March 5

It didn’t become real until I had to say goodbye to Adam in front of the security checkpoint. That was the first time it sank in that I will not see him for 2.5 months. I started missing him terribly the moment I gave him the “I love you” sign from the other side of the metal detectors.

The flight to Miami was pretty short. I FINALLY watch Hotel Rwanda, which I believe I have owned for about 2 years now without watching it. I kept putting it off because everyone told me that it was impossible not to cry; so I was waiting for the opportune night when I would just want to let it all out. Turns out, it was just a really good movie, and it’s a shame I waited so long to watch it.

The worst part about the layover in Miami was lugging around my carry-ons everywhere. I’m very sore from carrying around the extra 50-60 pounds! Oh, and, in hindsight, the Miami layover was also bad because I came to find out that they jipped me about $60 when I exchanged my money for colones! Had I known, it could have been my omen for what was to come.

The flight to San Jose wasn’t too bad; a lot more turbulence than the flight to Miami though. A guy from France sat next to me – I was extremely surprised by the lack of accent in his English, I never would have guessed that he was French. He is here in Costa Rica on vacation with a couple of friends. I told him about how I was nervous about coming to San Jose because I had no confirmation that someone would be picking me up. To my comfort, and at the same time increasing my concern, he reacted with surprise and nervousness. While this assured me that I am not just an over-controlling, over-planning American, it also gave me even more fear that something might go wrong.

My fears began to realize when no one was standing waiting for me with my name on a sign at the gate; or at the baggage claim; or on the other side of customs.; or on the other side of immigration; and finally no one when I stepped out of the airport into the San Jose air and into a sea of taxis and people holding signs (none of which had my name on it).

Shit.

The first thing that came to my mind was that all the books I had read so far warned me of “tico time;” basically the idea that everyone is about a half hour late for everything unless it is REALLY important. Now, obviously this was a situation that seemed really important to me, but, maybe, it could be a casual thing to them.

So I waited. And I waited. And I waited some more. Probably for about a hour. During this time three people began to try to help me. I was glad that the books had also been right about another thing: ticos are extremely friendly and welcoming to travelers. During this time I had also taken notice of a business-looking woman wearing a red jacket and carrying a folder (don’t get too excited, she was NOT there to pick me up…) It was nice of them to try to help, but I couldn’t help but realize my desperate situation considering the only contact info I had was for the school, and the only information I had about my host family was the name Damaris Aguilar (which, come to find out, was completely wrong anyway!) The fact that I can speak Spanish was definitely my saving grace. I can’t even imagine how much more of a panic attack I would have had if I couldn’t understand or communicate at all with anyone.

We tried calling the school, even though I knew it would be no good. I tried calling Sherie collect (my calling card doesn’t work on pay phones apparently), but it wouldn’t go through. I officially felt abandoned and lost and scared out of my mind and, I’m not even going to lie, I cried a little. At that point I didn’t want anything more in the world than to have Adam there with me figuring out the mess of the situation together.

The lady in the red jacket came over, asked what the problem was, and told me that she runs a bed and breakfast, that she would only charge me $25 for the night and breakfast and that, considering my situation, she would not charge me for the ride there. Then a very strange thing began to happen. The woman and the man who had been trying to help me, who didn’t speak a word of English and were talking about me staying the night at the airport or trying to take me to the school, became very aggressive toward Madeleine (the woman in the red coat). Madeleine (who is German and COULD speak English) told me that these people were taxi drivers and that they were trying to get me to do something that would end up in their getting money out of me. There were police mildly involved…long story short I went with Madeleine because at that point all I wanted was a shower and a bed and she was the only person I could trust would actually give me that for a reasonable price.

So, at about midnight, after dragging my luggage up a big hill and into Madeleine’s car, she took me to her bed and breakfast and told me that she would wake me up in the morning so that we could call the school and get someone to come for me. I got into the room, cried, felt like I was going to puke from my nerves being so worked up, took a cold shower (I couldn’t figure out how to get the warm water to kick in), and got into bed. I then had the bright idea to try the calling card again to call Sherie and at least leave her a message telling her about my situation and that I would call her back in the morning – which is exactly what I did.

It took forever to fall asleep. And I kept waking up. It’s a damn good thing I didn’t forget my mouth guard because I probably would have broken some teeth last night considering how stressed out I was!