My Life Stories

zucchini bread anyone?

2008-07-21T07:14:00.000-07:00

This last month has flown by! Next thing I know we will be in Florida for our pictures, back to pack and then moving...

My parents came to Indianapolis this weekend to visit. (AWW) Jesse and I took them around the Carmel area and to the apartment complex we will be living at. I think they liked it, and I am sure it made them feel better knowing where we will be. My mom and I went shopping while dad and Jesse went to Champs. Apparently they did not realize we were going to shop till be dropped because two hours into shopping they called to ask where we were. We had only been to two stores and hadn't even made it to the Fashion Mall to shop for my engagement picture outfits. After mom and I were tired shopping, around 5:30, the boys came to get us and take us to dinner. We ended up at Mitchell's, which is a nice seafood place at Clay Terrace.

Anyways...back to the subject of the post. My parents came this weekend, and they brought me fresh produce from the garden. Zucchini and fresh green beans. Well, last night (Sunday) Jesse pan fried some organic chicken breasts and made fresh green beans with bacon, onions, and tomatoes for dinner. It was yummy. I decided to make zucchini bread, but realized that I had gotten rid of my loaf pan in the move. Then I tried to find my cupcake tins. Luckily, I did find them, they were in the garage in probably the last Rubbermaid I went through. After that hassle, I went home and peeled and seeded the zucchini, then shredded them by hand. When I was done I made the mix to put in the tins. I had originally planned to make a bunch and give to Dave, take to work, and eat. But of course, after the first batch of 12, I ran out of flour, sugar and eggs. Soooo off to the store I went. When I got back I made one more batch before calling it a night. Luckily the effort paid off because the muffins are so yummy and moist! I also liked the addition of using freshly grated nutmeg by me! I will no doubt make many more batches in the weeks to come.

Take-n--Make

2008-07-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

So, I went to this Take-n-Make party at Jesse's boss's house (Melanie). Basically, you bring the meat so you can be picky and do whatvever cut you like or the quality and so forth. Then you take it in plastic bags. When you get to the place, they have stations set up. You make one meal per station, for a total of five meals. It was $30 for 5 meals plus the cost of meat. The meals sound yummy and all we have to do is take them out of the freezer to thaw and then bake them or grill or what not. (Assuming our freezer doesn't go out again). I will keep you updated on the results. We have stuff for hot chicken subs, Italian chicken foil packets, Western Casserole, Asian Pork, and Cilantro Citrus chicken. Mmm...I am making myself hungry.

I also bought some mixes for some dessert type cheese balls, salad dressings, and this amazing dip. SO, I guess you will all have to come over to visit me and Jesse, huh??

Moving on up to the Northside....

2008-07-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

I feel like singing the Three's Company song.

Today was the last straw for us at the Gardens of Canal Court. I mean... you would think the 5 refridgerator/freezer outages would have been enough, but today they told us that we were looking at October before we would get a two bedroom. (We have been on the waitlist since March) October as in months after we told them we wanted to move, and October as in 2 months after they told me two weeks ago. Basically they strung us along because they knew they could. Well, I guess it wasn't in their favor because we had enough of their crap. Air conditioner breaking on top of the fridge/freezer outages, and not getting us in into a two bedroom---all added up finally got to us.

We went apartment hunting last week, but ultimately the kitchen was a deal breaker for me. It was like a galley kitchen---something I refer to as a hallway kitchen. Not enough room for me and Jesse, and I know that I would be telling him to "move" all the time. Also, there was a shortage of cabinet space. If you have seen our kitchen, we have a lot of dishes and serving plates and gadgets so we need lots of cabinets!

So today, after being told by the apartment people they can't get us in until October (maybe October at that), we went apartment hunting again and found Providence at Old Meridian. Providence is located in Carmel, Indiana, and I'm not excited about it because now I will be able to drop what people in this state refer to as the "Carmel bomb", no I am excited because it is somewhere with a working fridge! How strange that something like that would excite me. I am also excited about it being closer to shopping, the grocery store, hospitals, and doctors, not to mention far away from street shootings.

This place seems top of the line; we will have to keep ya'll updated on how it turns out after we live there for a while. It has an outdoor pool and hot tub. A workout facility, tanning beds, an onsite postal office, dry cleaning drop off and pick up, a movie theatre, virtual golf, and a bunch of other things that seem nice but we will probably not use often. The kitchen in the "Georgetown" (the apartment floorplan we selected) is open and spacious. We can even put our kitchen table in there. There is also an area that can be used as a desk in the kitchen. The bedrooms are good sized and the closets in the bedrooms are huge!!!!! I just can't wait. I believe a quote from me to Jesse tonight was: "If we ever get in a fight, I can just go into my closet and sit." That is how nice and huge they are. They even have the double racks to fit even more stuff! We have a balcony and an outdoor storage closet outside just off the balcony. We have a graden tub!! --and the great thing about that is that it has a shower hookup too, so it's not JUST a bath tub. I am just too excited about this place.

The downside for me is that it is further from school and my job. But in all fairness Jesse has that commute everyday to work in summers. Also, there is a charter bus that picks up in Carmel (6-8am) for $2 and drops you off downtown. It also picks up at night (4-6pm)downtown and drops you off at Carmel for an additional $2. So that is an option. I will keep you updated after we move in on the place. Everyone will have to come visit us because now we will have a spare bedroom. Also, we are pretty close to the Fashion Mall! Watch your wallets men.

Idiosyncrasies

2008-05-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

So one night before bed, Jesse and I got into a conversation about towels. Yes, towels. You see he has this thing about hanging the towel up after you get out of the shower and are done using it. I have this thing about dropping it some place and forgetting about it.

Growing up...I (along with my sisters) used one towel per bath/shower. Each time I took a shower, I got a new towel. Jenni on the other hand liked to use two at once. One for her hair and one for her body. Until college, I always did the one towel per shower/bath and then a new towel each time. I thought that this was normal--and did until Jesse told me otherwise.

In college, I began reusing (gasp!) my towels because it was a pain to do laundry. However, I still had quite a few towels so that I did not have to reuse them more than a few times. In Costa Rica, I had to reuse towels, but because they never really dried I had a rotation of about three towels that I would reuse. When I met Jesse and we started sleeping at each other's place. I realized that he expected me to reuse my towel. Okay, I can handle that...not too wierd. However, I always would slip up and leave it crumpled on the floor in the bathroom, living room, his room, my room, (depending on whose place we were at). OOps! Not every girl can be perfect can she? Well, other times I would not forget to hang it but would real quick get it up there on the towel bar and stuff it down so it would hang. Basically I would twist the towel and shove it onto and over the bar to make it stay. I often would get criticized by Jesse and he would do an impersonation of how I hang up my towels...he was usually spot on.

Anyways, one night in bed we were talking about towels and why I am so horrible about hanging them up or even how I hang them. It was then I told him that growing up I ever reused towels and when I go home to visit my parents, I still don't. So I guess, I just would relapse sometimes and not think. He told me he had never heard of using new towels each shower. He was like thats like what you do at a hotel....he could not believe the thought. I was like--that's why I have so many towels. Then he talked about how you would have to do laundry all the time or that when you did laundry it would take like 5 loads just for towels. I guess I never thought about it like that...PLUS, I thought everyone did this!!!! I guess this is just another Neeley family trait. We girls like our towels fresh and clean! In doing my best to go green, I guess I will just try harder to hang up my towel so that it drys and I do not have to get a towel each time I shower. :)-

Wedding Planning

2008-05-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

Well, its not as easy as it might sound. I hate decisions and wedding planning is not like shopping! If it was that easy, I would have it done done done!

Jesse and I made a trip to Pensacola after finals and did some wedding stuff. We met with Patsy Brown (our wonderful photographer! really visit her website- www.patsybrown.com). We saw the church, it is just magnificent and beautiful on its own. We stopped in at Jackson's and talked with the lady about our reception. We also went to Christopher Kelly's hair salon to talk about reserving the day-which I need to do. We also went to Betty Weber's (THE cake lady!) to cake test. If you are having a wedding in Pensacola, FL, there is no doubt in my mind you have come across Betty Weber's name. She is known by every wedding vendor and highly recommended. We tasted her cake and saw her work, it is just AMAZING. I think we are going with Butta and Chocolate Chip. I love how it's called butta instead of butter and I will say it like that to anyone who wants to know what type of cake we have-- "it's butta!"

We did make it to the outlet mall in Destin and we found some awesome things from Le Creuset. The blue color matches Jesse's Old Britian Castle Blue dishes that do not have as many serving pieces as the pink or other dishes. So I bought us some salt and peper shakers, a spoon rest, and a sugar and creamer thing. I could have gotten more but I didn't know we were going to ship it rather than pack it. Jesse got a tageie and is pumped about cooking with it. I am pumped to eat his cooking! We also picked up some more Old Britain Castle Blue dishes to add to our set. It's funny how buying kitchen stuff is exciting to me. But it is!!!

We spent most of yesterday, Thursday, May15, in the airport. It was crappy weather and I was glad to get to my bed by the end of the day. We had some screamers on the plane and of course they sat close to us. The flights were also real bumpy and turbulent. After taking a taxi home, taking a hot bath and getting ready for bed...I realize we have no contact stuff. So at 1:30 in the morning, Jesse and I head to the store for contact solution. I am sans bra and can barely see. Luckily we got it and headed home and the rest was ZZZZzzzz.

March 8, 2008

2008-03-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

March 7, 2008, we began Spring Break of our 2L year. By we, I mean Jesse and I. We flew out of Bloomington, Illinois around 10 or 11 am on that Friday, the 7th. But in order to do that we had to leave Morton by 8:30. If you know me and Jesse, waking up when we could be sleeping in is not something we do.
So we finally get on the plane and Jesse sat by the window. But when he sat down he quickly got up. He had sat on something wet in his seat...(by the location of the liquid I'm pretty sure it was a little kid's "accident". So Jesse rang the bell for the flight attendant and because of how full the plane was could only offer Jesse a blanket to sit on. Poor guy, at least he got a free drink out of it!!! We finally get in the air and of course I start getting a headache and hot and just want to be on the ground.
I could tell this wasn't going to be a good day. I thought I was going to get sick, but luckily I saved myself and Jesse from that embarrassment. We landed in Atlanta and had a long lay over...we went to lunch at Sweetwater Brewing Company in Concourse B. It was crowded and loud and I wanted nothing more to get a cocktail, but my stomach couldn't bear it. Instead I ordered a water and hamburger. It was delicious and I finally started feeling a little better. We ran to some stores like Bath and Body and Jesse got his shoes shined. But we still had like two hours to waste before our flight to Pensacola. We ended up going to another place for drinks, and my tummy decided to behave...Some how the time finally passed and we got on the plane...I thought we'd never take off. We waited on the air strip behind a whole line of planes probably for over 30 minutes. When we finally got in the air, it was a little bumpy but the flight was short. I was sooooo happy to land in Pensacola and be done with air travel for the day. Jesse's parents picked us up at the airport and we went back to his house. Jesse and I hottubbed to relieve some tension from the day of travel and then we went to dinner at Dharma Blue. MMMM such good sushi!

Saturday we layed out by the pool and got some sun. There's nothing better than being by the pool and laying out when you know its snowing back home! That night Jesse decided he wanted to go out to eat at Jackson's. I had heard so much about this place and was excited to finally go...I was especially excited to have the key lime phyllo purse. (dessert is like the best part of any meal) Mrs. Pace was so cute and helped me find a shawl to wear over my dress in case I got cold. I got ready to go and so did Jesse...we sure do clean up well! That night Jesse parked a few blocks away but I didn't think about it really. We started to walk towards the restaurant and then he wanted to take a round about way to get there through the park. He said he wanted to show me Plaza Ferdinand so we walked through and stopped in front of a water fountain. We hugged...and thats when it happened. He told me he loved me and asked if I loved him (well this is how I remember it but let me tell you I was so shocked that my memory probably escapes me a little), he got down on his knee and proposed. I, of course, said yes. I made him put the ring on my finger and I could not take my eyes off it! We somehow made it to Jackson's, but frankly I don't remember walking there at all. I do remember grinning ear to ear and looking down at my hand to make sure it was real. One of the servers had ESP or something and asked "so how did he do it?" They brought us champaign and I honestly was so excited that I couldn't read the menu or process anything other than how sparkly my ring was and how happy I was to be engaged to the man of my dreams and the love of my life! I ordered the special which was three types of meat over risotto and Jesse had a filet with bearnaise sauce. The meal was amazing and we finished it off splitting a dessert of the key lime phyllo purse. On the way home Jesse decided it would be funny to walk in and pretend we didn't get engaged (because they were in on it the entire time). So he took the ring and put it back in his pocket, but he nor I could keep a straight face so we nixed that idea. (I made him put the ring back on my hand!) When we got back to his house, it was so cute, you could see his mom in the kitchen from their breezeway. She saw that we were home and ran to get Mr. Pace...then they came into the kitchen when we were walking in. She asked about dinner but then couldn't wait any longer and came and gave us big hugs. They broke out some champaign and let us use their gold goblets from their wedding night. I used "Lucy" and Jesse used "Jim". It was the perfect night. We ended the night by hottubing...and I'm sure I went to bed before Jesse like always.

The rest of the week went entirely too fast. We ate at McGuires once, went there for drinks a few times, went to his grandmother's house for dinner, went to Jaime's (amazing!), and also made a meal at home. I must say that I was well fed over Spring Break and I probably left Pensacola 5 pounds heavier than I arrived. We visited with his parents, grandparents and Jesse's friends Jimmy, Jeremy and Winston. I even went to curves with Mrs. Pace and got to show off my rock :) It was an amazing break and release from school. I was sad to leave but so excited to show my mom my ring!

Since then We've decided on a date and location...January 3, 2009 in Pensacola, Florida. And on March 29 I found my wedding dress. Just like my sister Jenni said--it was the first dress I tried on. I went and looked at other places but it was the one, and I went back and ordered it. My mom and Christine were by my side helping me the entire day! It is so exciting but let me tell you, there are endless decisions that come along with a wedding...and there is plenty of things for me to blog about!

Friday, May 18

2007-05-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

Well, once again it's been awhile since I posted. Was it because I was busy? Yes...was it because I had nothing to write about? not really but perhaps at the time I thought so. I finally finished my first year of law school--No more being a 1L. I took my last final on May 9, and what a relief it was when it was 11 o'clock and all my finals were complete. My sister Jenni and Erik came with my dad and mom to help me move my stuff out of my apartment in the ghetto because I will be moving into another aparment next fall. And then we moved me into my parents house; which I have been since Sunday and I move Sunday to live with Jenni and Erik for the summer and will be working at Nash, Nash, Bean and Ford. I'll write more about my job when I find about it.
I am away from Jesse and miss him desperately but I know I will get to see him on the weekends so that will give me something to look forward to. I also am going to make Jenni go on walks with me and plan to go with her to watch Erik's softball games. I think I will be quite busy--but that seems to be the story of my life. I return to Indianapolis in August and actaully start school before everyone else because I am doing a class to get certified as a mediator...and then I am pretty sure I have an internship next fall with the Housing Department but will find out more throughout summer...that's all for now.

I am going shopping in Bloomington to get some work clothes and spend time with my momma...

Winter is here!

2007-02-06T17:01:00.000-08:00

I don't even know how to describe my feelings for winter. Maybe you mistook my Winter is here heading as positive, you'd be wrong....not only am I not cut out for cold weather but I detest being so pale and seeing no sunshine. Sunshine always brightens my day and my basil that I'm growing...and my poinsetta that I still have! So today, it started snowing at like 12 while we were at lawschool. It started out light but definately accumulated more than I could expect and apparently more than the city did because when we got out at 3:45 the roads were horrible. I couldn't see the lanes, I couldn't get out of the parking lot, and when I finally got on the road I inched forward little by little. What normally is a 5 minute drive took me an entire hour! An hour...really? Oh boy, by the time I got home, I was actually hot from setting in my car in my hat, scarf and gloves....uh oh Gilmore Girls is on....I'll be blogging later!

