oh hello

hello, my little slice of the internet. it has been so long. i am doing so well.

what to say when you haven't said anything for months? it would be difficult to explain so much, so instead i will explain nothing at all. hello hello :)

i absolutely love sundays. i feel all prepped and primed for the week ahead. mondays are always my most productive, because i'm determined to start a new week off with a bang! unfortunately with this newish job i experience little jabs of anxiety at random moments...but that's slowly going away.

hello!

january 2014 reflections

for the past few years, at the end of every year, i've done a massive roundup and reflection in my journal of the previous twelve months. i always find this enjoyable and even somewhat therapeutic, and in 2014 i've decided to make it a monthly ritual. i'm hoping this will help keep me better focused on some goals i've set for myself, while also reminding me of the smaller, often forgotten blessings i've experienced- as well as the not-so-great moments.

i rambled on for quite a bit about all this in my journal yesterday, but thought i'd condense some of it into list form here.

in january of 2014:

• i went on my first job interview in two years and was offered a fantastic position. i'm no fool, i accepted straightaway, and am excited to start soon. more on this later.
• i visited my family in maryland for the first time in nine months. it was a lazy week of lolling around the house and spending a lot of time with my parents while wandering into the kitchen every couple of hours to stuff my face.
• i worked only 11 days- and it was a 3 paycheck month! SCORE!
• the weather in #chiberia was frigid and snowy- 33.5 inches of snow total, with wind chill temperatures reaching approx -40 degrees! my office closed for four days.
• i was sick for about two weeks; absolutely miserable for one, and sick but recovering for the one to follow. F was so sympathetic and took the best care of me. it made me realize how nice it can be to have someone around to coddle you when you're not feeling well.
• F rcvd a free overnight stay at an amazing hotel and we enjoyed the most luxurious night! i looove staying in nice hotels, it is one of my FAVORITE treat yo-selfs. he also stayed at my place for a week as he was trying to figure out if his allergies and sinus problems were due to his apartment. i was surprised to find how much i looked forward to coming home to him every night, even though i had to learn to be more flexible about other things (like not having my space be as neat as i like). 
• i opened up a lot to F and we had a conversation that i've really been wanting to have with him about faith and us. if i'm honest with myself, i had been really scared to have this talk with him. it's hard for me to be that vulnerable, even with those closest to my heart. it was definitely a good thing both for myself and for us.
• my small group thru church started again after a month's break. i love these people! i was more engaged one-on-one with my church family this month, particularly some people from small group and my women's huddle. growing in this church has been by far one of the biggest blessings i've experienced.
• a good friend of mine moved to chicago from dc, i am so excited to have him here! (hi manu!)
• i reconnected my internet after not having it at home for 1.5 months. in the beginning i thought i would never survive, but as the weeks went on i realized i didn't really mind being offline at home. alas, it took me just a few days to become re-addicted to youtube.

that's a fairly good run through, methinks. overall january was a really good start to the year. i maintained a balance of time spent with myself, with F, and with friends, which was one of my goals for 2014. there was a good mix of lazy days, especially with the weather, and active ones. i did a little bit of traveling and spent a lot of quality time engaging people i care a lot about.

february has been off to a crazy start, but in the best way. i am already exhausted and can't wait for a break, but there are also a lot of good things coming up. full steam ahead!

apartment tour

as someone who has bounced thru multiple homes since i left my parents' [home] in 2005, i am proud to have renewed a lease for the first time ever in 2013. staying in one place for more than 6mo/1yr has provided a certain sense of ownership and stability that i value. i currently live in a teeny tiny, just under 300 sq ft studio apartment in edgewater, a neighborhood on chicago's northside. luckily i am not claustrophobic, and have always loved cozy spaces. i thought i'd finally share some photos of my home, mostly to benefit the curiosity of faraway friends :)

 

this is the first non-student housing apartment i have lived in without a roommate. i was willing to sacrifice sq ft in order to live on my own within a reasonable budget- i started out paying just $645 in rent (water/gas incl). there are challenges, of course:

- minimal storage: i have just one medium size closet...ONE. in my whole apartment.
- hosting guests and visitors: uncomfortable because you are constantly in each other's space.
- keeping everything clean: having one thing out of place can make the whole apartment look a wreck!

but it has been so worth it. i love coming home to my home, each and every day.

the highlight of my evening

recently i've been super bugged out by little fruit flies/gnats zooming around my apartment. and into my face. i luckily did not have too many, but still they're tricky to catch and gross me out. i finally decided that it was time to take action, so last night i set up a nifty little trap per google's instructions:

1. fill a cup or bowl with about 1.5 cups of apple cider vinegar

2. add a couple drops of dish soap (i found it works best if you can get it sudsy and have a layer of bubbles on top)

and voila! 

