Recollections.

So, I’m aware I’ve dropped off the blogging world. I can argue that this is mostly because I’ve been living, and thus, I’ve been busy, but I do think about how I wanted to write and share, because I did, but I just couldn’t make myself take the time to write when I have been trying to study my Spanish and enjoy my family.

I really feel so lucky to have gotten to know my past family. They really were the perfect fit for me,

even though at first I wondered how I got placed with so many animals! Fortunately, the dogs didn’t live inside, so it worked. Now I weirdly miss the roosters even. My last night, my family was found in the kitchen watching a video explaining how to make lasagna. Then we feasted on lasagna (with chicken and beef!) and fresh tomatoes. I made a few desserts that final week (brownies twice and cookies once) and when I brought home thank you flowers that final night, my mom had been making the chicken for the lasagna and she hugged me with her raw chicken hands. Hahahaha it was hilarious and gross. There was like a chicken handprint on my back, and because that day I was wearing an actual tank top, it was actually my back. Bleht. It was a little sad leaving for many reasons, but I had been really hoping to meet Yessi’s newborn born: Brian Enrique, but he hadn’t been permitted to leave the hospital yet. At least I got to spend time with all of them.  I could head back to their house to meet the baby if I could make it back in one day, since I’m not supposed to be gone during my first 3 mos. Anyway, I had really wanted to see the baby when he was a few days old because that’s so rare to get to hold a newborn! So I officially left.

As I’m writing, I’m now in my new home of La Peña with my new host family. A huge sound of thunder just sounded the whole house. (Just helping you envision life in Panama.)

Funny and Strange Moments:

-       Girl dropped her smart phone in a latrine. (Ain't no coming back from that... not to mention it's basically impossible to reach.)

-     Dillon: “Kelly, psst… the key just fell out of the ignition and the car is still moving…” (On the drive to Penonome for tech week.) It’s still unclear to me how that was not an issue for the bus driver. 

-       Easter Vigil Mass, supposedly started at 6 pm, but it really started at 830 and ended around 930 and we were given a rice and chicken and ceviche on crackers. Delish.When the Priest made small talk I understood nothing.

-       I literally had ants in my pants. Oh and I got them from the latrine.

-       I had a scorpion in my bra.  I calmly got it out and killed it with the help of my friend, Jody. He let me know he was there, and luckily I brought a tissue with me on my walk up la loma. His remains rest in pieces there near la loma.

-       I saw a coral snake on the sidewalk one morning. (Still alive.) He poked it with a stick. We didn't realize that coral snakes can look different than the ones in Florida. (We're still alive, too.)

-       During Semana Santa (Holy Week) my parents went out of town, so I stayed at home alone. There are some beliefs people have here during Semana Santa. Apparently there’s some spirits that are around during Semana Week. Also, if you swim in the river on Good Friday, you can become a mermaid. I mean, people really believe this. Really. REALLY. It’s like pasmo. People genuinely believe you’ll get sick from cold water after a workout or stepping into a/c when you’re too hot. So, during Semana Santa I stepped on a snake. From age 5-18 and all the times I’ve been back, I’ve never stepped on a snake in Florida. 2 mos., in Panama and yup, I stepped on a snake. I’m gonna go ahead and say it was a rat snake, even if it’s not true. It lived for those of you concerned. Also, later that night a lizard jumped on my hand – so who knows about the truths to crazy things happening during Semana Santa! But the awesome thing about Semana Santa is the fantastic feasting! There is no fasting, just eating and more eating! And wow the food is so good! I can’t wait for Holy Week next year! I don’t know if my new family feasts the same way, but man am I gonna miss my Santa Rita family then! We cooked this huge jambalaya type meal (but not spicey). It had assorted seafood stuff in it. YUM!

-       Dillon and Natalie were lied to about their meal once. It was pig head. Hahaha. Natalie said she saw whiskers.

-       Also, during Semana Santa, since I was left alone, they left my pal Osito home with me. (dog) Name means little bear. He and I are buddies. I saw he had a tick on him, so I helped remove it. At first I was gonna use a rock but then he ran away from me. I forgot that people throw rocks at dogs here. But then I used a fork. Hahaha It was effective. The tick was so big that it wasn't too hard to remove. Yup, then I killed it. SO FOUL. I can’t unsee that. Unfeel that. Unhear that. Bleht.

Meanwhile, after the huge thunder – no hay lluvia. There’s no rain. Arg.

-       Found a poison dart frog in my bed.  
-       Swore in as an official volunteer! I forced Joel take this picture with me to make it "official." The second pic is my Group 76 Veraguas Crew! Small but mighty - but for real - they're tiny women.

(Left: Roxana will live around 20 minutes away and Right: Kara around 40? I think. Tyler will be the future RL in Santiago (aka Regional Leader of Veraguas.)

So at this point, I've been in site for a little less than a week. Some highlights include: receiving rides to Santiago to pick up my mail at the PO and finding I had packages from my mom waiting. And one of my counterparts also took me to the fan store. Everything is in Santiago, and while it's not that far away - it's not walking distance close. Honestly, little things like this just make your life so much easier when living somewhere else. I didn't know where the PO really was (aka I couldn't remember exactly) and having her help made it so much easier. Also, having help to know where to purchase a fan was huge, too. Now super cheap - but it's gonna last me 2 years! That is, after I opened the box to build it, and I realized I had 2 of the same part and needed a different part - my family offered to drive me back to the store to exchange it. Miracle of Miracles! What a relief. I had no idea how I was going to make it back to the store with a heavy box in the bus, especially not knowing where I was going. Lesson learned: always take the floor model whenever possible in Panalife.

Feeling grateful for my family here, for my counterparts here, for electricity and for running water. And for the hilarious life as a fish out of water, but I wouldn't have it any other way!