Arrival

10/25/09, 1:27am at home, 11:27 pm here

it always surprises me the day that I travel. Just this morning I woke up in my bed at home, and now, that very same day, I am in a bed alone with no communication in an apartment with a stranger in the next room in san pedro costa rica. Whirlwind is the best way to describe it.
I looked out the window as we approached land and saw a myriad of lights flickering throughout the city. I was filled with a sense of pride. The last time I had come here, just a few short months ago but eons away in life, I had planned to come back. As we landed with a thud, I smiled. I was proud of myself for following through with my plan. I remembered a certain early morning during the week I spent with friends at the beach here. I awoke early of my own accord and went out to the beach at 7am …..had breakfast alone while reading. The last morning here I had breakfast and took a picture of it, my blackberry milkshake and rice&beans with the mountains in the background. Over the past few months I’d come back to that picture and the video of the waves and felt a thrill at returning. Life came at me fast and my plans swiftly changed. They went helter skelter along with other events and lessons I learned. Yet, despite it all, here I am I thought to myself. Flying into Costa Rica. I held my ruby in my hand and resolved that when I sat on a plane leaving here, I would be a stronger, more mindful person. That I would make an effort and use this time for self discovery to learn valuable lessons about myself and life.
So I got my bags without a hassle and headed out of the airport. The warm humid air enveloped me as I searched through the crowd of people clustered by the exit. I found my name and approached the guy. We had a nice car ride to San Pedro, chatting in Spanish about the country. I was pleased with my level of conversation in a language I hadn’t used in several months. He gave me advice on safety, money and culture. He showed me around the neighborhood a bit and then we drove into a secured building surrounded by 12 foot tall fences. A security guard greeted us and I felt safe.
When the door first opened, I was surprised and a little disappointed by my roommate. She was in her 40s and didn’t fit the image I had had of a fun young girl to go out dancing with. After a couple hours of chatting however, I learned more about her and liked her. I went to take a shower, the absolute best feeling after a long day of traveling, only to find that the water was out. So, feeling dirty and really wishing I could brush my teeth, I sat down on the hard bed. I hadn’t heard from my boyfriend despite texting two of his friends. I didn’t have internet in the apartment like I had thought I would. I settled into bed, after trying to guess the password to several internet networks, obviously to no avail.