i may have been a bit too excited- i peeked at my bowl a couple times and scared away a few fruit flies that were warily resting on its edge. when i checked this morning there were about 10 of the little buggers floating on the surface. i'm not sure why it gave me such pleasure to see them like that...but it did. oh, it did. i was also slightly horrified because this whole time i thought it had been the same 2 or 3 flies stalking me but that didn't turn out to be the case.

i'm going to set the trap out again tonight and have myself a rockin' new year's eve.

smiling to myself

pinterest source

today is friday !

the weather is wonderful, a sunny 30 degrees- without the cutting chicago wind, it feels absolutely balmy. i smiled as soon as i stepped outside and the rays hit my face, my boots crunching down on the last remnants of snow in the alley.

i snagged a prime window seat on a practically empty train into work. i love staring out into the world as we weave in and out and around.

and, a starbucks giftcard allowed a rare morning indulgence, a venti (that's right!) iced chai latte, gone in an hour. mm. 

tonight will be full of snuggles and comfort food w/ him.

tomorrow, an overdue catch up with one of my dearest friends.

sunday, a date day with myself. i will be racing home as soon as church is over and whiling the day away in the pleasure of my own company. i hauled a ton of goodies from lush's boxing day sale, and i can't wait to take a looong bath, try a new face mask, and do my nails. i also plan on scrubbing down my apartment from top to bottom; scribbling away furiously in my journal to fill its last pages before 2014; and advancing to the next level of sonic on my DS. please do not disturb.

enjoy a beautiful weekend. i hope you relish small and big moments of peace, joy, and contentment all around.

tips for flying spirit airlines

in my previous entry i provided a few tips for traveling in costa rica based on a trip i took in late august 2013. on that trip i flew with spirit airlines for the very first time, from chicago to ft. lauderdale to san jose, then back- a total of four legs. before (and after) i booked my tickets i was pretty anxious, as there are some truly awful stories and reviews all over the internet about this airline!

i am happy to report that my friend and i had an overall very positive experience with spirit. i am going to outline a few tips on how to avoid the many, many fees associated with this airline. i found that maybe 75% of the complaints i read were from people who had been unaware of these fees, and i honestly think those complaints are quite misdirected. as a traveler it is your responsibility to research whatever you plan on booking ahead of time so that you are not caught unaware. if you add up the fees and think the savings aren't worth it, book something else!

a few savings tips
- do not choose a seat ahead of time. instead, try to get there early and make a request at the counter. my friend and i were accommodated with an aisle seat each and every time we asked.
spirit fee: $12-200. that's right, one of those "big comfy seats" at the front can cost you $200. yeesh!

- bring your own empty water bottle and fill it up once you go thru security, and bring your own snacks as well. i always prefer to do this anyway no matter what i fly. i was actually pretty surprised by just how upset people got over not receiving a free mini bag of pretzels and a cup of water. how hard is it to bring your own or go without for a few hours? if you end up having to buy water, i don't think their price of $3 is too ridiculous, considering how much you probably saved with your discount ticket.
spirit fee: $3 on bottled water, up to $10 on snacks

- print your own boarding pass. if you don't have a printer at home or work, it's something like 10 cents/page to print at office depot.
spirit fee: $10 to print at the airport kiosk

- if you are checking a bag, do so while you are booking your flight. your first bag will be $30, which is actually cheaper than taking a carry on- $35. you can take one personal item for free, and they seemed pretty flexible about dimensions- as long as you can squish it under the seat in front of you, it's usually a go. check out this youtube video about one man's method for avoiding baggage fees all together; it might work for you!
spirit fee: $5 extra during online check in, $15 extra at the airport kiosk, $100 at the gate!

another general tip is to try to schedule longer layovers than usual if you have a connecting flight to anticipate delays. also, often discount airlines such as spirit have gates/boarding areas in older terminals that do not have many options for food or entertainment. for example, our connection in ft. lauderdale had just one "restaurant" (with burgers, fries, etc.) and a dunkin donuts kiosk. that was it- no fast food, no coffee options, nothing. you had to actually leave the terminal to find other food options, and go thru security again to get back to the gate. super inconvenient, and another reason to stock up on your own snacks and food.

i would also like to note that all the spirit employees i encountered, including at the ticket counter, boarding gate, and on my flight, were extremely friendly, professional, and accommodating. and although we did experience delays on 3/4 flights, they were only for about 15-20min each, which i did not think was much to complain about.

remember that spirit is a budget airline and markets itself as such, so you have to expect the extra fees. i saved nearly $150 by flying spirit, so it was definitely worth it for me. do your own math and see where you end up!

