A New Life Goal

It's been nearly a year and a half since I left the country. For some, that's no big deal. And really, it hasn't not all that long. But I recently found that everything seemed to fall into place for me to start another adventure. I was offered a World Languages teaching position starting in September in Estes Park and since I had saved up enough to fund some travel, I quit my part time job. But it's not just that I want to go play all summer and soak up sun on the beach, I truly see this trip as a need, a means to an end. One reason is that I've been out of the Spanish-speaking mentality for quite some time, so I need to re-immerse myself in that mode: thinking, speaking, dreaming and living daily life in that language. As I will be teaching Spanish in the fall, I want to be at the top of my game. Also, I seek the inspiration and sense of freedom that comes with traveling alone in foreign countries. Not to mention, this trip will bring me closer to attaining a new life goal that I've set: to visit every Spanish-speaking country in the world. Since my last trip took me all over South America, it was no surprise to some that I picked Central America as my next destination.
I'm starting in San Jose, Costa Rica where I arrived on Sunday night. As the sun brought to light my surroundings the next morning, I knew I was once again in Latin America, with memories of my past trip racing back to me. That day I hit the road straight out to the Caribbean coast to a small town/national park called Cahuita. From there I'll be close to Panama and Bocas del Toro, a small archipelago just off the northern cost of the country. Already I have that feeling of excitement that comes with being in constant motion, moving from town to town and not knowing what lies ahead.