My cooking

2007-02-01T14:45:00.000-08:00

So, last night I decided to cook, because well frankley I hadn't cooked for a long long time. So anways...you wanna know what I made? Well of course you do! Well I was going to make osso buco sometime--but I thought it was lamb and it's veal...opps! So anways, I made grilled lamb chops. I'm guesisng my family wouldn't really like this because ...because it's lamb. However, I also made some great mashed potatoes. I saw some of the laughing cow cheese in my fridge and added two traingles to a stick of butter and the taters. They were smooth and I didn't even have to use my hand mixer! I also made prosciutto peas...what this entails is garlic in olive oil for like 5 minutes then I added the peas until cooked through and then i added some diced prosciutto. YUM! If you really do like lamb I could give you the paste I made...it included 1 TBS fresh rosemary (which I started growing but only have 1 spout), 1/2 tsp sea salt, 2 TBS olive oil, a pinch of caynne pepper, a tsp thyme leaves, 2 cloves of garlic. Then I cooked them...

I can't wait for the weekend! So ready because I feel like I'm sleep deprived and running on little to no energy. I did send out some resumes and cover letters today ---but still need to send out more....Any ideas? Well...my head is tired of thinking and frankly typing takes too much concentration....Can't wait for Jesse's fried fish!

A trip to O'Malia's is always interesting!

2007-01-29T19:43:00.000-08:00

SO, I am sure you all aware that my Neice: Hannah Emily Bankert was born Friday, but incase you didn't...now you do! She's adorable but I fear little Drewber will not know what to do without 100% of everyone's attention--but maybe this will make his life easier not having like 10 people trying to get his attention. He kept giving her kisses which was adorable. Jesse thinks its funny to remind me that when we were coming to the hospital we saw Drew on a "walk" and I hollared and him and he came running. Well he sure didn't come running for me...he went right for Jesse. I picked him up and then when we got near everyone and I was going to let him down he leaned over to try to get Jesse to take him...oh little devil! Haha he's too cute to be upset with him for saying my boyfriend's name before mine.

Well we went to the store the other day--it's a cute store downtown that saves like over an hour if we just stop there for small things. I forgot to tell anyone about one story that occured a while back. We were at the store and going down the isles, we were looking for stuff to make quick in the frozen food section and this CRAZY person was there...now you might ask why I call him crazy and think that frankly Christina is rude for making fun of someone. However, think again and this time with sympathy that I was a victim of his...I looked up briefly only to see a cart hauling at me and hit my side---which hurt! And I could see him still in his follow through and laughing in his crazy laugh if that is what you'd call it. No in all honestly (not to make fun of him) he really had something wrong with him---but why take it out on me?? So the rest of the time in the store I was afraid to leave Jesse's side in fear of seeing him again and fearing what he'd do next. I still worry about seeing him at the store.

Another story. Jesse spends a lot of time at my apartment and vice versa. Well we decided that we needed to make duplicate keys for our apartments which was a great idea---later after we did it, I told him that we had just made a huge step in our relationship--he thinks I'm silly!!

Just a little FYI on Jesse's culinary genius--Tonight he made linguini alla carbonara, which Jesse maintains is a simple dish he had many times in Italy and Greece...yayaya what that really means is that it's a pasta dish with a ligh sauce. What is a light sauce you ask? Well I was just about to tell you...okay-- he took lemon zest (1/2 a lemon), parmesean cheese (1 1/2 cups), 3 egg yolks, and some parsely. Oh yeah and then he also made "meatballs" and cooked bacon to add to the sauce....bacon is the poor mans panchetta. But these meatballs were just italian sausage (hot) rolled into balls and cooked in a fry pan in olive oil and the bacon. Ok so we made the pasta--then drained it and immediately added the sauce and meat--this lightly cooks the egg in the sauce...okay enough talk I'm making you hungry huh? Well I suggest you try it sometime and you will be glad you spent your time reading about it!

Almost to the weekend....kinda

2007-01-24T16:41:00.000-08:00

SO it feels like this week is never ending. This new schedule compeltely throws me off and I am completely exhausted and feel like I am always behind. Yesterday morning, I was in class checking email like usual...and I get a message saying something about finally getting christmas pictures developed. So then I see sonogram pictures and I say to myself now why on earth is Kim sending these and not one of Drew, I just saw this last time I was home! So, I think maybe I xed out too soon, and there were more at the bottom. That's when I see who it's from!!!! It's not Kim--IT'S JENNI! I can't express how happy I am for her and Erik!! CONGRATS!

Today I had the ever hated LARC, and not even real LARC it was the library research section where they give assignments. Like we don't have enough already. My criminal law class is interesting...I feel like I dont understand anything and by the time I write something down he says, he's off on another topic and I'm lost against. My teacher Karlson reminds me of my World geography and economics class with professor Kieran Donaghy. Both are real complex, move fast and have books that are so hard to read....ok enough thinking for one day! I'm out....

Somebody has a case of the mundays

2007-01-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

So, this weekend was offically way to short....
Friday night a bunch of us drank and played games at Jesse's...Battle of the Sexes and Sequence and just hung out. It was a welcome distraction since we had just recieved our grades.
Unfortunately, the school decided to take away our Saturday in order for the Office of Professional Development to have a mandatory meeting. 1:30-5. Can you say torture?? Not only was it hot as hell in the court room, but it was long---no breaks and offered me no help. If anything it made me freak out even more about getting a summer internship. Really people in the top 25% had problems getting jobs--wow that makes me relieved...okay not really what about people in the bottom 50%--they didn't even give reference to people in that position. Nor did they give advice for people going out of state for job searches.
Satuday after we got out of the horrid mandatory meeting, we came back to Jesse's and his parents were at his apartment. They had came to drop off his car and got to stay until Sunday morning at like 10. We went to dinner, then I took them to see my ghetto apartment and then basically we all went to bed because we were wiped out! His poor parents had driven all the way there for less than 24 hours!
SUNDAY---what a day! Bears v Colts superbowl....insane. Not only do I live in Indy so I feel that i have to have Colt allegiance but Jesse basically told me I should. But I owe my loyalty to Illinois and the Bears....shh--we'll keep that quiet. Either way it will be a good game since I would want either team to win in differnt circumstances.

Tonight What about Brian and 24 are on...I tape What About Brian--so shhh no spoilers on what happens... OK 24 TIME!

IM BACK

2007-01-19T10:46:00.000-08:00

So, I realized that I haven't posted in like FOREVER... I got real busy last semester. As I'm sure you know. I bet this semester will be just as busy but perhaps I will use this as my venting form of relief from it all.
I can't wait for Kim to pop out her baby so 1. I can have a neice and 2. we can start our diet/ biggest loser program and 3. perhaps she'll decide to let Drew come stay with me one weekend to get him off her hands??? Yeah that one is definately wishful thinking...but I try.

Last semester was kinda disappointing grade wise. I ended up with a 2.89. I cried for a lil and wanted to puke but ultimately I just vowed to try harder and study more. The only person I studied with in my section last semester dropped out....and with a 4.0 at that. I am goin to tweak my study skills a little. Maybe read some horn books---which are really thick books bigger than our case book and just omit cases...you can check them out of the library for a whole month! EXCITING! not really... Anyways, at Jenni's suggestion since I hate highlighting in my books or any marks whatsoever, I might try post-its and writing on those---because I can just remove them easily! She's a smart one! I love my sisters.

Tonight after I get out of class me and Jesse are going to buy Sequence because we're competitive and because a bunch of people might hang out and play cards and such and so we have when we don't feel like watching x-files, playing crazy 8's or when nothing is on tv. I also need curtains....A few nights ago I got real mad about the brightness of my room at night. You see, when I got back from Christmas break they had put up more lights in the parking lot--which my room faces and they are bright yellowish. I tried taping up brightly colored folders to block the light because thats all I could think of. When I ran out of those, I used pillow cases and then cardboard. I actaully could see these damn folders from 10th street at night when I was coming back from Jesse's. I guess I'm just as ghetto as my apartment complex now.....well with that great start to blogging...I'm going to go...LOVE YOU ALL

FALL BREAK

2006-10-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

Well, you could be mad that I haven't been on top of blogging...or you could be happy that I finally chose to. Let me say, fall break was much needed and I looked forward to it for a while. School is stressful and yeah...it's been blissful getting a break. Friday, I took Jesse to lawschool to technically I saw him that day, but to me I counted that as a day without seeing him...and that had been the longest since we started dating. I had a real shitty day, I forget what all happened but it was not a good day. I couldn't find anything at the mall, there was a wreck on my way to the shops on BroadRipple. And I just didn't have Jesse to cheer me up and cuddle with. I went to bed early, and woke up early to get ready for the plane. The taxi driver came 20 minutes early, needless to say I was not ready and had to rush to get downstairs. I looked horrible, so much for first impressions. Ok, so I arrived at the airport safely, went through security...not too good of luck. Apparently lip gloss is a liquid or gel and even though it was less than .5 of an ounce you need it in a plastic bag, oooh right let me pull one right out. They almost confiscated it but luckily I found a nice woman who had an extra which her son's crayons were in. I got to keep it, they also didn't like my candle that I was bringing for Jesse's mom and of course I set the alarm off when I walked through...GREAT! I arrived safely and Jesse was there in Pensacola to pick me up. A whole day without him made me even happier than normal to see him. Even if I was still in a grouchy mood from the plane and having a headache from noisy kids and my ears not popping. He showed me around a bit and then we went to his house and I met his family. His parents were super cute and shortly after I got there and got settled we went for lunch. We went to a place called Hemingways and ate. There was a wedding receptions scheduled for later that night apparently so we got to see the cake and everything...so pretty! After we ate, we went for a walk along Pensacola beach and tried to find a net to fish leaves out of their pool in the beach type shops. The weather was absolutely perfect, a nice breeze but also warm. The beach was pretty and we saw a little boy on a float shaped like a jet ski; and boy, he was not about to give up. He kept getting flipped over, but he'd get right back up and do it again. There was some sort of dj playing some techno and this girl was really dancing, it was almost funny. OK, it was real funny. We went back to their house and later on in the evening went to dinner at McGuire's an Irish pub. There was live music and the guy would make people go up and "kiss the moose, kiss the moose" or other times kiss other things, like the leprecon's crotch. It was fun and entertaining. A good chance to talk and get to know Jesse's parents. They are funny because they have a good sense of humor. At one point they were laughing at the name Drew Peacock and I laughed, but to be honest I didn't get it. A day later I finally did understand. We went back to their house and all got in the hot tub after dinner. Now, my memory is getting fuzzy and running the days together. I think it was Sunday that Jesse and his dad dug up trenches for the sprinkler system in the back yard--they had just gotten a pool and so the yard was dug up and the sprinkers that were there pre-pool weren't in the right places and they had to put in more. Poor guys, they worked hard and both hurt their backs. Jesse's mom made dinner that night that was amazing, it was a pork roast with an apple stuffing and an orange glaze. Yum. Again, I am still learning foods Jesse does and does not like..NOTE TO SELF NOT A BIG FAN OF CARROTS. We went out with Jesse's friend Jeremy that nite and went to a few different bars. Oh gosh the first drink i had was super super strong and I had to ask for a taller glass with more cranberry juice. Our night out ended at Wisteria and Jeremy almost getting into a fight and Jesse too because he was standing up for his friend. Apparently you can't stand up when you friend is about to get in a fight because that was disrespectful? I did find it suprising to see a dog in a bar in the US. We got home about 3:30 and went in the hottub. Then to bed. The week was great because me and Jesse got to sleep in and I felt like we all bonded. I really felt like his family liked me, and if they didn't they were good at pretending. I even met his grandma Max and grandpa Ben. Ben was funny because he called there hot tub damn sexy. Monday, when we went out to his grandma's house for dinner, I got to see where Jesse lived when he was younger. Well the house wasn't there because it was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan, but I saw the area. We even walked out on the pier/dock thing and wow was it windy, I can't even imagine being there for a hurricane. The water was so choppy just with the stormy weather that it was washing up over the boards. While, the weather was not always sunny, it was always warm and felt good. I was happy to be avoiding snow. I haven't mentioned the most energetic part of the Pace Family....Beckham! She's so adorable and just like Jesse said, she likes to lick everything. She's a cute little dog that would probably be small enough to fit in a purse bag, but oh I would like to see you keep her still long enough! Adorable!! It was fun to watch tv and her to come up and sniff and lick, she even licked my yucky feet.
Tuesday we went to the fish market and it was interesting. In all my vacations I had never been to one. It was super cold, like a super market in the freezer sections but WAYY WORSE! BRRRR!!!! His mom made fish for dinner that night that was delicious. That night, while I watched Gilmore Girls that they had dvr'd for me, Jesse went into the hot tub, and after I was done I went to bed. He came in later to wake me up to help but the lid on and I barely remember that part. Apparently, he watched a whole dvd of Rome before coming to bed and when we came to bed we cuddled. I have no recollection of that. So when I woke up the next morning I kept trying to cuddle with him and he was like do you want to get out of bed?? I kept saying no but apparently I woke him up and he couldn’t get back to sleep.
Wednesday was beautiful out, the weather was perfect, and we layed out to get some sun. It was even a little hot, I got in the pool that was a tid bit chilly but once you got used to it, it was refreshing. We had an Italian lunch of some lunch meat, and cheese that his mom had picked out at the fish market. His dad works half a day on Wednesday's so he was home for lunch before the pool lady came to teach them how to clean their pool and all that good stuff....Wow how technology has changed, a pool that uses salt to produce chlorine...too hard for me to understand! Jesse made arrangements for us to go to dinner that night. He is too adorable; we went to the melting pot which was so good and so adorable. The booth where we sat seemed real private and it was cute because we got to sit by each other rather than across from each other. It was too perfect. Jesse even ate apples with the cheese fondue and a carrot as well. We weren't too sure what type of chocolate we got, because it didn't appear to be what we ordered but it was good and by that time we both were super full. And a little chilled because they kept it a little chilly in the restaurant. After we went home, we watched some tv with his mom, I don't remember the name of the show. But it had to do with lawyers and trail....then we got in the hot tub. A perfect night that we ended by watching and cuddling. I was not looking forward to Thursday...because I was flying back. Not only did that mean break was coming to an end but I would not see Jesse for 3 days!!! Longest ever that we'd been apart. He tries to say it's only 2-1.5 days but common, All day Friday, Saturday not until 9 pm and pretty much all day Thursday because we just woke up and went to the airport. SAD!!!! I had a great week and felt like we all bonded. While, I can't really say I'm glad to be back....I can say...hmm…I'm glad it wasn't snowing?? That's all I got! MUAH!

10.05.2006

2006-10-05T13:33:00.000-07:00

So, law school is already kicking my butt. My first paper, I was pretty confident about, however, when I got my grade back I got a big fat C. So much for writing it ahead of time, rewriting it, and having my mentor looking at it. If you know me, you know how I really freak out about tests or grades. I usually write pretty well and can do it fairly quickly. But lawschool, it's like nothing I've ever done. The writing is so different, grading you start from 0 and work up...it's just bizarre. And it doesn't help that on my first assignment in lawschool that I did horrible.

Not only have I been living and breathing law, but now I even dream about it. That's pretty sad, the other night I had a dream about getting my Torts exam back and getting a 62 percent while everyone else had a 102 that sat by me....yeah I'm a nerd, I can't get away from lawschool even in my sleep. I got the cutest picture of Drewber in his lil Home Depot Apron and put it on my background for my computer, it was refreshing to look at it when I got tired of taking notes in class, or just booting up my computer in the beginning of class. He's my Henry--one of my teacher's nephews that she looks to for balance.

This weekend I plan on working on my next paper, but also relaxing so I do not go crazy before next week. If I can get through next week, I think I'll be okay. Even though, I admit I'm a little freaked out about meeting Jesse's family... I dont know why but I have a fear that they won't like me, I have no reasons for this fear, but that doesn't mean I dont worry. And worry, oh I seem to always find time to worry. Enough negativity for now....tomorrow is all you can eat wings and wedges and beer while it lasts for Phi Alpha Delta's Breast Cancer Research Fundraiser at Buffalo Wild Wings....MMM! I can't wait, maybe this is because it will be the weekend, maybe because I love wings, maybe just because....

