Old Journal Entry

Journal Entry- Leaving home to go home.

This world is filled with many things that we get used to having around. We are told by many that these things will bring us complete happiness and total pleasure. We are unintentionally brainwashed to believe that we can’t survive without our so-called “needs” like the television or a hair dryer. We get tricked into believing that stress is caused by having too many lip glosses to choose from or where to eat that night with friends. These petty things consume our thoughts and don’t allow enough room for the small things in life to mean something.

I will forever be obliged to the Costa Rican’s for showing me the joy that comes from everyday small things. Here are the few of the things I will miss from this wonderful country: sunrises, rice 3 meals a day, no air conditioning, cheap bus rides, the chicken in the seat next to me, their pride of their country, their soccer games in the streets, the randomness of electricity, their life long dedication to family, their front porches, how they share everything, how nine people will fit in one car, their old furniture, their hospitality and how someone will proudly let you into their home with no shame that they have dirt floors.

Things I did not miss from the states: cheeseburgers, oversized SUV’s that only one person will ride in at a time, oversized ovens, cable, carpeted houses, tanning beds, billboards everywhere you look, overpriced movies, cell phones, parks that lacked kisses, fashion magazines, large cups of coffee, speed limits, ice in my drink, a closet full of clothes, drive-throughs, hot water and the fact that people don’t use their legs as often as they should.

The things I desperately missed in America: my family, my friends, energy drinks, high fives and the endless opportunities.

Hitchhiking

It's still too soon to really write how I feel about our most recent trip. But my brother and I started out in Atlanta, Georgia and ended up in Seattle, Washington and we did it all via hitchhiking. The kindness of people that we experienced along the way was inspiring and it changed our lives forever. Take a look at our slideshow and we will try to write more of our experiences real soon. -From Starla and Ryan Skelton (the founders of Wanderlust Adventures)