fortunate events:

I'M GOING BACK TO GUATEMALA!

So the story goes as follows: Last year around this time (i can't believe it's only been a year) Iw as working at this riding facility, teaching lessons, training horses, attempting to manage the chaos that was... and loved the work, but hated the job, with a fiery passion that would have rivaled the seven levels of hell. While subbing for one of the other instructors, I had the immense pleasure of meeting a very shy but talented little girl named julia and her mom. I was asked if I wanted to accomany Julia to Guatemala for a horse show..An F.E.I (International Equine Federation) CSI* rated show.. and that was the beginning.

so what happened you ask?

well, i thought about it, desired a vacation, and agreed. Everything got worked out, I rode a million horses, organized a jumper clinic, and then was asked to not come back to my job after I got back. (which was both a blessing and a curse... I am so much happier now, I learned alot, but I miss my students, sometimes, and only a few of them)

Anyway. I ended up getting sick the week before we went, and couldn't ride (cause of course i still had to work my 60 hours a week) and lost all my leg strength and stamina.

However, the stress of my job lifted paired with the warm weather and vitamin D healed more than I could have ever asked for, Julia and I had sososososo much fun riding and spending time with her costa rican friends. Although i rode horribly (embarrassingly so), I came home with a ribbon and a trophy in the 1 meter division (yeah out of 50 riders! in my first international/rated competition) and  a family who i had fallen in love with.

not that i told them that, because that might be conceived as weird or something along those lines.

So. I've been in touch with the Aunt and Grandmother of Julia. Beth, Julia's aunt is an f.e.i. judge and travels all over the world judging jumper shows (what a job) and they have a facility in Costa Rica. So when I was asked if I would like to visit them/ come down and ride, OF COURSE i wanted to go. What an amazing opportunity.

so i'm going! first to spend time with them in Costa Rica, and then go to the horse show in Guatemala, where we will meet up with julia and a parental unit of hers.

just to boot, if i get super super lucky, h. will come down as well. which would be a perfect ending to a wonderful trip.

the best part besides the actual trip... my jobs has given me their blessings, so when i come back sunburnt and happy as a clam, I will still have my jobs!

yeah for amazing people in my life.

i am so lucky
(ps i tried to post photos... but they failed.)