I...

I...

i was tagged.- I suppose this is enough to get me to blog...
i am: homesick.
i think: it is sad to see the the culture of a people destroyed for the sake of money.
i know: that happiness lives in the most unlikely places.
i want: April to be here already.
i dislike: fake people.
i miss: the U.S.
i fear: never finding true happiness.
i feel: anxious.
i hear: the fan and birds chirping outside.
i smell: my sunscreen.
i crave: cold stone ice cream.
i cry: on occasion.
i usually: wake up early.
i search: for true friendship.
i wonder: what it will be like to live in Fiji.
i regret: not staying in touch with dear friends.
i love: to see missionaries when I am in foreign countries.
i care: about clean energy.
i always: brush my teeth.
i worry: that I will get fat.
i am not: afraid to be who I am.
i remember: too many things I'd like to forget.
i believe: in Jesus Christ as my Redeemer.
i dance: swing!
i sing: in my car on long road trips.
i don't always: listen to reason.
i argue: when I feel pressured into things.
i write: on my blog when I find the energy and time.
i win: not very often at board games.
i lose: any video games.
i wish: I could play soccer more.
i listen: to jack johnson.
i don’t understand: why people don't value culture and are so quick to judge on the bases of possessions.
i can usually be found: on a dive boat.
i am afraid: of the dark.
i need: time to myself occasionally.
i forget: to turn of the electric water heater.
i am happy: when I am home with my husband.
I now tag: Ryan

Markets and things....

 

Yesterday night a couple of friends and I went to the local night market.  We left around 7:00 pm for the festivities.  There were so many stalls, we didn't know where to begin!  An entire row was dedicated to all types of food.  I found fried grasshoppers, larvae, and frogs.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity, I just had to try a fried grasshopper.  How does one go about eating such a thing?  I first attempted to shove the entire thing in my mouth, but I just couldn't bring myself to actually do it.  Then I broke off the legs and ate the whole grasshopper, beady eyes and all.  Once I got over the visual images of grasshoppers crawling out of my mouth, I realized that it isn't so bad.  Fried grasshoppers taste a bit like popcorn, only the legs might get stuck in the back of your throat.  

The market was teaming with people.  There was so much to see, we actually didn't get to all of the stalls.  There was another isle dedicated to pets.  It was so sad to walk by the rabbits, puppies, and kitties and know that they don't really have much of a chance for a good life.  I know that tourists, such as myself, mean well but when we have to return to our home country the pets are left behind.  There are so many strays here, I pray that those animals have a better life.  Ryan and I seriously considered bringing a dog back from Thailand, however, by the time I get all of the required medical shots and paper work it could cost a fortune.  I suppose we are better off rescuing a dog from a shelter back home. 

  After the night market we went to a European style restaurant for dinner.  All of the waiters were gay but they excelled in customer service.  One of our waiters wore skinny pants and sleek women's slippers.  I believe he also had a handbag to match the outfit.  I really liked him though he had tons of personality and though it seems that customer service isn't high on the list of priorities here in Thailand, these guys have it down.  I ordered a smoked salmon salad and pumpkin soup.  After the grasshopper some healthy European food hit the spot.

  The next morning a few of my friends and I gathered at the dive shop for some community fun.  The theme was "bed rest".  Each of the participating organization decorated a bed on wheels and then nominated a team of five, one person being in the bed, to race down a 1 km stretch of road.  Some of the beds that I saw were amazing!  There were over thirty participating teams and we were fourth in the lineup.  The way they judged is allowing two teams to go at a time, and time start to finish.  When we got the go signal, we nearly mauled a poor race official because he thought it would be a good idea to stand in between the carts at the starting line.  Bad idea.  The beds didn't have the best steering and he nearly got killed.....  We were running full speed, determined to not only pass the Thai team beside us but also the other two that had gone ahead of us.  After a few minutes, we were all dying.  Toward the end of the race we crashed yet again into a fellow team while trying to maneuver in between two carts.  We almost killed our own team mate in the process, never the less we passed the two teams and crossed the finish line first.  I honestly don't remember the last time that I had a burning sensation in my lungs that bad.  That was a work out!   

