![]() ![]() Scholten, who would be staying in Costa Rica for one more day before returning to the states. We stood in the driveway outside of Oceans Edge and looked to Dr. Others stopped at the frutería to pick up their last serving of the freshest fruit we’ve ever eaten, trying to savor their last few bites of grenadía, a green, pomegranate-like fruit that, in English, translates to “little grenade.”Īnd before we knew it, it was time to leave. Most of us opted for the walk to Palí, a Walmart-like supermarket a few blocks from our hostel, to stock up on some of our favorite Costa Rican snacks like Takis or Pinguinos. Upon our return to Oceans Edge, we had a little bit of time to shower and drag the last of our belongings out to the buses. We took a team picture in front of the Pacific before climbing onto the buses once again, sweaty but smiling. Why? Because all I had to do is put one foot in front of the other, and I had been doing that every day for the past 18 days. As much as I hate running, I knew I could do it. Most of us barefoot, we sprinted across the beach at different intensities, our breathing labored but strong, our feet kicking up and slapping the wet sand, our throats and noses coated in salty ocean air.Īnd I never questioned once if I could finish the workout. ![]() Scholten led us through a series of stretches and a dynamic warmup before easing us into a water-sport athlete’s least favorite workout and biggest nightmare: running. I’m bringing pieces of the rainforest to the ocean. ![]() I looked down at my shoes on the way to the beach. We lounged around on Oceans Edge’s front steps, petting the two friendly rescue dogs that had quickly become honorary members of our team, until the buses came to pick us up. With our final Costa Rican workout scheduled for 6 AM, most of us woke up early to finish packing, bask in the presence of the rising sun, and soak up the last few moments of our time in Jacó. This morning, we woke up before the sun’s golden rays even began to drench the clothesline behind Oceans Edge in warmth and light. Because it makes us feel complete.īecause when it feels like we have nothing else, like working toilets and showers or a bed that’s not filled with sand, at least we have a lane in front of us, water around us, and teammates beside us. During our time as Augustana swimmers and divers, we show up because we want to. Sure, maybe in high school we had to rely on our parents or guardians to drag us out of bed, encouraging us to keep showing up, but that only lasts for long. As part of that commitment, we decided to pour our shared passion for swimming and diving into one team. For one, when we were all scared, confused teenagers (and maybe some of us still are), we chose to commit our next chapter to Augustana University. However, there are a few essential things that bind us all. We notice only what we need to see, what we need to hear. We take away different lessons from shared experiences. ![]() But my experience most likely didn’t change or impact me in the exact same way it changed or impacted my teammates. I wonder if the familiarity will feel the same now that I’ve seen the world through a new lens.Īfter 18 full days in Costa Rica, I know for a fact that I’m not the same person I was when I left. I’ll step out of something completely foreign and into something I’ve known my entire life. I thought about how I entered in the rainforest, in the tropics, and I’ll exit on the prairie in a blizzard. So, in the San José airport today, I began to think about the concept of airports. I may know where they came from and where they’re going, but I’ll never understand how they changed between their arrival and departure.Īirports also offer a lot of time for reflection, a way to waste time before stepping onto a flying human invention and stepping off into a city or state or country thousands of miles away. Most of all, as I watch new beginnings and bittersweet endings, hellos and goodbyes unravel before my eyes, I like that I can only guess these strangers’ stories. I like watching simple acts of human kindness: how complete strangers help each other fumble for their passports, shove oversized luggage into overhead bins, or navigate the stressful security lines while beltless and shoeless. I like understanding how people act under pressure, how they respond to their own vulnerability. I like pretending I’m looking through a viewfinder as faces of all shapes, colors, and moods click past me, faces I’ll most likely never see again. I don’t like any of those things, either.īut I do like what airports symbolize. There are a lot of things about these painfully human places of transit that are easy to dislike, easy to be annoyed by-the sterile smell, the delays and long layovers, the endless lines and noisy crowds. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |