II PART OF "BEAUTY COMES BACK TO LIFE"

I flew to Paris with my best friend. I went back to babysitting and once again I didn’t enjoy it. I stayed six months and I didn’t do much with my life but to learn some French, visit Israel and Switzerland so that I could get back home saying that it was worth it… And somehow I think it was!

From left to right, me, Katty and Angelica. Vicky, the friend I flew to France with, took the picture! Four fun costarricans in Paris!

This is me in a very thoughtful state while looking at one of those beautiful lakes in Zurich, Switzerland.

I had kept in touch with my Israeli ex boyfriend, so he invited me to stop by on my way back home from Paris. I took a chance and came to visit him for two weeks in NYC. It was fun and romantic and as uncertain as my own life of ups and downs.

When I flew back home, I stayed for a month and organized my trip back to Paris, without forgetting to stop by NYC once again.

Me and my Israeli ex boyfriend…we were in love again! It was a really strong short romance that started to affect my cravings for freedom. After three weeks I flew to France and kept in touch with him and he really wanted me to come and live with him. Shortly after ten days I was back in NYC with my overstuffed suitcases and ready to take my chances.

I have to admit that on the beginning I was sure our relationship was not going to last too long, that the magic would disappear soon enough as it did in our earlier years. Well, I am more than happy to tell you it did work out, but my visa did not. We took another chance and got married.

This is me and my husband a long time ago. We were at a panini stop downtown in NYC... if you ever stop by the city this is a tasty bite you won't ever forget about!

Well, waiting tables stinks. That’s the job I did for a while and I was definitely unhappy with it. I started to feel a little depressed about my life going into a routine I never planned.

I switched my job and started doing sales at a friend’s company and I felt better. Then I found FIT. The fashion Institute of Technology here in NYC. They happened to have a major in Accessories Design. I was blown away when the idea hit me since I had earlier recognized myself as a handbag junkie.

I applied, presented a portfolio that the professor loved and I saw myself starting school. But my vision got blurry when my high school in Costa Rica went on a strike for almost two months and nobody could help me get my transcripts. Did I hear someone say "frustrating?" Yes, indeed I got them late enough to be rejected but I still tried. I talked on the phone to the professor who, surprisingly remembered me, and she gave names of people to talk to. I went to the school twice and nobody was available to talk to me, I emailed, called and none on earth was able to give me a little help.

I was so angry about this situation; I bought my first sewing machine and set myself off to learn. The first three days were a nightmare. I spent that time feeling tired of reading the manual. After those three days, a new adventure started. I made my first bag. It is pretty funny when I look at it now. Then I made a second one that happened to really beat the results of the first one. When I made my third bag I understood I was my parents’ daughter and that they had somehow put a bit of each other’s skills in my blood. The bag looked astonishing!

THIRD PART COMING TOMORROW, AND PICS OF MY FIRST BAGS!!!