So I've been a lil busy

2006-09-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, I haven't been keeping you all informed about my daily life. I know your heart broken, and I am for you....haha I'm kidding. Anyways, it was great to come back home last weekend. I finally got to sleep in my own bed which I probably slept in less than 15 times the entire summer. Amber and Jesse both came home with me but Amber was being silly and would NOT sleep on the other side of Jesse. I personally thought it would be fun to sandwich him in between us...but NOOOO, she slept on the air mattress on the floor. I miss having talks with Amber where we psychoanalyze everything. Jesse was not shy at all with Amber and we actaully had some interesting conversations. Friday night we just went to the P-fest, ate, and went on the bumper cars, then I made Jesse go on the Zipper with me...I felt bad for his stomach and for making him go on it after a girl had just came off with puke all over herself. Man is this one brave! After that we went home, had some alcohol and Stine and the twins came over. We went to bed at gosh I have no idea and but slept in.

When Kim called and said she was going to Steak n Fries I made an executive decision to forgo breakfast and include that instead. MMM...Amber left shortly after and Jesse and I took a nap. Do you realize how much I love sleep? Lil Drewber was walking around upstairs and Kim closed the door so he wouldn't bug us...however, I like when he comes in and wakes me up--he's so darn cute. Sometimes he just kinda hits my face like what are you doing? You are supposed to be playing with me... That night E-train came after the Iowa game...poor thing looked like he felt like shit. Does that make sense? His eyes were watery, his nose runny, and he looked a lil sunburned. We went to the P-fest to have Drew go down the slide. He went with Kim and looked like he had fun. When me and Jesse took him, he didn't look to excited, I thought he was going to cry. Then Jen and E-train took him on the carousel and he had fun...his smile was so wide that you could see all 4 of his lil teeth and I can imagine he was making "Weee" noises as the pony went up and down and around and around. I liked to wave at him. The beer tent I must say was not all it's cracked up to be. Where were people? It seemed like everyone was either old or from another town. Oh well, I got my apple cider slush so life was okay.
We went to the Barrel for breakfast before we left Sunday morning and who would hav guessed it, Kim was there with Drew. Well some people may have guessed because they knew, but no one chose to tell me. Drewber was absolutely a doll at breakfast. When he grabbed Kim's over medium eggs and had the yolk everywhere--it was priceless. He made such a mess and all I could do was laugh. I did get real tired on the way back driving so Jesse took over. I felt horrible but he's too nice to me. I didn't want to fall asleep since he was being nice enough to drive, but for the life of me, I could not stay awake.

And now I'll jump to this week: it's been hectic. I have had this Tort midterm that is next Tuesday on my brain for a while and I keep worrying about it because I have had no time to study and am starting today. I worry that I won't have studied enough and will do horrible. I hate how anal I am about grades. I've also had a lot of normal daily reading and then a LARC paper on top of that. LARC is the devil....really it is. I must say I am very impressed with Jesse's cooking abilities...and his extensive knowledge about everything sports related. He has kept me sane this last week, gosh I hope I dont freak out this weekend. OK, enough rambling and story telling, I should get ready for Property and do some review of the cases.

LOVE YOU, as a smart person once said:We "MUAH!" when we kiss and we "EEK" when we hug! That's the Neeley way!---Kim

Weekend: Home and P-fest

2006-09-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

So this weekend I will be making a trip back to Morton for the weekend. You don't realize how much I value the weekend and just taking a day to do nothing. The weeks are so hectic with so much reading and briefing and more reading that I need one day to sleep and sleep and sleep and be lazy. Well, that won't really happen this weekend due to the driving and seeing everyone. I will actaully have to get out of bed before 1 pm...damn!

BUT I am super excited to go home because 1. Jesse and Amber are coming back with me, 2. My family gets to meet Jesse, 3. Jesse gets to finally see who I always talk about, 4. PUMPKIN ICECREAM, 5. Apple Cider slushes, and seeing my family!!! and friends from Mo-town! My sisters and parents are adorable and I'm looking forward to seeing them and to see the nephew and niece
....can you believe my niece is a freshman in High School?...on a side note; Did you know that the other day I was talking to Mom on the phone and I told her to let me talk to Drew like I always do and he took the phone and wouldn't give it back? He kept trying to make noises and it was adorable...normally he runs away from the phone or pushes it away from his ear. I really hope he's in good spirits this weekend so Amber and Jesse don't think I have a crabby nephew.

Kim cracks me up, she called asking what kinda beer that Jesse drinks and I was like I dunno?? Samuel Adams, then she was like theres a bunch..."what about the Summer Ale? That's what I like, I think we'll get that." Then I remember she's pregnant and can't drink so I tell her she's dumb and she keeps insisting she likes Summer Ale so that's what they'll get...Yes Kim you can go in the beer tent at the P-fest...no you can't drink! I love my sisters!

My posts have been rather boring lately, so I will try to spice them up but for now this will have to do; LOVE YOU ALL AND SEE YA FRIDAY!

"I think I have a flat tire"

2006-09-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

So, I'm sure most of my family knows this already but incase some of the funniness was lost throughout the story telling let me tell you what happened....
I was driving home from school the other day and it was raining out. I kinda felt that my car was driving funny, so when I got to my apartment, I looked at my tires. Well I have no idea about cars, tires, oil and all that jazz; however, it seemed to me that my back driver side tire was flatter than it should be. I called my mom, who told me to call my dad, who told me that I should go fill it up with air and take it to get fixed. Well the place I felt comfortable taking it to was WalMart in Brownsburg just because I know how to get there and it's only a 20 minute drive. I called them up they closed at 7, it was 6:10 already. I decided to take the chance and try to make it. But because I didn't know how on earth to fill up my tire with air...I just forwent that and went to WalMart directly. When I got there, I told the man that ' I think I have a flat tire, can you take a look for me, its just driving kinda funny"...he responded by saying "what do you mean driving funny", "uhhh, it just is? can you look for me, I can't explain it" He MUST OF thought I was a dumbass. I tried to explain that I had never had a flat tire before, I don't know what they look like, I am from a different state and really have no idea who to ask on these matters. I also through in, "I dont know much about cars, I'm one of three girls". Well apparently it was the valve stem that was the problem and intead of having 32 lbs of air, mine had 8. Go Me! I really did have a flat tire, I feel smart! For some reason the guy did not charge me, I dont know if he felt bad because I looked like a dumbass or what, I truely had papers because they were on warranty still-- but he didn't know that because they were in my purse the entire time and he didn't give me a chance to tell him. Lesson learned...Christina knows what she's talking about when she 'thinks' she has a flat tire. Oh but I still dont get this concept of driving on the rim and how you know if your doing it, I do know now, DO NOT DRIVE ON THE RIM, but I don't know if I'd know if I was doing it....does that make sense? Ok...Briefing time I have a fun contracts case about salmon and fishing...ok so it's not actaully fun but I do have to brief it.......LOVE

4 day week....

2006-09-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

Well the weekend was amazing, a three day weekend means a four day week as Jesse pointed out. My parents came down and I thought it was funny when my dad asked, "so you think you can handle it?" I laughed and said well yeah I have to.
Today sucked! I will just say that real fast. Not only because I had to wake up before noon--7:10 to be exact and not just because it meant I had to be in a classroom all day, but because during my break I spent the ENTIRE time doing this stupid library assignment. Did I say it was stupid?

Ok so the assignment all revolved around doing book research in the library and each section had a different case we had to research information and statutes on. I had one about property issues; more specifically a lady built over her property line by mistake and the owner of that property years later informed her that it would affect her sale of her house and she must destruct the addition. Well first we had to make a list of relevant terms then look in the CJS, AmJur, TexasJur and ALR for references. My problem which I spent a good 45 min on was that none of my terms were in the property index. I finally asked the librarian and she was like "oh you need to look up adverse possession"--now how the hell am I supposed to know that? No where in the case was that term, we have not learned of it yet, and never even in Urban Planning have I encountered such a term. Well I finally got that and did the assignment, and went to class. After class I went back and finished the assignment. It was cute because there were like 15 1L'S in the library then fighting for the same books....luckily I was done with those by that point.

After that my brain pretty much shut down, driving definately wasn't too good of an idea because I literally was not thinking of anything...I came home, took a bubble bath and then did more work. OH did I tell you that my neighbors play ghetto rap music yet? Well...they do. Today, I was really trying to study and they were blaring it. So, I did what any country fan would do who was annoyed with their lack of taste. I blared some Dixie Chicks and Toby Keith. I don't mean to say I dont like rap, but what they play is horrible. It sounds like the same song skipping for the entire night- it might well be.

*I was happy to learn that my darling nephew today started spinning around in circles, falling and doing it over. OH so precious!!!

**My sis Jenni called (on my apartment phone--I'm impressed!), and she said she will be going to Motown for the P-fest because I am going and even though her husband will be at the Iowa football game- she loves me that much to come see me alone! AWW...thanks Nen!

***Kim, it is war! I'm bringing back sexy and tag your it!

Long weekend!

2006-09-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

Can I tell you that the weekend is my FAVORITE part of the week? Not only becuase its the weekend but because I am not living and breathing law and textbooks.
Friday my parents came down and we went to dinner...they met Jesse and didn't scare him. I must say though that my dad was wearing black pants with a navy and yellow shirt and he thought he matched, then he had the audacity to tell me that I did not match! I dont know what possibly could not of matched since I was wearing white and black. OH DAD!
Kim was so cute and had this idea of telling Jesse that my dad was in the mafia and mom did kick boxing...she really was hardcore about me saying it. I do remember her saying something like "why doesn't anyone do what I say? The world would be a better place if they did", when I informed her about dad's inablitiy to match she said oh just tell him that it's the mafia's dresscode. OH KIM!
Last night we went and saw Charlie Daniels Band at the Rib Fest; it was intense. He and the drummer did a little competition with twirling their bow/drum stick and chugging beer. It was very pro-American to the point where it reminded me of Toby Keith in concert. LOVED IT!
Now I have one more day of the 3 day weekend, thanks to Labor Day and I plan on tryin to be a little productive today. We'll see how that goes...I will be coming home for the P-fest I decided this weekend. I can't wait for pumpkin icecream!!! YUM. Ok, I better go work on being productive and quit rambling.....

My shitty day 8.30.2006

2006-08-31T19:15:00.000-07:00

Can I just tell you that so far up until yesterday, I had been pretty darn happy and in a good mood even when I had to be at school at 7:50 to park. I even slept in my car for an hour Monday because I was so early--It was so comfy, I just crawled in my backseat.
Well anyways....until yesterday which was horrible. It started out me waking up sans alarm. I was like hmm why am I not tired and why is my alarm not sounding off. I look at the clock and it says 10:20. "OH SHIT! I had class at what time today? Did I miss one or more than one??! " These were the thoughts running through my head. Normally I do not worry about what time class is becuase I am there at 7:55 and always early. Therefore, I never worry about being late to class. Well, today was an exception and I could not find my schedule. I proceeded to run to my closet throw on pants and a t-shirt and flip-flops, brush my teeth, grab my bag and RUN. Since my elevators at my apartment are ghetto and arguably the slowest in the United States, I did not risk taking the elevator and instead proceeded to run down the stairs. I called Jesse from the stairs hoping he'd let me know when class was. Then I got in my car and called my mom asking what to do. She didn't offer much insight or guidance and it left me feeling worse and frustrated. I hurried to campus, bypassed the law parking lot because I knew it would be full and tried to find a place in the many parking lots on Michigan. NO LUCK; by that time, I did find out class was at 10:20 and luckily my clock in my room is like 20 minutes fast almost.
So I got to campus in my car by like 10:05ish. I tried to park for like 10 mintues with no luck and finally saw a parking garage. I pulled up and asked the man if I could just pay and park because I was late. He was like you can park for free, you have a pass, but you better hurry. I proceed to gun it and go pretty damn fast in the parking deck. I went allll the way to the top before finding a place. I again followed my logic of not taking the time for an elevator and proceeded to run down 4 flights of stairs. I tried to run all the way to the building with no luck, I got winded before the law parking lot. DAMN! Finally I made it to the lawschool, went up two flights of stairs and tried to quietly walk into class like 5-10 minutes late. It worked, I found a seat in the back and then we got a seating chart so I will be forever stuck there... the rest of the day wasn't that horrible but I forgot to put the Italian beef on because I was in such a hurry and during lunch I was so out of sorts that I could not do anything but think about how I was late. Later in the day, in my last class before I went home--granted I only had two that day--I some how managed to get pen on my neck...

After that the day arguably got much better, dramatically better infact. I made dinner which was theraputic, had Jesse over and did not think about my shitty day the rest of the night.

NOTE: I for sure made sure my alarm was set and on before going to bed; won't ever let that mistake happen again!

8.27.2006

2006-08-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

My mind is always thinking about law-even though law school just started. I watched the Simpsons with Jesse the other day and wouldn't you know...it had to do with law. Just little things throughout the day make me think of law even if I'm not at school or not trying to think about it. But me not being at school during the week is highly unlikely. Monday- Friday I am here from 7:55- 2:05 at the earliest...that being only Wednesday the rest I am there till at least 3 or 5:20. It's a huge ajustment going from college which was all spread out all over the campus for classes to law school in one building with everyone for the entire week--its almost like returning to highschool. I have an expectation that my weekends will soon be filled with studying...I did study this weekend but I am gonna take a wild guess and say that each weekend that passes I will have less and less time to nap or be lazy.

Can you say pumpkin festival? I better be able to come home for that, I am in serious need of pumpkin icecream and apple cider slushes and Kim talked about it today so now I'm craving pumpkin...

But since I blogged the other day, there must be a reason for me blogging now, right? I suppose...I just wanted to impress on you that its wierd living in Indy. Yesterday, I had issues with feeling old and all grown up when I went grocery shopping fast at Kroger. Someone stopped me asking about my kids and pets making messes and I was like sorry, I don't have any. Then the followed back by saying well your husband probabaly does and I did not know what to respond back so I said, "Not so much" and continued walking-perhaps at a more rapid speed- then I went to check out when I finally decided I got everything I came for. Which I really didn't and I am realizing more and more things I forgot as we speak. Ok so I got a little sidetracked there....I went to check out and this big black man started talking to me. At first I just thought he was going to say hey and a little comment about the weather but nope, he was trying to hit on me. And let me tell you this man was pretty old- at least in his 40's- AND was talking about his two sons and having to raise then alone because his wife died last year and how he wanted someone to help him. The kids mind you, I met them, were 13 and 15. Bigger than me! I dunno, from now on when I go to the store I am going to keep my head down and not look up or be on the phone the entire time to avoid those situtations. Note to self- don't smile as much when alone in the city!

PS. When does everyone plan on coming to visit?? I know you want to; Kim I know you can't wait for the zoo and Jenni don't even try to say I never invited you.

My first week as a 1L

2006-08-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

My first week has not been as scary as the 2-4Ls had made it out to be. I am glad I had not yet read the entire 1L book because I hear it scares you. They suggest reading it after the year because you will appreciate everything the author went through. Well let me tell you, if I was supposed to get scared this week, I really didn't. I do realize I will have to work my butt off and I realize that I will study more than I have ever done so in the past. And reading..I know I will be reading all the time. Thats alright, I think I can handle that but I know it will get overwhelming already. I did love how my Property teacher talked about balance like other teachers had but then she showed a picture of a cute little baby and said everyone needs a Henry...well Drewber is my Henry and will soon be my screen saver and background on my computer so anytime I am overwhelemed I will see the cutest thing in the world. Even if he does run away from the phone when I am on it : )

This week went semi-fast. Tonight we have a mentor-mentee picnic and then people are going to the Distillery which is a big law school hang out I hear. I am not sure how much free time I will get on weekends since studying will consume a good chunk but I hope to hang out with people and go to the grocery store.
PS. it is not the same living alone because I do not force myself to eat. I miss my Amber and 'family dinners'. I need to get better about the whole cooking for one issue and I will just give me a week or so or until I lose the weight from Costa Rica. I really do like taking notes in class on a computer but let me tell you the temptation to use aim and go on the internet to check email is tempting. I will get back to my case briefing now so I am prepared to rock Contracts and Property if I am called on....

1L

2006-08-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

You will be happy to note that I am keeping up with the blog for those of you (ahem my sisters and parents) that love it so much. So, the only big news in my life is starting my first year of law school.

