My Host Family

(The photos above are of my Host Family, their house, yard, and 5 year old daughter. I´d orientate the photos if I could read Spanish).

This morning I woke up to the sound of the Father of my Panamainian Host Family blaring Madonna on the stero. It was nice to hear something familiar as I have been living with this family of six for now one week and feel like I am on Mars. The wonderful family of 6 is incredibly generous, but every few hours my mouth drops at the site of something bizarre or incredible. Life now, and for the next 3 months, consists of sleeping in a mosquito net (my prized possession), being awakened at all hours of the night or having my outdoor classes interrupted by crazy roosters that enjoy cockadoodledooing all day long, decorative concrete windows with no glass or screens to separate my bedroom from outdoors, sitting in a friend´s inflatable pool with a view of rainforests and mountains, my new best friend is my Host Family´s 5 year old daughter who is so patient with my attempts at Spanish, hiking to a waterfall, salamanders in the house on the daily, my outdoor bathroom has no door, school is canceled for my Host Family´s children if the teacher has a doctor´s appointment, I walk to class and back home for lunch, rain on the metal roof, cooking fried plantains, cooking fresh chicken soup(as in it doesn´t get any fresher if you catch my drift), and having a male friend walk me home after 7:00pm. I am slowly getting accustomed to Panama.

Next week, I will be venturing into the Eastern part of Panama (fairly close to Columbia) to visit a current volunteer who lives with an Indigenous community. I would prefer to be visiting a Latino community on the coast, but maybe I´ll enjoy this site...which could end up being where I´ll work.

I miss you all so very much!

(I no longer have spell check in English, so I appologize for all spelling mistakes)

The Arrival

I am finally in Panama, and it is absolutely surreal. Fortunately, my first experience through Customs was smooth, and all 105 lbs of my luggage arrived in tact. To my surprise, these first days in the country have felt like a vacation. Although we wake up early to complete paperwork, receive vaccinations, and take tests (during today's swim test, I learned how to make a floatation device out of a pair of pants), our temporary living arrangements are resort-like villas with a kitchen, den, dining room, and community pool amidst palm trees and exotic birds. Our meals are prepared for us and have transitioned from from American sandwiches or pancakes and hashbrowns to the more Panamanian dishes with rice and beans. Fried fish has been delicious. Fried plantain not so much.

This Sunday, I will move to the home of my Host Family where I will be training and living in presumably more modest conditions for the next 3 months. Learning Spanish is my top priority, and I have realized I can't be afraid to look silly. This evening, another Peace Corps volunteer and I wanted to play soccer. While she waited, I found a Panamanian staff member on site, spoke to him briefly, and returned with news that no soccer balls were available. The other Peace Corps volunteer was impressed that I communicated with a local and asked what I said to him. I had asked him, "Habla Usted Ingles?" (Do you speak Spanish), and he answered yes. I had chickened out. I will not learn another language if I resort to English, so Panamanians, get ready for some broken phrases, mis-conjugated verbs, adjectives that do not agree, Spanglish, and the vocabulary of an elementary school student. But it is better to look silly than to not progress with the language.

The Farewell

My wonderful boss Judy put together a warm and thoughtful going away luncheon filled with fabulous food and a chance to see my incredible coworkers one last time before shipping out. And thanks to Carole and her gift of fruit and vegetable seeds, I'll be Farmer Deb in no time!