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Letting go isn’t the end of the world…

It’s the beginning of a new life. 2 more days left until leaving Costa Rica behind for good. Bittersweet is really the only word to describe this feeling. Still don’t know what to do yet once I get home…I’ll figure it out when I get back…never the one who plans.

—> Just got back from buying some gifts downtown. It’s weird because it was probably the last time taking the Carmiol bus to downtown San Jose and walking down Avenida Central…which brought back many memories. San Jose has been my home for a long while and every time getting back to San Jose from the beach it feels like home, it’s comfortable and familiar and I know exactly where I am. Definitely immersed in the culture and everything now and like every other experience it has to end sometime. Even though I didn’t take any Spanish classes here and I’ve been teaching English almost every day, my Spanish still improved a lot. There’s only so much to learn in class. I also thought of more things that I’ve learned about Costa Rica:

34. You’re not supposed to throw toilet paper into the toilet, use the garbage bin.
35. Cover your mouth with your left hand and finger smack with the right hand while you laugh or something funny happens.
36. Ticos love checking out girls, and I don’t mean just looking top to bottom, their heads follow the girl left to right and right to left and their heads move in sync…it’s amazing really.
37. No army here.
38. Nightclub here doesn’t mean a bar/club/disco, it means a strip club.
39. Red light doesn’t mean shit here when there aren’t many cars.
40. Always support local businesses, even an extra dollar for tips means a lot here.
41. “Costa Rica Named First BioGem Country by NRDC”
42. Huge differences between the Caribbean Coast and the Pacific Coast.
43. They play soccer on basketball courts…
44. Honking is a warning to other drivers that you’re crossing an intersection so they don’t crash into you, it’s a signal, and they converse with it, especially cab drivers.
45. Pura Vida!

That’s about it really…this kinda marks the end of my journey here in Costa Rica…and so, here I am, packing up and getting ready to leave otra vez…

1:25 am, 3/9 ——-> Estoy disfrutando mis últimos momentos en Casa Luna y Costa Rica. En unas horas voy a salir para el aeropuerto, otra vez. Estoy triste y no voy a esconderlo. Este me ha pasado muchas veces y estoy acostumbrado. El fin nunca es el fin, es el comienzo de algo nuevo. Bueno ya, tengo que tomar una siesta porque estoy muy cansado de anoche.

Life is a series of rooms…

…and who we get stuck in the rooms with adds up to what our lives are (If you know where this is from you are my new best friend). It’s always the hardest to leave people behind. We hold the key to unlocking the door leading to other rooms. The door is there and ultimately we have to walk through it, can’t stay forever. Rooms can change and furniture can be rearranged, but the person living there stays the same. His or her appearance might change with time and might be deceiving but deep down inside, they’re still the same. People don’t change. They want to change. They want to believe that they can change but they don’t. Personality stays forever. It’s the decisions they make that give the illusion of change. Those decisions are what make us different.

Having said that, not sure where to go from here. The point is, my life has been very fortunate and blessed to be stuck with so many good people. Things I can take with me. Places I can revisit. It’s the people that I miss and will always miss. Live and treasure the moments of each day, especially today because it’s a gift, that’s why it’s called the present.

19 days and counting…

It’s been a while since I’ve felt the sensation of having to leave a place knowing that I won’t be back for a while (forever…possibly). I’m going to miss Costa Rica, especially friends and students who I’ve gotten to know. Some of them I might see again someday but others, the chances are pretty slim. Así es la vida. I’ve got my experience, my thoughts, and my memories to take with me…what more do I need? Don’t answer, that was rhetorical. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy fully these few remaining days in this “Rich Coast” but first, some things I’ve learned here:

1. Pura Vida!
2. Que tuanis, mae!
3. Do not rely on the buses here, they’re NEVER on time.
4. However, the buses go everywhere in the country and it’s the cheapest way to travel without a car.
5. Things are done in Tico time (meaning NEVER on time), even the government.
6. Cajero automáticos (ATMs) suck and have LONG lines.
7. Chicas are Ba-ba-ba-beautiful.
8. Pura Vida!
9. Roads suck, 8 out of 10 have huge ass holes which a car has to zig-zag through.
10. PDA(s) are seen everywhere, it is normal…you are supposed to have make-out sessions in the middle of the street.
11. Girls LOVE boots here.
12. Taxi meter is called “Maria”, always ask for it when getting in a cab.
13. Cacique Guaro (Local liquor) tastes HORRIBLE, similar to Aquadiente in Spain, but SO CHEAP.
14. Gallo Pinto for breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner. Everyday.
15. Pura Vida!
16. Casados con chuleta, pollo, o carne de res (Rice and beans, plátanos, salad and tortillas) son muy buenos.
17. Guanabana (Local fruit).
18. Fruits are VERY sweet.
19. Ticos LOVE 80’s music, and I mean LOVE as in hearing it on TV, in clubs, on buses, in cabs, and in sodas and restaurants.
20. Fast food restaurants especially McDonalds are COOL and the place to hang out…
21. Think Americans are fat and lazy? Burger King DELIVERS here, right to where you live.
22. Saprissa vs Liga (Also Alajuela). Local soccer teams are the best ones.
23. Ticos do NOT like Nicos…
24. The Police here don’t do anything…Pay them 10 – 20 dollars they’ll let you go.
25. Imperial (Costa Rican beer) tastes like piss…seriously.
26. It’s uncanny and probably applies to Latin America in general, but people here look like people back home…only darker…SO many of my students look like someone I know back home…
27. Do not say you are from America…because Central and South America IS part of America.
28. They LOVE Obama here!
29. Every other store is a shoe store.
30. Everyone knows salsa.
31. No street names…address is the number of blocks E S W N from a landmark.
32. Ticos do not know how to give directions…they know the place, they know how to get there, but they can’t give directions.
33. Pura Vida!

