For those who didn't know...

Well, if anyone has taken some time to check or thought "What happened to Trisha's Puerto Rico journey?", you may not be too suprised to find out that I ended the trip a bit shorter than planned. I did have an amazing time and knocked out a good amount of goals from my list. I suppose I will have to go back again to finish the rest.

Since I've been home, it's been an incredible rollercoaster. Unfortunately more downs then ups, but that is only a sign that good is on its way! As far as the downs go, I was traveling in Florida and got MRSA (which is the crazy staph infection). I ended up having to get an emergency surgery and while recovering from it I developed a blood clot! Phew, I won't even dare ask if it could get worse :) Although, I somehow became an insomniac through all this and haven't slept in days! So I guess it can get worse...

As far as the ups go, I accepted a great job down in Clearwater, FL. I will be teaching Spanish to 3rd, 6th, 7th and 8th graders at a small private school!! I can't wait to get to know my students and be challenged and refreshed from teaching again! I have found a great apartment and plan on moving down there in the middle of July to get settled before school starts in August.

For now, I will change the name of the blog, hopefully get some sleep and then plan what I should do in June. I was thinking Red Wood Forest? Or maybe Seattle again? Maybe I should just love living in Asheville for the next month and soak this precious time up! I guess we'll see as the journey continues...

Oh, btw, I felt inclined to add some pics of my pancake size bruises. Then my censor kicked in and said "most of your friends haven't seen you in a long time, don't gross everyone out"- so I decided not to add them, but if anyone is interested I have some of the craziest brusies I've ever seen from the blood clot injections! on that note, I'm off!

love to all. trisha

Curiosidades de Puerto Rico

Well, I should say that while week one had some of its' own curiosities, week two had quite a few more.
So I don't think I've mentioned that here in Puerto Rico if you forgot to eat breakfast or pick up a newspaper or if you are just thirsty, you can buy all of those things from your car. There are people (mostly men) who stand at stop lights and sell bananas, bottled water and newspapers. I even saw blow-up toys today, the kind you get at the fair. There is something the U.S. capatilist haven't thought of yet!
Other interesting cultural occurences include seeing children everywhere, I mean everywhere! I was out at 1:30 in the morning the other night at a China Festival (I should mention China here is orange juice, not the country). Now I'll be honest, 1:30 is a little late for me. I saw tons of kids playing tag, playing with bubbles, sleeping everywhere. I think my work here as a nanny would be obselete, people just bring there kids out drinking with them. At least they wake up late with their parents, now that's a perk! Okay, onward...
Cultural difference I wasn't super excited about- 45 minutes of movie previews! I think I saw every movie that is coming out in the next year. I almost managed to forget the movie I was there to see.
Cultural difference I WAS super excited about- awesome fairs and festivals. I went to two different fairs this week. One was in Mayaguez, the city I'm living in; the other was in Las Marias, a city up the mountain on the curviest road ever! I even got to learn the word for motion sickness on the way there :( Both festivals had really cool tabels with hand made jewlery, crafts and all sorts of random stuff. Now there wasn't your typcial funnel cake, but I had some awesome local coconut candy! Both fairs had free and good live music!
Okay, the last curiosity for this blog; a personal one. People here all look at me after I talk and say, "No eres Puertoriquena" (you're not Puerto Rican). Suprisingly, people here can't figure out my accent. I get this nice "you don't sound like the typical American". Of course I'm thrilled about that, but I'm not so sure to do with all these puzzled looks. I'll ponder that one. Until next time...

Amazing Pics!

If anyone wants to see some awesome pics, check out this link to my album online. I wasn't sure how to post them all here, so this is the best I can do :) Love you all!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021454&id=59702118

Settled...

I've been in PR for 6 days, and it's amazing what one can do in that time. As I write this from my new bed in my new place with my new fan blowing the Puerto Rican afternoon heat away, the story about how it all came to pass is even hard for me to believe. Before I came to PR I spent some time online looking @ cities and classifieds trying to make a plan. Although, I knew it was only possible to do so much without seeing the place. As Katie and I drove around the whole permiter of this beautiful tropical paradise, my preminitions about Mayaguez came to life as we pulled into the city. We stopped to get coffee, and sure enough that's when it hit me- fear. Somehow for the first time I thought to myself "what am I doing? I know no one here. I don't have a job. I want to go home.". Well, after Katie keeping me together with some great truth about God not ever leaving us, and not ever allowing harm to come to us and me finishing my coffee, I decided I would try and find my spot. We drove for about 4 minutes when I decided to park and walk. I saw a sign that said VACANTES and knew it was for me. I walked up to the door and with a timid little "hola" mananged to land myself a furnished room in a house with 6 boricuas and a lovely lady named Lucy. With a trip to Walmart and a drink to celebrate it was done. I've spent the past two days biking and walking around this great city and will be excited when I can post about my new job. The lesson I learned was one I saw on a cute greeting card once ... "Just as the catepillar was about to give up, he became a butterfly" (I wish I could have learned it from the card). For now I'm glad to post that I am settled and discovering my wings to fly!

dia uno, phew

It is almost impossible to believe we've done so much in 24 hours. Between chatting with the friendly rental car guys in Spanish, visiting some of the most amazing beaches, eating AWESOME food and experiencing some of the most culturally, well, different things to see in PR it's been a full day. After seeing Old San Juan, Manati, Aguadilla and Rincon- I know I have chosen a tropical paradise to spend my next 5 months! I am exhausted, but wanted to reflect a bit of day one.

Mis metas para Puerto Rico... (my goals;)

Well, the countdown has begun. In less than a week I will be in Puerto Rico. Unfortunately I am really sick right now with some sort of flu/bronchitis type problem. Hopefully I am getting it out of my system so I can be healthy for the next 5 months! As of right now I have the first week planned for Puerto Rico, in which Katie is coming down to travel with me. I wanted to write out some of my goals for my trip so I have something to come back to and reflect on as I am passing my time down there. Okay, so goals and dreams for PR...
1. Speak Spanish!!
2. Meet some great people
3. Work a happy/non-stressful job (ex. coffee shop, florist, book store)
4. Buy a bike
5. Get a tan/ Live near the beach
6. Take a class @ local university or take piano lessons
7. Enjoy everyday!!

Alright, they say if you have too many goals that none of them get met. Seven is a healthy number of goals to have, it is a divine number, right? If anyone has any suggestions for other goal ideas, let me know. I will write more once I arrive, and hopefully post some great pics of my first week.