And I will have you note that everyone in law school refers to us and themselves (if a first year student) as 1Ls. It is different from undergrad for many reasons, all the rooms are like U shaped. 4/5 of students have laptops and you dont have to move buildings for other classes. With that said, it also is crazy crazy crazy trying to park in the morning. And since you are in that building all day, you better get there by 8 am to park, I dont care if your class does not start till 11---still be there. Another big thing that scares people supposedly is being called on, oh the nervousness that people feel worrying about being called on. MY question is what if you just say ' I dont know'. The teachers kind of answered that today and you are just supposed to try or email them before class and say I didn't prepare so they dont call on you. Given that, my professors did not believe in Passing...can you pass in the courtroom- didn't think so!

I do have a quote that I just loved and will have to share with my Doctor for home when I go home again: When you profession was bleeding George Washington, mine was drafting the Constitution.

Back on topic...again Indy is totally different from undergrad in Champaign. For starters where are the buses that go all over campus? Why are books way over $500. Are there bars that actually have plastic cups and are college like? I ask myself this quite often, probably because I live alone and it gives me something to think about, but also because its such a different experience than what I am used to in Chambana or Motown, Illy.

I think that is enough babbling for day one and while it does feel good to procrastinate, don't think I will have much time to do so as I did in Costa Rica...back to reading. If your real lucky I might even share some interesting cases with you...so be on your best behavior! MUAH!

My last week in Monteverde: Reflection

2006-08-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

Well the last week passed way faster than I could have imagined. While I was excited to see my family, take bubble baths and eat real food, I was also sad to see everyone that I had become so close with go. I too was going...but to a place far away from everyone else. They were either heading to Maryland or staying in Costa Rica (Anibal for example). The day of presentations I am so glad is behind us, but the clean-up day and our goodbye dinner makes me sad when looking back. Clean-up day me and Asia went on the Canopy Tour-which was AMAZING...then we went back and cleaned up, I tried to climb a strangler fig and fell. I have bruises still to prove it.
Asia, Tracee and I went to the reserve to return a shirt that Tracee needed to with Anibal and then I went home. It was so sad becuase I knew this would be one of the last times I could take pictures of my family, so I snapped away. I took videos of everyone and their cute saying and I even was cruel and took one of their mute aunt Latia. When we went to dinner it was so cute becasue my mom got all dressed up and so did the kids. My little brother is so cute and I miss him and he wore that little vest thing- I am sure you have seen or will see in the pictures. At dinner I took more pictures. Anibal's nephew and Sadee's son- Fabion was playing by me and trying to climb my chair. Then he got my fork and pounded it on the floor...aww Fabi! Well the food was not the greatest at Palmera's but it was decent. We got a ride back home from Anibal since my family does not have a car. We played Uno and then I went to bed. The morning was almost like any other which is sad and then I had to leave. Josue walked me to the institute and when I asked him what he was going to do that day after I left he said "I don't know, cry?". I will never forget that. I miss him so much and when we said goodbye at the institute he was crying. I was crying and I kept giving him hugs, finally I said go before I cry more. OH my little friolito!

Cameron was being a pain the whole bus ride and I was tearing up because I was sad we were laeving. We ate at this garden place on the way to San Jose and then got to the hotel. We went to the central market to shop. I didn't find anything but it was interesting to be there. We got back to the hotel and got in the hot tub and drank. We wanted to order pizza but it was going to take 2 hours so we went there. Michael and Enmanuel and a girl that I forget her name went. We went out to the bars to celebrate Tracee's bday after that. The Pueblo was where we ended up and it was a cluster of around 15-20 bars right in an area. It was super fun, Tracee, Kameron and I got on stage with the male and female dancers and danced. WOW I made an ass out of myself. After it seemd like everyone else wanted to leave and they ended up leaving. Tracee and I stayed and so did Michael, Enmanuel and that girl. Apparently we find out later that girl was Enmanuel's gf? I dunno he didn't act like it but she sure acted jealous like it. She ended up leaving but returning 3 different times before leaving for good and going back to the hotel. We stayed for a few hours more, went to the casino. Caused a rucuss when Tracee dumped her bag with CARDS on the floor and tried to reach to pick it up. BIG MISTAKE....don't touch the floor only the pit boss can. They stared at us after that and kept an eye on us all night. We made the place fun and had several different dealers. We each ended up winning 10 dollars in Rummy which is a cheaper version of blackjack. I tried to eat on the floor and they said no, so I was like well he's doing it and pointed. They promptly removed that man's food as well. We got free food, free Drinks...and won money. We finally went back to the hotel and the gf was pissed I think. OPPS! Oh well, we went to the hot tub and chilled. I had a fight with Cameron and I thought I would never talk to his ass again. Later I really wanted him to realize how upset I was about the whole situation so I went back and talked to him again. FOR A LONG TIME...I did not allow him to do his let me talk...NO let me talk! We were still talking when it got light out about 5:30 and the founders of the Institute--who rode our bus down--came down to leave and check out. I ended our convo and went to bed. The next day we went to a t-shirt place and lunch and dinner at an Indian place called the Tajmahal. It was nice and then we went back and chilled. We had to get up and go to the airport at 5:30. It was super sad saying bye to Tracee when she left to go to see her mom and to Anibal at the airport. I got to sit between Asia and Cameron on the plane and can't think of a better way to end the trip....OH YEAH, they missed their connecting flight because our luggage came late and we still had to go thru customs. Long story short I didn't get to say a good goodbye and I am sad but that's okay. I had a cute boy in front of me on my plane and he kept turning around to talk to me. He was adorable but loud so I showed him postcards and pictures in efforts of shutting him up and so he didn't scream anymore. I arrived 30 mintures or so late and was greeted by my parents, KIM, Drew! I was surprised and so happy to be home. AND that my friends is all she wrote!

The week of the ´lasts´. July 31: The Last Monday

2006-07-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

Well today begins my last week in Costa Rica, next week I will be flying home. I have a layover in Newark but then I am heading into Midway. I could not sleep last night at all for some reason, I kept thinking about this week and everything that I have due before Thursday and things I have to do still. I fell asleep on the sofa when we were wathcing tv and then I went into my room to go to bed and found a card and a ring attached from Estephania. It was so cute, I went out groggily to tell her thanks before going back to bed. When I went back in my room to lay down though I was not able to fall asleep...it was horrible. I kept thinking about the cards I need to make and the presents I still have left to give..I have a lotion , soap for my host mom and a waterbottle and cat tractor for Josue but I gave all the other stuff for the girls away already and the other stuff was just extras. I think I might pick up a braclet for each at the store to give with the card. You know how I always ask what´s you favorite color? Well apparently Estephania pays attention because she bought me a pink ring and I will be darned it fits, I dont know how but it does, I have no idea how she knew what size to get. I love my host family to pieces and am like are you going to come visit me'?? I hope they do at some point so you can meet them! I think I get along with my little brother best becuase I have never had a brother. I always tease him and play with his hair and ask about his novia......who incidently broke up with him this week and he was heartbroken. One day she called and broke up with him and then 20 min later at 7 pm he said he was tired and went to bed for the night....aww! We even think we heard him crying..bless his heart. I am trying to pack little by little and am sooo afraid my luggage will be too heavy, we don´t have scales to check either. I am PLANNING on using my backpack and big dufflebag as carryon the dufflebag will be my purse and the other my original carry on. I hope that works because the Jam is heavy and then I have that soap and my PINK hammock. I think it will all fit it´s just the weight that I am worried about......well group meeting about our project so I will blog to ya later. LOVE YA ALL!

Last Weekend in Monteverde July 29-31

2006-07-30T16:19:00.000-07:00

This weekend was my last in Monteverde. I wanted to make sure I got my shopping done so I wouldn't forget anything. I still have coffee to get and a few other things. ..Friday we were alll going to go out..I always am like WE ALL HAVE TO GO OUT...Aren't you sad it's our last weekend...its our last Friday to drink as a group and so on. They are always like you said that ten weeks ago that we only have 10 weeks left...haha I did! Anyways I didn't feel well and went home at 4:30 to sleep. Well I was supposed to call Tracee to make plans but I dind't wake up till 7:30 the next morning....15 hours of sleep. Wow my body must have been trying to tell me something. Saturday me and Asia walked to Santa Elena to shop, I got my soap! I love that stuff, we ate at a pizza place and walked home. Oh man did it pour on the way home and i have no rain coat since it was stolen. Well I was cold and wet and pissed at drivers who splashed us and laughed or men that drove by and honked. My shirt was soaked and clung to my skin so you could actually see the color of my skin thru the shirt...finally we got home and I showerd and changed and Asia came over for dinner with my family. Then we all went out. And by all i mean the core 6 plus dan and asia. It was a good time but I didn't want to drink really and told Asia to make sure I didn't. I had 2 pina and malibus and everyone was like wow your drinking so slow, even I am beating you and on and on. We switched bars and Dan had his host mom and host brother Alex with him and they came too. We had previously played pool at Bar Amigos and were headed to Taberna. Cam told some gross stories that are forever embedded in my mind. TMI! I went home around 12:30 with Heather and Asia...lame I know but I didn't feel like a hardcore nite. Sunday, which is today, I went to the reserve to get things and then played soccer with Estephania, Josue, Cameron and his brothers Kenneth and Fabion. It was muddy and rainy and Cameron was being a beast and knocking the little ones over and pushing. It was fun but violent. I am ready now for sleep, lol. I best get Estephania home so her mom doesn't worry! LOVE YOU ALL 9 DAYS LEFT

Friday, July 28

2006-07-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

This week has flown by, we got back on Monday night and it´s already the weekend. OUR LAST WEEKEND IN MONTEVERDE. I had an eventful week. I miss my family more now than I could imagine and am ready to make the journey home...even if it means being in the airport all day and then riding another 3 hours in a car. This week was fun because I cooked dinner at the Hotel on Wednesday night and they liked me so much they were like come back at 6:30 am tomorrow? I jumped at the chance and had a great breakfast of gallo pinto, eggs over easy with ham on top and black coffee... all of which I made!

In case you didn´t hear my sorry excuse for an ex messaged me and got me upset...its been a year since we broke up but he still feels he needs to belittle me and call me and my family names. I dont know why it upset me so much that Wednesday when I got it, but it did and I cried. I cooked at the hotel then went to Zumba dance lessons with everyone but with everything thats happened it wore on my nerves and made me upset. While everyone else went to Moon Shiva, I said by and started walking home. Cameron thought I would get a taxi but when I am upset I like to walk things off...so I bypassed the taxis and kept on my way. Well little did I know, he wouldn´t allow that....well I did know because he never lets me walk alone. But after he kept asking what was wrong and I said I dont want to talk about it I thought he would leave me alone...no such luck. But in the end I am glad he did run after me and walk with me to the institute. I just wanted to have an email from my mommy because she always cheers me up. Instead there was none and Cameron tried. At first it wasn´t working but he made me realize I was playing into Trents hand and I must admit the only reason I was so upset was because he talked about my family. Anywho, we got a ride to my house from his friend...the only other man in town with Dreads. The next morning when I woke up I went to cook and had fun. I got to hold the cutest puppy who was only 3 weeks old....and when I thought about the night before I realized how stupid I had been and that he is stupid and is jealous of something...I have no idea what but everything he wrote made me laugh that next day.

Ok, we have a presentation today so I must get ready. I wore my polo green button up today and everyone was like where do your new clothes come from? I swear they say that about everythign I wear even when I wear it numerous times....I wonder what they would think if they saw me at home in my element.....

The amazing rat race meets real world...

2006-07-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

I think you can handle the end of our week vacation...but it´s kinda sad writing about the end because I wish it didn´t end...even if there was drama. And drama..oh wow..we had plenty of that to last the entire 10 weeks. Let me see, where was I...oh yes we fell asleep but Cameron aka Archie had just heard everything we said.

In the morning we wake up, decide to go to Cafe Rico for breakfast because the people we made friends with the night before recommended it highly. We walk outside and there is Archie sitting real quiet. We ask him to go with us but he respectfully declined. On the way there we discuss the reason for him not coming and we decide that its because he feels responsible for what happened and feels horrible. We all order a monstracity of a breakfast...french fries, cheese, bacon, eggs, and avacodo was in a basket lined with a banana leaf. Wow, I couldn´t eat it all I felt sooo full. I got orange juice and coffee as well and the OJ was fresh but no sugar added so a lil tart and the coffee was frothy and good. Yum. Before we got our food a sufer hottie - Evan came over and started talking to us. He and his buddies that looked at us when we first got there were going down the coast a lil ways to surf but coming back for a raging party as he put it later that night. Of course we saw a fresh fish the day we were leaving....but we told him we were leaving and found out he was only visiting himself and lived in Playa Hermosa. Oh well...we ate and got full and went to the Lulu Berlu store one more time to get shirts because we wanted some t'shirts and Chili Rojo was out. We did that and went back to the hotel to find the boys packed up and leaving. Cameron stopped long enough to say he was leaving and yell at Tracee without leaving her room to interject. Then they were gone. I decided to run after them because they were leaving us in a strange town for 5 hours alone and I had no idea how we´d find them in San Jose....I don´t know why they didn´t just take our bus and not talk to us or sit by us but noooo they couldn´t. Anyways I run after them, they dont stop. I yell, nothing. I get pissed and turn around and walk away and then Cameron yells my name and runs after ME. Well he felt bad for leaving...really he did. But he was the one Kameron and Craig were following and he needed to be their leader...bullshit. He would leave us a note at the Holiday Inn and we would then know where to find them. And with that he hugged me and left. I went back and we all packed up, paid and went to wonder for 5 hours. There was a market at 2 something we wanted to go to but it ended up not being open prolly till 4. We went to a bar and got Te Frio' iced tea. Watched some of the world cup and waited. On the way to the bus stop my last pair of flip flops broke and I was left with only hiking boots. The bus came a lil late. I got car sick but didn´t puke thank God, same with Tracee....At the bus stop , I called dad to see if he found out anything about a room and he had made reservations at Holiday Inn. We get off the bus and it´s dark and San Jose is scary and dirty. Cab drivers come up to us to take us and we follow one....but he had an umarked car so we did not get in. We got a real cab and then he took us there. He was not a fan of President Bush and he kept pointing out men that were transvestites because he didn´t know if we knew they were not real women. We arrived at the Holiday Inn after what seemed like an eternity and we had to keep telling him yes we want to go there, yes we have reservations...he called us princesses because it´s expensive. We get there and we are so gross looking. I can´t even describe how bad we need showers and how much our clohtes need washed from a weeks worth of wear. The door man stared and I walked to the counter and checked in. We INDEED had a note from Archie waiting and were surprised to find out there were staying there too. We went to our room that we had to have a special key to get to in the elevator, dropped off our things and went to say hi. They had been there for a while and were friendly, we were worried the whole day how they would be when we saw them again. I was angry they left us but happy to see them. We left to go shower and Archie and Tracee went for a talk. I called my parents and Heather showerd then I showered and then I went to talk to Cameron and Tracee showered. Next we went to din din at a casino lounge but it was not good. We went back to the hotel and the boys drank while we watched movies. I was so tired and went to the room with Tracee...Heather had already gone up. I dont remember falling alseep but I slept wonderfully. Wow, real showers, real beds and cable tv! Heaven in Costa Rica.

Sunday we woke up, ate breakfast, and then I went back to bed. Oh lovely, you know how I love sleep. I woke up and actaully felt tired from sleeping toooo much. We walked around the plaza before we left and looked around a bit. We walked to the bus stop after we checked out and Heather almost got robbed. A man unzipped her backpack but she felt it and slapped his hand and he left. We were all strung out in a line and thats why it happened after that we stayed closer together. At the bus stop we all met up...Dan and Uri-his host mom and Anne. We knew now that vacay was for sure over.....the bus ride took what seemed like forever. But we made it back to Monteverde in one piece.

