Long-Distance Anything

Flying over Jamaica!

Oh hey, it's been a while! A few weeks ago, I took a trip back to the States for my fall break. It was a beautiful whirlwind sandwiched by some heartache. Since getting back to Costa Rica, to say that our internet has been sketchy would be an understatement.

To catch you up-- While home, I addressed a few wedding invites (ok a lot more than a few), ordered a cake, played a few board games, met with our wedding planner, ate some Chick-fil-a, watched the UGA game, ran a garage sale, tried on my wedding dress, went to a seamstress, loved on my family, hugged a few friends, & lastly, held my favorite boy.  

Landing in Costa Rica

Up until now, I feel like I have been a pretty positive blogger. I'm never one to harp on the negative for too long. But honestly, I just want to share heart for a sec. Travel is exciting. Living abroad is adventurous. I'm always seeing & learning new things. But long-distance friendships, wedding planning, relationships, or long-distance anything just isn't that fun. Here's a glimpse into my journal & my heart for the past two weeks. 

Oct 8:

This just doesn't get any easier. Last week, i spent my fall break back in the states and enjoyed sometime with my family & future beloved. As time rolls on and it gets closer and closer to my wedding day, I can't help but feel like being in a different country from the one I love is only getting more challenging. 

In this season, I have grown immensely as a teacher and as an individual. I have been able to draw nearer and nearer to The Lord and pursue him more fully. I have been preparing my heart while still enjoying this adventure. My heart is in two places at once! 

Oct 11:

Sitting in my room, no power, no lights, 11 candles lit, listening to Grace Midtown's message called "Receiving the Spirit". I am hungry for more, Lord! God, I don't want to miss out on what you have for me in this season. I want to experience you, Holy Spirit, and move in power for you. I want the pursuit of your love!

Make-shift candle holders for the power outage...

Oct 14:

On my way to Irazu! We have the day off so I needed an adventure. This was the best option! Ashley couldn't come because she just got back from the beach late last night, so I'm flying solo this time. 

Lord, you have grown my independence and courage so much this year! I am also ready to have my partner by my side. My buddy, my best friend. I am my favorite version of myself when I am with McCray!

Is my heart ready? Can you ever be completely ready for a new unknown adventure? You can have the best packing list, the newest maps, the most informative travel books- but you never know exactly what you're getting into until you're there, figuring it out along the way! 

I can't wait for marriage to be our beautiful adventure!

Volcan de Irazu!

adventure, aventura, avontuur!

Buenas, chicos! It's been a little while since I've updated you on my escapades around Costa Rica!

Since April, I have been traveling around with a group of crazy kids about my age, figuring out what this place has to offer. We are all expats living in/around San Jose, working or doing internships.
Most of the people in the group are leaving in June so they've been trying to get as much traveling done as they can before they go. 

It started out as just a few cool kids who worked & lived together and now the group just keeps getting bigger! In one weekend, the dinner table is likely to be filled with as many as 6 languages (English, Spanish, Dutch, German, French, Swedish). Whoever we meet one weekend is free to join us the next. Really, the more the merrier. 

The next few blog posts will my experiences and tips about the places we've visited! 

1. La Fortuna

I almost missed out on this adventure- it was Friday afternoon and I had a 10 page essay due on Saturday. Fortunately, Suzanne convinced me to take my computer along and finish this essay on the 5 hour bus ride to La Fortuna and just submit it when I arrived. I was a little more than hesitant to do this but I'm definitely glad I did! Here's why:

Even though I had already been to La Fortuna, I still had a perfect weekend filled with new people and new memories.

We stayed at the nicest hostel that I've visited yet: Arenal Backpackers 5 Star Hostel.

The only down side was that there was no kitchen- usually at hostels I like to make dinner to save a little bit of $$$.

We visited (and swam in) the La Fortuna Waterfall.

This was an easy-medium hike. You follow steep steps down the mountain until you reach the waterfall! The hardest part are the steps on the way back up!

It's a frequently traveled/high tourist attraction.

We got to enjoy a cloudless view of the Arenal Volcano.

Even though Arenal hasn't erupted in quite a few years, it's still just as beautiful as ever! 

Suus just getting a better view of Arenal!

We had a magical evening in the hot springs at Tabacon Hot Springs.

We chose these hot springs because they were natural hot springs (rather than the man made pools at many other resorts). It still had a resort feel but I could tell the difference between these rivers & the other man-made hot springs that I had visited previously. 

We had such nice, fun, & relaxing time!

Plus, the trip was really not too difficult. To get to La Fortuna, I would suggest taking a bus from San Jose to Ciudad Quesada. Then, catch a bus to La Fortuna from there.

On the way back, I actually took a different route (thanks to a suggestion from a nice Tica lady). I took a bus from La Fortuna to San Ramon. Then, I connected with a bus to San Jose from there.

Both ways were pretty simple. The only problems on the way home were: 1. I just had to ask the bus driver on the first (La Fortuna-San Ramon) bus how to get to the San Jose bus station in San Ramon (a 1 min walk) & 2. The San Ramon-San Jose bus didn't drop us off at the San Jose Coca Cola Station so I really wished that I had gotten off a few stops before at La Sabana Park.

The girl that I sat next to on the bus from San Ramon-San Jose
gave me this card as a present!
(The lizard is made out of real butterfly wings-super cool.)