travel tips for costa rica

view of arenal volcano in la fortuna from our resort

a few months ago i enjoyed a week of relaxation and adventure with one of my closest girlfriends in la fortuna and san jose, costa rica. it was my first big trip outside of asia, and i had the BEST TIME! costa rica is an absolutely beautiful country, with lush, green natural beauty; warm, welcoming people; vibrant culture; comforting food; and so many options for fun and relaxation. the tourism industry is well-established and competitive, and you can therefore plan a very budget-friendly trip.

my trip expenses included:
-roundtrip airfare thru spirit airlines
-roundtrip shuttle service from san jose to la fortuna (~3-4 hours each way) thru the costa rica shuttle bus
-5 nights at a resort, the volcano lodge & springs
-1 night at in&basic hostel lounge
-several adventure tours: ziplining, horseback riding, white water rafting, arenal volcano hike, nature safari boat tour, and hot springs with desafio and wave expeditions
-taxis, meals, tips, souvenirs
-items bought specifically for my trip (which included insect repellant, sunscreen, chaco sports sandals, poncho, snacks, etc.)

...all for just under $1,500 USD. pretty awesome if you ask me!

i thought i would share some random tips about traveling in costa rica that i found to be particularly helpful. this is by no means a guide to trip planning, as there are already so many informative websites just a google search away. please also keep in mind the specifics of my trip, which might make some of my suggestions inapplicable to you:

-6 nights/7 days during the last week of august
-rainy season
-travel limited to la fortuna and san jose

gallo pinto, a typical tico plate

lush green on our resort

spotting wildlife on our nature safari boat tour

tips and tricks
- as a general rule of thumb, if you're in a store and notice that prices are shown only in dollars (without a colones equivalent) or not marked at all, be wary. these places are usually targeting tourists and therefore overpriced, or the employee will make a price up on the spot.

- if you are looking to stock up on coffee and chocolate as gifts, check out supermarkets or convenience stores. i found the prices there to be cheaper than purchasing at gift/souvenir shops, and the brands/packaging were almost always the same.

- there is a $29 exit tax that must be paid if you depart costa rica via airport. i would suggest paying by cash, as if you pay by credit card it is often charged as a cash advance, which can result in a fee of around $10. plan ahead by bringing and setting aside $29 worth of clean, unmarked bills to use at the end of your trip.

- in addition to the often-used discount travel websites, check groupon getaways and livingsocial escapes for deals on places to stay and tours. that is how my friend and i found our resort, which was really nice- and we saved 59%! make sure to read the fine print as well as the cancellation policy.

- exchange a minimal amount of dollars into colones. i exchanged about $30 for a 6 night, 7 day trip and was scrambling to spend it all by the end, especially because you will almost always receive change back in colones, even when you purchase with dollars. i was able to use dollars to pay for everything, including taxis, food at sodas, tip, souvenirs, EVERYTHING- in both la fortuna and san jose.

- cargo pants are great for adventure tours. they are lightweight, dry quickly, have zippered pockets to store small items (camera, room keys, cash) plus drawstrings at the ankles (helpful in preventing easy access for mosquitoes). you should look for a few pairs that tick off all these boxes. i found them to be a much better alternative to jeans, which are basically the opposite- heavy, hot, impossible to get completely air dry in the damp costa rican weather, and no zippers.

a big bag of rambutan bought for $1-2 at a roadside
fruitstand. they never taste this sweet in chicago!

- eat fruit! the year-round tropical climate results in a nutrient-rich soil that grows juicy, deliciously sweet fruit, including pineapple, guava, watermelon, papaya, mango and more!

- helpful odds and ends to pack: wristwatch with alarm, small umbrella, waterproof camera case, plastic grocery bags, ziploc bags, extra sheets and camp towel if you plan on staying at a hostel.

- tipping is up to you. it is not part of tico culture to tip, but most individuals employed by the tourism industry are familiar with tipping and of course appreciate it.

•  you generally do not have to tip for taxi rides
•  many restaurants will already include a 10% "service fee," which is actually a tip
• a $1-2 tip/day for housekeeping is standard
• a $1-2 tip/bag for bellboys is standard
• for the tours we went on, i noticed that none of the europeans tipped, while all tourists from the unites states did. my friend and i tipped our tour guides btwn $5-10 based on the nature of the work they did on the tour (i.e. our whitewater rafting guide really got down and dirty, so i tipped him a little more). the same applied to the driver- if he helped out in some way in addition to driving i tipped more (i.e. for our nature safari boat tour, the driver helped set up all of our equipment in the pouring rain).

although my time in costa rica was brief i fell in love hard, and quickly. i hope to return to visit another region in the future. pura vida!
** coming soon: a review of my experience with spirit airlines