One month to go!

Wow I think I'm actually getting REALLY excited about moving now...though with that comes the inevitable travel anxiety that I always get.  This time it's worse, because I know I'm not coming back for a long while.  I think that feeling of "did I leave the stove on?" is going to be super intense on the actual day we're leaving!

We're really organized and that's helping.  Every day that goes by is another day where more is accomplished, even if it's just little things.  I'm holding on to the "accomplished" feelings and trying to let go of the anxious ones...but it's hard to fall asleep at night because my brain is on overdrive.  This weekend we're getting rid of more stuff, old clothes, books and kitchen stuff we've barely (or never) used; donating them to Value Village or the like.  Also we'll be booking the storage unit soon, so can start moving things into there.  Yup it's really happening!!  One month to go.

Getting things set up on the Costa Rican end too.  I've been in talks with representatives of a great company called Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals who makes health supplements for people, pets and horses. http://omegaalpha.ca/  They're generously donating pet supplements to the animal rescue!  I'll be bringing some down with me next month, and then we'll be able to bring donations down in small amounts whenever people visit from Toronto (note to all our friends!).  Here's a picture of what's been donated so far (with my photobombing cat Stitches in the background):

These products are going to help SO much with the immune systems and overall heath of the animals being treated for disease and infection!  I'm so thankful to Sharon, Andrea and Monika at Omega Alpha for their generosity:)

Another announcement to add on the theme of generosity.  Nosara Animal Care has set up this fundraising site to raise funds for the animals, to make sure they can provide nutritious and good quality food.  Please check it out and share with everyone you can: http://www.youcaring.com/pet-expenses/feeding-our-furry-friends-/101285

Here's a video to also see more of what NAC provides to the community: http://exaltination.com/nac/

I've also set up an online purchasing gallery for my photography, which will make it easier for people to purchase prints wherever they are in the world!  It's a local Toronto gallery/print shop located in the Distillery district called Pikto.  I set it up on their gallery page, and people order through them (they deliver worldwide!).  Then I receive my artist's commission from any of my work that's been sold.  Here's the link if you want to check them out, I could only upload 15 images so I chose mostly travel/landscape: http://www.pikto.com/cad/gallery/top-pick.html?list_by=artist&artist=Jeanette+Johnstone
Please rate my images if you like them!  Or better yet, purchase a print :)  I'll be updating the prints available as my creativity and time allows.   I think a lot of my photography efforts in Costa Rica will be dedicated to providing amazing pictures of the animals at NAC who are up for adoption.  It's a proven fact that pretty pictures help adopt out strays and rescues!  Though I'd love to continue my work with doing portraiture, events and nature/fine art photography, too.

On a more personal note:
So, should we be worried about earthquakes?  My friend sent me this article, out of interest's sake, but it got me to thinking... http://www.vozdeguanacaste.com/en/articles/2013/10/06/september-earthquakes-released-energy-equivalent-one-million-tons-dynamite
That is also a question I've been asked by people recently.  Or the other one is "What kind of bad weather do they have down there?".
Hmmmm...well.  My answer has been (and always will be) that I'm not worried about these things. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm anxious about the journey down there; mostly about the cats and making sure we've taken care of everything (no loose ends!).  But I'm not worried about anything.  Worry = Fear.  Fear stops us from living our dreams.  I've always been the type of person to jump into things with both feet, often without looking.  Sure, sometimes I've stumbled and fallen..and a couple of times, the leap has left me with my heart in a few pieces.  But taking those chances is amazing, because even if I fall...I do so with no regrets.  And more often than naught, I become more accomplished, happier, proud and secure in who I am as a person.  And I'm living my dreams :)
If the earth moves beneath my feet, I might fall.  But as long as I'm able, I'll keep getting up again.

Stitches the photobombing cat has one last thing to say:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!
(He's the only one who would let me dress them up, haha)

*Crunch Time*

It has begun. 

After an awesome weekend out of town, which included driving through the fall colours, Montreal concert and late night bars/deli/bagels, family visits near Ottawa, and a wonderful wedding back in Quebec...back to reality!

This week has started *crunch time*, as I like to call it.  Finishing the organization of where our stuff is going, and beginning to get them to their new (temporary or permanent) homes. So far,  we've said goodbye to the 60" t.v, kinect, blu-ray player and sound system.  Although it's strange to see the big empty space on the wall, and getting use to going downstairs to watch on the 40" t.v (ohhh we're SO hard done by!), it's still rather liberating.  This weekend we have to clear out the drawers of all of our bedroom furniture, as they'll be going to their new temporary home the following weekend.  I have NO idea where I'm gonna put all my clothes.  Maybe "clean pile/dirty pile"?  It's a tried, tested and true organization method, right?  Though in Costa Rica, putting clothes in piles on the floor is a huge NO...unless you want to create awesome homes for scorpions, that is.  Like this little guy that I found at the bottom of my closet last time I was there:

Honestly, I was there for 7 weeks and that was the only scorpion I saw (though I'm sure there were many lurking about!).  Knowing they're around kinda forces you to be neat and clean, which is pretty great.  Fear is sometimes a good motivator!   

