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Where is paradise? I was asking myself that a lot this past month. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions, that’s for sure!
November started out a little rough…another challenge you could say. I just like to keep things interesting, or just have bad luck when I’m abroad. (We all remember when I was in Europe I had Shingles, the back injury, and the bug bite allergic reaction…)
So one sunny Saturday afternoon, Miss K., Kyle, and I were having a lovely day: hangin’ out at a coffee shop, walking around enjoying the sun, and then grocery shopping. Little did we know we should not have gotten into this particular pirate taxi.
In Costa Rica, there are taxis, and there are pirate taxis. We’ve used both. On this particular afternoon, Miss K and I piled in the back seat with our groceries, and Mr. Roff in the front of a pirate taxi. It was about a 2-mile taxi ride, but unfortunately that’s enough time for a city bus to crash into a pirate taxi. Scary. Miss K and I hit heads. After the bus hit us, naturally when one is in shock, I started gathering our groceries as quickly as possible that were all over the car and got out. The taxi driver didn’t say anything to us, so we just walked home. As one of my friends said we must have been trying to be action super stars who get in car accidents and walk away like it’s nothing;)
As we were walking, my head was hurting, we were all replaying this whole scene in our heads, and I realized how extremely lucky we were. God was with us! After the events started to sink in, we came home and started praying together. Wow.
It wasn’t until Monday at school that I realized something wasn’t right. I was in a fog, I couldn’t focus, I have no idea what, if anything I taught those little kiddos that day;) With the help of Web MD and parental advice, and yes, a trip to a Costa Rican doctor we realized…both Miss K and I were concussed.
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| Here we are...not thinking, but finalmente on the road to recovery. |
How to heal from a concussion: rest your brain. So no thinking, no reading, no writing lesson plans, no looking at computer screens, etc. Resting the brain is quite difficult to do as a teacher. Of course these were also the weeks we were supposed to turn in 2 weeks of lesson plans and write assessments, lots of work to be done.
But instead, we took multiple naps a day and stayed in our little prison type house. Kyle was so helpful in every way. He went to the store for us, made us meals, got us medicine, even taught our classes. What a good friend we have!
So Miss K and I were in un otro mundo for a couple weeks. It was such a strange feeling to be injured, unable to be myself, to be far away from family, to be in shock from this accident, and to be unsure of what to do. The kiddos were so sweet. They all made us the best get well cards and some even gave little gifts. So nice and thoughtful! And yes, after a couple of weeks, we were finally coming back to normalcy!
Thanksgiving. Well, it started out as just a normal day. Went to school, not many knew what Thanksgiving was. My mom wanted to skype during the day forgetting I had to go to work. But after school and into the evening, it became amazing! Miss K, Kyle, and I made a feast. Squash, greenbean casserole, salad, corn bread, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin cookies:) As the three of us were cooking, we were all able to skype our families:) I called Al’s phone via skype, and they passed the phone around. So amazing to be able to talk to the fam from CR! Mom, Gramps, cousins…it made me miss home a bit. But wonderful to hear their voices! We cooked a feast for some Ticos at Kyle’s landlord’s house. They provided the chicken (no turkey this Thanksgiving), we brought the rest. There was a nice group of 11 of us. We feasted, went around and gave thanks, and enjoyed each other’s company. God provided Miss K, Kyle, and I a little family away from home. The Ticos’ first Thanksgiving. The family wants all our recipes so they can now have a Thanksgiving every year in honor of the gringos:) It was a special night.
It doesn’t feel like it’s December and my time is coming to an end…maybe because it’s sunny and nice, kids are on summer break, and people started putting up Christmas decorations in October. They don’t have Thanksgiving to hold back the Christmas stuff…they put it up way too soon! Still, when I walk down the street and see Christmas lights behind these portons, I am reminded Christmas is really coming.
School for the kiddos was really winding down…we were quite busy catching up on work for awhile..but then, last week, we finally had to say our good-byes. It was hard. Hopefully we’ll see them again, but who knows. Good-byes are always hard. I’m going to miss everyone. My class, well, I’m going to miss all the little personalities: the dancer, the artist, the scientist, the writer, all of them. I hope we meet again!
I’ve felt a lot of love here that’s for sure. Lots of amazing experiences, and a few more to go! We’re trying to see lots of people, check things off of our final To Do in CR list, and my dad comes today! (I’m finishing my last day of school…class is packed, so I thought I’d finish up my blog). 1 day of school sin estudiantes, and 9 days left in this beautiful place. Lots of changes are about to happen. Lots of thoughts going through our minds: good-byes, the unknown is ahead, feelings of excitement for family. It’s all very bittersweet.
We are trying to pack in SO much our last days in Costa Rica and a few more aventuras to come:) We’ve had so many experiences this year, it’s quite amazing. I’m sure I’ve changed. I don’t want to lose who I have become.
I’ve really been enjoying the song ‘Paradise’ by Coldplay. It talks about ‘under the stormy skies…the sun must set to rise’. We’ve been through some tough times, some wonderful times…many of those times are under stormy skies;) but the days keep passing. My time here ending. I'm really going to appreciate the moments with my family and friends when I return:) It will be great! T minus 9 days:)
I probably will only have one more blog installment after this. Que raro. Weird.
