How do you start a blog? I don't really know. I do know that it seems like a good idea. So many people I would like to communicate with, and yet as we grow older my friends and family seem to be more and more spread apart. Thank goodness for this thing we call the world wide web.
Today I am going to give you a little background on who I am and where I come from. Originally I'm from Michigan, it's where I grew up and went to school. Spending four years in Grand Rapids at GVSU served me well. Not so much degree wise, (did I really need to spend so much $$ on a piece of paper?), but more so that school kept me disciplined and out of trouble. Or at least mostly :) Allowed me to grow up too. But we'll save that topic for another post. During my time at school, I decided it would be a good idea to study abroad and really tighten up those Spanish skills. I landed on Costa Rica, and wow did I love it there. Spent four months of being completely immersed, living with a family and traveling every weekend. At 21 I was a busy girl, running around with school full time, working full time in a bar, doing those extracurricular which ranged from intramural crew, to dance troupe, and more that I can't really remember, and then of course going out. Wow did I love going out. Bars, parties, it's a wonder I made it out alive. So you can see that I really didn't have alot of time to research in depth all these possible locations. Costa Rica was in my budget, they had the classes I wanted, had beaches, and I was sold. Ok, bags are packed. When do I leave?
Well, my classes would be at a university called ULACIT. A school I would later find out actually had a really good reputation, mostly had dental students, but a handful of us international students, and what's that? This school is located in the city two hours away from the nearest beach? And here is where you can see my first surprise, and how I might have looked at a map of the country before heading down there to live for four months. I still remember my first night there and handling the shower. Many homes down there have a shower that has been nick named the "suicide shower." The reason for this nick name is because it is in fact electric! There is a module connected to the shower head that actually heats up the water before it comes out. Keeps the bills down not having a water heater I suppose, but seems a bit scary at first. Well I jumped in ready to go, and guess what, that water was cold. I shouldn't say cold cold, but it was not warm. At all. Yikes. So I finished up and got the heck out of there. Didn't say anything to my family though as I didn't want to seem like a pain. Heck, I just thought they took cold showers and that was the way things were. I should mention I arrived to CR three days before my program actually started. Fast forward three days later and during our orientation they explain to us that the module on the shower actually has a switch and can be adjusted. ADJUSTED. I had just taken three days worth of cold showers thinking to myself, I don't know if this is going to work out. This is going to make me awfully grumpy at the start of every day. How did my family not mention this to me? Geez.
Well, after four months in Costa Rica, I pretty much fell in love with it. Did not want to leave. I was bored with the US and what I had been doing back there. Wasn't ready for the real work world yet. But as much as I tried to graduate down there, I needed one class that was only available back in Michigan. So back I went for one more semester to get that piece of paper. During my last few months of school, I still felt the same. I wanted to be back in Costa Rica. I began researching and reading every night to see if it was even possible. Could I find a job? Was it legal? Could I survive down there? Well, finally one day I made a decision. Yes. And if not... I would just come back. What was the harm? Two weeks later I was on a plane. I still remember my mother's words to me. "Theresa, I knew that this was going to happen (my moving to another country. I have always had a curiosity for travel and cultures), but I thought I had more time."