Can’t really think of any more for now…so I’ll leave it as that.

(Near) future plans

3/12 – Leave for home
—–> Save up for Chile: Part-time? Tutor? Spanish Classes? Self-Study?
5/30 – Chile English Open Doors
——–> 6/15 First day teaching
——–> 7/17 – 7/31 Winter Break
——–> 8/3 – Second Term
——–> 11/20 – Last day
——–> 11/28 – Leave for home

Chile —–> Travel to Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Uruguay, Brazil (If possible)

12/2009 – Stay home for Christmas

1/2010 – 6 months in Spain

6/2010 – Africa World Cup (Travel Africa if possible)

Start French – 8/2010 – France? Canada? —–> 1 year (Travel Europe)

8/2011 – Done with Spanish/French – Master’s? Peace Corps? (Japanese, Italian, Portuguese) – 2 years

After Master’s/Peace Corps – Teach in Asia – 1 year (Travel Asia)

12/21/2012 – If the World doesn’t end…(And it won’t)

———-> Just some thoughts and plans…

A special entry / Una entrada especial

I figured I’d write this entry in both English and Spanish since I’m starting to have so many friends who only speak Spanish.

Tears are the blood of the soul as San Agustín said, and eyes are the windows to the soul. I don’t shed tears anymore. As I’ve said many times before, I’ll never stay and I understand that. I am and will always leave people, places, and things I’ve got to know behind. Tears will not stop that from happening. It’s interesting because some of my students asked me about my plans for the future and after I told them, the first advice that I got was that it’s pretty much impossible for me to sustain a relationship because of my constant desire to travel and move from place to place. People say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all…I say it’s best to just not love at all. Pain and damage to the heart will never heal. It really hurts. I don’t mean to be sentimental but it is how it is. I learned to live with it. I would love more than anything in the world to leave it to fate except the thought of not having control over my life I really cannot stand. The point is, I try to move on. I try to not let my heart be involved. I tried and failed. Feelings past. It’s always hard but I’ll heal. Though it won’t be the same ever again.

————————————————————————————————-

Supuse que escribiría esta entrada en ambos ingles y español puesto que empiece tener mas amigos quien hablan solo español.

Las lágrimas son la sangre del alma como dijo San Agustín, y los ojos son el espejo del alma. Ya no derramé ningunas lágrimas. Como he dicho antes muchas veces, nunca voy a quedarme y eso me entiendo. Siempre voy a dejar atrás la gente, los lugares y las cosas que me había familiarizado. Las lágrimas no pueden evitarlo de eso. Me fascina porque unos de mis estudiantes me preguntaron sobre mis planes en el futuro y después de les conté, el primero consejo que me dijeron era que es casi imposible mantener una relación por mi deseo constante de viajar y cambiar a otros lugares. Dice que es mejor ha amado y ha sufrido un desamor que no ha amado nunca…bueno, digo que es lo mejor no ama nunca. El dolor y el daño a la corazon nunca curarán y le duele mucho. Eso es lo que sea. Aprendido vivir con eso. Me encantaría dejarlo al destino más que todo el mundo menos que no puedo creer en que no tengo control sobre mi vida. El hecho es que trato continuar con la vida. Trato de no deja mi corazón involucrada. Traté y fracasé. Sentimientos pasan. Siempre es difícil pero voy a curar. Aunque no vaya a ser lo mismo nunca.

Well…it’s 2:42 am…it’s late (or early)…I’m going to bed.

Bueno…ya es 2:42…muy tarde (o temprano)…voy a dormirme.

The Inauguration of Barack Obama

I’ve been in the US for almost 10 years. The first year doesn’t really count since I didn’t know any English let alone politics. Then 4 years of high school and 4 years of university, all under Bush’s administration. It’s going to be very interesting to experience something else, something new.

Many students that I’ve taught asked me about Obama. Every one of them loved Obama. There are many expectations of Obama and his administration to bring “change”. Most people think that after Obama, well now President Obama (so weird to say that) takes over, things will start changing with a snap of a finger. This ditch that we’re in is going to take time for us to climb out. One person can’t change everything. Obama represents change, and that in itself brings hope to the people. Obama is not going to meet all these expectations in his first administration. It takes TIME.

Anyway, this is history right here. I’m glad I have the chance to witness something like this.

God Bless America!

