My Costa Rican Birthday

To celebrate my birthday I bought myself a ticket to the Shakira concert which was one of the inaugural events for the National Stadium recently donated by the Chinese government.  The Friday before the concert, as I was baking cookies with my host-cousins, I got bit by this tiny bug and my forearm swelled up to an uncomfortable size.  The following day I decided to take benadryl since the swelling wouldn't subside.  That night I went to a bingo at one of the schools I work with and spent the night at a friend's house in that town.  It was really nice participating in that town's activities since I'm usually just there under ten hours a week working in the schools.  The little kids and moms love seeing me out of school and those that had heard of me finally meeting me.

But for some reason I was super tired the whole day and night, and not in my normal chipper mood.  Sunday morning I headed into San Jose from my friend's house and some of my PC volunteer friends and I went to Pizza Hut for lunch and relaxed at the hostel before going to dinner.  I still couldn't figure out why I was so tired.  I just wanted to chill out on the hammock, I couldn't believe I was being such a lazy bum for my own birthday celebration! Finally, a friend mentioned the fact that benadryl makes people groggy.  I've never had to take it before so I hadn't even considered it!  So I stopped taking it and felt much better for the concert.

Annisse took this while she and Jennine sang to me

Before the concert, we went out for my birthday dinner.  SUSHI!  Some of us overachievers decided to buy an 8 person boat for only 6 of us.  It was SOOO good.  Then we headed to the concert to wait in a ridiculously long line - apparently the Ticos haven't figured out organizing the 30,000 people that will be heading in somewhat regularly.  So some entrances were empty while others had lines half a km long.  But we made it in and the concert started two hours late.  Shakira was great!  I totally want to be her!  But for real... I want to dance like her!  Too bad the sound wasn't very loud even though we were on the floor and there were very few of us dancing to to it.

Got home Monday - national holiday so I didn't have to teach.  Tuesday went to school for my usual half day and started to feel a little funny.  The bus ride home was especially fun sitting in a row that's window didn't open.  Basically, all of us that ate sushi that day got really sick.  One friend was hospitalized for 24 hours because she couldn't keep any liquids down.  Most of us were basically bed ridden for 3-4 days.  At least by day two I was eating bread and crackers.  But it took my body a good bit to adjust back to normality.  Wednesday I spoke to a bunch of family and some friends on skype and was feeling much better!  But then this thing called heartburn started kicking in.

Ernesto took me to town to have dinner because I didn't want some bacteria to conquer my birthday.  I didn't exactly hold onto my food but I'm still glad I went.  I was sad to cancel my community classes for the week but it was definitely necessary.  That Saturday I finally made my birthday cake.  No one in country sang to me, because I didn't really plan anything with anyone.  But I lit a candle and blew it out for a picture with Ernesto and his mom.  All in all, a memorable birthday.  Still waiting for some packages to finally arrive.  Mail always accepted! 

Miss you all!

Jenny