Thailand

  I left for Thailand on January 22, and arrived here the following day.  The flight was long, 21 hours of flight time, but this place is interesting.  The first thing you see when you arrive is the massive Bangkok airport.  The Mermaid's Dive Center, where I'll be staying for the duration for my dive internship, was nice enough to send a driver to pick me up.  It is a relief to arrive in a foreign country alone and know that someone will be standing there with your name printed on a piece of paper.  Better than my previous experience when flying into Guatemala City, Guatemala.  So I found my driver, he was holding a piece of paper with Mr. Daugherty printed on it (lol), and we set off on the two hour trip to Pattaya.  The roads here are surprisingly well kept with highways that resemble back home in the U.S.  If I could put Thailand on a scale between the U.S. and Guatemala, it would be closer to the U.S.  I was expecting more third world country, but in fact things here remind me a lot of home.  

  The next morning I met the couple that runs the Dive Center here.  They are from South Africa and sort of decided to make Thailand their new home.  Interesting people.  They made me feel welcome and even signed me up for diving the following day.  I don't know anything about Thailand yet, let alone Pattaya, so anything familiar is nice.  I know how to dive, that is pretty much the same where ever you go in the world.  In the evening my new Scottish friend took me out to show me a little about the town.  The transportation system here is a bit odd.  They have trucks with open backs, a canopy and railings on the side where people sit in the back on benches.  Not only that, but I am still so confused my the streets here.  I suppose that there are only a few main ones, however, I don't know which ones or where they are.  We had a very nice meal at a Thai restaurant and then headed to "Walking St.".  For those of you that have been to Pattaya, you already know all of the interesting things about walking street.  However, walking street is one of those things better experienced than explained.  I saw my first "lady boys" for the first time.  Lady boys are Thai men that dress as women and prostitute themselves out.  Some do such a good job that you can't tell if they are a woman or man.  The next truth that I discovered is that walking street is spotted with strip clubs, bars, and prostitutes.  Interesting place.....  We soon left walking street and headed back home.  One the way home my friend stopped by a cart where they were selling a type of pancake/crepe filled with fresh bananas and a sweet sugar sauce.  I have to admit that they are probably the best crepes I have ever had.  

  Yesterday, the 27th, I went on a dive called the "Hard Deep".  On the way out, we spotted a bull shark on the pier.  I have never seen a bull shark up close so that was a bit interesting.  When we got to the dive site it was a bit more than I expected.  First off, the current was considerably strong.  The last time I experienced anything remotely close what in Cuba at a dive site called "The Slot".  Needless to say that I was not ready for such a strong current and nearly got swept away.  They have a descent line there for good reason, I learned quickly to cling to it.  At the bottom of the "Hard Deep" is a sunken ship.  There are great coral formations all along the ship, especially the keel.  Once we finished our 30 minute dive, we returned to the surface for some lunch.  I thought that I applied enough sunscreen on my back in the morning but I was wrong.  I now have one of the worst sunburns in my life.  Lessons learned:  Wear a shirt next time..... 

Christmas!

  On December 12th Ryan and I left Costa Rica and flew back to Texas.  Then began the craziness....  We left Texas the next morning and caught a flight to Virginia.  Ryan is in the Navy and he still had to check out of his command on the USS Laboon.  December 17th we left Virginia with my car, a VW beetle, packed to the roof with suitcases and snowboarding equipment and headed for beautiful Colorado.  Ryan family was gathering for Christmas in Telluride, Co at his father's timeshare.  I had never been to Colorado let alone snowboarding so the adventure continued.  After one day of lessons I was off to conquer the mountain!  I'm not very good yet, but I still had a blast.

  Telluride is one of the coolest towns I have been to in the U.S.  The people there are so laid back.  We had to take a gondola ride from the ski resort to the town.  One particular ride we met a mountaineer, Ben Clark.  He specialized in mountain exploration all over the world.  He gave us his website at www.therestofeverest.com.  He was really interesting and had lots of awesome stories about Tibet and China.  

  Christmas morning Ryan and I left Telluride and headed for my brother James' home.  He married my best friend from high school, Lauren, and they have two beautiful little boys now.  He and his family just moved to Eagle, Co which is about four hours away from Telluride.  We got to James' just in time for Chirstmas dinner!  

