Home Sweet Home

Well, you've guessed, I am back in good ole Denver , CO. I am happy to be in a place where most people know my name, and things are comfortable. I am most excited to get back into the swing of things with family and friends. These past 5 days have been pretty relaxing, I haven't had to jump into reality quite yet, but tomorrow brings a whole new bag of tricks. Tomorrow I get to start class for what I hope is my final semester of class, this brings feelings of relief and excitement as I near my goal or rather my calling of being a teacher. I am excited to continue to become the best Ashley possible and hopeful for many things this fall.

BUT, no blog would be complete without some comic relief...so here goes it.
I am going to tell you about some of my more scandalous adventures in Costa Rica:

5. Swimming in my underwear 90% of the time, I only brought a one piece thus it was necessary to wear the underwear as a bathingsuit, why? To show more skin, duh.
4. Drinking Hot Chocolate...that had been steeped with weed. Yes team, I got high.
3. Make out #1 with Aussie kid(the scandal lies in the fact that I am unsure of his name)
2. Make out #2 with gorgeous French kid...noa great kisser though.
1. Hook up with Irish Kid...you will have to ask me about this one...too many details to share...one word: HOT!!!!!!

That's all I got, see you on the flip

peace,
APK

Nicaragua....say what?

Soooooo, I ended up crossing the border to a lovely country called Nicaragua. Forget what you´ve heard, this place is amazing. In my top two favorite places from this trip. As some of you might know I came down with a parasite...it was shitty(literally), but I was able to get some antibiotics for $7 and things seem to be clearing up nicely. I am going to go to the beach later and try surfing again, should be great, then after that, God only knows what could be cooked up. I am hoping that whatever happens it is memorable. I actually have more to say but I really have to get myself to the restroom...damn this thing. More to come when I come home.

Ciao,
APK

Adventure Costa Rica....long days, short weeks

Well Team, I have summed up my days for you but rarely have I given you my thoughts about this trip. Last night I was struck with the thought that despite what age, nationality, race, etc there is a striving in all of us that just wants to be liked for who we are. But in that pursuit sometimes we become less and less of who we truly are. In thinking about this I hope that I strive more and more to be me, wholly, without regard with how I am recieved. I also hope that I can run more and more into people who are striving to be themselves at any cost, at the cost of not being liked. I find it desperately sad that we fear not being liked, because I can´t imagine a world where being free to be ourselves isn´t the most attractive quality a person could offer. So, as I continue to travel I will continue to strive to be the most true me(though at times I still figuring who that is), and not to only strive for that but trust that is going to be the most attractive to the people I meet and from that fruitful relationships will be born.

My hope is that everyone feels the freedom to be themselves, truly and wholly.

can I get an Amen.


see you shortly...
APK

Adventure Costa Rica...no clue what day it is, oh the joy.

Well team, it is safe bet to say that Costa Rica is treating me well, you can take those bets to Vegas. I am in Manuel Antonio, huge popular National Park. It is sweeping beaches and epic mountainside in one fowl swoop. We(Tara,Patrick and I) spent the evening in Jaco, it was real interesting, just imagine a broke ass Vegas. I enjoyed watching people and teaching a 12 year old girl from Washington how to play gin rummy(she was spending her 13 birthday in Jaco, I gave her my deck of cards for a gift). Met another British kid, whom I easily fell into friensdship with, and we got to dance and see Jaco´s nightlife together, which on a Monday was very tame.

Spent a good portion of the day travelling, finally got settled into our hostel, which is the cat´s meow. Sadly, all I want to do is go to bed, tomorrow brings a new adventure of trekking through the national park.

As much fun as I am having here, I feel as though I am missing out on stuff back home, which makes me unsettled. We all know how I like to be in the thick of it. If you want to shoot me updates so that I am not totally in the dark, it would be greatly appreciated.

still glad, see you in .... days,
McBalla(apk)

Adventure C:R.....Days 9, 10, 11

Back in my favorite place right now Montzuma, i have not come alone, I recruited two solo travellers from Malpais...they are both great, their names are Patrick and Tara. To my pleasure they have fallen in love with this place as well.

On to more important news....

Day 9...I rented a cruiser bike in Malpais and road up and down the dirt road taking in the scenery and the tremendous surf culture. Had a meal by myself at the beach and was ab le to read and have some alone time, also attempted Yoga on the rocks overlooking the ocean, little sketchy.

After a day of being by myself I got dressed for the evening. The hostel that I stayed at was hilarious....the melting pot of the world. There were so many international peeps hanging out and enjoying each other, it was just brilliant(which I have picked up saying from some british chaps). The night began at the large dinner tables playing drinking games and laughing and doing the most ridiculous stuff, hands down the most fun night in Costa Rica. And if you know how I roll, the next step was dancing which we gladly rounded up the troops to head to a salsa bar on the beach(practically everything is on the beach here). So the rest of the evening was basically spent with 25 of the people from the hostel dancing. I found a lovely partner to push me around the floor. The story is not complete if I didn´t include the two British fellas that we met...GORGEOUS!!!!! At multiple times during the evening I wanted to lick their bare chests, because they walked around 90% of time without a shirt...it was dreadfuly hard not to attack. To add, they were a blast and I had a blast learning how to dance twirls with Ben and salsa with Rob. One of my favorite moments is when they gave me a man sandwich....best one I´ve been in, oh goodness. The night ended with lots of sweat and good memories.

Day 10...Headed back to Montezuma, napped and enjoyed dinner with new friends and reggae at the local bar. Slept well.

Day 11...Snorkling all day at isla de tortuga....splendid. BBQ on a white sand beach, volleyball with other tourists, and leatheback turtles making love is the ocean. Este fue perfecto. Once we got back from the island we showered and headed to the organic restuarant to watch a cooking lesson. Walked around the town a bit only to run into our most favorite brits...shared another meal with them. The rest of the night was spent meeting new people, playing cards, dancing, drinking. Good night...AGAIN!

Today is day 12... I think I might just take it easy and go to my favorite spot and read.

Tomorrow brings travel to Jaco, where the world surfing championships are occurring, what luck to stumble on that.

see ya in 10-11 days,
McBalla