Costa Rica and my mental balancing act
You know how when you're planning something for a long time, the planning sort of becomes the thing itself? And how after that, approaching that date on your calendar feels unreal and kind of scary?
I've been saying, "I'm leaving for Costa Rica on May 21st" for probably two months. Now, the 21st is this Saturday. Now, there are only two days settled between me and a 3-week long trip to Costa Rica with my sister. I saw a commercial on Monday for the iPhone that showcased an App for an airline and for some reason made my heart start pounding hard and fast. I think that was when it became real to me.
Guys. I'm really scared. Of muggings (a very frequent occurrence in CR - Americans are especially targeted) , violence (goes with the muggings), riptides (two sixteen year old Americans just drowned in CR), airplane crashes, of anything that could possibly go wrong. And probably the one that's bothering me the most - not seeing my boyfriend for three weeks. Can you believe all this is coming from the girl who studied abroad in Chile alone for a semester? And, while it was probably a good idea that I read the US Government's travel advisory about Costa Rica, it really freaked me out. They had a list of attacks that happen frequently to Americans. One of which included Costa Ricans slashing the tires of rental cars parked outside tourist destinations, following the driver until the tire is flat, offering to help, and then taking everything they have at gunpoint. Not that I'm going to be riding in any rental cars. But it's mostly knowing that there are people there who would love nothing more than to rob me. I know that isn't all Costa Rica is. I've been there before: the rainforests and beaches and waterfalls are absolutely breathtaking, some of the people are really nice, the institute where we'll be studying has some really wonderful teachers. I'm trying to focus on all the good things while at the same time keeping the potential dangers in mind. It's a balancing act.
I did manage to find one thought about Costa Rica that really calms me when I'm feeling like this whole thing was a bad idea: laying with a book in one of the hammocks at the Conversa Institute, listening to the sounds of afternoon rainfall.
I've been saying, "I'm leaving for Costa Rica on May 21st" for probably two months. Now, the 21st is this Saturday. Now, there are only two days settled between me and a 3-week long trip to Costa Rica with my sister. I saw a commercial on Monday for the iPhone that showcased an App for an airline and for some reason made my heart start pounding hard and fast. I think that was when it became real to me.
Guys. I'm really scared. Of muggings (a very frequent occurrence in CR - Americans are especially targeted) , violence (goes with the muggings), riptides (two sixteen year old Americans just drowned in CR), airplane crashes, of anything that could possibly go wrong. And probably the one that's bothering me the most - not seeing my boyfriend for three weeks. Can you believe all this is coming from the girl who studied abroad in Chile alone for a semester? And, while it was probably a good idea that I read the US Government's travel advisory about Costa Rica, it really freaked me out. They had a list of attacks that happen frequently to Americans. One of which included Costa Ricans slashing the tires of rental cars parked outside tourist destinations, following the driver until the tire is flat, offering to help, and then taking everything they have at gunpoint. Not that I'm going to be riding in any rental cars. But it's mostly knowing that there are people there who would love nothing more than to rob me. I know that isn't all Costa Rica is. I've been there before: the rainforests and beaches and waterfalls are absolutely breathtaking, some of the people are really nice, the institute where we'll be studying has some really wonderful teachers. I'm trying to focus on all the good things while at the same time keeping the potential dangers in mind. It's a balancing act.
I did manage to find one thought about Costa Rica that really calms me when I'm feeling like this whole thing was a bad idea: laying with a book in one of the hammocks at the Conversa Institute, listening to the sounds of afternoon rainfall.