Ok, Where do I begin!? I woke up quite early on a Sat. morning. I'd say 4ish. Made it to the airport on time and arrived into Phoenix just about 8am. Had a wonderful breakfast with Mom (thanks Mom) and then got to attend the East Valley Rotaract Pancake Breakfast for about an hour before I had to hop back on the plane to Costa Rica.

Keep Reading.. this is a great story!

So, I walk up to Gate A25 and had a question, so I handed her my passport, and she looked at me and said you are going to San Jose, Costa Rica right!?
I of course said YES.
She replied, well this is to San Jose, California. ahhhh, Let's not go there, I had to then go to A13. now, of course it is the FARTHEST from where I was, so about 10 min. later I got to my gate, but just in time to get on the plane and sit in my seat for about 15 seconds.

The guy across the way asks me, 'You traveling alone', and I looked and him and said "yes!". he then said, well I am going to break your heart, but would you mind switching with my wife? She was upgraded to first class, and well I didn't get the upgrade. So therefore, with much resistance, I accepted and said, well, if I MUST fly to Costa Rica full class, I would be happy to make that sacrifice for you, so you can sit by your wife.

So I moved and I managed to sit next to Costa Rica Jim! with Bob in front of me and Gary just to his left. A few rich men headed to Costa Rica, basically to spend a lot of money and buy land. It was a rough flight!


I landed in time to grab my bags and then find Antonia (who flew from Phoenix to Houston and then down to Costa Rica) to meet me there. We walked across the street to the pay phones looking for someone to be holding a sign that said my name. Eventually, somehow Antonia found a guy asking for Melanie, who picked us up and took us to our hostel.

Now... we woke up this morning with plans to meet up with Marcela (i-to-i's in country coordinator). While waiting I got to talk to a few British volunteers who just finished building a house in Costa Rica. With the hurricanes and massive downpours, they managed to somehow make a lot of progress on the house, even in the mud.

So, the exciting part. I went to breakfast with Marcela and her father Fernando, and Bridie and Ben (Bridie was my coworker in Ireland, she and her husband just HAPPENED to be in Costa Rica this week too). I was esatic.


We had a fantastic breakfast - plantains con queso and other authentic stuff!

So Antonia and I make our way to San Jose - then catch a bus to Liberia... to meet up with my brother and his wife! We got here and somehow managed to meet them at the four seasons hotel out here on the Peninsula de Papagayo. I feel like I am on fantasy island. I am now in debt to Tyson and Barb for life and we just happened to be here now.. staying in the nicest place in Costa Rica.


Ok, that is all I am going to say for now... because I know this is long .. and I will tell you more stories later. do e-mail me, if you have made it this far.

By the way Mom, I have arrived safely, and I am sorry it has taken me so long to e-mail!

Talk to you all soon,

Melanie