I'm going, going, back back to Cali, Cali!

Plane tickets are booked and my affairs are in order. Well, that's not true, I have a lot of affairs to handle before my trip home in a few weeks. I have to change my bus ticket that proves I'm leaving Costa Rica after 3 months, per the law, book my shuttle and my hostel for my two nights in San Jose on either end of my trip, and move to a new house, but that will all take care of itself somehow, I'm sure. So, at least the plane tickets are booked!

My little nephew!!!!!!

My 2 week California adventure begins in Irvine with my sister, my brother-in-law, and my new nephew! I get to meet the little guy for the first time. He was born on July 5th so he will officially be 2 months, minus 1 day old, when I meet him. So excited to hold the little guy! I get to spend one week with the little man and begin my role as Cool Aunt Liz, or Crazy Aunt Liz, whichever seems more appropriate.

After my week in Irvine, I book it to Oakland and Martinez for a week of quality time with friends and parents. I'll stay in my old apartment, which 2 of my friends moved into when Jahsiah and I left for this crazy adventure. I'll get to go through some boxes of stuff that I left behind and determine if anything is worth bringing back down to the jungle. See friends, see folks, eat food that I've been missing, and be a city girl for a few days, before returning to my funky little beach town, hidden in the jungles of Costa Rica.

I did a whirlwind trip to Southern California back in March, returning for a family birthday party, for both my Grandpa and my Aunt. I was only there for 3 days, still managed to see almost my whole family on my Dad's side, and 2 of my best friends, Kat and Joanna, who happened to be in LA for a wedding event that weekend. It was crazy and fast paced, and while 2 weeks isn't a very long trip, it's going to seem like ages compared to the 3 days I spent in California a few months ago.

Me, Kat, and Joanna, lucky enough to spend one day together back in March.

Celebrating my Grandpa's and my Aunt Marilyn's Birthdays!!!!

I'm a little worried that I'm going to feel totally overwhelmed by life in California after almost 8 months living in the Caribbean. Life moves slowly down here, there is only one road, off of which all points of interest are located. I haven't seen or heard a commercial or a newspaper in a long time. There are no homeless people harassing me on the street when I have to go run an errand by myself. No parking tickets, no stop lights, no car alarms, no Starbucks, McDonalds, Chevrons, or any chain of any kind.


I might freak out. I probably will freak out. But I'm excited for a few things that I've started to get homesick for. While there a lot of things that I don't love about California and the Bay Area, there a lot of things that I do love, and miss, so here's a little list of things I want to do when I'm home:

• Drink good beer! In Costa Rica, there is a very limited selection of beer. Imperial, Pilsen, Imperial Silver, Pilsen Frost, Imperial Light. They are all very light, and I believe they are actually all the same beer, with different labels to make you feel like you have options. I can't wait to go to a bar, order something strong, an IPA, a red ale, a porter, a brown ale, probably one of each. Something on tap, not in a bottle and sip that beer, hopefully sitting outside feeling the California sun on my shoulders.
• Sip on some whiskey. Don't get me wrong, Guaro, Costa Rican cane alcohol, has it's time and place, and doing shot after shot on a Tasty Tuesday can be fun. But man, I'm ready for a shot of Maker's Mark that I can slowly sip on while sitting with my good friends and hearing about their lives over the past few months.
• East Chinese food. I want an egg roll. Enough said.
• Sit on my old stoop. My apartment in Oakland was home for 4 years, and while I was super ready to leave after those 4 years, that stoop holds many great memories for me. Long nights with friends, watching the sun come up, talking to the neighborhood folk as they pass by at all hours of the nights, mini therapy sessions to help everyone work out the awkwardness that are our 20's, hearing the mailbox vibrate from the music that is playing from Jahsiah's old studio, admiring the garden that we built with the help of so many people. That stoop, more so than any other place in Oakland, represents home. And I want to sit on it with my friends!
• See a play at Altarena. For over 3 years I worked as the Box Office Manager for the Altarena Playhouse in Alameda. I LOVED that job! Being surrounded by people that love the arts, that are passionate about what they are doing, the energy there was great and through that job I meet so many wonderful people, too many names to list. High up on that list is Star Valdez. And it just so happens, serendipitously, that I will be in Oakland for the closing weekend of The Odd Couple. I already have a date night planned with Kat to volunteer as wine pourers and see the show one night. High Street, my old stomping grounds! Get ready, I'm coming!
• Backyard BBQ. Fall in the Bay Area is the best time of year. Summer doesn't really hit until September and October, when the weather is at it's best, which means BBQs. My friends don't know this yet, but someone is going to throw a BBQ for me in their backyard, or maybe their front yard depending on who the lucky volunteer is. I want to have a day, since I really only have 1 week and that's not a lot of time to try and see everyone I love, where all my friends can come over, hang out, drink beer, play games, shot the shit, and eat good food. All the things that we do best. I have already been imagining this day and how much fun it's going to be. SO. EXCITED.

Now, there are a lot of other things that I really want to do while I'm in California. I want to see as much of my family and friends as is possible. I want to eat frozen yogurt with my sister. I want to go to the secret, silent hot tubs in Berkeley. I want to meet Kat's new dog and take her for a walk. I want to meet Joanna's roommates and see her new apartment. The list is getting pretty long the more I think about it. But, since I'll be arriving with just a backpack, not a lot of money, no wheels or mode of transportation, I'm going to be up for whatever. I figure I'll be like a pinball, and just bounce around wherever other people push me, and that's totally fine!

When I left Oakland, I was burnt on the place. But now after so many months and my upcoming trip, I'm becoming nostalgic for certain Oakland experiences. That's one of the greatest parts about traveling, you remember to love your home again. As always, I'll be sad leaving my dogs, and this time my boyfriend as well. But I think this trip will be really good for me to gain some more perspective as to what I'm doing in Costa Rica in the first place and what I hope to accomplish in the next few years of my life. Regardless of how it all works out, it's going to be a fun trip.

So mark your calenders, California! Liz Moore touches down on September 4th in Irvine and September 10th in Oakland. Get ready!!!!!!

P.S. Who wants to pick me up from the airport?