This weekend was absolutely nuts. I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to go to the beach with me so I decided to go out on my own. I turned out nothing like I thought it would, but it was by far my most favorite weekend in Costa Rica.
First thing Friday morning I left for a class field trip to Playa Blanca to do watercolor painting on the beach. We got there and a few of us immediately started building sand castles, turtles, and even a sandman. We then talked our professor into letting this count as our art project for the day. The rest of the morning we swam in the ocean, ate jam and cheese sandwiches, and hung out at a local soda for lunch. The rest of the class left after lunch and left me on the side of the road (this is no exaggeration) where I waited for a bus to go to a different beach. I waited there for over an hour while I talked to a guy who invited me to ride on his motorcycle to his favorite beach, or even take me to San José to see the festival this weekend…Needless to say, I’m glad the bus finally showed up.
Because I was already at the beach, there was no direct bus to where I wanted to go next. I got on the first bus going south and took that for 3 hours to a town called Quepos. Once there it was already dark, so I sat at the bus station for an hour and chatted with this mom who showed me pictures of her baby and told me she needed to ride the same bus as me. She made sure I got on the right bus and even sat by me. After a couple hours, I fell asleep and slept past the stop I was supposed to get off at. I got off at the last stop not knowing at all where I was. This town isn’t a tourist town so there were no taxi’s and no people. I found a restaurant where I asked a guy if he could call me a cab. Finally after almost 6 hours of travel, I made it to the hostel. Unfortunately, I walked in and realized I didn’t have any form of ID on me. I got ahold of my mom in the US and asked her if she could send me a picture of the copy of my passport she has. After waiting for her to get home and send me a picture, I finally got booked.
On Saturday I took the shuttle the hostel offers to the beach. They didn’t want us to have to pay to get into the beach so they took us down a dirt path where there weren’t any park rangers. We had to get out of the truck and walk through the mud to get there. I got bit by a few ants and slipped in the mud, but at least we saved 12 dollars! I hung out all day with a group of people that I had just met that day. Two girls from Germany who have been here for 6 months and actually live 10 minutes from me in SJ, a guy from New Zealand, and a man from Colorado. It was awesome to hear so many different stories and people in so many different walks of life.
Today I went to a waterfall to swim and go cliff jumping with a girl named Tami who is also here on her own from Cali. She is only here for 10 days and actually leaves tomorrow. Just two strangers spending their last few days in Costa Rica together.
It’s crazy. I came to this town all alone not thinking I wasn’t going to be with anyone, but never during this trip I was never alone. I got to sit on the beach and talk with two girls from Germany, walk the beach with a guy from New Zealand, swim in the ocean with a guy from Colorado, cliff jump with a girl from California, and sleep in the same room with a couple from France. I am beyond thankful for everyone I met this weekend.
It’s absolutely amazing to know that never once have we ever walked alone. We serve a God who tells us not to worry about tomorrow, and not to be anxious about anything. How awesome is that!? He is able and willing to be our guides if we can just move past ourselves and give our troubles to Him. Our God is forever faithful to us and, for me, it takes being 4000 miles away from home in a town by myself to see it. I feel such an overwhelming contentment and peace that I didn’t really feel here until now.
Philippians 4:6-7: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Amazing Grace For an Undeserving Grace 
What an awesome testimony, Grace! So glad that you had a surprising and amazing weekend – love your outlook. Jeff said, “You’re like the hobbit, you had an unexpected journey….are your feet big & hairy, too?” He’s weird.
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