We tried to Ford the River....July 22-24

2006-07-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

Well our last weekend trip turned out to be stressful to say the least. It was Cameron, Kameron, Dan, Heather, Tracee and myself. We made reservations Friday for a rental car $80 for two days. We left Saturday morning on the 6am bus to San Jose and got off on the Pan American highway. We waited for 20 minutes or so until a bus headed for Liberia came and picked us up at the bus stop. We all fit into the very back row except for Dan. At one point a man got on and was playing music and singing...i just wanted him to shut up. We get to Liberia wait at the bus stop because its only 10 something and the rental agreement said we´d get the car at 12. We tried to call but the phone was busy so we just got a taxi and went anyways. There was a car wreck so we were stuck in traffic for quite a lil. A semi had flipped and totally burned. After we finally get there we get our van and Dan decides on extra insurance. We take off and are in search of grub but Dan knows where to go. We get to a fish farm'Lagunas CatFish Farm and meet the owner. He´s from the US orginally, in his 30s and a nice guy. He gets our order and sends his mom over to field beach questions. She tells us that we can use their house and she would ask her husband about a price..they decided on 100 dollars for a night for the 6 of us. It was a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom two story house about 200 meters from the beach...with a cable tv, dvd player, air conditioning and so much more. They had a kayak and stuff for snorkeling. We went to the grocery store before heading that way..we followed the lady to the store then the house. We got things to drink for that night, stuff to make pancakes and bacon for breakfast and I got flipflops. Well we go to the house, change and head to the beach. The water is super clear, probably the clearest we´ve seen so far in Costa. Tracee and I head back to the house for the kyak and paddles but we get locked out because the keys dont fit the lock....we wait till the owners come about 10 minutes later and they can´t figure out why out of 4 sets of keys only theirs works. We get in and go down with snorkelying and kayak stuff. We snorkle first and it´s amazing. Rainbow colored fish, bright blue tiny fish, pipecleaner fish, and all sorts of others...I get pushed by the waves into the reef and it hurts. I finally get off and snorkel more. We decide to ask Cameron to come with us to kayak and he agrees so we head off to find a deserted beach. It was amazing. Not one person was there but there were hundreds of purple and orange crabs running all over. We finally go back to the house, shower and get ready for the Guanacaste Fair.

We get there, park and head in. Watch some pathetic bull fights, One was decent but the bulls must have been tired because as soon as they untied the rope that held them in an uncomfortable place theyd run to the corral. Tracee, Kameron and I decided to go on rides, so we got tickets but we thought one ride was 4 tickets but it was one ticket per ride. We went on one that was like a bull but a round circle ride that lots of people went on...it would buck up and down and spin. It was fun. Then we went on another that just swung side to side but fast, forceful and it hurt my legs...this one was not good because for some damn reason I wore a skirt and so that was not good when I am buckled in the seat and at one point my boob popped out...oh golly luckily no one saw and it was up high so no one looked either. We got some fair food: corn on the cob, beef shishkabobs and some other things. We saw fireworks ever! When we left we got to the car and I realized my shoes and rain jacket were not there. STOLEN! Apparently when you shut the front door u have to hold up the handle or it won´t lock and Kameron didn´t do that. I was upset the whoel way back because I get like that when i lose something. I got back and cried a lil and I just wanted my mommy. We get out the alcohol but I choose not to drink and instead just drank cranberry juice. We pop popcorn and sit down to watch PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN 2...we got it at the bus stop earlier that day...Tracee and Cameron spilt the cost of 4$. We all fall asleep during some point of the movie and at 5 am I finally made it down to the bed.

We wake up Sunday and I eat and go to the beach, Dan meets up with me at the beach right about as I was leaving. I stay for a while longer before we both head in. But there was a decent amount of american looking peopel at the beach and one was cute. He waved so I waved back...I got out as they were leaving thinking he might say hi or something but he walked away with his family..he kept looking back but didn´t come back or say a word. Well Dan (the whole weekend I called him dad, or papi) and I headed back, showered and we all packed. We got ready and dropped the keys off at the fish farm and decided to head to Samara.

WOW is all I can say. What was supposed to take 2 hours took over 7 hours. We left at 1 and at Tamarindo took a short break for lunch. I got a cute cute shirt there and enjoyed the town, wish we spent more time there...I wanted to learn to surf. We left and it got dark soon after. This is where it gets good-frustrating. In Costa Rica it is quite normal to drive through water. Even wide amounts or reasonable deep water. We crossed rivers and streams...each time Kameron would get out. get in teh water and see how deep it was and guide us. Approaching the 4th river, he gets out does his usual but stays in the water as Dan attempts to follow his directions. Little glitch is when Kameron walks in teh path and dan breaks hard in the middle of the river to avoid hitting him. We get stuck, in a hole that the tired just dug. We all try to push, including Cameron and can´t move it. Cameron lifts it up to put rocks under the tire but the wheels wont turn. Finally a fourwheeler drives by and Camern flags him down and he comes back with a tractor. GOD BLESS CATERPILLAR....he pulls us out and in short while we can drive. We all are drenched. Kameron lost his shoes in the river and we drive headed to damn Samara. Well we go more and there is a road that splits and we dont know which to take. We take one way and turn around because it seems wrong. Take the other and it is filled with water...no way in hell we are doing that again. We go the other way and go a ways then run into another river. We decide just to go to Nicoya becuase we need gas and we dont even care about Samara anymore. On the way we see a sign for Samara 4 km and decide to try it. It actually panned out..we got there and there was NO places open for food. it was 11 pm and nothing was open. Dan and Heather or as we called them Mom and Dad got a room because they wont stay in the car overnight. Cam, Kam, Tracee and I sleep in the car and get bit up like none other. As I would say...I got bit up like a 2 cent whore. Horses were roaming around in front of us and I just fell asleep. The next morning we got up and moved the car. I stayed in the car and at 7 something realized we were in ffront of a school and they were playing soccer. I saw a cute boy that was adorable and wanted to get a picture of him. They had to go in after a while and I was sad. We drove around to find a store for food and saw them. I asked to get a picture of him and he agreed AWWWW. I got some bomb yogurt-strawberry with chocolate coated cereal to put in it and blackberry juice. I love the juices here!!!!! Finally mom and dad were ready to go and we were on our way...we made it back in 2.5 hours. Shopped a lil and then some more and got on the bus to come home. That was my last adventure.....Now as we speak I am in studio and thinking how fast these 8 weeks have passed and how much I love my family and can´t wait to see them!

amazing rat race meets survivor continued....

2006-07-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

Wednesday- we are in Puerto Jimenez thanks to our 7.5 hour hike and our cab driver who is driving with his daughter on his lap. She calls hotels once we get into town, the first can't accomodate all 6 of us. The second didnt impress us, we wanted something not so shitty. Finally we decided on a place called Cabinas the Corner. It was like a bed and breakfast without any food available..bascially a house with rooms to rent upstairs and a place for backpackers that looked like jail literally. They had a cage and everything. We met Matt from the US and he was traveling with a German, which he said we would get to meet later--he was at the hospital. Well we were sooo gross from the hike and so smelly...we all showered and it was luxurious because the shower was cold..however not everyone got cold water. After we were all cleaned up..we all had our stuff in 3 different rooms. We went to dinner at a local Soda. We each said how hungry we were and we'd start with one casado but might get another. Before when she brought our food I made my excited sound and she just laughed because she thought it was funny. We all got some bomb lemonade and pollo con salsa but Kameron ordered after everyone because he ran to the bank and they were out so he got carne con salsa. We ate and were stuffed we forgot that since we had not been eating our tummys shrank. After we ate Tracee and I went back for a nap while the others went to the supermarket and explored. We thought this was the town to stay at for a few days because we were tired of always being on the go. We woke up and thought the others were gossiping about us...maybe they were? We went out to where the smoking area was because it was an outdoor balcony to chill. We met Christian...Matt's German friend and he told us now that Matt was sick and this place was dirty and to leave as fast as you could..they were at 6 am the next day. Then Matt went for injections...this place was infested with Dengue. We told Christian he could come with us to get food becuase we were running to the store and he was so hungry and he decided to tag along. Kameron, Tracee and I made freinds with him but the other 3 wanted nothing to do with him. When we got back we played a German card game with him and I tried to get the others to come hang out but they would not leave the one room that they all three ended up sleeping in. We played Dopplekoff and I am obsessed with it now..if you ever go to GERMANY...get me two decks of playing cards...the ones that have boys and girls not jack and queens. We played and played until Christian was tired...by then Cameron had come out and talked with us and so we all went to our rooms and cameron came in me and tracee's to talk with us. Kameron got his own room somehow. We talked for a while until we all were tired and then fell asleep but we knew we wanted to get a bus ticket out of this place ASAP.

Thursday- wake up in Puerto Jimenez still healthy...went to check on the bus and they said we could not leave until Saturday or Sunday for San Jose. We go to the beach to think of what to do next and a plane flys overhead....we all look at each other and say you want to fly???? We run towards the airstrip and a truck with a dready guy talks to Archie and tells us we can fly, how much and where to go. We go and try to find out if we can indeed leave today. The girls and Archie stay at the check on place while me Kam and Craig run run run to the real airport office to see if we can get it figured out faster and directly. They call another air company and they agreed to leave in like 45 minutes the flight would be at 11:30. I ran back to tell them and they are coming to find us already. It is something like 80 per person but worth it because of room and everything there for 2 more days and the bus ticket was like 10 befcause it was such a long ride. My math doens't add up but take into account getting what Christian and Matt had and having to be in the hospital. They said they were lucky and most had to stay there for 2 -4 weeks...not a chance in hell i'd let them stick me with needles in a third world country. The girls are hungry and decided to check into getting a casado to go...we succeed and it's fricken amazing.We meet the boys at the airport a few mintues after we were supposed to check in. The plane comes in on time and we board....San Jose took less than 45 minutes to reach. On the way we got pictures from the place, some video and a discussion of what to do now that we had 3 days to spare that we had not planned for. I sure didn't want to stay in dirty San Jose and Archie was going to the Caribean...the others weren't sure. I wanted to either go back to Monteverde or with him because I heard good things about that side. We all decide if there is a night bus to Puerto Viejo we'll go...there was..and we got it and went. It was about 5 hours to our destination. It is dark when we arrive and some black Caribean comes and tries to cart us away..he succeeded and we follow him but Heather and I stay to the back not wanting to follow the cracked out loser. The bus stop had people handing out flyers about hotels and we took them and as he's leading us around we are looking at them and decide to ask about them...we end up at hotel rolando. It was cute cabinas with hammocks outside. Everyone from the bus that we saw ended up at the same place. It was $8 per person. We wanted to splurge and went to a sea food place for dinner it was a real place but took over an hour for our food. I wanted fish but when it got to me it was the whole fricken fish and eyes included. Coctails were little and 4 dollars! I had two...sorry guilty pleasure it was finally a tropical place with good drinks. There was live music that resembled bob marley. everyone spoke english or a caribean mix of sorts. We went back to the hotel and the boys go back ahead of us while we looked at stores. The boys steal our hammock and light and we return and are like okay...its no good after that...they are asses and go to the bars without us. We stay and go to bed and chat-girltalk. Archie comes and knocks on our door, rather pounds and screams that he needs cards...then he climbs and shines his huge maglight into our window and screams again. We are awake now but no way in hell gettin up or giving him cards. He mutters something about us faking because we are still in our clothes...we weren't really faking we just sleep in our clothes since we packed light...back to bed

Friday--wake up and decided to go to walk around and look at stores, the boys were already gone. We stalked them and they just passed and waved. We looked at all the stores and waited for the little stands to open along the beach to look at the handmade jewelry...we try to find the boys to eat breakfast and when we do they have already eaten...and are getting beer and going to the water. We decide to eat after kissing major ass to get them to be nice again. We go to a place called Peace and Love Cafe...we all get pizzas--I got ham and pineapple and then 2 pastrys that were the first dessert that I had since being in Costa Rica..I took pictures...It was cheap like less than 3 dollars for all of my food. We go to find and boys and realize the sand is BLACK..i have never in all my years seen black sand. I lay out and still can't believe I am at a black sand beach--its actaully beautiful. Me and Tracee look at each other and decide to roll around in it and coat ourselves...for pictures of course. Then we go into the ocean with Craig to rinse off. The waves are awesome, not too much of a break that pulls you under but big big waves. We go back and lay out some more. Finally we get bored after a while and convince them to come with us to shop at the little stands. I find some really cool stuff and so do the other girls. We kept going back to this one lady and she'd laugh. There was a lot of culture in this little town, we decided it was what we had hoped to find all along. We decided to find this little art shop we saw the night before and we did. It was so kewl...I got a tanktop that said flower power but was a racer back and adored it...tracee got two shirts..she couldn't decide and I am no help. Heather got a piece of art work and Cameron got a spear. We decided to go back and clean up before happy hour. The boys decided not to come and said they would meet up with us later for dinner. They were set to meet up with us at 7:30 where they had happy hour 2 for 1500colones. Thats 3 dollars for 2 drinks. We go off and have our girl night and get appetizers..it was a place called Chili Rojo and was amazing ...we wanted a shirt but were going to wait to see what the bars we went to that night had. Theirs said 'Puerto Viejo- A sunny place for shady people.' I got the humus and pita bread, Heather got some chicken skewers and Tracee got some veggie dumpling things...we all split. I had 3 drinks...one pina colada that was strong and I couldn't take much of and 2 sangrias. Tracee had a Sangria, Mia'thai and a pinacolado and heather had 2 pinacolads and a mia thai. The Mi' thai's were not like the ones at home at all....The boys came and we went to a restaurant for dinner. The girls decided to split nachos and get another drink. I was a lil tipsey from the drinks, the sun and not much food. We went to another bar called Sunset Bar and for some reason things went downhill from here. Craig told us to 'go find your fresh fish and fuck off bitches' apparently he heard us talking earlier about the hottie shortage and was pissed. We in turn are pissed and go somewhere else because this bar didn't have coctails and the manager was 'on his way' and the person there didn't know the specials or prices for anything...we leave the bitchy boys and go to find a bar with good prices. We were basically killing time until the bar with the free pina colado from 10-11. We went to a few places before finally going to Bar In and In and we are sitting there with 3 sex on the beaches when we see Archie walking so we wave frantically and he comes up. He tells us that him and Kam were like so shocked Craig said that and was coming to find us. We chilled for a while then went to Hot Rocks bar for a free beer since we had a coupon from the bus ride. We also get another drink and I chose the Hot Rock which was rum and blackberry and I dunno what else, Tracee got a bloody mary and Heather sat that round out. Welp..its time for a free pina colada...It actaully happened to be multiple ones...from 10-11 I got 3 I believe. By then I had 9 drinks and I was feeling it...we went with Kam, and Cam to this dance bar....they all decide to leave and Me and Tracee sta. We are dancing and having a good time with the locals. We both feel the alcohol and are having fun. We go to look for people to talk to. See Cameron who came back to check on us and he goes to smoke..We continue to look for people and sucessfully find a table of people that are nice and from Cali...I dont remember a lot after this except I left Tracee and am sitting on the beach with Cameron and we keep looking to make sure Tracee is okay and still with the people we were with. All of a sudden it seems like only 2 mintues pass by the entire time because I am tired and falling asleep...she's not there. I tell him we need to go and find her and he suggests going back to look at the hotel. I get back and she's there thank the Lord in Heaven!!!! I was so scared and felt like it was all my fault. She was upset becuase she had gotten lost on the way back and didn't know the name of the place. I apoligised and was crying and they were like its okay..and I was like 'it's not okay!' we went around and around with that for a while. They were like are you okay? and I was like yeah! I am just upset that I left you, I never leave people...and blah blah..anyways we talked about Archie and how they blamed him for splitting us up and getting us seperated in the first place but I still knew it was my fault. I fell alseep but Tracee hadn't yet and she heard the chair move outside our room--knowing that Archie had just heard everything we said about him.