  Growing up my mom started somewhat of a tradition.  She started sewing pajama pants for us kids when we were in high school.  When James left for a two year mission, she really stepped up the pajama tradition.  While Ryan was on his last deployment I found footed pajamas for grown-ups!  So Ryan, Cobin my two year old nephew, and Lucas my one year old nephew, were all wearing their footed pjs!

  Little Cobin wakes up around 6 am in the morning.  Since Ryan isn't much of a morning person, Cobin was his wake up call!  Who could get mad at that little cutie in the morning?  Lol!

    

  

Costa Rica Adventures

    Ryan and I left for beautiful Costa Rica December 5th for our honeymoon.  I was pleasantly surprised with the diversity of such a small place.  We flew into San Jose and rented a compact four-wheel drive Daihitsu to explore the more remote areas during our stay.  So we set off, with GPS and a rough address as our guide.  Finally, after three or so hours we arrived to Jaco Beach where our hotel was.  We spent the majority of our week off of Jaco Beach on the central pacific coast, venturing out for the day to explore various national reserves and volcanoes.  One sunny afternoon Ryan rented a surf board and attempted to teach me to surf.  I had no previous experience on a surf board, unlike Ryan who spent his summers growing up in Hawaii.  The waves in Jaco are known for consistency.  I attempted to surf some of the smaller waves, and I actually stood up on the board twice!  My victory was spoiled, however, when one particularly large wave came crashing into me and flipped my board over my head!  I was still holding onto the board as the wave drug it into to shore.  Finally, after realizing that I wasn't going to surface anytime soon while holding onto the board, I let the board go.  I suppose I'll have to conquer the waves another time, but it was amazing while it lasted. 

Zip-lining!

  On December 6th we found zip-lining!!!!  I had never been zip lining before, but it was so much fun.  Our guides were extremely friendly and helpful.  Not only were the guides incredible, but our adventure took place in the middle of a rain forest.  The views were amazing!  

Monkeys!

  Our third day in wonderful Costa Rica we found the Manuel Antonio National Reserve south of Jaco.  It was an amazing place with various types of monkeys, sloths, frogs, and even raccoons!!!  We hiked a 2 mile trail to the base of a water fall, hoping to spot  a white faced monkey.  We didn't have any luck for the first part  of the trail.  We did find a beautiful waterfall at the end of the trail and hiked to the top of it.  On our way back down we saw our first white faced monkey of the day.  It was so exciting!  

        

                       

After our monkey encounter we headed back to the beginning of the trail.  The trail was quite muddy and I had underestimated the need for hiking shoes.  Needless to say that the hike back was a bit tricky, but we eventually made it back to the paved path.  The main road on the Manuel Antonio Reserve leads to a secluded beach, which is beautiful and peaceful.  On our way to the beach we spotted a family of white faced monkeys!  One little monkey was so brave, he walked not even two feet in front of me across the road!  It was amazing to watch.                   

                                

Volcanoes!

  During the last couple of days of our stay in Costa Rica, we had the opportunity to visit some of the volcanoes on the island.  I was on a quest to find a natural hot spring so we set out in the morning of our fourth day with GPS and a copy of lonely planet to guide us.  Our first volcano stop was a bit of a disappointment.  We got to the park around 2:30 pm, only to find that the park closes at 3:30!  Not only were we short on time, however, the clouds roll in around 10 am in the morning and don't clear for the rest of the day.  So we hiked to to top of the volcano viewing trail but all we saw was fog! 

  After the Volcan Poas failure we still weren't ready to give up.  We set a new course for Volcan Arenal where there are great views of lava flow and hot springs.  What we didn't know was that it is a four hour drive from Volcan Poas to Arenal.  Not to worry though, thanks to some luck and our lonely planet guide we found one of the most amazing bed and breakfasts in Costa Rica!  The Nido del Colibri bed and breakfast (www.humingbirdnestbb.com) is found in the small town of El Castillo about and hour outside of La Fortuna.  The road to El Castillo is in very poor condition and it can be a little intimidating when it is raining but the experience was well worth the trouble.  When we reached the bed and breakfast we met Ellen, an American and former Pan Am stewardess, who was very friendly and helpful.  She has amazing rooms with wide windows that face toward Volcan Arenal.  When we first arrived there it was cloudy, but around 2 am the clouds clear and you can see lava flow in the distance!  Not only does she have some of the best views, but Ellen also has a wonderful jacuzzi that guests are welcome to use.  My only recommendation is that you bring plenty of cash with you because she doesn't accept credit cards.  Ryan and I learned that the hard way and had to make a two hour drive round trip to the nearest town.  All is well though, El Castillo proved to be my favorite adventure in Costa Rica.    

