Pura Vida

There is indeed wisdom that can be taught through the vandalized walls of a stained Costa Rican bathroom stall: that people lack the patience to wash their hands in all countries, and that ‘Wet Floor’ caution signs are not to be taken advantage of, but a blessing one should think to be grateful for. Another wise piece of judgment that I picked up at that graffiti stained, germ-infested public lavatory is “Pura Vida”, or Pure Life. A phrase that stretched across the stalls that stuck in my fourteen-year old wandering mind, and that guided, and will continue to guide, the way I live my life.

To illustrate, I have spent the summer before the 9th grade at Arenal, Costa Rica, On the last three days of our 10-day trek, for some reason that only God knows why, my dear mother and father decided to sign our family up for a 3 hour, 11,000 feet Selvatura Rainforest Canopy Tour. 15 cables. 18 platforms. All zip lining, or what I would like to call, a shortcut to death. My

In addition to that, my sister was Googling ‘2014 Zip Lining Accidents’ and proudly sharing it to my family and I. I could not deal with the tension that I was feeling, so when we were dropped off I ran to the nearest bathroom facility and had a minor episode of a nervous breakdown. However, across the stalls in bright red graffiti, I read, “Pura Vida”. With only a two-year experience of Spanish, I quickly ignored it. However, just like the ravenous mosquitos and heat, it was everywhere! I had to find out what it meant, and thanks to an adrenaline junkie native to the state of Florida, who made it clear several times that he understood both Spanish and English, I understood that ‘Pura Vida’ is a motto that the Costa Ricans live by, symbolizing both optimism and