I remember saying goodbye to family & friends, one of my best girlfriends crying, which of course made me cry, and it was hard but exciting at the same time. Alot of people asked me "why?" (regarding my choice to move to Costa Rica). And I remember thinking "why not?" and not really knowing how to answer them. It was an unrelatable subject for most of my friends at the time. When I came back to visit time and time again, I actually would avoid the subject with alot of people, because when I told them about what I was up to, they didn't know what to say. Things have changed now. People get older and more mature. We're more interested in each others' lives and don't always feel the need to talk about our own. It's a nice change :)
I was there in Costa Rica this time for 2.5 years. So much to tell. We'll save that topic for another post(s) in the future. But the thing is, I'm back now. I came back to the US mid July of 2011. I spent some time catching up with family and friends in Michigan, and then made my way out to Phoenix in late September. And here I am now, its been almost year and I can't even believe it. So this blog will basically be an insight for you about what I'm doing, thoughts, things I'd like to share and discuss. Transitioning back to American life. (Is it weird I'm still transitioning?). I'm not sure I'll ever get the hang of twitter, or smart phones, but I tell you I sure will try :)
Today I am going to give you a little background on who I am and where I come from. Originally I'm from Michigan, it's where I grew up and went to school. Spending four years in Grand Rapids at GVSU served me well. Not so much degree wise, (did I really need to spend so much $$ on a piece of paper?), but more so that school kept me disciplined and out of trouble. Or at least mostly :) Allowed me to grow up too. But we'll save that topic for another post. During my time at school, I decided it would be a good idea to study abroad and really tighten up those Spanish skills. I landed on Costa Rica, and wow did I love it there. Spent four months of being completely immersed, living with a family and traveling every weekend. At 21 I was a busy girl, running around with school full time, working full time in a bar, doing those extracurricular which ranged from intramural crew, to dance troupe, and more that I can't really remember, and then of course going out. Wow did I love going out. Bars, parties, it's a wonder I made it out alive. So you can see that I really didn't have alot of time to research in depth all these possible locations. Costa Rica was in my budget, they had the classes I wanted, had beaches, and I was sold. Ok, bags are packed. When do I leave?
Well, my classes would be at a university called ULACIT. A school I would later find out actually had a really good reputation, mostly had dental students, but a handful of us international students, and what's that? This school is located in the city two hours away from the nearest beach? And here is where you can see my first surprise, and how I might have looked at a map of the country before heading down there to live for four months. I still remember my first night there and handling the shower. Many homes down there have a shower that has been nick named the "suicide shower." The reason for this nick name is because it is in fact electric! There is a module connected to the shower head that actually heats up the water before it comes out. Keeps the bills down not having a water heater I suppose, but seems a bit scary at first. Well I jumped in ready to go, and guess what, that water was cold. I shouldn't say cold cold, but it was not warm. At all. Yikes. So I finished up and got the heck out of there. Didn't say anything to my family though as I didn't want to seem like a pain. Heck, I just thought they took cold showers and that was the way things were. I should mention I arrived to CR three days before my program actually started. Fast forward three days later and during our orientation they explain to us that the module on the shower actually has a switch and can be adjusted. ADJUSTED. I had just taken three days worth of cold showers thinking to myself, I don't know if this is going to work out. This is going to make me awfully grumpy at the start of every day. How did my family not mention this to me? Geez.
Well, after four months in Costa Rica, I pretty much fell in love with it. Did not want to leave. I was bored with the US and what I had been doing back there. Wasn't ready for the real work world yet. But as much as I tried to graduate down there, I needed one class that was only available back in Michigan. So back I went for one more semester to get that piece of paper. During my last few months of school, I still felt the same. I wanted to be back in Costa Rica. I began researching and reading every night to see if it was even possible. Could I find a job? Was it legal? Could I survive down there? Well, finally one day I made a decision. Yes. And if not... I would just come back. What was the harm? Two weeks later I was on a plane. I still remember my mother's words to me. "Theresa, I knew that this was going to happen (my moving to another country. I have always had a curiosity for travel and cultures), but I thought I had more time."
I remember saying goodbye to family & friends, one of my best girlfriends crying, which of course made me cry, and it was hard but exciting at the same time. Alot of people asked me "why?" (regarding my choice to move to Costa Rica). And I remember thinking "why not?" and not really knowing how to answer them. It was an unrelatable subject for most of my friends at the time. When I came back to visit time and time again, I actually would avoid the subject with alot of people, because when I told them about what I was up to, they didn't know what to say. Things have changed now. People get older and more mature. We're more interested in each others' lives and don't always feel the need to talk about our own. It's a nice change :)
I was there in Costa Rica this time for 2.5 years. So much to tell. We'll save that topic for another post(s) in the future. But the thing is, I'm back now. I came back to the US mid July of 2011. I spent some time catching up with family and friends in Michigan, and then made my way out to Phoenix in late September. And here I am now, its been almost year and I can't even believe it. So this blog will basically be an insight for you about what I'm doing, thoughts, things I'd like to share and discuss. Transitioning back to American life. (Is it weird I'm still transitioning?). I'm not sure I'll ever get the hang of twitter, or smart phones, but I tell you I sure will try :)
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