I'm Going To Costa Rica.... How it Came To Be.

I had always been interested in yoga and surfing. Two things I have always wanted to master. I have also always wanted to travel and have never really gotten the opportunity too. Then I found La Escuela Del Sol .... however there was one little problem... it was completely unrealistic. I had no one to go with, no funding and health wise- no chance. But my mom surprised me and voila~ I was going to do something crazy and adventurous!

To be honest.... when the idea of Costa Rica came up... it was an idea to help me run away from my problems... but now that it is actually happening- It is completely about me & living life to the fullest! So I've got Mom (and her fabulous accountant who worked really hard and got her a ton of money back) to thank for funding... I've got the best travel partner ever... ME (why not- what better way to learn about yourself- who you are, who you want to become, etc.) and my health- well thanks to the fabulous docs at CHOP (and some guy named "Bennedict" in Germany - I don't actually know his name but that sounded fitting- so thank you for your bone marrow) I've got my health too!

Adventure... here I come!

This is my first time ever getting to do something like this. Being sick has always held me back but not this time. In high school I could never go on exchange or spring break... but now is my chance. I have a lot of catching up to do! Seriously- a lot like way too much a lot!

So... I'm off to a foreign country... where they speak a language I clearly do not (no really its bad). Going all by myself, it's going to be a way for me to "find myself" & become the best person I can possibly be. Hopefully that will include becoming a hot surfer chick who uses words like gnarly and sweet. Also maybe the best yogi I know who can contort into a pretzel. Or not but at least I'll have tried but either way it will be an adventure. I'll meet wicked people, I'll do wicked things and have the experience of a life time. All part of the 2009 transformation year.

Having been through three bouts of cancer, two bone marrow transplants, two relapses, all the chemo in the world, bad friendships, bad experiences, betrayal, lost love. There has also been the good! Like the good relationships, WICKED jobs, first love, awesome people (mentors, employers, educators, health care peeps, friends and family) ( Oh and a cute little dog too)...

It has all lead to one turning point- which means.... it's finally time to start my life, to leave the bad behind, move forward with the good & live life the way it's meant to be lived. A good friend once told me... it's not about what you have but what you do...Cough cough HW. (She didn't word it exactly like that... but thats what I took from it)

As I always say... "Live life not because you have too, but because you have been lucky enough to have been given the opportunity too!"

Thank you Mom- I know you don't want me to go but this means the world to me! I love you!

Pura Vida~