Lessons Tena Has Taught Me Thus Far

1. It’s hot. Not just “Oh, it’s a little warm out today,” but a real ” I think I might be dying,” type of heat. Think Georgia in the end of July, just before the near daily afternoon thunderstorms where the humidity is at it’s peak, with the mid-day sun multiplied by five, and no AC.

2. Sweat won’t kill you. I hardly notice it anymore.

3. 6AM and 6PM are the best times of day because the sun isn’t fully up and there’s normally a little bit of a breeze.

4. Not all tourists speak English. Not all fair haired, fair skinned people are tourists.

5. Buses have a different surprise for you with each ride, sort of like those chocolate wonder balls we had when I was a kid.

6. It might sound crazy but fighting fire with fire might actually work. Somehow, eating hot off the stove soup in the mid-day heat helps.

7. Always be prepared for rain, whether it be physically or mentally. I’ve given up on umbrellas and embrace the idea of just getting soaked by the rain. (Queue flashbacks to Come Clean by Hilary Duff.)

8. There’s no rush.

9. Guayusa is God’s gift to this world and everyone is missing out on it’s magic.

10. There is something of beauty, something amazing, something to be learned from and in everything – you just have to see it.