Out of sight, out of mind

Not really.

Too tired right now…I’ll expand on it later.

—–> 4 days later…

Solo cuando no hay aun un secundo para pensar. Algunos pueden ahuyentar todos los pensamientos pero no lo puedo. Es difícil porque me cuesta mucho tiempo dormirme, aunque sea cansado. Dice que si no lo soñarle se vuelve loco, quizás, porque todos lo que obtiene el mente subconsciencia durante el día están en el mente pero la consciencia no los trata entonces, la subconsciencia los trata cuando la consciencia está descansado en la noche. Y esos pensamientos se forman los sueños. A veces las cosas que pensó todo el día se forman los sueños también. Hay un dicho en Chino que dice “lo que piensa en el día, lo piensa en sueño”. Bueno.

Seis días…porque solo es ella. Aunque sea por un minuto.

Happy New Year!

Gotta start work again tomorrow. Happy 2009!

One of my pictures on Flickr from Maui was picked to be in a tour guide, which is pretty cool. Link here.

Nothing in this world that’s worth having comes easy

Looking back at everything that happened in the past 10 years after leaving Hong Kong, I can’t say that I have been giving my best at everything. I know on many occasions I could have tried harder, but didn’t simply because I never seek perfection. To others, I’ve accomplished a lot (learned English, Spanish, and French for one, studied in Spain, France and now working in CR for another) but to me, these aren’t really “big” accomplishments. To be clear, this is about “things” not “people” because nobody’s perfect (except for Shakira the love of my LIFE). Anyway, the point is, there is still so much that I wanna do and I know that if I put my mind to it, anything is possible. Yes, it was hard adjusting to life in the US when I was 13, it was never so much about me trying but more of being forced to learn by the environment. So, this year, let’s try harder.

P.S. My friend and I were talking earlier this morning and just like last year we did another New Year resolution thing. Three resolutions with a twist: the third one is to be picked for by each other. So, for my friend Shaun, he said to lose weight and get better grades. The one that I picked for him is to leave San Diego for at least 2-3 weeks during the summer (because he’s been there all his life). As for me, the first is to save up money and the second is to be very advanced in Spanish, I want to say near-native. The third one that my friend picked for me was to party with him. (Truth be told I’ve known him for 6-7 years but we’ve only hung out twice). He’s one of my best friends though…es extraño. So, yeah.

Year in review: 2008

United Press International: Lost stories
IMDB: STARmeter
IMDB: MOVIEmeter
Empireonline: 50 movies that defined the year
National Geographic: Top 10 photos
National Geographic: Top 10 stories
National Geographic: Top 10 archaeology finds
Yahoo!: 2008 year in review
Slam Online: 2008 year in review

I figured I’d write this now because tonight is party night! So, Happy New Year! May all your wishes come true! Be safe, take care, don’t get too drunk…(hypocrite!)

A picture is worth a thousand words…

Brasilito

Originally uploaded by Drickalick

Sometimes…depends on the picture.

We can only see a picture, maybe use a little bit of imagination to feel what it is like, however, it’s not the real thing. The smell, the sound, the atmosphere, and of course the mood and the moment.

The point is, my friend Andy and I went to Guanacaste to spend Christmas instead of staying in boring San Jose. It was one of the most relaxing trips I took in a while. Just chilling on the beach, getting some sun, enjoying the smell of salt water in the air accompanied by the sound of waves. Good times.

We left on the 22nd and went to Playas del Coco towards northern Guanacaste. We thought it was going to be a nice beach but we were disappointed…so we only spent a night there. The next day we took the bus and went to Brasilito, which is a little down south. Definitely my favorite place thus far. The place we stayed at was cheap so we ended up spending two nights there. Brasilito is surrounded by resorts with Playa Flamingo being the most famous. Right next to Brasilito beach lies Playa Conchal (Shells beach). Part of the beach is formed basically by seashells. Further down the beach shells become sands. The beach was so relaxing. So, we spent Christmas there. Had a great meal on Christmas Eve (we can only afford one). Watched the Lakers-Celtics game on Christmas day at a bar at Flamingo. Ate dinner then chilled.

The next day we got up early to go to Montezuma…the guidebook that we had was pretty outdated so it was plenty of improvising. We took the bus from Brasilito to Santa Cruz, then changed bus from Santa Cruz to Nicoya, then Nicoya to Playa Naranjo. By the time we got there, we were exhausted. To get to Montezuma we still had to take a ferry from Naranjo to Puntarenas then another ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera only then could we take the bus to Montezuma. We decided that it wasn’t worth the trouble…our money was running low and we didn’t want to go back to San Jose broke. So, we ended up staying in Puntarenas and left for San Jose the next day.

Despite all the traveling, it was definitely a great trip. I got darker again…which will fade away soon enough. It was a much-needed vacation from working too much. Anyhow, I got a lot of time to think on this trip and Andy and I had some great conversations. All I need is pretty much one more trip to Quepos, Manuel Antonio, or even Tortuguero or Montezuma and my travels in Costa Rica will be fulfilled…and then it’s time to move on.

Que Dios te bendiga!