Hey Everyone!!
As most of you know, I spent the month of January in Costa Rica; volunteering at the orphanages, immersing myself in their culture, and having some fun exploring the island on my free time. I was traveling with the non profit organization, Cross Cultural Solutions who organize service trips for students all over the world. My sister gave me a journal for Christmas just a few weeks before I left so that I could do something that I always loved to do growing up; creative writing. A saying that I found before I left on my trip was “trust the journey”. Such a simple phrase that I could somehow apply to every aspect of my life. Before I left I was absolutely terrified. And when I told people that they looked at me like I was crazy. Why should I be nervous about spending 4 weeks in this beautiful, tropical country? Truth is, the past few years I have hid behind my anxiety and used it as an excuse to never push myself out of my comfort zone or to motivate myself to become a better person. For what some people may interpret as a little vacation, this was so much more than that to me. This was the first mature, independent decision I have made for myself in over two years. I could not be any more grateful for my parents first of all, the two people that supported me all the way to the security check line in the airport at 3:30am five weeks ago. But seeing the support from all of my friends and family was overwhelming; and I thank you all for that. So without further ado, these are the journal entries that document my travels to the incredible country of Costa Rica…Enjoy!! XOXO, Jess