A, you inspire me!
And in the spirit of inspiration, I've decided to post 14 things that I was thankful for over the course of my vacation! *Notice* Some may be the same but I assure you they are not.
1. The moment of touchdown (in an airplane) in a new place. Because, really, until the plane has actually hit the ground, you aren't really in a new country... but then... you are!
2. Being so overtired that everything is hilarious! Because, that really makes exploring a new hotel really, really interesting.
3. Rice & Beans. Not my favourite dish, but so good for you! (We ate rice and beans for EVERY, SINGLE, MEAL.)
4. Friendly locals. In Costa Rica, they live Pura Vida! It means that they are full of pure life! Everyone there takes it day by day and is just... content.
5. Very friendly locals. And when I mean locals, I mean boys.
6. Hotel beds. Why are they always SO comfortable... or is it just me?
7. Trying something in a different country. Okay, I meant pineapple. Imported pineapple in Canada SUCKS. Mega. But, Costa Rica pineapple is like heaven that grows in the ground.
8. Musical bus rides. We did a LOT of busing in CR, and if you know me, then you would know that sitting still is not my forte. At all. But jamming out with 'R' on long bus rides (singing and dancing included) made them a lot more tolerable.
9. Card games. As it turns out, when texting is between .75$ and 1.25$ per message in foreign countries, people don't spend a lot of time on their cell phones! So what better way to bring people together than fun, friendly, and sometimes violent card games, hm?
10. Long, cold showers. I've posted about cold showers before (a LONG time ago) but in a new country, it's a completely different experience! It's like you don't even feel the cold! And of course, singing was included (unfortunately, one of the chaperones heard me, and actually sat there, listening.)
11. Tidal WAAAVE! There's nothing like spending hours on end in the ocean, jumping through waves that TOWER over your head like its nothing!
12. Aloe Vera. Useful AFTER those hours in the ocean when you realize that you forgot to put sunscreen on your face... ouch.
13. Burger King! A taste of home (er.. home country, at least).
14. Home. My family, my dog, my bed, my friends, my city. I was talking to a guy on the plane ride home named Ian, he too, was a ginger, and he laughed at me sympathetically when he saw my sunburned face. He was from Idaho. He asked if I was going to leave my hometown after high-school, I snorted and said "yeah!". He then laughed and said wisely, "Maybe you will, but there is always something magnetic about your home town, you'll see." I believe him, let's say that... but I'm still leaving.
Can't wait to see you, A!
J