  The next morning, after enjoying a fabulous breakfast at the bed and breakfast, we continued our search for hot springs.  The problem with finding natural hot springs in Costa Rica is that hotels build on top of the hot springs and charge admission.  Most of the admission fees that Ryan and I came across were way too expensive, especially since we only wanted to spend a few hours there.  So we drove from one hotel to another until we found a reasonable entrance fee which totalled $50 for the two of us.  The hotel was really nice, but I still recommend staying at the Nido del Colibri bed and breakfast if you ever get the chance.  We stayed to enjoy the hot springs for a few hours and then headed back to our hotel at Jaco beach.  

  On our way back to Jaco, we found Coatis also known as Pizotes.  These little animals, which are relatives of raccoons, were scattered all over the road scavenging for food.  As cute as they appear, we had to be very careful to avoid hitting them.  

  We left the Volcan Arenal area and drove all the way around the Laguna del Arenal which is the largest lake in the country.  It was so beautiful!  There are quaint little towns surrounding the lake.  In one town we found a wonderful German bakery.  I know that it isn't ideal to go to a foreign country and not order native food, however, it was nice to have a break from all the rice and fish.  The bakery had some of the best bread I have ever had!  It was hearty and filling, not to mention that the rest of the meal was great as well.  We later left the bakery and eventually returned to Jaco, where we prepared for our departure the following morning.  Needless to say Costa Rica is a wonderful country and we both hope to visit again in the future.

So I suppose I should update my blog.... Well, after I left Guatemala back in November I flew to Texas to take care of some last minute wedding planning. Looking back, I don't know why so many women put themselves through the nightmare of wedding planning. I did all of the planning myself, by the time the ceremony rolled around I was such a wreck! I'm so thankful that Ryan is such a good sport and calming influence in my life. He really helped things go smoothly for me. 

  

Ryan and I got married November 29th at a small chapel in Fort Worth. His family drove down from Indianapolis over the Thanksgiving break to make the wedding. After the wedding we were supposed to fly to Thailand on December 1st for our honeymoon. On the night of the 29th, however, we found out that the airport in Bangkok had been closed due to political unrest! After many hours of struggling with the airlines to rebook our flights, we finally booked flights to Costa Rica. 

Mountains and things

On October 1st James and I set out to hike the mountain nearest to us. The guide, Otoniel, used to run marathons and would run up the mountain to gain speed. I was impressed, considering that the altitude was making me wheeze as it was. It is a big change going from where I live in the states on the coast to 9,000 ft at James´ house. The mountain was considerably higher than that. Anyway, the views from the top were amazing! We could see the whole valley where James lives here in Guatemala.

Otoniel and three of his five kids

Yesterday, November 4th, James, Ceaser (his K´iche´ teacher), and I all went to do interviews at a small mountain town called Choqui. James has been living here in Guatemala for the past 10 months interviewing the Indians, which are descended from the Mayans, in thier native tongue. It took us three hours driving on the worst roads imaginable to reach the town. Nearly all of the Indians there only spoke K´iche´ and the few that did speak Spanish spoke very little. They lived in adobe houses built from mud and straw. In all of my travels I had never seen a real adobe house until yesterday. The indians were skeptical of strangers, never the less we managed to interview three families.

The drive down the mountain was more dangerous than the drive up. The rainy season ended a few months ago and so now it is the dry season. Dust was everywhere..... Eventually we made our careful descent and arrived home. Later in the evening James, Lauren, the boys and I all went to Ontoniel´s home for dinner. His wife and kids were very nice and the food was amazing! I really like thier tamales, which is some kind of corn meal batter wrapped in a corn husk and either boiled or grilled. Good stuff!!!!