Panama Observation #1: Guys + pink = cool. The first time I saw a male student at Casa Esperanza carrying a pink backpack, I thought he was joking around or carrying it for his girlfriend. Then I saw 2, 3, 4 more boys with them too. I realized that these young teenage boys were either extremely whipped in their new relationships or there was a trend here that blue is out and pink is in. Pink shirts, pink backpacks, pink hats--Watch out America, new trend alert.
I have gone on a couple more trips since the last time I wrote, so I'll update you all on those. In mid-July, it was great to see and host my family for a week and a half. We kicked things off with a trip to an island near David called Boca Brava. This was a really serene and pretty resort on an isolated island--and isolated, it was! 1 restaurant, no snacks in between meals (the worst), 2 - 4 other guests besides us, etc. Funny thing about isolated islands is that when it rains.....what the hell do you do? Fortunately, it only rained for the first day and a half there (we were there for 4 days), but we were definitely getting a little nervous/antsy (as well as intrigued by how many books we could all read) if it continued to rain. I think we spent just the right amount of time there, as we did pretty much every activity they had to offer...we went kayaking (an adventure we weren't sure we would make it out of alive), snorkeling in the coral off a picture perfect white sand beach, swam in the infinity pool and enjoyed some great meals.
We then spent a few days at an amazing Inn in Boquete. Everything there in the resort as well as the surrounding town was beautiful. Plus, a much livelier feel to it which we welcomed after our stay in Boca Brava. We finished up in Panama City, staying at another great place in Casco Viejo. Gracias a mi familia!!After my recent travels all over Panama, I really feel as though I've seen most of the country and what it has to offer. It really is a beautiful country with such a diverse landscape which offers a bounty of different sights and experiences that anyone would appreciate.
I also took a week at the beginning of August to go back to the U.S. and visit Lauren in Virginia. We hopped around down there from Dulles to Virginia Beach and Arlington to name some. We went to a Kenny Chesney concert in VA Beach for her birthday which was surprisingly halfway decent and fun (never thought I'd go to a country concert, let alone say that). Anyways, we met up with a few friends down there too (shout outs to Brett, Brittany and Alex!) for a night. It was all just sort of surreal to be back especially for such a short time. Still, it was great to go back and I look forward to seeing everyone in December!Anyways, these trips were great to help me relax, get ready and get excited for the final part of my grant. The 2nd semester at UNACHI began this past week and it's been exciting to come back, already settled in and see the now-familiar faces.
Tomorrow I really get to put my elementary education background to use as I give a lesson to 4th year students about teaching elementary science. The English program here at UNACHI is also a teacher preparation program. While some go on to become translators, work abroad, etc., the majority are studying to become English teachers in some capacity. Therefore, not only are these students learning English themselves, they're also learning how to teach the language at the same time.
OK, that's all from me for today, hope you are all doing well!
P.S. as some of you saw on my facebook...I was welcomed back home here by a dead tarantula by my bed!! OH COME ON