Tune in next time for the continuation of rat race/survivor and now real world costa rica....it gets heated

July 19- Nearing the End

2006-07-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that 7 weeks have passed here in Costa Rica. I will be home in 3 weeks and busy catching up on what I missed. Can you say food, family, baths, and freinds?? I can! I miss my family so much and am so lucky to have such a great family stand behind me. I can't tell you how lucky I feel whenever you send me packages here! It seems like everytime we go for a hike we end up talking about how we can't wait for.... Mostly its about food...sometimes about the amenities. I can't wait for hot baths--my family I am sure could guess that, but food! I can't wait for my dad's hamburgers,bbq chicken, and even restaurants like cheddars, OG'S, avanti's, chilis, and other places as well...YUMMM! I am getting things ready to leave and wrap things up....it's sad that I dont know how well I will keep in touch with my new freinds that I have made such good memories with. It is the first time in my life I have gone so many places with people I have only known a few months and loved every minute of it.....I still have to tell you about my amazing race...

amazing rat race meets survivor; July 1-9

2006-07-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday-The week vacation was suddenly here. Our half way mark in the semester. 6 of us decided to vacation together without realizing what was in store. Saturday morning we took a 6am bus to Puntarenas. We went to the bank and the boys got some frozen lemonade and we sat and waited for the bus. From here we took a bus to Quepos and then a taxi to Manuel Antonio which was our destination. We were dropped off by the taxi driver at a cheap hotel that ended up not having any rooms so then we walked to Coco Beach for a room. Me and little Kameron decided to hide becuase rooms are per person not per room. Well that did not work so well because when we showed to up to get them and get food the psycho Chinese lady said we were not allowed on the property and so we decided if we weren't even allowed to hang out without having a room there then we should just not stay. She bitched about us sittin on the bed and using the bathroom and wouldn't give them all there money back...she kept 10$ apparently thats what she thought using the bathroom was worth. We kept walking down towards the beach and checking out hotels until we found one that we liked. 10$ per person was the hotel and we decided to get some drinks at a bar and find food asap. Coconuts was our hang out for the day and night. We swam for a little then went back to get ready and go to Coconuts for more coctails. I am not sure the name of the hotel to be honest but we only stayed one night. We slept in 2 rooms one boys- one girls. Our rooms were so sandy when we left.

Sunday-In the morning we took a taxi to Quepos and then our rat race really began. We got on a bus for San Isidro which took all day to get there. These bus rides are interesting becuase they always stop every 10 feet and pick up more people who have to then stand. I dont understand why there are not just bus stops where people go to get on but no, people can be picked up at the side of the road allllll the time. It makes it very hard to fall asleep because its hot, noisy, people smell, and the bus always is stopping. This trip was probably the most memorable because there was a guy with long nails on each finger--we called him crack nails. Then there was a man who was standing by me that kept like thrusting his pelvic region almost into my face, I am not sure what he was doing but I had to turn my head and not look. A lady behind me thought it was a great opportunity to cut her nails and she did and they stuck to my sweaty skin---YUCK! Finally we reached San Isidro and found out there was another bus to Palmar Norte at 7:30 so we went to get a bite to eat since we had not eaten anything but our trail mix we brought and were starving...Pollo Mania it was amazing, I got a chicken sandwich that had bacon and this gooey cheese, yum. Then we headed back to the bus stop and waited; they told us the first bus was full and we would have to take the 8:30 originally but we went early to see anyways. Well we got on thankgod because the place was scary a man in a maroon shirt had a gun on him, so I kept smiling at him so I was not on his bad side, I was so afraid we would get robbed. Well we did get on--as I said--but we didn't have a seat and had to stand for the 3 hour bus ride to Palmar Norte. I sat down in the isle and fell asleep and when the bus took a break at a lil place for food I put my bag up on top in the shelving. After we got off, people warned us not to do that and things would get stolen, so I became paranoid and wanted to get on the bus before everyone else did. I did get on and stood by my bag for the remainder of the trip not letting it out of my sight. We arrived there and found out we would need to take a taxi to Sierpe becasue there was not lodging where we were. So we got in a taxi/truck that took us there and I sat in the back with Cameron and got lots of fresh air, a good view of the heat lightning and a chance to cool off from the bus ride. We got the a place we stayed and it was dark the man honked and a lady came and told us it would be $4/per person . The rooms were nice not anything special and there was a community bathroom. We went to bed pretty fast. Me and Tracee in a room and to be honest I forget now who else was paired up. There were these frogs that at first drove me insane because of the noise they made but finally I got over it and went to sleep.

Monday- we woke up and went to find out about the boat to take us to Drake. They said it would be around $35 dollars and that was the only way to get there. The boat didn't leave till around 11:30 so we went to eat breakfast at a place called Vegas and wait for the boat. The girls didn't eat because we had trail mix but I did get a milk which was warm and gross...A man told us he would take us in his own boat whenever we wanted for the same price, so we took him up on it. It was a beautiful ride, it was just natural stream scapes the entire way. We got to a place with just lots of tree branches that was called a mangrove- it was like nothing I have ever seen before...so beautiful, I do not know how a boat any bigger than the one we were in would have gotten through. We kept going until we got into the ocean and then into Drake Bay...Bahia Drake. We were dropped off at a place that was known for fishing tours and several amenities but it was something like $50/person a nite. Forget that we kept walking and found a tent camp called Vista Bahia Drake, we got two tents that each had a queen bed. It was around $10 a night. The tents were on a wood deck and they had hamocks hung outside the tents. It was perfect for us. We went to the store to get beverages but the place was tiny so we decided to buy a bottle of liquor at the bar. We went to the bar, got some drinks and played pool until the rain stopped. We are used to rain since being in Monteverde for a month. We waited it out and then decided to go back and swim. The water was warm but thinking back on it dirty as hell--there was all this debris floating after the rain and it was brown in color. This dog that we met after we got off the boat followed us all day and even on the beach he sat there waiting and gaurding our stuff. We went back, got dressed and went for Lunner- lunch/dinner our one meal of the day. We went to the store to find ice and soda and then went back to hang out for the nite. I drank some rum and coke even though I don't drink soda....and got sick later. As Tracee would call it - puke and rally. We did get to play never have I ever....I like playing bonding games and encourage it whenever I get a chance. We found out that Kameron did infact have a girlfriend from this game and that everyone but me peed in the ocean today. Earlier in the night right when we all got back and started playing cards there were these bugs that were like mayflies...basically ants with huge wings and they were all over. Cameron, Heather and I went in Heather, Cameron and Craigs tent to wait for the bugs to disappear and quit bothering us....but it proved difficult to see us drink during 'never have I ever' so they kept nagging until we came out. We played by candlelight. That was one good thing about Kameron and his bag of shit he toted around alllllll vacay...Seriously he had a soccerball, candles, canned pineapple....in this plastic bag that he took everywhere. We finished off two fifths of rum between Craig, Heather, Tracee, Kameron and I...Cameron drank his beers *imperial of course*. They rest of the night is a blur, I slept in a tent with Kameron and Tracee and slept bitch....Heather, Cameron and Craig shared a tent but Cameron ended up sleeping out in the hammock in the end---jungle boy. We did get new nicknames....Tracee was Rachel, Heather was Monica and I became Phoebe

Tuesday-We woke up and met Emanuel our boat guy...owner of the tent camp we stayed at. We had made plans Monday upon arrival for him to take us fishing and to Serena in Corcovado National Park, he even made reservations for us. So we head off on our journey into the unknown. The three girls all got sick on the boat. I am truely a Neeley getting sea sick. We felt like shit everytime we got up from laying across the seats. It was torture because when the boys started to fish we slowed way down and thats what made us sick. Cameron and Craig did catch a Mahi Mahi...it was on Craig's hook but somehow it was connected to Cameron's too. Anyways they caught us a fish that would prove valuable later on....We finally got there and got off the boat on this slab of rock that was enormous covering a large area in the water and on the beach...it was slippery as well. We decided to go swimming when we got on land and the water felt glorious. Cameron and Heather chilled up by the edge of the water and he gutted the fish and cleaned it. We arrived at 12:30 at Serena Lodge and paid for the room...tried to make reservations for food for that night but they said it couldn't be done, we had planned on staying the next night and asked for food the next night at least and they said they couldn't, we asked if there was food to buy...NOPE. Luckily the girls had our trailmix and the boys caught the fish! We went to the rooms and it was dark because there is no power until its dark and the rooms smell and the beds just have a foam cover, no blankets or sheets. There are bugs in the room and it smells so bad I just want to gag after everything we'd been through already in the day. I am still weak from puking and dry heaving and the thought of sleeping here grosses me out. I realize I have fire ants all over my bags...then I try to get rid of them and they get on me and I am burning and screaming and not very happy....I decide to air out my bag outside to get them away....Cameron goes to find coconuts and a place for a fire, Kameron and Craig go for a swim, and the girls decide to take a walk. Before we go for our walk though we run into Crocodile Mike and we decide we want to leave that night!! This place was nasty and we didn't even want to spend one night-let alone two. We would have to ask the boys....on our walk we didn't see any wildlife like we hoped...and on the way back it started to storm. We are walking through the trails in the forest and all of a sudden we hear branches starting to fall all around us....RUN! and we did...for a little at least, then we walked back. We got to the 'runway' and walked towards the lodge and they said theres Archie and I thought he was ahead in a hammock but nope he was behind us I guess so I waved at some stranger..ooops. I checked on my fire ant status and kept moving my bag to get rid of more... Well we talked to the boys and they agreed to leave that night. We would HIKE to Carate, we planned to leave at 12am but the park rangers wouldn't allow us....so we decide on 4am. We found some guys that let us use their stove to cook our fish becuase the kitchen wouldn't let us and its illegal to have a fire on the beach. Kameron cooked the fish muy deliciouso...with coconut juice and garlic pepper he had in his bag of shit....We also met some new freinds-geovany and james- that were traveling in Crocodile Mike's company. They were from New York and later in the night Mike drew us a map for our journey. We really were on a rat race...We were in the Osa Peninsula by Monday and we only left Saturday morning. Our July 4th didn't include fire works but it did include puke and rallys. We all went to bed early Kameron hogged his mosquito net to himself, Heather and Tracee were in one, Craig slept on the top bunk...and I bunked with Cameron because he had a poncho liner....and as my family would call it ARMY BLANKET...*Kim you have to remember this because you have the best memory..remember playing cards on Fourth of July on the Army Blanket always in Springfield at icecream socials as well as Peoria*

Wednesday-This morning started out early early early..it was still dark out. We walked in pairs. Tracee and Craig, Heather and I and Cam and Kam becuase not everyone had flashlights. The sun rose about 5 am and was really pretty and soon after we found our first landmark!!! Palm trees on a bluff. We take a break for pictures and drink some coconut water. We continue our hike and later come upon fresh bananas that Archie hacks down with his machete. We eat our trail mix that we have been toting the whole weak and the other girls dump some out to lighten their load. We saw so many spider monkeys on our hike. We kept swithcing from beach to trails because the trail would end or the beach would be too rocky and no room to walk. We had to cross this one river before high tide that was our mission and we succeeded. People made fun of my backpack and called it the keychain because I had my nalgene, towel, illini bag, and sarong hanging from it. We saw white faced monkeys and lots of scarlet macaws, pelicans, and hawks as well. We finally reach the station at 11 and I am dying, my feet kill because the boots had water in them and I had no socks on so I was swishing around in them and hiking for hours....from 4:30 to 11 we hiked and then we stopped for a short swim before we hike one more hour to Carate. The swim was nice but the water was insanely strong. I went in and couldn't stay out because I was so tired but when I tried to come back I was pushed out and kept hitting the rock bottom...I thought I would die but I got in okay. Kameron did not and cut his arms on the rock pretty horribly. So we continue our hike but I am reluctant....my feet do not want to put on the boots at all but I put two pairs of socks for cushion. I walk so slowly that everyone else is far ahead. Cameron waits for me and eventually must feel pretty bad for me because he takes my backpack and carries it and stays back with me. I feel horrible and like a baby..I can carry my own bag it's not the problem my toe nails were what killed with every step. After what seemed like an eternity we made it to Carate and the rest are ahead already getting a cab. We take a picture to mark our arrival. However, there is nothing in Carate but a store and it's closed so we decide to take a ride to Puerto Jimenez which we find out is 2 hours in cab...no water is left and there is no store to get drinks..Well lets go theres no reason to stay. There is a bar on the way and they stop to get drinks..I do not get out because I am in toooooo much pain to walk. It feels like our arrival to Puerto Jimenez is another day in itself so I might quit here.....PUERTO JIMENEZ AND THE DENGUE FEVER.......TO BE CONTINUED

So far we have gone 4 days and have been countless towns all over the country...not only have we not spent more than a night anywhere...we sometimes passed through places all together.

July 10-14

2006-07-14T08:57:00.000-07:00

Hola, I know you are all wanting to know about my vacation and soon enough you will. Let's just call it the Amazing race. This week was intense as well. Sunday we got back from the Amazing Race and Monday morning bright and early we had to leave on a hike and overnight stay at Fince Amapala. The hike that I heard was 2 hours turned out to be 4.5 which wouldn't be bad considering what I did last week; however, my big toe nail is black and blue and it hurts to be confined in my boots. The trails were not the greatest and at one point Anibal had to use his machetti to bush wack. The are cool, I need to for sure buy one. Anyways to along the hike we had these things called water apples..yum they are like pears almost, Anibal also found us snot berries which are in the kiwi family. Once you pop them open you suck out the snot like liquid and seeds that are sweet. Once we got to Finca Amapala we walked through the banana plantation and after about 20 minutes more reached the lodge. We rested and did some measurements and then had dinner finally. My tummy shrank over break so I ate more than I should and regretted it moments later- if not the entire night. I went to bed super early and the others continued playing cards. In the morning we ate, took a hike to get GPS data and almost got blown away. The winds were going abour 50 mph according to Anibal. After we hiked back, we got lunch and then took off to get down the mountain. Of course, I got sick on the hike and started puking, Luckily Cameron is super nice and carried my backpack for me and stayed back with me and kept making me drink water and wash my mouth out. Anibal sent me home as soon as we got down and got to the cars. I was thankful and slept the entire day.

Wednesday I still was sick until the evening. I should have stayed home from school because I didn't contribute anything and kept falling asleep during the reserve lecture. I asked to go to the car and sleep after the lecture because they were going on a hike and I knew I couldn't make it. I went home after clas and slept and slept..

Thursday, we had a 7:30 apt at the Monteverde Reserve. We got a free tour since one group is making a handicap trail there. It was neat to hear about the plants and animals and see the difference between secondary and primary forests. Also to learn about the numerous hummingbird species; which I must say get really close and at some points I had to duck in fear they would run into my head. We saw monkeys and birds and lots of kewl plants and trees. Some ferns were prehistoric from the dinosaur times and there as tall as some trees however the bark was not bark but only their vascular system. The stranger figs were neat to learn about as well and how they take over the host tree and years later after the host has rotted away the inner part of the stranger fig is hollow. When we got back from the hike, I made a survey for our group and emailed it out. I felt productive. The 6 of us from our week vacay plus Anibal and Asia went out to dinner and had a movie night at the Institute...XMEN3.

This weekend should be more relaxed since we are all tired still. Tonight we are going out to celecbrate Anibal, Cameron, and Kameron's bdays. The girls are doing our hair and makeup and trying to feel girly for once. WEll I have a lecture in 5 mintues to go to so I will tell you about the Amazing Race soon! It will take a while!

