A Disease Under the Tree This Year

PREFACE:

Dear beloved blog readers,

I imagine for the past two months you have been up at night musing on possible reasons as to why I have not written since October 21st. Perhaps you came up with such outlandish stories as I was kidnapped by a herd of wild Costa Rican monkeys and taken deep into the rain forest, escaped into Panama to became a drug mule to Columbia, decided to quit Peace Corps to pick coffee day and night, or became a surf bum and had away with technology. Well, the truth is, no such shenanigans have occurred.

So I have no excuse.

Here it is: I was walking down my road one day in my site to go make Christmas cards with a group of youth. When I arrived, I reached in my bag to pull out my computer to fill the air with musical festivities. Much to my surprise and dismay, along with it came a steady stream of water dripping off from the corner. My careless actions were the result of this - haplessly putting my water bottle in my backpack with my computer, cap not fully tightened.

There it is. I have been without a computer since November, which in the life of a Peace Corps volunteer is almost like living without air. But thankfully, I survived, and I hope you did too, and you are reading this now, graciously rejoicing for a new blog post.

Or so I can only hope. ;)

Anyway, now begins the actual post.
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I write this from the comforts of my parents' living room. The Christmas music is blaring from the stereo, the lights illuminate the tree, the house is warm, snow is falling softly outside, comfortable carpet engulfs my bare feet, the shower has the capability to rain hot, hot water, and the fridge is stocked with varieties of diverse foods. Basically, I feel like I am in heaven.

But then things took a turn for the worse. This year Santa brought me something I didn't want....he brought me Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease. Yes, that's right, Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, not to be confused with Hoof and Mouth disease which is found in farm animals (hold the jokes, Jonathan). I spent part of Christmas day in the ER, and am still recovering. It's a bummer I have to spend my vacation laid up in bed, listless, and zapped of all energy, but it's also a blessing I'm not alone in Costa Rica battling some mysterious illness. Thanks Santa.

Perhaps when I have more energy, I'll post more, including photos........from a new computeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! Really, thanks Santa!