I have gotten a new tattoo (my dog’s paw print), started my internship, temporarily moved in with my cousin and his girlfriend, set up my lease so that I can move into my apartment in June, and been all-around busy just about every single day.

Most days the last four months or so of my life have been nothing more than a wonderful dream. Or the memory of a book that I read, or a movie that I saw. I got home and picked my life up right where I left it, just four months further into the future. I feel like I’ve just woken up, like the movie-theater lights just came on, like I just shut the book. I’m thankful for being constantly busy, though, because if I was bored, this would be unbearable.

I’ll try to have some pictures up by tomorrow. For now, I leave you with a final “pura vida.” Thank you to everyone who has read this. Hopefully you have enjoyed it.

Chau.