My weekend in Paradise (Playa Naranjo), June 23-June 26

2006-06-27T09:27:00.000-07:00

Well, this past weekend was the best weekend I have had yet and the best vacation I have had for a while. While Mexico was fun and all and last summer and I had fun in Cali with Amber and Denver was pretty cool- nothing can compare to the natural beauty and undeveloped land in Naranjo and Tortuga Island. Friday after our presentations were over, four of us took a bus to Baranca (Kameron, Tracee, Craig and Myself). Three others went on the same bus but took it to San Jose. When we got to Baranca we took a taxi to Puntarenas. We had some drinks and got food before we bought our tickets and boarded the ferry. The ferry was like a rocking bar. There was people dancing -old and young-, people drinking, and we played cards and had some drinks. It was a real rocky ride at some points. When we got to Playa Naranjo we had no plans or place to stay and we were okay with that. We walked off the ferry tried to get on a bus but I asked the man when to get off for a hotel and he said no this bus goes all over the Nicoya you dont want to be on it--but he said this all in Spanish and my Spanish isn't the best. We got off the bus though and walked into town. "Town" is a gas station. We saw some men and asked where to go for a hotel and they pointed left. We thought right and walked that way but decided to ask again and then we met Raoul. Raoul was amazing. He told us where to say and said he would get us a discount and it was right on the beach. He also offered to drive us and we took him up on it. We got there and it was paradise. Palm trees all over, a huge property, 2 pools, hamocks outside every room, a restaurant, the beach and a pier. We unpacked and hit the bar with Raoul who bought our drinks and played pool with the boys. We met Larry- I'll discuss him more, THE Garfield (omg he looks just like the cat!), and some other locals. We bought a bottle of some local hard alcohol and went back to swim and chill by the pool. Some of us went the wrong way to the pool and ended up in the grass but it felt like needles- Raoul just laughed because he knew we went into this grass that is like thorns-thanks for the warning!! So we swam, hung out then went to bed. When Raoul came with us to our room though he asked where all the beds were- because there were 2 rooms with 4 single beds. We had pushed them all into one room and made a huge bed. He thought we were crazy! After we slept we woke up and had an early breakfast. We saw Larry and met Thomas. We explored for a while and swam. Then we decided we wanted to kayak but the boats were not able to be rented so we asked Raoul if he could find us a cheap boat to rent to fish. We went with him and found a guy who said we could for $2 an hour...we met Travis at this time who informed us we were 6 months too early- he was building a rental shop for stuff like that. We went back and swam and waited for 3 when the guy was coming to take us but then it started to get real cloudy and storm...so we didn't get to go out! We chilled at the hotel instead and drank coconut water and ate coconut. I learned there are differnt kinds. The ripe and young ones have a meat that is like jello. The older ones that are brown are the kind of coconut we think of. We went to the bar with Raoul later and met Garfield again and saw more locals. A local was flirting with Tracee and his Polica *police* friend tried to flirt with me but I ignored him because I don't know spanish haha.....anyways he kept buying our drinks. So not only did he cart us around and chill with us but paid for our alcohol. He talked about a proptery he owned and I asked to see it so after we left the bar we went to see the house he talked about. It was so far from the road and was so secluded. The gate had 3 locks and abour 10 feet up the chain link fense ended and there was a round area of barbed wire. I told them it would be funny if he tried to kidnap us because i was like oh can we go see it....it was like jurassic park everyone said because of the fense. The house was so nice, it had a jacuzzi in the center, an amazing view off a cliff, the pillars were wood that had been carved and there was a sweet bar. The rooms needed a lil work but it was an amazing house for 325k. In the states that same house would be worth so much more! It sat of 5 acres. After that we went to the hotel and drank a lil-well we planned to but me and Tracee 'rested our eyes' and didn't wake up till the next morning. We missed the sunrise by 15 minutes. But we went out to sit on the pier anyways. We really really wanted a ride with Larry on his boat. It was our last day in paradise and he offerd to we took him up on it. He was like you want to go to Tortuga Island with us...SURE! We brought our stuff with us incase we would have to hurry to the ferry. It took about an hour to get there by boat. It is an island that is only used for day trips you can not stay on the Island. The water was so crystal clear you could see at least 9 feet down. The beach was real sand and it was amazingly beautiful and the water was warm. We left around 12:30 to make the ferry. We never made that ferry. He stopped at a bar on the way of a friend and we didn't leave till like 4. So we decided to stay an extra day because we mised our ferry and he offered to drive us back to Monteverde. He got us a room for 24$ at another hotel Maquinays. Our shower didn't work so we swam to rinse off and Larry, Garfield, Travis and Raoul all came to the hotel bar and then came out by the pool and we all talked. They had some crazy stories. Larry talked about meeting Bruce and Sting in Costa Rica years ago on one of their tours at a hotel. He said everyone went outside to meet them at their bus but he went to the pool bar and chilled and they came out and he said to them let me be the first to buy you a drink in Costa Rica...Travis lives in California and is going back pretty soon he is going back for rainy season and he lives in the grateful dead house. We went to bed and the next day LArry and his daughter took us to Monteverde which took 2 hours longer than expected. We got here and introduced them to everyone and everyone was like where were you guys...well we missed the ferry and we convinced larry to bring us back.....BEST WEEKEND EVER. My new motto is no plan is a plan!

A lil about each new friend:
Larry lives in Florida and does commerical real estate. He lives in Coco beach and used to be a surfer. He owns a place in Jaco, a farm in Naranjo and is buying more land there as well. He goes back to the states every two weeks for two weeks. He is 56 and has two daughters. He still surfs.

Rachel- Rachel is his daugher, she's from Atlanta Georgia and is vacationing for a week to see her dad. She is married and 5.5 months preggers. She is a teacher but her dad is trying to convince her to move to Costa Rica and run whatever business he decides to buy and open with her husband.

Travis- does construction here and is building houses and makin a shop to rent boats and such. He is from California like I said but owns a lot of property in Naranjo. He stays at the Gratefull Dead house in Cali. He and Larry and some others are buying up property and making a marina to develop the area for tourism. He is the youngest one of the american men like in his 30s

Garfield- is Garfield and crazy, he's got a belly but he walks around without a shirt and kinda dances. He is from Canada and does nothing really in Naranjo, I'm not sure what he used to do but now he's just a goof ball.

Thomas is crazy fit...he travels amazing distances on his bike carrying an 80 kilo pack. He said if you miss your point by two degrees you will die. He has rode cross country in Australia, Central America, Mexico to LA and other places in Europe. He said the best is in Central America because you will never go hungry and Australia was too hot. He swims a lot and does every kinda of exercise it seemed to stay fit. He used to and still deos I think sell robots for Intel.

Raoul is a tico-a wild tico his email address says. He is a real estate agent. Really nice and friendly and helped us without us asking for it. He lives at Hotel Oasis where we stayed the first 2 nites and he knows everyone.

Well I am sure I forgot some details but I tried my best to recall it all~! It was a great weekend and one of the most beauitful places I have seen! I plan to visit there again before I die!

Friday, JUNE 23

2006-06-23T07:17:00.000-07:00

Oh wow did i get delerious last night from lack of sleep. I thought it was so funny when i kept starting out..it was a cold december morning in 1984 (I was attempting to begin my life story). I also found it quite amuzing to suggest that we just use sticky notes as labels on our board so we could go home earlier and when we talked about it just slap it on up, or for interactive use we could have them play a matching game! OH wow what a week without sleep will do to you! I also started talking about does the girl big Cameron went to see better be worth it since he left our group when we present today and eveyone was so tired they thought I was talking about the new girl who is coming here from india late becasue she just now got a visa...they were like she doens't even speak english and im like what? How will he talk to her he knows no spanish...wow to me its funny but you may have had to be there. I got home at 3ish and there was a huge huge huge spider like the size of my palm in my room, I made my mom kill it because she was up since she was sick and can't sleep well. Today I got a ride to school so I started my day off wonderfully. To be exact I was walking and a bus stoepped and asked if i wanted a ride i said sure. at the end i asked how much and he said nada and that i was something and I said no se and he said muy linda which is very pretty and he kissed my hand. I must have a way with the ticos but hey free rides! OK SPANISH CLASS! I LOVE YOU ALL

MY FAVORITE THINGS OF COSTA RICA

2006-06-22T23:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, I decided to write a few things that I have fell in love with here, here it goes:

The sock coffee maker
Emperial
Platanas
My nalgene
FRESH milk, icecream, natilla -sour cream-, peanut butter, honey, cheese....
My new friends, Josue, Estephania, Kristi, Chen, and my host mom
Adolfo's Driving
Taberna and Moon Shiva
Salsa Dancing
music
Alone time
Friolito
Sitting on logs in the wilderness or streams
Waterfalls
Hammocks
Drinking coffee at all hours of the day
FRESH FRUIT JUICE
Friendly Ticos
saying HOLA and Hasta Luego
Singing: ole ole ole ole, ticos, ticos!
Traveling
The words: Barista, Punta, Hola Muchacho
The crazy amount of dogs that follow you everywhere - you can tell how far someone has walked by the amount of dogs following them...no joke

*the more I think about it the more I realize that I love it all! No matter how far away I am I know how great my family is! They email me all the time...they call me...they dont forget about me even when I'm not there!
Maybe I'm becoming a little less materialisitic...this is good dad! And more independent as well! Do you realize I have to make my own decisions and I knew absolutely no one before I came here. Now I'm traveling with my new friends, sleeping in someone else's house and calling it my own, and walking everywhere and everyday! It's so strange to be so far away from home and your family and to have to adjust to a totally different culture. One in which they think you are someone's bf or gf if you call them more than once in a day or if you are seen alone together. It's so strange how you can be tracked down! One thing you realize is how simple life can be if you let it and how you don't need all kinds of contraptions and belongings to live a happy life. I mean the coffee maker is amazing because it's so simple! They have real ones here too but I much rather use the sockish one. I'm done reflecting-it's 1 am and I have spanish at 8 and have to walk home still ahh I like the walk down the hill but man up it is a workout....ps. running down hill is actually hard. You have to stop yourself from going too fast and also be carefull because you are always coming upon rocks and pot holes.....ok I'm really outtie!

Thursday, June 22

2006-06-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

This week has been crazy busy. Monday I went home for dinner then came back until 11, Tuesday I spent the night here and Wednesday nite I was here till 3 am. I am ready for the weekend! Some of us are going to Naranja this weekend. It's a beach on the Nicoya Penninsula. I am super tired, but after we present we will hop on a public bus to Puntaraneas (sp?) then take a ferry to Naranja. My family here is all sick, I'm luckily not going to be around to catch it and I haven't thus far! I don't really have much to say because I have been so busy with school. But Sunday night I went dancing with my mom, and some guy wouldn't leave my side. Well I found out later he told someone I was his gf but didn't know it yet. Well that same guy called me twice at the house--I don't know how he got the number but I think it was because it's such a small town and everyone knows my mom. So I have been tracked down 3 times in Costa Rica. I must make quite an impression! haha jk. Oh and tonight two cars asked if I wanted a ride on my walk back, I decided the first was sketchy because it was a car and the second I said to hell with it because it was a motorcyle and if he treid anything I could always hop off....but pretty much everyone here is nice. OK WORK TIME SO I CAN GO HOME EARLY!

Monday, June 19

2006-06-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

Well nothing exciting really happend as of lately however I have some stories that made me cry I was laughing so hard....oh Chen! He's about four but he says some crazy stuff. He first off all says his mom is stupid, fat and ugly. Later he says he doesn't have parents and lives with his grandpa who he thinks is named steve. He says the craziest things like his parents died before Christ or that he walked from Chicago to Florida. Later he denies saying any of it. Or he says his dog eats people but not him becuase he tells him not to but yet his cat scares his dog...but chen your dog eats people i say...and he says what dog? I dont have a dog. He went up to a girl at the hotel and kicked her and she told her tour guide. Apparently Chen told him he had no mom or dad and was just a poor little boy. He also says he goes in the road with a can and begs for money but throws himself in a mud puddle and colors on his skin so he looks poor. The funniest thing was when the kids told him to touch the electric fense and he did and got shocked!

Also me and my mom went dancing last nite at Bar Amigos...well let me tell you I dont know spanish and dont claim to. BUT apparently the men at the bar were talkng about me to my mom and one guy that would not leave me alone all night and I danced with a lil told her and his friend I was his novia (girlfriend) but I dind't know it yet...I did think it was weird when he introduced me to his sister in law and told her to leave and his brother... and apparently the cook at the hotel said i was 'hot'...oh ticos! No wonder the kids told me not to say hola anymore to strangers.

Today I skipped out on studio for a little with my group..3 hours later me and Cameron return and everyone was like where were you? UH in the forest, duh! I sat on this log overlooking a stream and it was amazing watching the hummingbirds get like 3 feet away and the dragon flies dancing around me, I even saw my favorite butterflies just flying around with no worries. The log was pretty high up so at one point I was afraid I might fall when i was lying down on it, but luckily I didn't. I will have to get a picture of that place. I wish I could put my pictures online now but I dont have a cable to. I need to take more pictures! I have been slacking like no other. Well its studio time at 8pm....we have a project due at 10am friday then I am trying to head to the beach! FUN IN THE SUN!

June 16-18

2006-06-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

My weekend was a lot of resting...I sure needed it. Last Thursday I got pretty drunk and then Friday was rough, my leg fricken killed. I couldn't go to the hike and camping with the rest, so I stayed home and slept and spent time with the family. I had the craziest ride of my life Saturday with Adolfo--my mom's exhubby. It was so fast and the car had no brakes and no horn. The kids also showed me where the most 'dangerous' man in Monteverde lives....and they told me not to say hola to people like I do now. Saturday for lunch Adolfo came over and ate with us--it was the first actual family dinner. I took the kids with me and Asia to Santa Elena- I think we had a good time. Sunday, I met Chen- omg this kid has an imagination. He's their cousin but lives in the States. He tried to tell me he walked from Chiago to Florida. He said he didn't have a dog then all of a sudden his dog ate people that were younger than him and the dog was 6-7-8. He also kept talking about farting when you pull your finger...he was so funny. We were supposed to go to the 'pools' but Adolfos car broke down and we stopped at the mechanics for over2 hours before giving up and going home in a taxi. We ate lunch after I got to talk to my whole family...everyone sounds good! I miss everyone though!!!! Ribs without me- you f-ers. I ran with Estepahnia to see the sunset then headed back for family din. I had a family dinner for dia del padre it was veggie and chicken lasagna, cinamon plantinas, salad and lemonade- it made me think of ambers lasagna for some reason and I miss her too!!!! Then my mom wanted to go dancing so I went with her to Bar Amigos. I met lots of ticos ---adolofo wants me to get a tico bf...oh adolfo! I danced with one tico for a while then with Anibal --he was with a bunch of people and we ran into him. My mom danced with lots of men..she's super cute! I love her....I turned down a few men but felt bad but my knee started to hurt and I wasn't drunk so I was more self concious about my dancing. I need to practice my spanish a lot more if I am going to learn. LOVE YOU ALL!

Wednesday, June 14

2006-06-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

Hello, So I haven't done anything exciting to warrant a post but I will anways... After having a fun filled yet dramatic weekend we came back to studio and tuesday had a progress pin up. Apparently another teacher is coming today, Kameron is excited apparently he's cool. Stacey is not coming so I will be the sole Illini here. Thats okay. I met some other students the other day from Mizzou they are doing stuff with agriculture and workin on a project with the Santa Elena High School as well- somethng with there farming and dairy farm and all that. They seem pretty nice.

Josue and Estephania are fun to joke with, its an evreyday occurance--they are out of school for a month-well apparently they might move? So then they will be out of school for 6 months, I hope they dont plan to move while I am still here!!! I have been so sleepy lately, I think the lack of sleep is geting to me-you all know how I love my sleep. I have been getting a little more meat which is always good, I eat at restaurants for lunch sometimes when we are at the school and it starts downpouring- that way I dont have to walk in the rain. Last night my tummy was not feeling so hot and my mom had Estephania run to get me some Chamomile tea for the hotel and she told me just to eat rice and the chitoa or something (they only have it here and there is no english word for it - its is some green vegetable). Today I feel much better.

It rains in Monteverde everyday, sometimes more than others. Today is much more rainy and cold. I need to remember to get another sweatshirt. If anyone feels like calling me my number is 645-5090 but I am not sure on the country code and all that.

