Beyond the superficial discomforts or surface differences, the heart and culture of Panama is very beautiful and unique. After attending my first true campo baile this past weekend I can attest to that. The young, the old, the drunk, the sober, the town crazy, and the church lady were all out in full swing. Oh yes and the three gringas from Peace Corps too. I chugged a few orange sodas and hit the dance floor with an older Panamanian gentleman and never looked back. It appeared I was the only person who hadn´t been moving like this since I was 2 years old. I got the hang of it eventually and the bochiche, or gossip, in the town the next morning was all about the volunteers who danced as well as any Panamanian. Thank you bochiche!
I have only been here for about 3 weeks so far and already I have had my fair share of a few things. Rice and beans is definitely one of them. Another is drunken fights between a cab driver and my chiva driver. Some things are just beginning, like my ability to understand Spanish more consistantly. I continually try to make up new words based on English ones, only to have my 14 year old host sister laugh and shake her head. No Natalie esta palabra no existe. Oh well. My host family is pretty amazing and hilarious. Life with an almost 3 year old is never dull and I actually missed her crazy antics while I was on my volunteer site visit in Rio de Jesus this past weekend. I went a whole five days without seeing her drop trow on the patio and pee in emergency, or hear my host dad tell her the sloth would take her away if she didn´t stop crying. I hope to get some pictures up soon. My host family rocks.
I promise to post a more thorough portayal of my life here, but hey, I got to start somewhere. I feel really excited, happy, frustrated, annoyed, anxious, content and alive. It´s all falling into place.
