Journal #3: Made it Jaco

This is a journal entry I wrote on December 13, 2021. :)

Oh hey! It's me again – writing from Jaco, Costa Rica. These last two weeks were a whirlwind so let me fill you in...

Pre-Trip Recap

My family came to Pleasanton to spend Thanksgiving with Brett's family and me.

Saying bye to my parents at the end of the weekend was the first time it hit me. Like, holy shit, we're doing this.

The following week consisted of last-minute Amazon purchases (packing cubes, laptop stand, etc.), vaccinations, malaria medication pick-up, a passport renewal, and an iPad purchase (cause why not get into the NFT game while we're gone!?)

We had some friends over the night before our flight for drinks and goodbyes. The following day, Brett and I shared a collective, eerie numbness to the fact that we were leaving the country in less than 12 hours. Shouldn't we be excited, scared, something? Nope, nothing, nada.

The rest of that day, we finished packing, and at one point, I went on a walk to take a break. As soon as I hit that trail, the flood gates flew open! I started crying like a baby with an overwhelming wave of emotions. All the feelings I hadn't felt earlier that day came rushing through my body and overflowed out my tear ducts behind my sunglasses.

I can only imagine what I looked like to the housewives and tech dads I passed on the trail that suburban Sunday.

"You got this, Tay," I reassured myself.

The catharsis of that trail cry was imperative as our departure time came at me like a runaway train. There's no going back now. Brett and I are doing this. Our year-long journey starts now.

Scary? Yes. But exciting and liberating – more so!

Bo and Lisa drove us to SFO with Molly lying between us in the backseat. Not much was said on the drive to our 11:20 pm flight. We said our goodbyes and walked through the sliding glass airport doors to our new life – as digital nomads.