A lil history of Monteverde...In 1950 the Quakers from Alabama and settled here..they started a cheese factory that is literally outside our shacks window at the insititute. They make cheese, milk, icecream and other dairy things. The icecream is delicious and icecream can be found everywhere here- they are big fans of it. My family gets homemade peanut butter, yogurt and milk from some lady we live by. I love the peanut butter and am a fan of the yogurt with granola and honey for breakfast. Today I could not for the life of me get the honey out and then they thought of microwaving it--soooo smart! My family has a washer and dryer but most families do not have driers. In fact, even though they have a dryer everything is always wet. Good luck feeling dry. For the first time since I was here I was dry when we went to La Fortuna but then during the week I am back and smell like mildew. The locals are called Ticos, but they are not as freindly as you would think. NO ONE offers rides anywhere here even though they always drive past. A taxi costs about $5 no matter how far in town you want to go or how many people you have so it sucks to be alone. Our studio is a wood barn type building it's real primitive. Our desks are boards on top of saw horse stands. I have a lot of pics but I can't put them online becausse I didn't bring a cable and my memory stick won't fit in the computers here. I hope to get a collection of everyone's pictures before I leave. The locals love to say PURA VIDA- which means a lot of things litterally pure life, but they say it in response to how are you and everything else. Que Mope and then hitting fists is a common thing too. I think Costa Rica's dialect is a little differnt from other spanish countries but I am not sure? I never took spanish before but pollo (chicken) is said with a J sound like Poyjo..and llama is like jama...Yo is like Joe. I am learning SOME spanish but when I get home I forget what I learned at school. I have learned to sing Sponge Bob, square pants...well I better go I need to find a way to dry out! MUCH LOVE

My weekend at Arenal (La Fortuna), June 9-11

2006-06-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

Friday was sweet, we started out at Spanish class at the institute then wen to bar amigos for the costa rica v germany futbol game. The place got crazy loud when costa rica scored. I was a big fan of number 9, but we lost :(

After that we went back to the Institute to work and then I had to skip a lecture for Josue and Kristys graduation. I was a proud sister and yelled when there name was called, who cares if people stared. After that me and Mariposa (Dan the 45 year old) hurried back because we were leaving for Arenal at 6pm.We all jammed into a van and headed towards Arenal (the active volcano)

It took around 3 hours and we were ready to get out. We got there and our hotel rooms were little cabanas, we had a lil drama over room situations because out of 10 of us -3 didnt drink. So 6 of the 10 wanted to party and the others wanted to go to bed right away and well Mariposa drinks but was being a bum. So because Asia can´t be in the same room as guys we had a problem and had to get another room. Anyways it ended up being the 5 maryland people and me in a room with two double beds. 3 to a bed sweeeeet. So we drank and killed like 3 bottles of all differnt things and then went swimming, Craig took some kewl pictures of that and then us with the volcano in the background. I learned a lot of new drinking games and we all bonded. The next day(Saturday) we hiked to another waterfall. The volcano is soooo big you can always see it and apparently we are ultra lucky because some people stay for 15 days and because of the clouds never see it...At night its sweet to see the red lava flow down the .Anyways so we hiked to the waterfall and I died. I actaully was so hot and sweaty I was getting cold chills and I could not feel my face! The decent to the waterfall was like 800 meters of nothing but stairs and this waterfall was so powerfull you could not swim near it. We swam downstream before the rainstorm. Then went back up and walked down to find food. Some stragner asked me to carry his camera in my bag up to the top but I couldn´t see him the whole way up and felt weird about it. Luckily he found me! We went to Lunch-dinner at a sweet place on the way back down, but we were so wet we felt horrible for getting their nice chairs so wet. The place was not fromiliar with fajitias apparently because we recieved no tortilla shells so we asked and they said we don´t have any, do you want bread? What is a fajita then if you have no shells?So we walked back, took a nap and then went to Tabicon for the hot springs.But decided it wasn´t worth the money and came back to drink. I for sure fell asleep like 2 hours after we were back but on the way back we saw the red lava from Arenal at night which is such an awesome sight! So the next day we swam, layed out, and packed up and went into town. It was sooooo hot compared to Monteverde!! We shopped a lil and then went back by 4 to catch our van. I sat bitch between Kam and Cam- my group for our project. Thats who I sat with on the way and ended up sleeping in between those nights too, apparently I fell alseep both nights before anyone else....I do like my sleep. We got home late on Sunday and I got hugs from my host mom and Josue-- he ran up to me as soon as I got home and told me he missed me. I found out that an American student is missing because they were stupid and went swimming at the beach during a rain storm! dON´T Worry I am way smarter than that, I wouldn't go off swimming in a rainstorm. Or go off without a substantial amount of people with me, I am friendly though and people keep saying not to say hola to everyone...I'll work on it

Friday, June 9

2006-06-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! So yesterday was horrible, we were without water since Wednesday night when I wanted to brush my teeth and shower. The next day no water...I went to school and came back expecting it to be fixed but it was not. So then I ran back to the institute to get a shower becasue I was gross from not showering and walking around all day. I had a dinner for Josue's graduation at the hotel right next door...I got meat! It was fun, he was shy and imbarrassed to introduce me so I just kept waving at him the entire nite until I went home and called up people to go out. We all went to Tiberna or something like that. It was me Cam, Kam, Craig, Heather and Tracee and of course Mariposa(Dan). We are all going to Arenal this weekend which is an active volcano that you can see and at night the lava is so pretty as we hear. There are also hot springs which is like a natural occuring hot tub like water. We are taking a van and then staying in two hotel rooms- pack em in! I'm pretty pumped for this, I want to get my sis Jenni her book! Yesterday though we also made sufficient headway on our group project. We went to the Santa Elena High School and took measurements, GIS locations, and stuff like that. We hope to get done before everyone so we can not come for the last two weeks. Our group is pimp- we are designing the master plan for the High School. Kameron is pretty much amazing at everything....so I have faith we are gonna rock this project. Ok it's pouring out! I have to go to graduation for Josue and Kristy at 4 then we leave for Arenal from the Institute at 6...I'll be back Sunday at like 8 pm so I'll blog next week. HUGS AND KISSES

Wednesday, 6-7

2006-06-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

Hello, sorry lately I have been busy with school from 8-5 and then I go home and eat. I started Spanish class two days ago, that is going well. I have a lot of french running through my brain so its hard to get that out and remember the spanish vocab. I haven't really gone out since the weekend. One night some of us met up for pizza and then I hung out with Kameron and saw his house. The people here are so nice. I play cards always with my brother Josue and Estephania- my sister. Uno, Swap, and a lot of other games. Me and Josue joke a lot, he's so funny yesterday he wore a fohawk to school. I tried to make him take it down but no luck. They tried to only speak to me in spanish last nite but that didn't last too long....Unfortunately when I went to brush my teeth and take a shower there was NO WATER. NO AGUA! I don't understand how they have power but no water. So yeah no shower for me, I bet I smell today! My email sucks, I just got emails from last Friday-this Wednesday yesterday. I dont know what it wrong with it. I better get my butt to spanish class, so much for being early. I will tell you a lil about my project that me Kameron and Cameron are doing in another post. MISS YOU ALL! MUAH!

Domingo, June 3 San Luis Catarata

2006-06-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

WOW, the hardest walk of my life. I thought I was going to die. I woke up in Anibal´s house because we spent the nite there because we went out and were gettin up early to head to the Catarata (waterfall). Asia and Anibal came into my room but because I didn´t sleep in PJ pants I didn´t get out of bed. Later,Asia was like I wondered why didn´t you get up, I laughed and told her why. So I got to hold Anibals nephew and play with Fabion (his other nephew).Then we took a taxi to the Institute. On the way to his house the night before we took 2 taxis and one to the bar. Anyways...Saturday morning we met and started towards the waterfall. The road was totally downhill for a long ass while. I thought that was a good thing but no you have to walk in a way to keep from falling and so my shins and knees killed. One point, Cameron climbed down- I don´t know how he survived it. So we all walked on the road, it was horribly steep and I dind´t want to think about the walk back. Once we got to the falls there was about an hour walk through trails to get to the place to swim, it was uphill most of the way. Real rocky too, I got super tired and didn´t know if I could make it. One part you had to climb down a cliff of sorts but there was a rubber rope thing. I was impressed I did it. Once we finally got there, we were wet from walking through streams. I got in as soon as I could get out of my boots and pants. I already had my shirt off because it was so bloody hot and my swimsuit was on. So the water was icecold. And I was freezing, but it felt good so I did not care at all. The water pressure was insane. It was so pretty, I felt like I was finally in the jungle. We stayed and swam and ate but then it started pouring so we started back. On the way back out there was like 5 people who went ahead and others who followed. It was me Tracee, Cameron, Kameron,and Asia.Dan was ahead of us but dropped way back and I dont remember when. So we all walked. Cameron was being nice and waited for us. It was so slippery from the wet rocks, I am surprise I didn´t fall and break anything. We got out of the trail and back on the road and started walking. We stopped at this place that was a ¨guest house¨but really just a tin roof pavilion. We ate a pineapple there then more walking. UPhill. Cameron got on the back of some truck and hung by the wheel on the back of it. Fucker...haha jk. Finally we came to this lil resort looking thing that was the University of Georgia station. It was sweet way better than our wood school house looking thing. We got some coffee and decided to call cabs because the walk would take 3 hours back and it was slippery as hell. I saw this guy we met the night before (in the taxi)he was from England and we chatted it up a lil. Then we took taxi´s and came to the institute to hang out. I was sopping wet, my shoes were squishing water and it was misserably cold. We all left about 6 and I went home showerd and said yes I am hungry as soon as she asked. My mom made potatoes, broccoli and white rice. Ehh...not exactly what I was expecting. Where are these damn beans they speak of? Then me and Josue and Estephania played uno with her mom´s friend. I won the first time. Then Josue was compètitive with me and we joked a lot. I call him Friolito which is a popular soap opera here and his favorite show, he hates being called that. He started calling me friasta or something which means little strawberry but then just stuck with Strawberry shortcake the rest of the nite. We make faces at each other and then started making random animal noises, all the ones I knew of and more. I went to bed after a while and planned to sleep in. oh remind me when I get back to make trail mix, Cameron bascially thats all he eats here and I finally tried it and it´s amazing. After eating no meat at my homestay I might be like him by my return and it not it´s still a good snack. Well I´m outtie, until next blog...

Friday, June 2

2006-06-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

So, I met my host family last nite. It´s kinda like a OTH of sorts. My mom- Eugina is divorced. Has 3 kids and one adopted daughter who is 11. The adopted daughter is actaully Eugina´s sister in law. And the rest of my kids aunt. It´s Eugina´s ex-husbands siste, who´s mom died. They watch tv 24-7, Friolita is there fav. So lots of people live there. Her sister is mute and then her freind stays there as well. Cori is another homestay who leaves Wednesday. She provided me with lots of helpful info and an outlet to talk. Without her I would have been in my room all night. My family doesn´t eat much meat..this is gonna suck!I need interaction so I might be out a lot and not with my family since they dont talk really. When we met our host families there was this adorable girl she was 6 or 7 and absolutely beautiful. I wish she was my sister. Cameron got the family that babysits her, apparently his family thought we were engaged I heard this morning from everyone. They asked how many kids we had or something? Kinda wierd- someone said they think if your with a man alone it means your a couple but I have not been with him alone so I dont get it. My favorite term- I dont get it. I will be using that a lot. Today we had a lecture on women and gender in Monteverde . I forgot they don´t allow abortion or other things like that in different countries. Tomorrow we are going to San Luis to the waterfalls. Tonight we are going out! OOOH so that Italian I met on the plane...came to Monteverde. I got a call today on the Institute phone and I´m like aww my dad really always finds me even when he´s in China....to my surprise the guy from the plane tracked me down and called me and came and wants to hang out....wierd. Two phone calls in weird places- I´m gonna be known as the girl who gets tracked down and called no matter where we are.....ok we´re outtie going to the school and municipal building. Surprise We are walking.

Last Night at the Station 5-31

2006-06-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday was the last day we had at the station in the woods. Today we move in with our host families. We spent the majority of the day at the Institute, went to Santa Ellena for the bank and store. The bank is insane. You have to only take money and your id and lock the rest in a locker. The gaurd has a shotgun and you have to pass through this glass cage to get in. One by one, I was in like at least a minute and started to worry that it wouldn´t open, its literally a glass box. Then you had to follow the line to get in. After town we went back to the station where we were staying and instead of taking a nap, I went with Anibal, Asia and Kameron on a hike. The trail was sooooo steep. I fell on my ass in my sweat pants- I just thought we were going on a walk and wore tennis shoes not my hiking boots. So i was sweating horribly, wet from falling and my breathing was uncontrollable. LUCKILY, I made it back, I wanted to pass out. We ate dinner that was delciouso and played rummy. Then Cameron was gonna go to the bar by himself and me and Kameron went with. So, Cam, Kam and moi went to the bar. My legs for sure will be in shape soon!
Oh I found a beetle (large on) in my shoe after i had it on and felt something...they aren´t kidding about checking shoes first. Today a spider came out and I scremed! After the bar we came back and talked in the kitchen area.
Anyways ....I am *TRYING* to like beer...The icecream and everything is amazing here. The institute is sooo close to the cheese factory so I will probablygo everyday. Icecream is less than a dollar for this thing the size of sour cream-maybe even bigger. I hate collonaos!! They are heavy when you get change and there is one that is 5 collonaos which is less than a penny in american money. No extreme adventures yet. I think we are going to the water falls this weekend and then for sure Arenal soon. I want to see it erupt at night sooo much---by the way Arenal is a volcano that erupts several times daily. It´s almost lunch time, SO I will quit rambling. My new classmates have already realized I don´t shut up.

San Jose to Monteverde 5-30

2006-05-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

We woke up early, ate and went to a lecutre on local architecture style of Costa Rica. Then we took a bus 20 minutes to get lunch- the drivers here are crazy and ride each other´s butt and go kinda fast. Pedestrians for sure have NO RIGHT OF WAY! After lunch we took a 3 hourish ride to Moneteverde and stayed in a field station, the scenery the whole was was beautiful and captivating. Everywhere you look there are mountians and as we ascended into the mountians you could see the clouds. It rained and at one point there was a rainbow that you could actaully see through because of the green background. The place we stayed at we had to put bags on a fourwheeler and then walk behind. It wasnt too bad of a walk. We chilled then ate dinner and watched the sunset. We all went out later. The one mile hike to the bar was more like 2. I was out of breath and sweaty by the time I got there. I felt UGGS! Hiking boots dont look hot at bars let me tell you and learning to salsa in them-definately didn´t feel girly. I tried their beer but again I don´t like beer so it wasn´t anything I fell in love with. At another bar I ordered a piña and malibu and got maulibu and water. yumm...Anival taught me salsa and Tracee and Criag learned as well. You will hear about them much more trust me! While everyone is great, I probably get along with 5 of them the best, because they have lots of energy too. Kameron, Cameron, Craig, Tracee and Heather (all from U of Maryland). But Asia (Acea) and Ann and Carl and Laura are great people too! There are only 11 of us total.

Anyways so we all went out... The first bar had some stray dogs come in. One thing about Costa- lots of dogs everywhere-and you walk everywhere. My flashlight that I was told to bring was because they do not have paved roads or street lights and you need it so you dont fall in a pot hole or go off the side of a cliff. It gets dark super early here like 7ish we went out and were probably home by midnight. I sweat soo much and my legs for sure are gonna be toned by the time I get home! Well hasta luego (see you next time)

Traveling 5-29

2006-05-31T09:23:00.000-07:00

Well the day started off pretty well. My stomach was in knots and we couldn´t find Midway. But then things started to look better, we got there, I got checked in fast and switched to an aisle seat and got to the gate fine. Still nervous, I flew from Midway to Newark, NJ. I had a four hour layover so I spent that time getting some food and then reading. I was looking around hoping to find someone that I thought would be in my program but no luck. At the last minute they changed my gate number so I had to run to the new gate. I got there early so it was all good. The plane ride was interesting. I met an Italian man whose name translates to Paul. We watched the sunset from the window and listened to each others music. Italian isn´t so bad- he had never heard of ALFREDO sauce though apparently its not authentic (he said thats an Italian name for a man), we even named the clouds according to what they looked like and watched the heat lightning. I had a few drinks and felt less nervous- except for not knowing Spanish or how to contact someone if they didn´t pick me up. Luckily Paul knew Spanish and went and found the institute representative. Our program guy- Anival. Hés 23 and fun, we goes out with us. Anywho a lil later I met 6 people from U of Maryland. All were landscape architects. We road on a pimp bus to the hotel---stacey told me the wrong one so my parents tried to call and couldn´t find me (they got scared then). We met the rest most from U of Buffalo and then went to dinner after unloading our bags. It was fun but I was super hyper and I dont know why. The people probabaly wondered what I was on but it was a combination of being tired and being in an airport alllllll day. I was soo excited that the people were easy to get along with even though I will be lost when we talk architecture or landscape acrchitecture. There is one other UP person.