Then there's getting our cats over there, and all of those costs:(  I just booked their first vet appointments, which will be in a week or so.  For all four cats to have just the basics (exam and vaccines) it's going to cost about $500.  Has anyone seen that CBC Marketplace expose on vet costs?  Here it is: http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episodes/2013-2014/barking-mad  As a veterinary technician, who quit working in vet clinics a couple years ago for many reasons, I had a rebuttal that I posted on FB.  Though I don't disagree that services are overpriced, I also feel that most veterinarians need to educate their clients more effectively.  Also, as I said at the end of my rebuttal (which really says it all): 

"One of the main reasons I quit working in vet clinics was because of the cost of services. Specifically, as a technician, it was my job to explain the procedure quotes to people and have them sign consent forms (god forbid the vets have anything to do with the money!). It stressed me out SO much, and broke my heart over and over every time a sick animal would leave without treatment because their owners couldn't afford payment. Sometimes I'd actually BEG them to do something, and BEG the clinic to allow a payment plan or reduce costs (which very seldom happened). I would come home depressed on almost a daily basis (ask Dan!) and my health was being affected.
That, combined with a serious lack of compensation or appreciation resulted in a decision to leave the one job that I was born to do: save animals.Bottom line: I get to do that job again soon, in an environment where costs are low, and as long as the donations are flowing in, I don't have to say NO to a sick animal."

I was really impressed by the vet care and quality of service, and the love/dedication of the local veterinarians in Costa Rica.  I wasn't sure how it would be, and caught a rare first glimpse on my first trip there last November when my friend (who founded NAC) met me in San Jose.  Here's an excerpt from my original post about the story:

"Wow so an evening of going to a friend's friend's house (in a suburb of San Jose) to make food for the vegan fest...turned into rescuing a doggy that got hit by motorbike! Sarah, aren't we on vacation? For animal rescuers, there is no such thing, really:p Found a clinic open late, no broken bones, some lacerations that were sutured and pain meds/ sedation administered. Took him back to the friend's house, and by 8pm, with the help of ppl in the neighbourhood, we found a new home for him:) Then, it was back to San Jose proper to do some bar-hopping with the local ppl:) What an adventurous first day here!"

A slightly blonder (and maybe sunburnt) me, holding the injured dog after the vet visit as he wakes up from sedation.

That emergency vet visit cost $80, and part of the diagnosis process included x-rays and an ultrasound to check for internal bleeding.  Now, I understand that their economy is different than Canada's.  But if that situation had happened here, I'm sure the poor dog would have died on the street because honestly, who can afford the emergency vet clinic even for their own pets, let alone a homeless one?  

Well, I should go back to sorting and organizing now.  I really can't believe how much STUFF we actually have!

Cha-cha-cha-cha Changes!

The process of moving from the concrete jungle to, well, the actual jungle has not only challenged our ideals and concepts of comfort and needs vs. wants, but our very perception of survival.  The line "Bring only what you NEED to survive" from one of my favourite movies (Spaceballs) is really not as funny any more; though I'm still bringing my hair dryer:p  

As I'm typing this, I'm watching a movie in the background on our 60" tv, surrounded by Queen Anne chairs, fancy electronics and appliances.  I'm not saying I don't *enjoy* these things, or that I don't appreciate the fact that I can even have them at all.  I feel completely blessed that our life situations have allowed us to live this way.  I've also seen another side of life.  I lived it for 7 weeks earlier this year, where I fell in love with the jungle, the ocean and the simple lifestyle.  Not an easy lifestyle...let's get that clear from the start.  Especially with what my main "job" will be down there, if you have't already guessed from the title.  I put the word job in quotations, because I don't consider the rescue, rehab, nursing and caring for abandoned, abused and homeless animals a job (although it IS hard work!); I consider it my calling.  More on that topic later! 

The next two months will, in themselves, be a journey...as we truly discover what we'll need to survive.  I have to say that when I was there earlier this year, the only things I wanted that I didn't have were my boyfriend and my cats.  And maybe a few more clothes.  And the Xbox. Being a consumer and loving products has been driven into all of us, and it's hard to escape the urge to bring all of our *stuff* now that I'm back here and surrounded by it all.  But as lists are made, and our possessions are finding new (temporary or permanent) homes, it's getting easier by the day to let things go.  And each time I get a confirmation from someone about taking a piece of furniture, or purge books and clothes, I feel lighter and freer than I have in ages.  Dan and I talked extensively about our stuff, and I know he's been going through the same mental challenges.  I was worried at the beginning, but he's almost doing better than I am with this process!

The MOST challenging aspect of this move for me right now is organizing and timing all of the veterinarian visits and paperwork needed to bring the cats down with us.  Booking their flight was the easy part..just a phone call and a few hundred dollars:p  But we have to bring the cats in twice to the vet; once for exams/vaccines (at least 30 days before travel) and again for an exam (to get health certificates) within two weeks of travelling.  Now that doesn't sound horrible (except to the bank acccount!) but after the second exam, once the vet has signed everything, THEN the paperwork has to get signed by a government vet, and THEN sent to the Costa Rican consulate in Ottawa to get stamped.  All within 2 weeks.  This hurts my brain and is the current stress keeping me up at night:/  I'm assured it will all work out and that this happens all the time, and I know deep down that it will all be okay.  But that doesn't stop the worry!  Express Post will be my best friend.

Stay tuned as things unfold in the beginning of our journey:)  I will probably end up posting items on here that we're selling or giving away, so subscribe to make sure you're getting the latest posts!!