Preparations

Well, in one week we will be in Costa Rica. I'm excited, and nervous. I hope we have everything we need, and that the meager Spanish I've managed to pick up in a year is enough to get by. I know a lot of people in the tourism industry there speak English, but I hate being one of those people who go to a foreign country and expect everyone to acquiesce and make them feel at home. It's not your home, that's the whole point!

I recently read through my travel journal from Italy and noticed that several times I mentioned obnoxious Americans whining and complaining about insignificant details of Italian life ("I can't believe they screwed up our tickets so we're not all sitting together, how rude! And this train is dirty!") or forcing everyone else to stop and help them out (a couple with 5 massive suitcases to shove on the bus who didn't even understand basic traveler's phrases in Italian). I know it's appreciated when you at least make an effort to speak the language and fit in to the culture instead of demanding everything be your way. How can we insist that visitors to the US speak English and be independent AND that people in countries we visit learn our language and take care of us? Oh right, we're hypocritical, I forgot. And also, MANIFEST DESTINY!

I just hope I don't get bitten by one of the 9 deadly snakes in the jungle. But if I survived 3 weeks in Australia, I'll survive 3 weeks in Central America, right? I'm also nervous about the hike we're doing through Corcovado- not only am I out of condition, but apparently you have to cross a few rivers that contain crocs and even sharks! (Though apparently the sharks only come up at high tide, and you'd have to be stupid to try to ford then.) We took our first malaria pill last night, and now I understand why the youngest daughter in The Poisonwood Bible sticks hers to the wall behind her bed, ugh! Better a bitter pill than a nasty disease though.

I have too much to do the next 4 days!