2. Montezuma 

This was another favorite weekend that I've had since I've been in Costa Rica. Montezuma is pretty much a one street town on the Nicoya Peninsula that has a cozy friendly feel. During the day, you can explore the nearby waterfall, enjoy the beaches, and take many different exciting tours. At night, there is one bar right on the beach that gets packed out. They have the works: music, street fire shows, dancing, etc.

These crabs were everywhere.

Our group was so big this weekend that we had to stay at two hostels. My half of the group stayed at Luz en Cielo. 

This was one of the smaller hostels that I've been to but it included breakfast so I was pleased, nonetheless.

First, we risked our lives climbing in and around the Montezuma Waterfalls. 

Warning: if you are not someone who is readily up for adventure- this may not be for you. 
The Montezuma Waterfalls encompass three different levels of waterfalls that pour into one another. We had the frightening privilege of starting at the bottom and climbing our way around to the top. 

We didn't have per-say a "guide" the whole time, but we sort of followed the locals ahead of us. This may have been a bad idea since they were the ones who were crazy enough to jump off the waterfalls from seriously ridiculous heights. Nonetheless, we survived- barely- by carefully watching our step as we climbed up steep rock faces without as much as a harness. 

Since I LOVE rock climbing, I had a blast! But if you decide to go, don't wear flip flops. 

yep, that's me!

The next day, we relaxed a little and took a boat tour to Tortuga Island.

The boat tour included lunch, drinks, snorkeling, & a complimentary dolphin sighting! We laughed the day away on this gorgeous beach- splashing in the water and playing beach volleyball in the sand! I think I still have sand in my things from this day.

We saw dolphins!

I still can't believe it. Way too cool.

There were so many!

That night, we danced the night away at Chico's Bar- located right on the beach!

Fire dancing in the street!

This trip required a little bit more effort. On this particular weekend, the majority of us had Friday off because President Obama was coming into San Jose  and all the roads would be blocked. Crazy that one person can have that much effect- I know- but we chose to make the most of it! 

First, we took a bus from San Jose to Puntarenas. Once we were in Puntarenas, we took a taxi to the ferry port and hopped onto a ferry (after buying a ticket of course) that took us to Paquera. There we were supposed to take a bus from Paquera to Cobano and another bus from Cobano to Montezuma...but somehow we ended up opting for the easier and quicker options: a taxi. Split between all of us, the taxi was only just a few dollars more.

On the way home, I took the less economic but much faster route because I had a bad stomach ache and needed to get home. I took a taxi boat from Montezuma to Jaco and a bus from Jaco to San Jose (but they let me out early in Santa Ana!). This trip took about the half of the time or less than the alternate route.  

While we're on the boat theme, I'll leave you with a quote that I painted a while back...

"A ship in harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." 

Next up, Manuel Antonio & The Crocodile Man Tour in Tarcoles! Check back tomorrow for more pictures and good old Costa Rica lovin'.

That weird feeling like I'm starting college again.

I arrived in Costa Rica just a little less than 2 weeks ago. My parents were kind enough to travel down here with me to help me get set up. [Or maybe they were just smart enough to take advantage of a free place to stay in this popular tropical vacation spot! :)]

In a sense, it took me back to that first day of my freshman year of college... all the way from moving in to my new place [except a little bigger than my dorm room] to hitting the stores to find some needed supplies. We also had a chance to explore the new town and try the get our bearings. 

These were some of our findings:

El Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica

On the bucket list: Before I leave Costa Rica, I will go see a show here.

The Doka Coffee Estate

My collage of the coffee life cycle!

Poas Volcano National Park 

Unfortunately this was the best picture we got. Overcast would be an understatement. Maybe next time we'll see something worth bragging about..

La Paz Waterfall Gardens 

One of those times that you're glad your mom embarrassed you: 

Lets flashback to the airport really quickly. I was standing in the Immigration line with my parents in San Jose, waiting to be officially let into the country. We weren't sure if we had properly filled out our forms so my mom boldly asks the man in front of us to explain the whole process. He responds cordially and gives me his business card in case I need any help while in the country. I stow it away and promptly forget about it.

Just a few days later: Our tour bus takes us up to the La Paz Waterfall and Gardens for the day. When my dad sees the sign, he says "I recognize that name- could it be from that man's business card?" When we return home, I pull out the card only to find that we had met the OWNER of the in the airport line. I need to start making more friends along the way!

La Feria de Santa Ana

Where I will be getting my groceries. 

We realized that our 1-100 Spanish number education doesn't help very much when the lowest bill in Costa Rica is 1 Mil (or 1,000 colones). Perhaps I'll be able to negotiate better deals once I know my numbers in Spanish better!

Our produce from the day.

Drinking refreshing coconut water from an Agua de Pipa!

Jaco Beach

A beautiful way to end the week with mis padres.

And as their week here ended, my new life here was just beginning. 

I remember that when I started college at UGA, Athens, GA felt like such a big town. It felt impossible to get my mind around where things were in relation to one another. Isn't it crazy how fast a town can shrink? I can't wait to discover the ins and outs of Santa Ana and watch it shrink before my eyes. 

Most of all, more than anything, I remember how hard that first month of college was. Searching for my place in that town made time crawl like molasses. But once that month was under my belt, college disappeared in a blink of an eye. Something gives me the feeling that this experience is going to be quite similar. Two weeks has felt twice as long. I feel like home is a lifetime away. But I have to be careful and not wish this away. Pretty soon I'll wake up and it'll be December- it always seems to happen that way.