Disclaimer: jankyness part 2 isn't really all that janky, but I'm going to pretend like it is so I can write an exciting blog post.

 
 
"Janky" best described by urban dictionary, is an "adjective used to describe a person, place or thing which is questionable, wrong, strange, broken down, undesirable, and/or just some thing you can't think of another word for."

Usually I describe it to people as "sketchy." Whichever definition suits your pleasure.

Anyhoo, one of the things I've really enjoyed about Costa Rica is it's element of jankyness. All in all there are less rules, less regulation, and less safety precautions than in America, with the direct result of more fun.

In the past week my group has had the opportunity to go horseback riding as well as embark on a three day rafting trip. Both were spectacular. Why? They were a smidge on the janky side of things.

Let's start with riding:
Here's what happened: We arrived, they slapped us on a horse, and then, we were off! Let me just clarify to you that none of us are expertise riders, and some of us had never even ridden before. Grand. Nobody taught us how to ride, and there were no rules that we had to stay behind the instructor or that we could not trot/canter/gallop. So off we went, into the countryside!
Picture
Where ya going, Mikaela?
While at first the majority of us kept things at a slower pace (aka walking) while occasionally feeling adventurous enough to nudge our horses into a bouncy trot, by the second hour we were all ready to blow the popsicle stand (as my dear father would say). And so we raced. Before long there were about five of us who were galloping along a dirt road, out of sight of the instructors, and with only a shrewd idea of where we were going. It was awesome. 


And that's about all there is to it. No rules, no safety, no problem. 
Straight up janky.
 
Congratulations to President Obama for being elected to another four years in office!

 
Feet pounding. Ball flying. Sweat dripping. Red cards flying. Fans screaming. Soccer.

 
"I want to be able to sleep in an open field, to travel west, to walk freely at night..."
-Sylvia Plath
 
Surf's up dude! The waves have been totally gnarly brah.